One of the principal deities of the Hindu Trinity, are partners throughoutĬreation and its sustenance- epitomized by Krishna and Arjuna on theīattlefield). Word for Man- we must note that Man here is entirely shorn of any ethnic orĬolor attributes- truly the Universal Man of Tagore's vision) and Narayana, In Hindu parlance,Įspecially as found in the Bhagavadgita, Nara (a Society (in spite of its many secular accomplishments). Lower castes and outcastes), he purposefully evokes a few Hindu symbols- theĪlternative name for the deity Vishnu, Narayana, for example, toĭrive home the point of the vicious curse which casteism has been to Hindu With the evils of casteism (specifically the millennia-old suffering of the Speaking on behalf of Universalism, social justice, and in defense of theĭowntrodden and marginalized everywhere in the world- in this poem, which deals Throughout his life strove for the highest in human aspirations, tirelessly I must also note that even though Rabindranath was not narrowly religious, and Poem in Bengali by the accomplished Bengali actor, author and orator, Soumitra Along with my translation of Tagore's Hey Morĭurbhaga Desh, I am also attaching the URL of a fine recitation of the original Showing thereby that vicious racism and violence-training is not limited to the Otherwise somewhat more benign and enlightened northern state (Minnesota). Its police state brutality towards people of color,Ĭurrently highlighted by the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, one inĪ racist-infested right-wing "red" state (Georgia), the other in an Of course, right now this grotesqueįace of the US is exposed both in terms of its Covid-19 response, and also Possible posturing as a militaristic bully. Violence, barbaric gun culture, passion for worldwide genocide, and the worst The US, with a seemingly never-ending history of slavery, bigotry, unimaginable History of racism and bigotry everywhere in the world- in particular here in Proclamations are, most significantly his words are entirely relevant to the History prevalent in India for thousands of years. Indictment in strident condemnation of the sordid caste-based discriminatory [ Commentary: Rabindranath Tagore wrote this powerful It is in Death, then, in the ashes of your funeral pyre, you shall be their equal! If you still keep yourself narrowly bound in the decrepit world of arrogance If you do not call one and all to the human pageantry, if you still stay apart Placing an appalling curse upon your all-consuming racial vanity? The God of the insulted and downtrodden has joined them there in the dirt?ĭo you not see, today, the Messenger of Death, there, at the door. Yet, lowering your gaze, do you see not yet Yet you refuse to bow before the very Narayana in your fellow Man. Him that you heap the blemish of ignorance upon in an obscure worldĬovering anything blessed in your fate, he shall create a chasmįor a hundred centuries a mountain of insults has descended upon Him that you have purposefully left behind, shall pull you right back. Him that you push underfoot- he shall bind you to the lowest depth Through insult it is, today, you shall be their equal! There, too, in stupefying nonchalance, you banished your own powerĬrushed under the merciless boot, there they fell to the dustĬome down to that degraded nether world, else there is no salvation There, where you pushed them derisively from your hallowed seat Will you sit down to a shared meal, there with the downtrodden It is the divine within that demeaned human you have insultedīy retribution from the Lord of Destiny, at the doorway of famine Rejecting their human touch, those you kept afar Left standing before you, degraded, yet took not into your lap. Him you have denied the very rights of a human being Through insult it is, one day, you shall be their equal! Translation  © Monish R Chatterjee 2020įor each one upon whom you have heaped insult ( Image by (From Wikimedia) Unknown author, Author: Unknown author) Details Source DMCA
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