A small flower bravely confronts ‘The Sun’ to tell him that it will bloom on terms of its own and no one else. The flower demands that the sun has to leave his ego aside & puts its own conditions for him to comply with, if he wishes to befriend it.
The original Marathi poem is written by veteran poet Mr. Mangesh Padgaonkar. I know I’m nowhere near Mr. Padgaonkar or any of the existing poets; but just making a humble attempt at translation because I want everyone to see the beauty of it..!
जरी तुझिया सामर्थ्याने ढळतील दिशाही दाही
So what if your might could rise and set down the whole world?
मी फूल तृणातील इवले, उमलणार तरीही नाही
So what if I am but a tiny flower in the grass?
I still refuse to abide and bloom..
शक्तीने तुझिया दिपुनी तुज करतील सारे मुजरे
Though everyone bows down to your immensity and power;
पण सांग कसे उमलावे ओठातील गाणे हसरे?
tell me, oh mighty sun, how would it make the beaming song bloom within the lips?
जिंकील मला दवबिंदू, जिंकील तृणाचे पाते
The dewdrops and leaflets shall win my heart,
अन स्वत:स विसरून वारा जोडील रेशमी नाते
the breeze shall abandon the boundaries of remembrance,
and forge a bond soft as silk..
कुरवाळीत येतील मजला श्रावणातल्या जलधारा
The last rains of monsoon shall caress me upon arrival,
सळसळून भिजली पाने मज करतील सजल इशारा
the leaves bathed in them would talk to me in signs..
रे तुझिया सामर्थ्याने मी कसे मला विसरावे?
How and why should I forget my individual in front of your might?
अन रंगांचे गंधांचे मी गीत कसे गुंफावे?
And of what use is that machismo of yours
for me to knit the song of colors and fragrances?
येशील का संग पहाटे किरणांच्या छेडीत तारा;
Will you, the fulgent gold,
उधळीत स्वरातुनी भवती हळू सोनेरी अभिसारा?
come plucking the strings of your rays,
sprinkling music early by the dawn?
शोधीत धुक्यातुनी मजला दवबिंदू होउनी ये तू
Become a dewdrop and come searching for me through the fog,
कधी भिजलेल्या मातीचा मृदु सजल सुगंधित हेतू!
or turn into the soft, wet smell of the soil..
तू तुलाच विसरुनी यावे, मी तुझ्यात मज विसरावे
Forget yourself while coming,
तू हसत मला फुलवावे, मी नकळत आणि फुलावे
and I’ll do the same for you..
Smile and make me bloom,
unbeknownst to me..
पण तुझिया सामर्थ्याने ढळतील दिशा जरी दाही
But, do not be mistaken,
मी फूल तृणातील इवले उमलणार तरीही नाही
for, though your strength may rise
and set the whole world down,
I shall not bloom.
Wander with Mudita 