Ghazal
O Keshav, Words Fail to Tell
In this devotional poem, the poet expresses profound awe and speechlessness at the mysterious and illusory nature of divine creation. Comparing the universe to a wondrous painting drawn without colors or a physical body upon the void, the verses capture a deep sense of mystical wonder and humble contemplation before the Creator's cosmic play.
Source: Tulsi Granthavali, Part 2 (ed. Ramchandra Shukla, Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha) · HI
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1
केसव कहि न जाइ का कहिए ?
देखत तव रचना बिचित्र अति समुझि मनहिं मन रहिए ॥
O Keshav, words fail me, what is there to say? Beholding Your wondrous creation, the soul can only ponder in silent awe.
O Keshav, it cannot be expressed, what can one even say? Beholding Your exceedingly wondrous creation, one can only reflect and remain silent within one's mind.
2
सून्य भीति पर चित्र, रंग नहिं, तनु बिनु लिखा चितेरे ।
धोए मिटै न, मरै भीति-दुख, पाइय यहि तनु हेरे ॥
Upon the wall of the void, a picture is drawn without color by a bodiless painter; it washes not away, ending the sorrow of the wall, discovered only by searching within this form.
A painter without a body has painted a picture without colors upon the wall of emptiness; it cannot be washed away, it destroys all sorrow, and it is found only by searching within this very body.
3
रविकर-नीर बसै अति दारुन मकररूप तेहि माहीं ।
बदनहीन सो ग्रसै चराचर पान करन जे जाहीं ॥
Within the sunbeam-mirage dwells a crocodile fierce and dire; bodiless, it devours all creation that goes to quench its desire.
Inside the mirage of sunbeams lives an extremely terrible crocodile. Though formless and bodiless, it devours all creation that goes there to drink the water.
4
कोउ कह सत्य, झूठ कह कोऊ, जुगल प्रबल करि मानै ।
तुलसिदास परिहरै तीनि भ्रम सो आपन पहिचानै ॥
Some call this world real, others deem it an illusion, while some assert both hold sway; Tulsidas says, cast off all three delusions, to know the True Self and find the Way.
Some call this world real, some call it false, and others consider both views to be strong. Tulsidas says that whoever abandons all three of these illusions truly recognizes their own true self.
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