The Supreme One

Aditya marched
Several hundred of them two
Followed their king or was it the beat
Of the golden drums that played
One stroke for every step
The music was the pace.

We all too stride
The flowers, bees and birds
Rest of us and animals too
We beat to His steps
His sounds, show the way
Only His Will shall end this race.

Do not try to look but,
On land and mountain tops
For His presence or divinity
The Sun, the rhythm, the air, the womb
Why don't we just see around?
All of us are his trace.


Explanation:

1st stanza - VikramAditya was one of the most illustrious Kings ever to have ruled India. As per the legend, his army used to march to the beats of the drums; one step for every beat.
2nd stanza - Lord Shiva is the most powerful and revered God in the Hindu pantheon. In mythology, Lord Shiva has said to have played his 'damaru' (tabor - percussion instrument) to create all the sounds that make up our speech (popularly known as the 14 Maheswara Sutras). Our heart 'beats' as per His Will and we all march on, in this cycle of creation and destruction.

You and Us

You gave us legs, we trampled the earth,
You gave us hands, now we kill since birth;
You gave us eyes, but not the sight,
You gave us speech, now we speak to fight;

You gave us ears, but another’s cries we cannot hear,
You gave us air, and we filled it up with fear;
You gave us a heart that can hurt more than a fall,
O! But why did you give us a brain. Now we doubt if you gave us anything at all.

Note: The use of the word ‘brain’ instead of the word ‘Mind’ is deliberate. As according to the Indian philosophies (and many others all over the world), ‘Mind’ is equated with consciousness as well as the soul. ‘Mind’ gives us peace. ‘Mind’ helps us control our desires and emotions. ‘Mind’ helps us find the ultimate truth.