The Hope

I wrote this poem in response to a very melancholy poem that my aunt had sent me. The poem was in Hindi and it described the state of mind of a person in the last quarter of their life with unfulfilled dreams, a sense of something incomplete and/or lacking, sorrows/losses without mitigation and lack of contentment still lingering. The poem was a lament that three-quarters of the available lifetime had passed by with the last quarter remaining and yet there being so much unresolved. 

My heart broke as I read that poem. I felt really sad for the hearts that feel the same way as that lament. The poet in me urged me to reply with the reason for the hope in my heart. This is my response of hope -  a poem in Hindi with English translation available below it. To Hindi readers: if there are Hindi spelling mistakes please comment and help me correct them.

सब की यह गाथा है
कुच्छ अधुरा, कुच्छ टूटा, कुच्छ बिखरा, कुच्छ पराया है
लेकिन वह प्रभु जब से ह्रदय मे आया है
एैसा गहरा संतोश पाया है!
अधुरी ईच्छाओंका अफसोस न रहा
दुखों का गम न रहा
टूटे ह्रदय पर वो ही मर्हम बना
जो अपने न दे पाऐंगे
एैसा प्रेम दिया।

जीवन के किसी भी पहर मे
नाम से जो पुकारे उसे,
उसके कर्म का हिसाब वह खुद चुकाता है
यह उसका वचन है।
यह उसका वादा है।

यही उसका ईरादा 
जब सुली पर खुद बली चढा 
जो भी पुकारे, वह निभाता है -
मुक्ती, शांती, अनंतकाल जीवन देता है। 

चख के देखो, तुम भी दुखियारे - 
यह उसका वचन है।
यह उसका वादा है।

वह बखुबी निभाता है।
 

English Translation

This is everyone's saga

Something incomplete, something broken, something scattered, something no longer yours

But ever since this Lord stepped into my heart

Such deep satisfaction I have received!

There is no regret of unfulfilled desires

There is no grief of the sorrows (experienced)

He has become the balm on a broken heart

He has given the kind of love

That one's own cannot give.

In any chapter (quarter) of life

For anyone who calls on His name

He will Himself pay off the debt of all their karmas (bad deeds)

This is His Word

This is His promise.

This was His intent

When He sacrificed Himself on the cross

To whosoever calls

He will provide -

Salvation, peace and eternal life.

Taste and see

You who are distressed,

This is His Word

This is His promise

And He fulfills them (both His Word and His promise) perfectly.

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Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. 

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