The call of Ganges to Lord Shiva!
When the infinitesimal is killing
the infinite!
OhShivaya,
Let me flow, atop from your cranium full of wisdom
And wishful thinking for the gracious ecosphere around
The world time stands still on the shores of pain
Let your silhouette emerge with her flowing waters to drain
Taking the world towards the moments of transition
From the mundane human pain to divine grace unison
As you see the Earth folding her hands in obeisance.
Oh Shivaya.
I have been emaciated by the garlands and ashes together
For ages hearing along the conch's cry and temple bells
The boats today standing still on my Assi Ghats
As the world shrills in pains of the deadly virus walls
I hear the chanting mantras and the desperate calls
With every passing day and rising frightful sun
Pour your blessings on the mankind to heal from suffering
Oh Shivaya,
The glittering aarthis on my banks in reverence to us
Are no longer the evening moments of bliss
The marigold garlands that lay there in drifts
Oblivious, to the facts that I, the Ganges, face
A frail and weak old woman come to my banks
With the small flower strings and lighted lamp
Setting it float,with the prayer for a better tomorrow
Where will I go my Lord, then to look upon you?
Oh Shivaya,
You are the destroyer, yet the beginning of new life
In your strength and charms emerges the cells to survive
Give me the purpose to help the mankind and the power
To clear the miniscule troubles of humans with my showers
May my waters help cure the human ailments soon
And your blessings to bring back the divine boon
Death is the only permanence to life, but this way, why?
Oh Shivaya,
People come to your peaks with reverence to get the divine grace
And then dip in my depths for the spiritual sacred face
Carving the edges of the banks that I reside and flow
Help me, to let them raise from the pain steady and slow
With you, the blessings bestowed are unending and numerous
But the fear of the disease and the wrath suffered is furious
Wake up oh my Lord…to let the eternity giving life raise again
Oh Shivaya,
With the passing of every day, the cycle of time spins its wheels
Brings in catastrophes and rejuvenating the chakras of life frees
I see people sitting in fear and tears lighting lamps of hopes
Bless them oh Lord,
even in death they seek reincarnation of the souls
With this new fear that dawned on them to look back to roots
Raise up on my Lord,
smearing enough ashes already around
To end the human suffering and let the life earth stay ground
As I flow back to my eternity of hope, as people call me the river that
never fades!
Ganges, I am, pleading sitting on your head……Oh My Shivaya!
Umasree Raghunath
Written on 30 Mar 2020.
