To The Fourth Of July
Behold, the dark clouds melt away,
That gathered thick at night, and hung
So like a gloomy pall above the earth!
Before thy magic touch, the world
Awakes! The birds in chorus sing.
The flowers raise their star-like crowns-
Dew-set, and wave thee welcome fair.
The lakes are opening wide in love
Their hundred thousand lotus-eyes
To welcome thee, with all their depth.
All hail to thee, thou Lord of Light!
A welcome new to thee, today,
O sun! today thou sheddest LIBERTY!
Bethink thee how the world did wait,
And search for thee, through time and clime.
Some gave up home and love of friends,
And went in quest of thee, self banished,
Through dreary oceans, through primeval forests,
Each step a struggle for their life or death;
Then came the day when work bore fruit,
And worship, love, and sacrifice,
Fulfilled, accepted, and complete.
Then thou, propitious, rose to shed
The light of FREEDOM on mankind.
Move on, O Lord, on thy resistless path!
Till thy high noon o’erspreads the world.
Till every land reflects thy light,
Till men and women, with uplifted head,
Behold their shackles broken, and
Know, in springing joy, their life renewed!
NOTE* The 4th of July is the day of ‘American Independence’ and also the day Swami Vivekananda chose for his ‘Mahasamadhi’, or the freedom/Liberation from this limited embodied existence!
With Compliments!
@run
About arun raghuwanshi
I AM THAT!
1.
I am not mind, nor int
ellect, nor ego,
nor the reflections of inner self (chitta).
I am not the five senses.
I am beyond that.
I am not the ether, nor the earth,
nor the fire, nor the wind (the five elements).
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva (The Ultimate Goodness Principle!),
Love and pure consciousness
2.
Neither can I be termed as energy (prana),
nor five types of breath (vayus),
nor the seven material essences,
nor the five coverings (pancha-kosha).
Neither am I the five instruments of elimination,
procreation, motion, grasping, or speaking.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva
3.
I have no hatred or dislike,
nor affiliation or liking,
nor greed,
nor delusion,
nor pride or haughtiness,
nor feelings of envy or jealousy.
I have no duty (dharma),
nor any money,
nor any desire (kama),
nor even liberation (moksha).
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
4.
I have neither merit (virtue),
nor demerit (vice).
I do not commit sins or good deeds,
nor have happiness or sorrow,
pain or pleasure.
I do not need mantras, holy places,
scriptures (Vedas), rituals or sacrifices (yagnas).
I am none of the triad of
the observer or one who experiences,
the process of observing or experiencing,
or any object being observed or experienced.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
5.
I do not have fear of death,
as I do not have death.
I have no separation from my true self,
no doubt about my existence,
nor have I discrimination on the basis of birth.
I have no father or mother,
nor did I have a birth.
I am not the relative,
nor the friend,
nor the guru,
nor the disciple.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
6.
I am all pervasive.
I am without any attributes,
and without any form.
I have neither attachment to the world,
nor to liberation (mukti).
I have no wishes for anything
because I am everything,
everywhere,
every time,
always in equilibrium.
I am indeed,
That eternal knowing and bliss, Shiva,
love and pure consciousness.
I am Sada-Shiva,Sada-Shiva!
I am That!
*****
Visit : Arun Raghuwanshi @ www.yogaway-international.com
dearest arun,
swami vivekananda wrote it? wow!! i never knew this side of him, i knew he was a well versed karmayogi but poetry!!! thanks a ton arun!
Wish you love, peace and happiness.
Trisha
Dear SB
Yes! you will be surprised to know that Vivekananda wrote a lot of Poetry,of course in his mother tongue-Bangla!However after visiting America in 1893,he occassionally wrote poems in english,also!
This particular poem he wrote On the 4th of July, 1898,when he was travelling with some American disciples in Kashmir(without telling anybody) to be read aloud as a surprise at the early breakfast.
Besides, Poetry,he occassionally played Indian guitar ('Tanpoora''a variation of 'sitar'),also!In Indian tradition the spiritual persons try to master music and poery invariably as help in their spiritual practice,as devotional songs('Bhajans'),and prayers, become more intense and have synergetic effect!And its divine experience!
Karma yogi like Krishan is said to be expert in 64 arts,including cooking too!And what not and what not.Indian spirituality is all inclusive and life affermative,all the way!a holistic way of living!
With Love!& Best Wishes!
@run
this all leads me to wonder whether nourishing spirituality… and noursishing creativity within our hearts,.. doesn't it all mean one and the same thing! i wonder..
Neha
strange that all the research surrounding 'creativity' dsnt talk about these aspects!
spirituality, to me is being ignored completely while contemplating in modern science… may be because it explains in a simple manner… only complications seems to satisfy is, i guess!
Neha
Dear Neha
Spirituality makes a person more sensitive to surroundings,awakens intution and make him creative in a divine way!But its not necessary that a creative person be spiritual also!as with some modern creative artists,architects,painters and musicians with atheist inclination!
But mostly creative people and scientists and philosphers of heigh order become spiritual and mystic in later phsase of their life for obivious reasons!
With best wishes!
@run
Dear Neha
And, Probably GOD! has destined this work to people like us!And people of Intent Family!Amen!Jai Ho!
@run