O MY GOD! MAKE ME NOT A SUN
O my God! Make me not such a Sun
That lacks heat, warmth and coruscation,
That hastens not the seed’s germination,
But remains colder than Himalayan ice.
O my God! Make me not such a Sun
That knows not empathy or compassion,
That is forgetful of duties and etiquettes,
And hates the humble, ordinary landscapes.
O my God! Make me not such a Sun
That stifles life and withers vegetation,
That promotes discrimination and favours inequality,
That darkens the day to augment gloom, robbery and cruelty.
O my God! Make me rather such a benign and unbiased Sun
That lets all hearts illuminate equally bright,
That symbolises sincerity and liberates all from woes and plight,
That showers everywhere peace, ecstasy and emancipation.
Copyright: Dr. Shankar D. Mishra, Sr. Lecturer in English
WhatsApp: 8249297412 | Blog: sdmpoetry.blogspot.com
Glossary — English / Hindi / Odia
CORUSCATION / Brilliant sparkling or flashing light / चमक या तेजस्वी प्रकाश / ଝଲମଲ କରୁଥିବା ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳ ଆଲୋକ
HASTENS / Makes something happen sooner or faster / शीघ्र करता है / ଶୀଘ୍ର କରେ
GERMINATION / The process by which a seed begins to grow / बीज का अंकुरण / ବୀଜର ଅଙ୍କୁରୋଦ୍ଗମ
HIMALAYAN / Relating to the Himalayas / हिमालय से सम्बन्धित / ହିମାଳୟ ସମ୍ବନ୍ଧୀୟ
EMPATHY / The ability to understand and share another person’s feelings / सहानुभूति / ସହାନୁଭୂତି
COMPASSION / Deep sympathy and concern for others / करुणा / ଦୟା ଓ କରୁଣା
ETIQUETTES / Accepted rules of polite and proper behaviour / शिष्टाचार / ଶିଷ୍ଟାଚାର
HUMBLE / Modest; not proud or arrogant / विनम्र / ନମ୍ର
STIFLES / Suppresses or prevents from developing or continuing / दबाता या रोकता है / ଦମନ କରେ ବା ରୋକିଦିଏ
WITHERS / Causes to become dry, weak or lifeless / मुरझा देता है / ଶୁଖାଇ ଦିଏ ବା ମଉଳାଇ ଦିଏ
VEGETATION / Plants collectively, especially in a particular area / वनस्पति / ଉଦ୍ଭିଦ ସମୂହ
DISCRIMINATION / Unfair treatment of people because of their differences / भेदभाव / ଭେଦଭାବ
INEQUALITY / Lack of equality; unequal treatment or opportunities / असमानता / ଅସମାନତା
AUGMENT / To increase or make greater / बढ़ाना / ବୃଦ୍ଧି କରିବା
GLOOM / Darkness, sadness or hopelessness / अंधकार; उदासी / ଅନ୍ଧକାର; ବିଷାଦ
BENIGN / Kind, gentle and harmless / दयालु और सौम्य / ଦୟାଳୁ ଓ ଶାନ୍ତ
UNBIASED / Fair and not favouring one side / निष्पक्ष / ନିରପେକ୍ଷ
ILLUMINATE / To light up or make bright / प्रकाशित करना / ଆଲୋକିତ କରିବା
SYMBOLISES / Represents or stands for something / प्रतीक होना / ପ୍ରତୀକ ହେବା
SINCERITY / Honesty and genuineness of feelings or intentions / ईमानदारी / ଆନ୍ତରିକତା
LIBERATES / Sets free from restrictions, suffering or difficulties / मुक्त करता है / ମୁକ୍ତ କରେ
WOES / Great troubles or sorrows / दुःख और कष्ट / ଦୁଃଖ ଓ କଷ୍ଟ
PLIGHT / A difficult or unfortunate situation / कठिन परिस्थिति / ଦୁର୍ଦ୍ଦଶା ବା ଦୁର୍ବିପାକ
ECSTASY / Intense happiness or joy / परम आनन्द / ପରମ ଆନନ୍ଦ
EMANCIPATION / Freedom from restrictions, suffering or oppression / मुक्ति / ମୁକ୍ତି
Stanza-wise Summary
Stanza 1
English:
The poet prays to God not to make him a Sun devoid of warmth, brilliance and life-giving power. He does not want to become cold, ineffective or incapable of nurturing growth.
Hindi:
कवि ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि उसे ऐसा सूर्य न बनाया जाए जिसमें ऊष्मा, गर्माहट और प्रकाश न हो। वह ऐसा शीतल और निष्प्रभावी व्यक्ति नहीं बनना चाहता जो जीवन और विकास को पोषित न कर सके।
Odia:
କବି ଈଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରୁଛନ୍ତି ଯେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଏପରି ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ନ କରନ୍ତୁ, ଯାହାର ଉଷ୍ମା, ଉଷ୍ଣତା ଓ ଆଲୋକ ନାହିଁ। ସେ ଏପରି ଶୀତଳ ଓ ନିଷ୍ପ୍ରଭ ହେବାକୁ ଚାହାନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ, ଯାହା ଜୀବନ ଓ ବିକାଶକୁ ପୋଷଣ କରିପାରେ ନାହିଁ।
Stanza 2
English:
The poet does not want to become a person without empathy, compassion, duty or good manners. He rejects hatred towards humble and ordinary people and things.
Hindi:
कवि ऐसा व्यक्ति नहीं बनना चाहता जिसमें सहानुभूति, करुणा, कर्तव्य-बोध और शिष्टाचार का अभाव हो। वह विनम्र और साधारण लोगों तथा वस्तुओं के प्रति घृणा को अस्वीकार करता है।
Odia:
କବି ଏପରି ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ହେବାକୁ ଚାହାନ୍ତି ନାହିଁ, ଯାହାଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ସହାନୁଭୂତି, କରୁଣା, କର୍ତ୍ତବ୍ୟବୋଧ ଓ ଶିଷ୍ଟାଚାରର ଅଭାବ ଥାଏ। ସେ ନମ୍ର ଓ ସାଧାରଣ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଘୃଣାକୁ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟାଖ୍ୟାନ କରନ୍ତି।
Stanza 3
English:
The poet rejects a destructive Sun that suppresses life, destroys vegetation and promotes discrimination and inequality. Such a Sun represents a power that spreads darkness, robbery and cruelty instead of light and justice.
Hindi:
कवि ऐसे विनाशकारी सूर्य को अस्वीकार करता है जो जीवन को दबाता, वनस्पति को नष्ट करता तथा भेदभाव और असमानता को बढ़ावा देता है। ऐसा सूर्य प्रकाश और न्याय के स्थान पर अंधकार, लूट और क्रूरता का प्रतीक है।
Odia:
କବି ଏପରି ବିନାଶକାରୀ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟକୁ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟାଖ୍ୟାନ କରନ୍ତି, ଯିଏ ଜୀବନକୁ ଦମନ କରେ, ଉଦ୍ଭିଦକୁ ନଷ୍ଟ କରେ ଏବଂ ଭେଦଭାବ ଓ ଅସମାନତାକୁ ପ୍ରୋତ୍ସାହନ ଦିଏ। ଏପରି ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ ଆଲୋକ ଓ ନ୍ୟାୟ ପରିବର୍ତ୍ତେ ଅନ୍ଧକାର, ଲୁଟ୍ ଓ ନିଷ୍ଠୁରତାର ପ୍ରତୀକ।
Stanza 4
English:
Finally, the poet asks God to make him a kind and impartial Sun whose light reaches every heart equally. He wishes to represent sincerity, freedom, peace, joy and liberation from suffering.
Hindi:
अंत में कवि ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि उसे ऐसा दयालु और निष्पक्ष सूर्य बनाया जाए जिसकी रोशनी हर हृदय को समान रूप से प्रकाशित करे। वह ईमानदारी, स्वतंत्रता, शांति, आनंद और कष्टों से मुक्ति का प्रतीक बनना चाहता है।
Odia:
ଶେଷରେ କବି ଈଶ୍ୱରଙ୍କୁ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରନ୍ତି ଯେ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଏପରି ଦୟାଳୁ ଓ ନିରପେକ୍ଷ ସୂର୍ଯ୍ୟ କରନ୍ତୁ, ଯାହାର ଆଲୋକ ପ୍ରତ୍ୟେକ ହୃଦୟକୁ ସମାନ ଭାବରେ ଆଲୋକିତ କରିବ। ସେ ଆନ୍ତରିକତା, ସ୍ୱାଧୀନତା, ଶାନ୍ତି, ଆନନ୍ଦ ଓ ଦୁଃଖରୁ ମୁକ୍ତିର ପ୍ରତୀକ ହେବାକୁ ଚାହାନ୍ତି।
