The Winds of Wonder

An amazing squirrel

An amazing squirrel

Category:

, , , , ,

By

RY Deshpande

/

1–2 minutes

read

An amazing squirrel

अद्भुत खार

पहिल्यांदा पाहिली मी ही खार त्या दिवशी,

धावत नर्मदेच्या सोज्वळ प्रवाहाबरोबर;






केली तिने परिक्रमा, साठवले पुण्यच पुण्य,





धन्य ती, अहो, पाठीवर लांबसा सुंदर पट्टा;










लगेच घेतली तिने झेप ही खूप दूरवरची,                                                        





अशा भल्या मोठ्या वृक्षावर एके सकाळी;










शोधत उद्याचे रहस्य आली ह्या फांदीवर,





काय दिसे, सोनेरी प्रकाश अंधाऱ्या जगात;










तर जागृत आत्मा तिचा पाहे येणारे विश्व,





बघा, त्याच्या सन्मानार्थ कशी झाली उत्सुक;










आनंदाच्या पेरणीतून फोफावे आनंद आनंद,





आनंदाचे शेत, त्याचे सिंचन करी आनंदच.





१० जुलै २०२५









Here is a rendering into English by Akash Deshpande:









First time ever I saw that squirrel that day





Running along the bright flow of Narmada





Round and round, gathering virtuous merit





Consecrated, well-turned elongated stripe





Right away she sprang to a far distant place





Landing on a giant tree there that morning





Searching tomorrow’s secret on yonder branch





What did she see? Golden light in a dark world?





Awakened soul sees the coming universe





Behold how eager she is to honor it





From the sown bliss blossoms joy and happiness





Bliss irrigating that field of ecstasy





11 syllables per line































3 responses to “An amazing squirrel”



  1. 


    

    RY Deshpande Avatar
    



    RY Deshpande
    



    


    

    

    



    This poem may have a kind of anecdotal connection with Emerson’s Fable: 
    

    

    The mountain and the squirrel
    Had a quarrel,
    And the former called the latter
    “Little prig.”
    Bun replied,
    “You are doubtless very big;
    But all sorts of things and weather
    Must be taken in together
    To make up a year
    And a sphere.
    And I think it no disgrace
    To occupy my place.
    If I’m not so large as you,
    You are not so small as I,
    And not half so spry:
    I’ll not deny you make
    A very pretty squirrel track.
    Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;
    If I cannot carry forests on my back,
    Neither can you crack a nut.”
    

    

    But there is a certain depth of mysticism in this Amazing Squirrel. It rises to the Upanishadic in
    

    

    आनंदाच्या पेरणीतून फोफावे आनंद आनंद,
    

    आनंदाचे शेत, त्याचे सिंचन करी आनंदच.
    

    

    Maybe that can be made more dense and intense, more revelatory, or else grippingly surrealistic. But as a mystic-lyrical narrative it has its own sweet charm. Let us see.
    

    Liked by 1 person
    

    


    Reply
    


    1. 


      

      RY Deshpande Avatar
      



      RY Deshpande
      



      


      

      

      



      From the Internet: “The Mountain and the Squirrel” is considered a classic example of Emerson’s philosophical and literary style and continues to be widely read and studied today.
      

      Like
      

      


      Reply
      


  2. 


    

    RY Deshpande Avatar
    



    RY Deshpande
    



    


    

    

    



    The River That Flows Against Fate: Unraveling the Mystique of India’s Westward Narmada – PUNE PULSE 
    

    

    https://www.mypunepulse.com/the-river-that-flows-against-fate-unraveling-the-mystique-of-indias-westward-narmada/ 
    

    Like
    

    


    Reply
    






	

		
Leave a reply to RY Deshpande Cancel reply