Seven worlds play the rhythm

As the trembling earth sways almost to dissolution, Lo, the Great G.o.d Shiva is dancing.

SHIVA IN ECSTASY.

(Translated from a Bengali song.) Shiva is dancing, lost in the ecstasy of Self, sounding his own cheeks.

His tabor is playing and the garland of skulls is swinging in rhythm.

The waters of the Ganga are roaring among his matted locks.

The great trident is vomiting fire, and the moon on his forehead is fiercely flaming.

TO SHRI KRISHNA.

(A Song in Hindi) O Krishna, my friend, let me go to the water, O let me go today.

Why play tricks with one who is already thy slave? O friend, let me go today, let me go.

I have to fill my pitcher in the waters of the Jumna. I pray with folded hands, friend, let me go.

A HYMN TO SHRI RAMAKRISHNA.

(In Sanskrit)

1. Om! Hrim! Thou art the True, the Imperturbable One, transcending the three Gunas and yet adored for Thy virtues! Inasmuch as I do not worship day and night, with yearning, Thy compa.s.sionate lotus feet which destroy all ignorance, therefore, O Thou friend of the lowly, Thou art my only refuge.

2. Spiritual powers, reverence, and worship which put an end to this cycle of birth and death are enough indeed to lead to the greatest Truth. But this while finding utterance through the mouth is not at all being brought home to my heart. Therefore, O Thou friend of the lowly, Thou art my only refuge.

3. If devotion is directed to Thee, O Ramakrishna, the way of Divine Truth, then with desires all fulfilled in Thee, they forthwith cross over this sea of Rajas: for Thy feet are like nectar to the mortals, quelling the waves of death. Therefore, O Thou friend of the lowly, Thou art my only refuge.

4. O Thou dispeller of illusion, Thy name ending in "shna", pure and auspicious, converts sinfulness to purity. Because, O Thou the only goal of all beings, shelter have I none, therefore Thou art, O friend of the lowly, my only refuge.

A HYMN TO SHRI RAMAKRISHNA.

(In Sanskrit)

1. He who was Shri Rama, whose stream of love flowed with resistless might even to the Chandla (the outcaste); Oh, who ever was engaged in doing good to the world though superhuman by nature, whose renown there is none to equal in the three worlds, Sit's beloved, whose body of Knowledge Supreme was covered by devotion sweet in the form of Sita.

2. He who quelled the noise, terrible like that at the time of destruction, arising from the battle (of Kurukshetra), who destroyed the terrible yet natural night of ignorance (of Arjuna) and who roared out the Gita sweet and appeasing; That renowned soul is born now as Shri Ramakrishna.

3. Hail, O Lord of Men! Victory unto You! I surrender myself to my Guru, the physician for the malady of Samsra (relative existence) who is, as it were, a wave rising in the ocean of Shakti (Power), who has shown various sports of Love Divine, and who is the weapon to destroy the demon of doubt. Hail, O Lord of Men! Victory unto You!

4. Hail, O Lord of Men! Victory unto you! I surrender myself to my Guru the Man-G.o.d, the physician for the malady of this Samsara (relative existence), whose mind ever dwelt on the non-dualistic Truth, whose personality was covered by the cloth of Supreme Devotion, who was ever active (for the good of humanity) and whose actions were all superhuman.

Hail, O Lord of Men! Victory unto You!

NO ONE TO BLAME.

(Written from New York, 16th May, 1895.) The sun goes down, its crimson rays Light up the dying day;

A startled glance I throw behind And count my triumph shame; No one but me to blame.

Each day my life I make or mar, Each deed begets its kind,

Good good, bad bad, the tide once set No one can stop or stem;

No one but me to blame.

I am my own embodied past;