O son of strength, who spurned on earth the lures of lesser loves’ delight,
And, to help us worldlings, gave up all for which we clamour, fret and fight!
You lived to achive our India’s freedom in our homeland and abroad
And we hailed you as our country’s leader, by your sunrise overawed.
You sang the Gita’s song “Arise and deal death to the shadows” tyranny!”
And so our Lord of dawn booned you with the crown of Immortality.
Illusion’s slaves will long to cull life’s coloured shells with sleepless zeal
And stay ensnared by Siren May’s transient beauty’s dark appeal.
They wonder why you won no laurels from the hand of Destiny,
And what mad impulse made you follow a phantom gleam everlastingly!
You sang the Gita’s song “Arise and deal death to the shadows” tyranny!”
And so our Lord of dawn booned you with the crown of Immortality.
How can the addict of the flesh aspire for the starland’s bliss?
Or the worm who never pined for sky the thrill of soaring eagles miss?
You sang the Gita’s song “Arise and deal death to the shadows” tyranny!”
And so our Lord of dawn booned you with the crown of Immortality.
You chanted Gita’s deathless hymn: “Wage war we must to do His will
And quell the embattled alien hordes and, dying tonight, His Morn reveal;
We’ll cross the seven seas, ride the storm and rule the waves, may bless us God;
We’ll stake our all for the All-in-all, redeem our Motherland with our blood.
You sang the Gita’s song “Arise and deal death to the shadows” tyranny!”
And so our Lord of dawn booned you with the crown of Immortality.
Love ourflashed in your mystic soul, Campaigner of Eternity!
Who never could laze or loll upon your couch of gloden luxury.
Those who have heard your bugle of love have heard the angel conch of Grace;
“His Love’s pole-star shall light the pilgrim’s path to His Home’s last loveliness.”
You sang the Gita’s song “Arise and deal death to the shadows” tyranny!”
And so our Lord of dawn booned you with the crown of Immortality.
(Translated by Dilip Kumar Roy from his own Bengali song, 5-12-1964)
Netaji – The Man Reminiscenes – Padhega India
