The Song of the Dawn

The Song of the Dawn

My soul stands today, with arms wide open,

To welcome all creation, as they be my brethren.

In this divine dawn, o why do I feel free!

I gaze at the heavens, who knows whom I shall see!

A faint golden ray, lit the eastern horizon,

As the sun set forth, on his chariot, crimson.

In the youthful radiance, the birds in delight,

Sang songs so sweet, in this fresh morning light.

Irresistible your call, my soul yearns for freedom,

To be rid of this body and cradled in your bosom.

Diffused in your rays, my breath shall spread,

In your wandering soul, shall mine be embed.

Arise Great One! Begin thy hallowed trail,

From the eastern tip, set your ship to sail.

On this your voyage, across the sky, blue,

Leave me not behind. Take me with you.

Translated by: Chinmoy Bhattacharjee

Original: “Probhat Utshab” by Rabindranath Tagore

The ancient scriptures called it the “Brahma Muhurta” – the divine moment, when the first rays of daylight sweeps across the earth and rids it of darkness and despair. There is a nip in the air, and the fresh cold winds invigorates creation, shaking it out of slumber. There is moisture in the grass, the sweet fragrance of the morning bloom and the melodic cacophony of birds. There is peace everywhere! Little wonder that the sages of yore have referred to this moment as the divine moment – that instant of the day when the soul is closest to divinity.

This is one moment, which everyone must experience. Away from the bustle of our cities, deep in the countryside – at the crack of dawn, one will feel a yearning for the spiritual and a longing to break free, glide with the winds and soar across the skies. Before long, the crimson glow at the eastern horizon will herald the sunrise. And the deeply observant, perhaps can even see the fabled lord of the earth riding across the firmament in his chariot drawn by seven white horses. The warm radiance will gradually envelop him in benevolent warmth. It is indescribable. It is magical.

Probhat Utshab (প্রভাত-উৎসব), a part of the Probhat Shongeet (প্রভাতসংগীত) collection of Tagore is an early composition from his formative years. This is when the structure, verse and rhyme started combining with his thoughts to create a timeless magic. Tagore had said, that in this phase he felt the walls breaking down. His emotions had started gushing out like the waters of a breached dam. He had started feeling one with the universe.

This poem is actually an abridged version – the original composition has 19 stanzas! However, it is this abridged version, which is commonly used in all anthologies and collections. It is also a standard inclusion in most textbooks. In this song of the dawn, Tagore celebrates nature perhaps as no one ever has.

Like always, the original is included below for those who are conversant with the Bengali script.

হৃদয় আজি মোর কেমনে গেল খুলি!

জগৎ আসি সেথা করিছে কোলাকুলি!

প্রভাত হল যেই কী জানি হল এ কী!

আকাশপানে চাই কী জানি কারে দেখি!

পুরব-মেঘমুখে পড়েছে রবিরেখা,

অরুণ-রথ-চূড়া আধেক যায় দেখা।

তরুণ আলো দেখে পাখির কলরব--

মধুর আহা কিবা মধুর মধু সব!

আকাশ, এসো এসো, ডাকিছ বুঝি ভাই--

গেছি তো তোরি বুকে, আমি তো হেথা নাই।

প্রভাত-আলো-সাথে ছড়ায় প্রাণ মোর,

আমার প্রাণ দিয়ে ভরিব প্রাণ তোর।

ওঠো হে ওঠো রবি,আমারে তুলে লও,

অরুণতরী তব পুরবে ছেড়ে দাও,

আকাশ-পারাবার বুঝি হে পার হবে--

আমারে লও তবে, আমারে লও তবে।