The Divine Ousting

The Divine Ousting

In the sprawling temple halls, (in rituals, well-versed)

Sits the learned high priests, in worship, immersed.

To the gates of this shrine, one evening he came

His clothes, torn and tattered. So frail was his frame.

With folded hands, he pleaded, “On thy feet, I fall.

Pray, a little shelter, in a corner of your hall!”

“Back!”, said the devout, “You wretch – unwashed, vile!

This hallowed temple ground, how dare you defile?”

Shamed and saddened, as he turned with a sigh,

To splendour he transformed, in the blink of an eye!

Aghast and contrite they cried, “O Lord, why this guile?”

“It is Me that you oust!”, He replied with a smile.

“As a beggar do I travel, only kindness do I seek,

I live in his home, who doth welcome the weak.”

Translated by: Chinmoy Bhattacharjee

Original: “Debotar Biday” by Rabindranath Tagore

Debotar Biday (দেবতার বিদায়), from the Chaitali (চৈতালি) collection is one among many of Tagore’s creation that brings out the humanist in him, his strong leanings towards benevolence and philanthropy. In this poem, Tagore rues the degradation of the essentials that every religion has taught – that of kindness towards fellow humans. Over generations, man have mastered the rigours of rituals and the arcane texts of the scriptures. But alas, their spirit has been lost. The facades of the temples have been cleaned, but alas, the souls of the devout remain uncleaned. Religion has flourished, but alas, faith has diminished.

Ramakrishna Paramhansa, and his devotee, Swami Vivekananda has always preached – ‘To serve man is to serve God’. This, in their teachings, is the fundament on which Hinduism (indeed, all religions) is based. When this foundation is weakened, divinity is ousted. No other poem of Tagore says this as well as Debotar Biday (দেবতার বিদায়). 

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

দেবতামন্দিরমাঝে ভকত প্রবীণ

জপিতেছে জপমালা বসি নিশিদিন।

হেনকালে সন্ধ্যাবেলা ধুলিমাখা দেহে

বস্ত্রহীন জীর্ণ দীন পশিল সে গেহে।

কহিল কাতরকণ্ঠে "গৃহ মোর নাই

এক পাশে দয়া করে দেহো মোরে ঠাঁই।"

সসংকোচে ভক্তবর কহিলেন তারে,

"আরে আরে অপবিত্র, দূর হয়ে যারে।"

সে কহিল, "চলিলাম"--চক্ষের নিমেষে

ভিখারি ধরিল মূর্তি দেবতার বেশে।

ভক্ত কহে, "প্রভু, মোরে কী ছল ছলিলে!"

দেবতা কহিল, "মোরে দূর করি দিলে।

জগতে দরিদ্ররূপে ফিরি দয়াতরে,

গৃহহীনে গৃহ দিলে আমি থাকি ঘরে।"