Karatala Kamala Kamala Dala Nayana
Karatala Kamala Kamala Dala Nayana (Assamese: কৰতল কমল কমল দল নয়ন, "Thy palm is like the lotus; Thine eyes are like the lotus petals."[1]) is a devotional poem by Srimanta Sankardeva of Assam.[1]
Writing
This poem is of great significance as it is one of the first writings by Sankardeva,[2] whose works later on brought about the widely affecting Vaishnavite movement in Assam.
This poem was written by Sankardeva just after learning the Swarabarnas and the Byanjanbarnas.[3] Any vowel sound (except অ, i.e. o) following a consonant sound in a word in Assamese is denoted by a swarasihna, but it goes that since Sankardeva had not learnt them by the time of writing Karatala Kamala, the poem contains no swarasihnas.[4] Sankardeva wrote the poem when he was of the age of 12 years.[2][5]
Lyrics
In Assamese script
In Latin script
Karatala kamala kamaladala nayana |
Bhavadava dahana gahana vana sayana ||
Napara napara para satarata gamaya |
Sabhaya mabhaya bhaya mamahara satataya ||
Kharatara varasara hatadasa vadana |
Khagachara nagadhara fanadhara sayana ||
Jagadagha mapahara bhavabhaya tarana |
Parapada layakara kamalaja nayana ||[4]
English translation
LOTUS IN THINE PALM
Behold I the lotus in thine palms,
Lotus petal-like thy paired eye curves,
O extinguisher of all worldly pain,
O serene reposer in slumber garden!
Thou art -- from me -- never apart,
O ye super ego hiding in abyss!
Forever thou dost clear -- anxieties and fear,
Giveth me solace and peace.
O the wielder of weapons potent and swift,
O the slayer of ten-headed demon in conflict,
O the rider of Garuda the giant,
O the lifter of Govardhana the mount,
Thou art shielded in thine eternal rest
By Shesha the coiling hooded serpent.
O my saviour from earthly strings,
O the dispeller of worldly sins,
I pray thee, O the lotus-eyed one,
O the giver of ultimate bliss.
References
- "The Master's first masterpiece". atributetosankaradeva.org. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- "Assam Info Srimanta Sankardeva".
- "Sankardeva At the tol". atributetosankaradeva.org. 24 December 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- "Barpeta Satra site". barpetasatra.org. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- "বৰআতা". xobdo.org. xobdo.org. Retrieved 11 March 2019.