Thursday, May 10, 2012

on bringing up a child..


the script is roman, but the poem is in punjabi, and speaks about a native punjabi belief that i believe in a lot.
 
main, ma..

tussi saarya ne
badi oonchi peeng jhulaayi mainu
maa ai, maa o...
...
meri ma ne
bas inna keha
tu meri jaayi
meri lendaar si
kisi pichhle janam di..

is janam vich
main tera udhar
chukaya
tere sar
koi karz nahi chadaya
is janam vich
ai meri sewa sweekaar kar,
te meri jaan chhad...
teri meri
laindaari khatam..

is janam vich
meri usdi
lendaari khatam

te pher
tu aayon
khaure kede pichhle janam da bahi khata chuk ke
meri kukh vich payi
te main
saari umar
teri lendaari chukayi
ki tu
iss janam vich
meri sewa sweekar kar
te teri meri
lendaari mukki!
 
rough translation:
me, the mother.
the one everyone puts
on a pedestal:
mothers are this
and mothers are that.
 
but let me tell you
what my mother said
to me.
 
she just said,
"you, who has come from my womb
were my creditor
in an earlier birth
i died
without paying off your debt
and you
brought your debt
with you.
 
in serving you
i pay off
my debt
of an earlier birth
i do not
put a debt on you.
 
so here,
accept my service
in lieu of the debt
that i owed you
in a previous birth
and we are square."

thus ended
my mother's debt.

and then
god knows
with which book of accounts
you landed
in my womb.
and i
paid off your debt
in bringing you up.

so here,
accept my service
in lieu of the debt
that i owed you
in a previous birth
and we are square.

8 comments:

Himanshu Tandon said...

'lendaari mukki...'

Easier said than done...isn't it? :)

When I read this the first time, I thought you were quoting someone else..

This one is outstanding.. my heartiest congratulations on coming up with such exceptional piece.

Aradhna said...

very nice and touching!

Manish Raj said...

This is such a lovely post .. God bless you .. put this on facebook .. let others also read this.. please..manish.

Onkar said...

yes, very touching

Anonymous said...

Superbly and so aptly put HDWK...

this song frm Dasvidaniya ... worth a hear...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=US&v=7c7VKHszuq4

I lost my ma in a road accident about 15 years ago... time never heals such losses... one always learns to live with the pain of the loss and the memories...

Cheers to all the mums...

How do we know said...

Hi HT: :-) Thank you!!

Hi Chiya: TY!

Guruji: you know i dont share this blog url with ppl i know personally... :-)

Onkar sir: thank you!

Hi Anonymous: ohh... sorry abt your loss.. and the song from Dasvidaniya.. it IS lovely song!!

A said...

Lovely...especially the punjabi version...eh janam janamantar de rishte lendaari te dendaari naal hi jude honde ne

A

How do we know said...

hi A: :-)