Kagga 141
D. V. Gundappa · 1887–1975 · from the Kannada original
Transliteration
haLe sUrya, haLe chandra haLe bhUmi haLe nIruhaLe himAchala gange haLe vanshacharitehaLeyavivu nInadaroLAvudanu kaLedIyo?haLadu hosataroLirade? – MANKUTIMMA
Interpretation
Every creation in this Universe shows characteristics which are a function of its past several decades or centuries of existence
The sun we see, the moon in the sky, the earth itself, the water…even though we see them as ‘’new’’ each day, they have been around since ages
The Himalayan ranges, the Ganga that emerges from there; why, our human lineage itself…all these are several eons old
Mankutimma, realise that without the evolution that has happened over these several years of existence, none of the creations would be the way we see them or the way we are as humans. It is impossible to erase the past from any creation in the Universe. Not only that, these characteristics, as they evolve, are influenced not only by their past; but also the past of several other creations…thereby having a symbiotic relationship with each other…living beings influence the evolution or themselves evolve as non-living beings & vice-versa. So, never think that what you see now as new is the only relevant thing…as the new would never have existed without the old.
Did this poetry & its translation speak to you?