Kagga 249

D. V. Gundappa · 1887–1975 · from the Kannada original

Kagga 249 in the original Kannada script

Transliteration

hALu hALella bALennutirdoDeyumada-roLigava tappisuva jANanellihanu?ULigavo kALagavo koLkareyo gOLkareyobALu bALade biDadu – MANKUTIMMA

Interpretation

It is one of the wonders of this Universe that neither man nor any other being can exist here in true isolation bereft of all bondages that are associated with life

Whenever man faces difficulties or challenges, he is tempted to run away from overcoming them; under the guise of staying isolated from all bondages of life…under the false notion that Life itself is waste & futile

Mankutimma, the reality is that once you are born in this Universe, you have no choice but to face everything that it throws at you…face it head-on & overcome all challenges…you do not have the option of running away under the excuse of staying in a isolated state. You are a social animal; so you do not have the choice of staying in isolation…whether it is misery or battle; happiness or sadness; you have to take on everything with gumption & not get into the fallacy of the notion of isolation & renunciation.

Did this poetry & its translation speak to you?

Tell Krishna what you thought →

← All translations