Kagga 53
D. V. Gundappa · 1887–1975 · from the Kannada original
Transliteration
truNake hasirelliyadu? bErinade? maNNinade?dinapanade? chandranade? nErinade? ninade?taNitaNiva ninna kaNNina puNyavO? nODuguNake kAraNavonde? – MANKUTIMMA
Interpretation
Why is the grass green? What makes it specifically be seen as green?
Did it get it from all the nutrients sucked by its roots? Or was the soil responsible?
Or is it the sun or moon that threw its light on the grass day & night?
Or is it the rain water that nurtured it and made it green?
Maybe it was neither of them but you, the nurturer…maybe it was just your good fortune that your senses perceive it as a soothing green
Mankutimma, think about the Omnipresent & Omnipotent force that governs the interactions between all the living & non-living beings in this Universe. Each of these beings are inter-dependent on each other as a result of which they develop various features within them that are perceived by our senses with alll its limitations.
Did this poetry & its translation speak to you?