It was such prayer poems as are in this small book that moved the Nobel Committee to award the Nobel Prize to Tagore in 1913.
W. B. Yeats was so overwhelmed by the strength of such simple prayers that he wrote:
"I have carried the manuscript of these translations (Tagore's own), about with me for days, reading in railway trains, or on the top of omnibuses and in restaurants, and I have often had to close it lest some stranger would see how much it moved me. These lyrics - - - display in their thought a world I have dreamed of all my life long. The work of a supreme culture, they yet appear as much the growth of the common soil as the grass and the rushes."
Albert Einstein said, "Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust ---we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper."
Tagore addressed these prayers to that invisible piper who was his Lord, Beloved and Friend.
Dr. Jadu Saha, a scientist by education and training is a former Senior Executive in the Government of Canada. After his retirement as a Director General he began his literary career in 2001. His poems in English were published in American anthologies and his short stories in Bengali in magazines in the US. His poetry book, Whispers of Silence was published by Poetica Press, Canada, in 2001.
Since then Shipra Publications, Delhi have published five books of English translations of Rabindranath Tagore's songs, poems, short stories and writings for children (2001 -2003), Prabal, translation of a novel by Sarasibala Basu in 2004 and Saratchandra Chattopadhayay's Three Classics stories in 2007. Katha, New Delhi, published a translation of Selected Short Stories by Suchitra Bhattacharya in 2005.
EDITED PRAYERS
You have made me endless *Where the mind is *This is my prayer *Have you not heard *Let all the strains *Deliverance is not for me *Day after day, O Lord *In one salutation to You *At midnight the would-be ascetic *I live in this little world *I have learnt the simple meaning *I have scaled the peak *Let me not pray to be sheltered *Accept me, my Lord *My eyes have lost their sleep *Stand before my eyes *Let the earth and the water *Age after age You, O Lord *I ask for a moment's indulgence *I am only here to sing You songs *I am only waiting for love *Let only that little be left *The night is nearly spent *I had gone a-begging *Yes, I know, this is nothing *The same stream of life *It is He, the innermost one *Your gifts to us mortals *If it is not my portion to meet *On many an idle day *Time is endless in Your hands *When I give up the helm *Your speech is simple *Make me Your cup *I have seen You *When I stand before You *Hold your faith firm *If love be denied me *Sailing through the night *Comrade of the road *I know not how You sing *Pluck this little flower *O fool, to try to carry yourself *The time that my journey takes *I must launch my boat *By all means they who love me *When it was day they came *I know not from what distant time *Torpor is upon your heart *I will meet one day *Cheerless is the day *Those who walk on the path * On that night when the storm *No guest had come *Lead me in the centre *I came to your shore *Let honour come to me *Let this be my last word
TRANSLATED PRAYERS
In this world there is sorrow *If ever the door of my heart *With hatred the world *I will give up all my ohter prides *Your eyes in the sun *Light is the burden *In my journey on this road *O Helmsman, in Your boat *Manifest Your presence *When I see the world *As far as I gaze *In this clamorous world *Forgive my weariness *Your are my Lord, my Beloved *My eyes see You not *Though I know You not *Beyond life and beyond its end * Should Your love shine *I know that one day *I know you as my God *I will utter Your name *I have come to You, my Master *When You command me *I have had my invitation *When life is hard *O You the consummation *When I used to play *You always stand alone *The song I came to sing *He came and sat by my side *There was a time when I was *This is my delight *You came down *Light, my light *I am like the remnant *No more noisy, loud words *I know that the day will come *I know that at the dim end *Just because You have come *Much have You give to me *Infinite wealth is not yours *I know that this life *My king was unknown to me *When the weariness *I have met You *My heart always wants *You were hidden deep *O You, the soul of my soul *I have your vision at times *I hear Your footsteps *Empty handed I roam
Alphabetical Listing of First Words in English
Index of First Words in Bengali