Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Yoga / Hindu : Shakta (Goddess-oriented)

18th Century

About Ramprasad (Ramprasad Sen)

Timeline (1718? - 1775?)

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English version by
Rachel Fell McDermott

Original Language
Bengali

Ma, You're inside me;

Themes

Heart

Lotus

Recommended Books

	Devoted to the Goddess : The Life and Work of Ramprasad, by Malcolm Mclean
	The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, by M. (Sri Mahendra Gupta) / Translated by Swami Nikhilananda
	Grace and Mercy in Her Wild Hair: Ramprasad Sen - Selected Poems to the Mother Goddess, Translated by Leonard Nathan / Clinton Seely
	Great Swan: Meetings with Ramakrishna, by Lex Hixon
	Kali: The Black Goddess of Dakshineswar, by Elizabeth U. Harding

More >>

Ma, You're inside me;
who says You keep Your distance, Syama?
You're a stony girl, terrible illusion,
dressing in many guises.
For different methods of prayer You put on
the five chief forms.
But once someone realizes
the five are one,
there'll be no escape for You!
Understanding the truth,
he won't encumber You with false worship
and You'll have to stop
as if You'd sneezed
to take his burdens.

Once he knows the value of gold
will he welcome glass
by mistake?

Prasad says, My heart is shaped like a flawless lotus.
I place You there, my mental Goddess:
Now dance!

-- from Singing to the Goddess: Poems to Kali and Uma from Bengal, Translated by Rachel Fell McDermott

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Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

About Ramprasad (Ramprasad Sen)

Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World