In the Fairground of Love

Where there is no violence, no condemnation, and no putrid smell of desire,
only the Lover prevails –
to that fairground of Love, let us go and see Him Who loves so deeply.

There He laughs and cries in Love,
drowning Himself in the emotion.

When met with a fellow lover of Love,
He talks with her fondly.

There runs a river
to the sound of monthly ebb and flow.

Forbidden to a greedy, lecherous soul.
The Lover swims in it.

So prays Saudamini:

I wasted my life in the land of desire
and could not reach the kingdom of Love.

I remained day-blind all along,
without knowing the path to the Lord.

(This is my translation of a Bengali Baul song, ‘যেথা নাই হিংসা নিন্দা কামের গন্ধ’, by Saudamini.)