The Bengali Book of English Verse/Dasahara (Kasiprasad Ghose)
KASIPRASAD GHOSE,
1809-1873.
Dasahara.
Glorious river! thee of yore
Siva on his tresses bore,
When thou didst thy rapid flow
Take unto this world below,
From the peak of Himalay,
Where thy lucid waters stray,
Dispensing to the gods above
Purity and holy love.
Propitious river! by thy grace
Royal Sagar's numerous race,
Though burned to ashes by the fire
Of the saintly sage's ire,
Enjoyed the bright, unchanging hours,
Smiling round the emerald bowers,
And bringing in the heavenly sphere
Joys which only circle there.
Holy stream! thou dost bestow
Freedom from each earthly woe,
Destroying all the sins that be
Pertaining to humanity,
And ensure at being's close,
Sweet and undisturbed repose.
Nay! even the deities love to lave
Their forms of glory in thy wave.
Beauteous river! on thy spray
The lotos famed in ancient lay—
Whose chaplets and whose odours sweet,
Goddess! to thee are offerings meet—
In gladness doth its leaves unfold
Full to the morning's beam of gold,
As if inspired with the love
Of the majestic sun above.
Dreadful river! in thy waves
His length the alligator laves,
And sharks and sea-hogs round him play,
Glad with the hope of human prey.
When summer with the hot sun crowned,
Showers her dazzling splendour round,
And brings forth in our Indian bowers
Refulgent days and lovely flowers.