The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 4/Writings: Poems/To the Awakened India

by Swami Vivekananda

TO THE AWAKENED INDIA^[1]

Once more awake!

For sleep it was, not death, to bring thee life

Anew, and rest to lotus-eyes for visions

Daring yet. The world in need awaits, O Truth!

No death for thee!

Resume thy march,

With gentle feet that would not break the

Peaceful rest even of the roadside dust

That lies so low. Yet strong and steady,

Blissful, bold, and free. Awakener, ever

Forward! Speak thy stirring words.

Thy home is gone,

Where loving hearts had brought thee up and

Watched with joy thy growth. But Fate is strong—

This is the law—all things come back to the source

They sprung, their strength to renew.

Then start afresh

From the land of thy birth, where vast cloud-belted

Snows do bless and put their strength in thee,

For working wonders new. The heavenly

River tune thy voice to her own immortal song ;

Deodar shades give thee eternal peace.

And all above,

Himala's daughter Umâ, gentle, pure,

The Mother that resides in all as Power

And Life, who works all works and

Makes of One the world, whose mercy

Opens the gate to Truth and shows

The One in All, give thee untiring

Strength, which is Infinite Love.

They bless thee all,

The seers great, whom age nor clime

Can claim their own, the fathers of the

Race, who felt the heart of Truth the same,

And bravely taught to man ill-voiced or

Well. Their servant, thou hast got

The secret—'tis but One.

Then speak, O Love!

Before thy gentle voice serene, behold how

Visions melt and fold on fold of dreams

Departs to void, till Truth and Truth alone

In all its glory shines—

And tell the world—

Awake, arise, and dream no more!

This is the land of dreams, where Karma

Weaves unthreaded garlands with our thoughts

Of flowers sweet or noxious, and none

Has root or stem, being born in naught, which

The softest breath of Truth drives back to

Primal nothingness. Be bold, and face

The Truth! Be one with it! Let visions cease,

Or, if you cannot, dream but truer dreams,

Which are Eternal Love and Service Free.

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Notes

1. Written to Prabuddha Bharata or Awakened India, in August 1898, when the journal was transferred from Madras to Almora Himalayas, into the hands of the Brotherhood founded by Swami Vivekananda.