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Heart

Kamala Das [From Wikipedia]


Lady, what did you gain by giving up Krishna

And embracing the Prophet’s amorphous Allah?

Did your heart throb better

With your head veiled with the hijab?

The heart works better without the head!

But yours didn’t.

Your head was as good as your heart.

 

You learnt the hard way

That you (nor I, nor anyone)

Can’t run away from yourself

By changing the god.

You betrayed your most beloved god,

The playful Krishna,

In favour of a “rigid husband.”

 

And you remained unhappy

Till the end of your life.

 

Happiness is not given by any god!

Let it be Krishna or Kristu or Allah,

Let it be any god from any culture –

Have you ever come across a happy god anywhere? –

Happiness cannot be given by gods.

Happiness is in your heart:

Or else you won’t ever have it.

 

PS. I’m going to teach a poem of Kamala Das tomorrow. These lines were a result of my reflection on the poet. Kamala Das became Kamala Suraiyya at the age of 65 by changing her religion. And she lost her smile after that. 

An earlier post on Kamala Das: Stains on Greatness 

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Comments

  1. Yamini MacLeanMarch 19, 2023 at 4:59 PM

    Hari OM
    "Happiness is in your heart"... yes, this! YAM xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. ArtiMarch 20, 2023 at 1:46 PM

    The 'happiness is in your heart' message has come my way twice this morning. First, via an Insta share and now this post. Perhaps, the universe is nudging me to smile and accept the lethargic state of my writing these days:) Perhaps. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMarch 20, 2023 at 2:38 PM

      The universe has its own ways of telling us certain vital things. All tje best.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousMarch 21, 2023 at 5:13 PM

    Your Stories/ poems are refreshing. Keep written. Lots of love 💟

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousMarch 21, 2023 at 7:50 PM

    Proud to be your student rrly!Love the way You teach

    ReplyDelete
  5. vanderloostMarch 22, 2023 at 9:04 PM

    Very well written

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousMarch 24, 2023 at 6:28 PM

    Sir, can I ask some question?
    According to physics energy can neither be created nor be destroyed so what happens to the human energy after death?,also where does our soul go?what are your views on the concept of souls?
    It's not related to what you have posted yet I'm curious to know all about this. F

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalMarch 24, 2023 at 9:05 PM

      If you study biology, the answer would be that all organic energy is bum with death. Which branch of science accepts soul? Soul is a good concept for poetry like
      When it rains
      Souls rise like seeds...

      Delete
    2. AnonymousMarch 25, 2023 at 1:02 PM

      Everything knowable about the "soul" can be learned by studying the functioning of the brain. In their view, neuroscience is the only branch of scientific study relevant to understanding the soul.-Google.
      I had a teacher who said that after death we all are subjected to judgement and a lot of other things related to what might happen after death. He also said some stuff related to souls.which made me more curious about souls so i decided to read a book on it named destiny of souls. After 2 chapters i stopped reading it though. But still there is this one question which i haven't got a proper answer. What happens after death? Why living if it is to just decay in soil? There must be something more to it. After all humans are considered miracle. Do you think we evolved into this form?Why does humans exist,if existence of humans is dangerous to earth considering the current situations.

      Delete
    3. Tomichan MatheikalMarch 25, 2023 at 8:05 PM

      Glad you're seeking to know the deepest truths. I'm no guru. But i can tell you my convictions.

      Life has the meaning we give to it. I know that death will mark the end of all that I am. But it's my duty to live a 'good' life till death for the sake of promoting goodness on earth. Why? Good is better than bad! Not because I'll receive eternal rewards.

      Read Albert Camus, if you can. The Myth of Sisyphus.

      Delete

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