Karatala Kamala Kamala Dala Nayana
Karatala Kamala Kamala Dala Nayana (Assamese: কৰতল কমল কমল দল নয়ন, "Thy palm is like the lotus; Thine eyes are like the lotus petals."[1]) is a devotional poem by Srimanta Sankardeva of Assam.[1]
Writing
This poem is of great significance as it is one of the very first writings by Sankardeva,[2] whose works later on brought about the widely affecting Vaishnavite movement in Assam.
This poem was written by Sankardeva just after learning the Swarabarnas and the Byanjanbarnas.[3] Any vowel sound (except অ, i.e. o) following a consonant sound in a word in Assamese is denoted by a swarasihna, but it goes that since Sankardeva had not learnt them by the time of writing Karatala Kamala, the poem contains no swarasihnas.[4] Sankardeva wrote the poem when he was of the age of 12 years.[2][5]
Lyrics
In Assamese script
In Latin script
Karatala kamala kamaladala nayana |
Bhavadava dahana gahana vana sayana ||
Napara napara para satarata gamaya |
Sabhaya mabhaya bhaya mamahara satataya ||
Kharatara varasara hatadasa vadana |
Khagachara nagadhara fanadhara sayana ||
Jagadagha mapahara bhavabhaya tarana |
Parapada layakara kamalaja nayana ||[4]
English translation
Thy palm is like the lotus. Thine eyes are like the lotus petals.
Thou art the consumer of worldly afflictions. Thou art the sleeper in deep forest.
Thou art omnipresent and inner soul of all.
Thou constantly removest my fear and vouchsafest my safety.
Thou art the wielder of large swift arrows. Thou art the destroyer of the ten-headed demon.
Thou art the rider of the bird (Garuda) and the uplifter of the mountain. Thou art the reposer on the hooded serpent (Ananta).
Thou art the dispeller of worldly sins. Thou art the saviour from earthly grief.
Thou art the giver of final beatitude. O lotus-eyed Lord (I pray thee)
References
- "The Master's first masterpiece". atributetosankaradeva.org. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- "Assam Info Srimanta Sankardeva".
- "Sankardeva At the tol". atributetosankaradeva.org. 24 December 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
- "Barpeta Satra site". barpetasatra.org. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- "বৰআতা". xobdo.org. xobdo.org. Retrieved 11 March 2019.