This Birth, This Life Should Be Loved A Hundred Times

या जन्मावर या जगण्यावर शतदा प्रेम करावे

चंचल वारा या जलधारा भिजली काळी माती

हिरवे हिरवे प्राण तशी ही रुजून आली पाती

सहा ऋतुंचे सहा सोहळे येथे भान हरावे

या जन्मावर या जगण्यावर शतदा प्रेम करावे

बाळाच्या चिमण्या ओठांतून हाक बोबडी येते

वेलीवरती प्रेम प्रियेचे जन्म फुलांनी घेते

नदीच्या काठी सजणासाठी गाणी गात झुरावे

या जन्मावर या जगण्यावर शतदा प्रेम करावे

या ओठांनी चुंबून घेईन हजारदा ही माती

अनंत मरणे झेलून घ्यावी इथल्या जगण्यासाठी

इथल्या पिंपळपानावरती अवघे विश्व तरावे

- मंगेश पाडगावकर

Today is India's Independence Day. 

This poem is not part of the Independence Day celebrations. It was written with poet's local surroundings in mind. And it is very mild when compared to poems dedicated to the nation. Frankly, it is very difficult to choose one poem to share on Independence Day. I was listening to people talking about specialties of India on radio. Someone mentioned the 6 seasons experienced in the country and the marvelously written line from this poem came to my mind.

This is one of the poems that have stayed with me. Another blend of nature with human life by the poet.

Below is an attempt at translation. As soon as I finish reading the translation, I realize how beautiful the original poem reads.. :)

"This birth, this life should be loved a hundred times.

Playful breeze, these streams, the drenched black soil

These weeds have come up as lush green lives

Six festivals of six seasons, the mind gets lost in them.

This birth, this life should be loved a hundred times.

The birdlike tiny lips of the kid call in sweet voice

The flowers on a vine are but the birth of a lover's love

She sings and longs for her dear at the river bank...

This birth, this life should be loved a hundred times.

I shall kiss this soil a thousand times

Infinite deaths should be accepted for one chance to live here

The whole universe would rest on a leaf of the peepal tree of this land"

- Mangesh Padgaonkar