KEKAVALI OF MOROPANT

[JR]

(Translation from Marathi into English by Shri V. K. Chhatre, Kalyan]

Introduction

The translator is indebted to the Editor "Shree Sai Leela" for appreciating his humble English versification of ''Sanshaya-Ratna-Mala'' by veteran Marathi poet Moropant and publishing it.   KEKAVALI literally "the cries of the peacock" is another but lengthier poem of the same poet, who, considering himself a peacock (his name MORO means Mayoor viz. a peacock) has cried out pathetically, propitiating Shree Rama (as also Krishna) - Cloud, to appear and showel bliss-water upon him and pacify his mind tortured by the agonies o( worldly existence. Moropant has pleaded his case very skilfull] like an able pleader, offering various examples from Puranas.   Oui of 122 verses, these are 40, the selected verses which are, it is fell sufficient to express  the  poetic prowess  of Moropant  and his feelings of great devotion.
The translator has already rendered a Sanskrit versification of the whole peom which is published in Sanskrit-pratibha-half-yearly Madras.   He has started writing Hindi commentary upon this and when it was sent to "Kalyan" at Gorakhpur, they found it difficult to compare in the absence of any Hindi or English translation of  the original text.    He therefore proceeded himself to try at English versjfication and with the grace of God, has completed the work in couple of months despite loss of contact with the language for man years, and old age.   He feels that it is sheerly the will of the Supreme Lord that has come to his aid; otherwise, in the words of Tukaram

 
"Who am I, but a very very poor person, unable to speak a word ! It is He, the Lord of the Universe, that Speaks and not !" Lastly, the translator is aware that there may be some defects in this effort, as the original text is compact and replete with deeper shades of mean¬ings, not so easy to render with all its glory into a foreign languags because of peculiar Marathi idiom and concept, as well as error of the translator; but to forgive is Divine !
Translator-Shri V. K. Chhatre.
Editorial Note\—

(After introducing Sanshaya-Ratna-Mala to readers we now venture to bring before our learned readers - some glimpses from Moropant's poem "Kekavali" which is very famous in Marathi poetic works. Shri Chhatre deserves compliments for his efforts. We desire to publish in all 40 selected shlokas in two or three instalments, the first of which is here. Bracketted numbers denote original verse numbers.)
Introductory verse

O Moropant ! Your pathetic "Kekavali"
Touching heart inspired me.
To express it in Sanskrit and English Verse;
O ! What Joy I Hail to thee !
KEKAVAII
1 (1)   O Resort of saintly persons !
O Object of recreation of Shiva's mind !       
O Devotee-Influenced Lord !
O Destroyer of Kali-created evil !
O Preceptor of the generous !
O Pacifier of the pride of countless villians !
O Wielder of conch, disc, mace, sword and lotus !
Salutations always to Thee !
2 (2)  The pollen of your foot in the form of lotus
Is the mainstay of all the purifying agents;
O Radha's beloved !   It's you
Who has liberated mountains of sins,
Like Pingala, Ajamila, Putana,
Agha & Vraja young-ladies;
Grass in contact with fire
is reduced to ashes immediately.
3 (4)   How am I left ungraced ?
Not a sinner ?   Or is grace exhausted
In the Lord of Universe ?   It's not possible.
How could I be left unseen ?
The all-witnessing Sun is His eye !
Prejudiced ?   The divine cow
Yields milk, not poison.
4 (10) On observing me, the Ganga,
Springing from Your foot, exclaimed—
"O !   Such a sin-mountain is
Unheard of before "
Put her hands tight on the ear
And shut her eyes out of fear ;
Though ardently desirous of her grace,
I'll not insist upon it before her.
5 (12) Efficiency of organs, humanity,
Respectable birth;
In addition, you've blessed me
With Brahminhood, hard to get;
Love also for your glorious tales-
To listen to and sing;
Still I pray 'Please give me more',
Really how greedy I am !
6 (17)I commit crime after crime
numbering a million;
Shamelessly and without repentance,
I admit this before you !
Your belly can hold myriads of worlds,
Why not my crimes ?
How could it hold the forest-fire then ?
7 (20)   O !   Cloud of mercy !   If you turn
Towards a devotee "Chatak"
What more will he want ?'
Disgust you'll never bear
On observing in distress a devotee,
Surrendered to you as a last resort;
You're the only one to melt with pity,
8 (21) Kali started bitter enmity
With Nala, most chaste,
But I am unchaste-
Like a locust in a forest conflagration !
The six enemies like Cupid, in my mind,
Are like crows pecking at—
Wounds of a wild beast on the head
Sure to eat me up as a serpent eats a frog.
9 (22)   By your grace, O !   Ferryman,
Will I cross this river of worldly existence.
And to recover the fare,
You yourself may sell this poor man to a saint !
I know how to live with and serve a saint,
Pity me, consider my qualifications,
I'm used to hard work.
10 (23)   What lack can be in your home
In wealth or servants ?
The acquisition of a piece of iron
Is nothing to one rotting in wealth.
But great masters stock all sorts of things
Without finding fault;
Even a trifle is accepted with greater regard.
11 (28)   You love to be praised and bestow
A boon upon him who praises.
You give away whole wealth
To those who bow to you always.
This nature of yours Is well-known to mendicants.
We praise you as per our ability.
Why then i alone should'nt get fruit ?
12 (29)   Having heard that you are-
The most generous and mighty donor,
I, very much in distress, have today
Surrendered myself to you.
I beseach you again and again;
Please hear me, O Lord !
For your grace, how much should I
Praise you to your face ?
13 (33)   I, therefore offer my poem-daughter to you,
Having made her presentable.
O Lord !    She may not be
Very fair and accomplished.
She's unwilling to choose anybody
Other than you; accept her in service;
And free me from anxiety
Like "Gajendra" from the grip of the crocodile.
14 (37)   I well remembered at the right time,
How Kubja, crooked in form,
Was straightened and made fair by you
By the hand with a sprinkle of mercy-nectar;
You liked that maid-servant of the enemy,
But don't you like my poem-daughter
and can't you improve her ?
Am I so great a sinner ?
15 (38)   O Desireless !    May you relish my poem
Like ;Sudama's handful of beaten rice.
Being rich, just and a relative,
You won't spurn an humble offering of a devotee.
Say the saints,
'You ate broken rice-with relish in Vidura's House.
If it's true, how dared he offer them
To you his Supreme Lord ?
16 (39) Berries first examined for flavour'
By smelling close to the nose; '
And tasted by loosened teeth
Were offered to you by the old Shabari
It's an old story;
You yourself can count similar ones.
17 (40)   O Lord !   You never neglect
Under prejudice the surrendered;
Surrendering is therefore the only thing
To be done by a grace-seeking man;
O Father! Grace you really delay not
A moment (for a devotee),
Drops of water do not enter
Into the mouth of a bird unless it is opened.
18 (41)   The defect of mercilessness
Doesn't touch your heart even for a moment
O Lord !   We - men - err,
But it's you who protects us.
Complete surrender on my part,
I feel, has not yet really been effected;
I still indulge in sensual pleasures.
One who gets nectar doesn't drink poison.
19 (44)   'O !   How skilled the physician is !
He has uprooted the diseases of many,
People in his praise may well say so.
But an unfortunate patient won't believe it,
Until the most unbearable disease-foe
In him, is not completely destroyed.
20 (46)   Grey hair-the white flag of Death
Has come in sight
The body fighting with the
Aggressive diseases is exhausted.
I see no saviour more powerful than you !
If I don't be impatient,
This enemy cuts my throat.

2.   Bhagawat 11-7 A harlot living in Mithila
one of the 24 Gurus adopted by Avadhoot
Ajamila : A brahmin in Kanyakubja, though polluted by a harlot's company,
liberated by the Lord because he called out   "Narayan Narayan" at I the time of death, ignoring the fact that he I had called   out   his   son   named   Narayan (Bhagawat, 6-12).
Putana: A she-demon, who was killed by baby Shri Krishna, while in the disguise of a beautiful lady was attempting to feed him with poison besmeared over her breasts.   (Bhagawat-10-6)
Agha   : A demon, ordered by Kaunsa to kill baby Shri I Krishna, but lost life
himself in the attempt.I (Bhagawat 10-12)
Notes ;

1.   Sword. : "Kaumodakee Gada Khadgo  Nandakah"-says Amarkosha, also Harivansha, Cantod 42
18. Nala-Damayanti story in Mahabharata Vanaparva, 52-79.
3. Gajendra-Moksha story.
15, Beaten rice brought and offered to Shri Krishna by Sudama as a present.