What is this compelling light

কোন্‌ আলোতে প্রাণের প্রদীপ
Kon aalote praaner prodeep / Kon alote praner prodip
(Audio by Suchitra Mitra)

What is this compelling light
Which burns your spirit, stokes your soul,
Makes you live an earthly life,
My zealous lover, pious monk,
Divinely crazed, my angel-soul?

Each ache and wound in you creates
Winged, wondrous melodies
Quivering quaintly from your strings!

How do you smile in the face of fear
As though you had seen a mother beam?
Who is it you seek, my dear,
Scorning every earthly dream!

Who is it, your secret love
That raises all the tears of urge?
Who is it, your soulful mate,
That walks together on your path?

How do you find the peace of mind
To dismiss death with disregard,
Riding upbeat tides of seas
In endless waves of ecstasies?




Another version by Suman Dasgupta:

Where did you light the flame of your heart
O noble soul before you descended on earth.
You devout, you lover, O you romantic
As you embraced this world, gazed I in frantic.

In this relentless struggle of life,
Every pain and sorrow life did contrive
You can play those in your core
Like sad triads of the Veena encore.
Belying deep distress or any such strife
Yet you succeed to wear that smile as bright
Just like the one, as I've known
Only a beaming Mother could've shown.

I know not for whom you wildly roam around
Why you let go the cosy comfort that you'd found
Why you cry, why inconsolably crave?
Who is she for whom every love you save?

You are confident and your mind is free
Wonder I whose blessings on you could that be
As you defy death and ride on the crests of seas
Swimming through your life with endless ecstasies.