THE FLUTE PLAYER OF BRINDABAN

 

 

                                    THE FLUTE PLAYER OF BRINDABAN

“The Flute Player of Brindaban” is a devotional poem by the Indian poetess and politician Sarojini Naidu who was born on 13 February 1879 in Hyderabad and passed away on 2^nd March 1949 in Lucknow.

The flute player in the poem stands for Lord Krishna . He was born more than 5,000 years ago, as we find him in his divine song The Bhagwad Gita where he inspires Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.

This year his birthday is being celebrated on 26 August 2024, though according to the Christian calendar his date of birth is July 21, 3228 B.C.

A literary opinion describes  Saojini Naidu’s poem as highly devotional,   belonging to the Indian Bhakti tradition in which a devotee expresses his/her true love for God.

In the text of the poem which is given below Naidu is expressing her everlasting love for Lord Krishna who is popularly known among his devotees   as The Flute Player.  

Why didst thou play thy matchless flute
'Neath the Kadamba tree,
And wound my idly dreaming heart
With poignant melody,
So where thou goest I must go
My flute-player with thee?

Still must I like a homeless bird
Wander, forsaking all
The earthly loves and worldly lures
That held my life in thrall,
'And follow, follow, answering
Thy magical flute-call.

To Indra's golden-flowering groves
Where streams immortal flow,
Or to sad Yama's silent Courts
Engulfed in lampless woe,
Where'er thy subtle flute I hear
Belovèd I must go!

No peril of the deep or height
Shall daunt my wingèd foot;
No fear of time-unconquered space,
Or light untravelled route,
Impede my heart that pants to drain
The nectar of thy flute!                                             

                                  *******

G.R.Kanwal

26 August 2024