Dono Ore Prem Palta Hai...

A few days ago, out of the blue I remembered an old Hindi poem I studied long time back as part of my course. Its called "Dono Ore Prem Palta Hai" by Maithili Sharan Gupt. And then I had this strange feeling of Deja Vu... That I understood what it is all about. In fact I relate to it in my own way, I'll tell you how, step by step!

दोनों ओर प्रेम पलता है

सखि पतंग भी जलता है
हा दीपक भी जलता है

Both are crazy in love with each other.

Both burn with desire...

He, the flame, me the moth attracted to the fatal glow.

सीस हिलाकर दीपक कहता

बन्धु वृथा ही तू क्यों दहता

पर पतंग पडकर ही रहता
कितनी विह्वलता है

दोनों ओर प्रेम पलता है

He wonders, why am I so crazy about him, why am I so obsessed with him, how come my life starts and ends with him... but I cannot say anything, I am helpless... it is like that only, there is nothing I can do about it!

बचकर हाय पतंग मरे क्या

प्रणय छोडकर प्राण धरे क्या

जले नही तो मरा करें क्या क्या यह असफलता है

दोनों ओर प्रेम पलता है

I tell him... If I do not devote myself to you, if I do not completely immerse myself in you, what else do I have to do? Where else will I go? What will I do with a life without you? There is nothing else in my fate... I am destined to be like this with him, if it means I destroy myself in his love, so be it! Burning in his love is not a failure; rather not being able to burn in his love is a failure!

कहता है पतंग मन मारे

तुम महान मैं लघु पर प्यारे

क्या न मरण भी हाथ हमारे
शरण किसे छलता है

दोनों ओर प्रेम पलता है

I tell him, for me, you are great: so is the stature and importance I have given you in my life, even if you have not done likewise. Funny, how intensely my fate is tied to yours, that my life or death is also decided by yours!

दीपक के जलनें में आली

फिर भी है जीवन की लाली

किन्तु पतंग भाग्य लिपि काली
किसका वश चलता है

दोनों ओर प्रेम पलता है

He burns but spreads light in the world; some good comes out of his doings. But me, my fate is black... there is self immersion and destruction written and so it will be. Happy or sad, this is what I am and what I'll be for the rest of my life.

जगती वणिग्वृत्ति है रखती

उसे चाहती जिससे चखती

काम नही परिणाम निरखती
मुझको ही खलता है

दोनों ओर प्रेम पलता है

The world is selfish, it keeps relations with those who gave it some benefit and ignores the rest. Its the end result which matters, not the words or deeds or the intentions behind them!

Though the last stanza is kind of general, I think it sums up what happens to some of the best of relationships... where the intentions get lost in misunderstandings and miscommunications, and relationships without strong pillars of respect, trust and love... end in a breakup.

It is only after being in love that I realized that it is possible to completely destroy oneself in it, for it. When intensity of feelings cross limits, it can either strengthen the relationship in a way that it can never break again, or destroy the people in it forever!

So all you people out there in love... take care! ;)