(Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi—an ex Naval Officer, possesses a multifaceted personality. He served as a Senior Advisor in prestigious Supercomputer organisation C-DAC, Pune. He was involved in various Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing projects of national and international repute. He has got a long experience in the field of ‘Natural Language Processing’, especially, in the domain of Machine Translation. He has taken the mantle of translating the timeless beauties of Indian literature upon himself so that it reaches across the globe. He has also undertaken translation work for Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, which was highly appreciated by him. He is also a member of ‘Bombay Film Writer Association’.
We present Capt. Pravin Raghuvanshi ji’s amazing poem “~ Self Apology…~”. We extend our heartiest thanks to the learned author Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji (who is very well conversant with Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu languages) and his artwork.)
(Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi—an ex Naval Officer, possesses a multifaceted personality. He served as a Senior Advisor in prestigious Supercomputer organisation C-DAC, Pune. He was involved in various Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing projects of national and international repute. He has got a long experience in the field of ‘Natural Language Processing’, especially, in the domain of Machine Translation. He has taken the mantle of translating the timeless beauties of Indian literature upon himself so that it reaches across the globe. He has also undertaken translation work for Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, which was highly appreciated by him. He is also a member of ‘Bombay Film Writer Association’.
We present Capt. Pravin Raghuvanshi ji’s amazing poem “~ Janani —the Creator…~”. We extend our heartiest thanks to the learned author Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji (who is very well conversant with Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu languages) and his artwork.)
(Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi—an ex Naval Officer, possesses a multifaceted personality. He served as a Senior Advisor in prestigious Supercomputer organisation C-DAC, Pune. He was involved in various Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing projects of national and international repute. He has got a long experience in the field of ‘Natural Language Processing’, especially, in the domain of Machine Translation. He has taken the mantle of translating the timeless beauties of Indian literature upon himself so that it reaches across the globe. He has also undertaken translation work for Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, which was highly appreciated by him. He is also a member of ‘Bombay Film Writer Association’.
We present Capt. Pravin Raghuvanshi ji’s amazing poem “~ Oblivion…~”. We extend our heartiest thanks to the learned author Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji (who is very well conversant with Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu languages) and his artwork.)
(Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi—an ex Naval Officer, possesses a multifaceted personality. He served as a Senior Advisor in prestigious Supercomputer organisation C-DAC, Pune. He was involved in various Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing projects of national and international repute. He has got a long experience in the field of ‘Natural Language Processing’, especially, in the domain of Machine Translation. He has taken the mantle of translating the timeless beauties of Indian literature upon himself so that it reaches across the globe. He has also undertaken translation work for Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, which was highly appreciated by him. He is also a member of ‘Bombay Film Writer Association’.
We present Capt. Pravin Raghuvanshi ji’s amazing poem “~ My tribute to INS Hamla…~”. We extend our heartiest thanks to the learned author Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji (who is very well conversant with Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu languages) and his artwork.)
~ My tribute to INS Hamla… ~
(Here is my tribute to INS Hamla and Commodore HS Chopra, NM, which he commanded with such deep affection, elan and unwavering commitment.
The imprint of his leadership was unmistakably evident during my recent visit—an establishment that has truly grown from strength to strength under his stewardship.
The retaining wall he envisioned and created stands as a silent sentinel, effectively arresting the relentless march of erosion, safeguarding both land and legacy.
The state-of-the-art facilities that have since come up are nothing short of remarkable—reflecting foresight, precision, and a pursuit of excellence that defines naval ethos.
I still recall our first visit here in 1979, when we came to play cricket… and then again in 1980 for training—memories etched in time, now layered with a sense of pride at what this place has become.
Today, INS Hamla stands as a rare gem in the illustrious repertoire of the Indian Navy—an enduring testament to vision, dedication, and purposeful leadership.)
Here it is nestled in the nature’s serene lap,
Silvery waves dance in an endless rhythmic clap
*
Whispering breeze through swaying palms roam,
And every tide adorns the heart of dear home
*
Resplendent shore where tranquil splendour lies,
Here sea meets the earth beneath vast open skies
*
Each grain of sand, each breeze that softly moves,
Still holds the nostalgia of our youthful grooves
*
Years may have passed and journeys far may roam,
Yet memory’s tide returns us to this beloved home
*
For here were shaped the dreams we came to be-
In Hamla’s boundless grace beside the timeless sea
There are journeys that are measured in miles, and there are those that unfold quietly within the chambers of the heart. The life of N. Padmanaban belongs to the latter—a gentle, unhurried unfolding across languages, landscapes, and lived experience.
Born in the southern soil of Tamil Nadu, with no early acquaintance with Hindi, he stepped into the wide and varied world of the State Bank of India as a young Probationary Officer. The years that followed—spent across the Bhopal circle, in the towns and cities of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh—were not merely years of service, but of silent absorption. Amid ledgers and responsibilities, another education was taking root: the slow, attentive learning of a language that was not his own, yet gradually became a trusted companion.
Hindi came to him not as an academic pursuit, but as a living presence—heard in conversations, shaped in classrooms during his tenure as Chief Instructor at the Staff Training Centre in Indore, and deepened through his travels as an Inspecting Official across the country. It was in these moments, woven between duty and movement, that language began to reveal its deeper music.
And then, as often happens in lives lived with quiet attentiveness, music itself entered more fully. Hindi film songs, with their rich emotional landscapes, and the steady cadence of All India Radio bulletins, became both teacher and muse. Over time, what began as a means to understand, turned into a means to feel.
In the stillness that followed retirement, translation emerged—not as an act of literal conversion, but as an offering. For he understood, with the sensitivity born of long reflection, that songs cannot be carried across languages word for word. Their rhyme, their rhythm, their cultural echoes often remain rooted in their native soil. Yet, their essence—the tender ache of love, the quiet resilience of hope, the searching questions of life, the gentle stirrings of faith, and the deep, unspoken current of patriotism—these can be felt, gathered, and re-expressed.
It is this essence that N. Padmanaban seeks to bring into English—carefully, respectfully, almost as one might carry a flame from one lamp to another, ensuring it neither flickers nor fades.
Now settled in Bengaluru, he lives a life marked by simplicity and inward richness. At eighty, his days are not a summation, but a continuation—of listening, of reflecting, of translating not just songs, but the many shades of a life thoughtfully lived.
In his work, one does not merely find translations. One finds a quiet bridge—between languages, between regions, and perhaps, between the outer world and the inner quest for meaning.
English rendition of the original Hindi song ज़िंदगी के सफ़र में गुज़र जाते हैं जो मक़ाम... from the Bollywood movie: Aap ki Kasam
☆ Turning Points in Life You Had Crossed Do Not Revisit You Again… ☆ English rendition by Shri N. Padmanaban ☆
Turning points in life you had crossed
Do not revisit you again.
Flowers bloom, people meet;
Flowers those wilted in winter,
Do not bloom afresh in spring.
People who had fallen apart in a jiffy
Do not meet again even after 1000 days.
Even after several calls life long
They do not respond.
Turning points in life you had crossed
Do not revisit you again.
Don’t blindly believe your eyes,
What you see is not what you get:
Suspicion is the foe of friendship, friends
Harbour it not in your bosom,
Lest you may feel sorry later.
Myriad best wishes may not
Fetch your dear friend.
Turning points in life you had crossed
Do not revisit you again.
Mornings dawn, nights follow
Time keeps ticking
In a blink, it goes ahead.
Mornings and evenings,
Days and nights
Once gone, gone for ever.
Turning points in life you had crossed
Do not revisit you again.
Credits:
Name of the film: Aap ki Kasam (1974) Lyricist: Anand Bakshi Singer: Kishore Kumar Music Director: Rahul Dev Burman
Lyrics of the original Hindi song in Devnagri script:
☆ ज़िंदगी के सफ़र में गुज़र जाते हैं जो मक़ाम ☆
ज़िंदगी के सफ़र में गुज़र जाते हैं जो मक़ाम
वो फिर नहीं आते, वो फिर नहीं आते
ज़िंदगी के सफ़र में गुज़र जाते हैं जो मक़ाम
वो फिर नहीं आते, वो फिर नहीं आते।
फूल खिलते हैं, लोग मिलते हैं
फूल खिलते हैं, लोग मिलते हैं
मगर पतझड़ में जो फूल मुरझा जाते हैं
वो बहारों के आने से खिलते नहीं
कुछ लोग इक रोज़ जो बिछड़ जाते हैं
वो हज़ारों के आने से मिलते नहीं
उम्र भर चाहे कोई पुकारा करे उनका नाम
वो फिर नहीं आते, वो फिर नहीं आते।
आँख धोखा है, क्या भरोसा है
आँख धोखा है, क्या भरोसा है
सुनो दोस्तों, शक दोस्ती का दुश्मन है
अपने दिल में इसे घर बनाने ना दो
कल तड़पना पड़े याद में जिनकी
रोक लो, रूठ कर उनको जाने ना दो
बाद में प्यार के चाहे भेजो हज़ारों सलाम
वो फिर नहीं आते, वो फिर नहीं आते।
सुबह आती है, रात जाती है
सुबह आती है, रात जाती है, यूँ ही
वक़्त चलता ही रहता है रुकता नहीं
एक पल में ये आगे निकल जाता है
आदमी ठीक से देख पाता नहीं
और पर्दे पे मंज़र बदल जाता है
एक बार चले जाते हैं, जो दिन-रात सुबह-ओ-शाम
वो फिर नहीं आते, वो फिर नहीं आते
ज़िंदगी के सफ़र में गुज़र जाते हैं जो मक़ाम
वो फिर नहीं आते, वो फिर नहीं आते।
फिल्म का नाम : आप की कसम (1974) गीत: आनंद बख्शी गीतकार : किशोर कुमार संगीत निर्देशक : राहुल देव बर्मन
☆ श्री रविंद्रनाथ टागोर यांची “गीतांजली”… भाग – १८ ☆ श्री मंजिरी येडूरकर ☆
श्री रविंद्रनाथ टागोर
रविंद्रनाथ टागोरांनी गीतांजलीतील १५ ते १६ कवितांची रचना परमेश्वराला पती, प्रियकर किंवा सखा मानून केलेली दिसते. कांही कवितांत हे नातं उघडपणे मांडलेलं आहे तर कांही कवितांत या भावनेला निसटता स्पर्श केल्याचे जाणवते.
परमेश्वर व भक्त जेव्हा परस्परात एकरूप होऊन जातात तेव्हा ती मधुरा भक्ती असते. त्यांच्यातल्या नात्याला पती-पत्नी, प्रियकर- प्रेयसी असे संबोधले जाऊ लागले. वैदिक काळापासून हिंदू धर्मात तसेच मुस्लिम व ख्रिस्ती धर्मातही अशा प्रकारचे उल्लेख आढळतात.
महर्षी नारदांनी भक्तीचे नऊ प्रकार – नवविधा भक्ती, सांगितली आहे.
१- श्रवण भक्ती: म्हणजे देवाच्या कथा, गुण, महात्म्य श्रद्धेने ऐकणे.
२- कीर्तन भक्ती: म्हणजे देवाची स्तुती भजन व गुणगान गाणे.
३- स्मरणभक्ती: परमेश्वराचे चिंतन करणे व त्याची निरंतर आठवण ठेवून नाम जप करणे.
४- पादसेवन भक्ती: यात देवाची किंवा संतांची चरण सेवा करणे.
५- अर्चना भक्ती: पूजेच्या साहित्याने देवाची बाह्य पूजा, आरती करणे.
६- वंदन भक्ती: देवाला नमस्कार करून प्रार्थना करणे.
७- दास्यभक्ती: देवाचा सेवक म्हणून त्याची तन-मनाने सेवा करणे.
८- सख्य भक्ती: देवाशी मैत्री करणे आणि आपले प्रत्येक कर्म त्याच्यासाठीच आहे याची जाणीव ठेवणे.
९- आत्मनिवेदन भक्ती: स्वतःला देवाच्या चरणी अर्पण करणे. पूर्ण शरणागती पत्करणे. देहाभिमान नष्ट होऊन आत्मा परमात्म्यात विलीन होईल असा प्रयत्न करणे.
आत्मनिवेदनात भगवंतावरील प्रेम, आसक्ती ही सर्वात तीव्र स्वरूपाची आहे. पण ही आसक्ती हे प्रेम मिळवायचे कसे? याचे उत्तर देण्यासाठी ऋषींनी काही अध्यात्मिक वृत्तींची माहिती दिली आहे. अत्युच्च पदापर्यंत जाण्याच्या पायऱ्याच म्हणानात! त्यांनाही भक्ती म्हणतात.
१- शांता भक्ती: यात आनंद- दुःख, यश- अपयश देवाचीच देणगी आहे म्हणून स्वीकारणे. त्यासाठी कोणतीही तक्रार न करणे.
२- सख्य भक्ती: म्हणजे साथीदार व सल्लागार प्रभूच असतो. नेहमी त्याच्या सांगण्यावरूनच भक्ताची कृती होत असते.
३- दास्यभक्ती: स्वतःला देवाचा सेवक मानणे म्हणजेच देवाला आपला स्वामी मानणे.
५- मधुरा भक्ती: भक्त व देव यांच्यात अद्वैत निर्माण होणे. ज्याला नाव नाही, रूप नाही, कोणताही गुणधर्म नाही अशा परमतत्वात विलीन होण्याची तळमळ असणे.
वेद, उपनिषदे इत्यादींमधील वाङ्मयात ईश्वर व भक्त यांच्यामधील प्रेमसंबंधाच्या वर्णनात दांपत्यप्रेमाचे दाखले दिल्याची उदाहरणे आढळत असली, तरी तेथे ही भक्ती स्पष्टपणे मधुरा भक्तीच्या स्वरूपात आढळत नाही. मात्र गोपींनी कृष्णाची प्रेमस्वरूप भक्ती केली आणि त्यामुळे त्यांचा उध्दार झाला, या भागवतातील विवेचनामुळे मधुरा भक्तीची ही संकल्पना उदयाला आली, असे मानले जाते. या संकल्पनेनुसार भक्तांना ईश्वर प्रेमाच्या प्रचीतीसाठी गोपींप्रमाणे स्त्रीरूप स्वीकारण्याची आवश्यकता वाटू लागली. यामुळे, या प्रकारात भक्त लिंगविपर्यास मानतात. याउलट, ईश्वराला प्रेयसी व स्वत:ला प्रियकर मानून केल्या जाणाऱ्या सूफी साधू वगैरेंच्या भक्तीत असा लिंगविपर्यास मानण्याची आवश्यकता नसते.
कृष्ण हा जगातील एकमेव पुरूष असून, बाकी सर्व जीवात्मे कृष्णाची निसर्गतःच ओढ असलेल्या स्त्रिया आहेत, असा सिध्दांतही त्यासाठी निर्माण करण्यात आला. याचा परिणाम म्हणून पुरूषभक्तांनीदेखील स्त्रीवेष धारण करून भक्ती करावयास सुरवात केली. विरह, मीलन इत्यादींमध्ये स्त्रियांना ज्या विविध अवस्थांचा अनुभव येतो, त्या अवस्थांचा अनुभव पुरूषभक्तही घेऊ लागले. बंगालमधील चैतन्य गौरांग प्रभूंच्या वैष्णव संप्रदायात काही वेळा या गोष्टीचा इतका अतिरेक झाला, की पुरूषभक्ताला तो स्त्री बनल्यामुळे स्त्री प्रमाणे मासिक ऋतुप्राप्ती झाल्याचे मानून त्यानुसार वर्तन करण्याचे प्रकारही आढळू लागले.
मधुरा भक्तीमध्ये असे आगळेपण आढळत असल्यामुळे तिचे मानसशास्त्रीय विश्लेषण करण्याचेही प्रयत्न झाले आहेत. या पार्श्वभूमीवर मधुरा भक्तीला काही जणांनी विकृती मानले, तर यात आश्चर्य नाही. मधुरा भक्तीमध्ये कामभावनेचे उदात्तीकरण होते, की कामभावनेचे रूपांतर होऊन मधुरा भक्ती ही एक वेगळीच अवस्था बनते, यांसारख्या प्रश्नांची मानसशास्त्रीय चर्चा करण्यात आली आहे. पुरूषभक्ताला स्त्रीवेष धारण करावा असे वाटणे ही विकृती आहे, की आणखी काही वेगळी अवस्था आहे, याचेही विवेचन करण्यात आले आहे.
परंतु एक सत्य मान्य केलेच पाहिजे की, पती-पत्नी, प्रियकर- प्रेयसी या नात्यातील अत्यंतिक उत्कटता, माधुर्य, समर्पण याकडे केवळ भक्तच नाही तर कवीही आकर्षित झाले. तद्वतच टागोरांना देखिल या भावनेचा, मधुरा भक्तीचा आधार काही रचनांसाठी घ्यावासा वाटणे स्वाभाविकच आहे.
—–
☆ गीत: ५२ ☆
THOUGHT I should ask of thee ⎯ but I dared not ⎯ the rose wreath thou hadst on thy neck. Thus I waited for the morning, when thou didst depart, to find a few fragments on the bed. And like a beggar I searched in the dawn only for a stray petal or two.
Ah me, what is it I find? What token left of thy love? It is no flower, no spices, no vase of perfumed water. It is thy mighty sword, flashing as a flame, heavy as a bolt of thunder. The young light of morning comes through the window and spreads itself upon thy bed. The morning bird twitters and asks, “Woman, what hast thou got? ” No, it is no flower, nor spices, nor vase of perfumed water ⎯ it is thy dreadful sword.
I sit and muse in wonder, what gift is this of thine. I can find no place where to hide it. I am ashamed to wear it, frail as I am, and it hurts me when I press it to my bosom. Yet shall I bear in my heart this honour of the burden of pain, this gift of thine.
From now there shall be no fear left for me in this world, and thou shalt be victorious in all my strife. Thou hast left death for my companion and I shall crown him with my life. Thy sword is with me to cut asunder my bonds, and there shall be no fear left for me in the world.
From now I leave off all petty decorations. Lord of my heart, no more shall there be for me waiting and weeping in corners, no more coyness and sweetness of demeanour.
Thou hast given me thy sword for adornment. No more doll’s decorations for me!
BEAUTIFUL is thy wristlet, decked with stars and cunningly wrought in myriad-coloured jewels. But more beautiful to me thy sword with its curve of lightning like the outspread wings of the divine bird of Vishnu, perfectly poised in the angry red light of the sunset.
It quivers like the one last response of life in ecstasy of pain at the final stroke of death;it shines like the pure flame of being burning up earthly sense with one fierce flash.
Beautiful is thy wristlet, decked with starry gems; but thy sword, O lord of thunder, is wrought with uttermost beauty, terrible to behold or to think of.
ASKED nothing from thee; I uttered not my name to thine ear. When thou took’st thy leave I stood silent. I was alone by the well where the shadow of the tree fell aslant, and the women had gone home with their brown earthen pitchers full to the brim. They called me and shouted, “Come with us, the morning is wearing on to noon. ” But I languidly lingered awhile lost in the midst of vague musings.
I heard not thy steps as thou camest. Thine eyes were sad when they fell on me; thy voice was tired as thou spokest low ⎯ “Ah, I am a thirsty traveller. ” I started up from my day-dreams and poured water from my jar on thy joined palms. The leaves rustled overhead; the cuckoo sang from the unseen dark, and perfume of babla flowers came from the bend of the road.
I stood speechless with shame when my name thou didst ask. Indeed, what had I done for thee to keep me in remembrance? But the memory that I could give water to thee to allay thy thirst will cling to my heart and enfold it in sweetness. The morning hour is late, the bird sings in weary notes, neem leaves rustle overhead and I sit and think and think.
(Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi—an ex Naval Officer, possesses a multifaceted personality. He served as a Senior Advisor in prestigious Supercomputer organisation C-DAC, Pune. He was involved in various Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing projects of national and international repute. He has got a long experience in the field of ‘Natural Language Processing’, especially, in the domain of Machine Translation. He has taken the mantle of translating the timeless beauties of Indian literature upon himself so that it reaches across the globe. He has also undertaken translation work for Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, which was highly appreciated by him. He is also a member of ‘Bombay Film Writer Association’.
We present Capt. Pravin Raghuvanshi ji’s amazing poem “~ Echoes of Mortality…~”. We extend our heartiest thanks to the learned author Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji (who is very well conversant with Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu languages) and his artwork.)
(Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi—an ex Naval Officer, possesses a multifaceted personality. He served as a Senior Advisor in prestigious Supercomputer organisation C-DAC, Pune. He was involved in various Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing projects of national and international repute. He has got a long experience in the field of ‘Natural Language Processing’, especially, in the domain of Machine Translation. He has taken the mantle of translating the timeless beauties of Indian literature upon himself so that it reaches across the globe. He has also undertaken translation work for Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, which was highly appreciated by him. He is also a member of ‘Bombay Film Writer Association’.
We present Capt. Pravin Raghuvanshi ji’s amazing poem “~ Criterion…~”. We extend our heartiest thanks to the learned author Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji (who is very well conversant with Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu languages) and his artwork.)
~ Criterion… ~
☆
On a white canvas
colours arrive uninvited—
they spill, collide, breathe
and the silence of white
begins to shape a meaning
They call it art…and
a crowd gathers to celebrate
On a white sari falls
one stray drop—
and the same white
turns into judgment
The pallu trembles
not with wind,
but with probing eyes
Another crowd gathers—
to correct, to contain…
How paradoxical
these lines are
—where colour is freedom
and where it becomes stigma
The canvas may bear
a thousand reckless strokes
and be called alive
but a woman must
remain unblemished white
The painter pauses—
what if the frame wore the sari
and the woman the canvas
would color still be a crime
or be seen as truth…!
(Inspired by Shri Sanjay Bhardwaj Ji’s poem मानदंड)
(Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi—an ex Naval Officer, possesses a multifaceted personality. He served as a Senior Advisor in prestigious Supercomputer organisation C-DAC, Pune. He was involved in various Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing projects of national and international repute. He has got a long experience in the field of ‘Natural Language Processing’, especially, in the domain of Machine Translation. He has taken the mantle of translating the timeless beauties of Indian literature upon himself so that it reaches across the globe. He has also undertaken translation work for Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, which was highly appreciated by him. He is also a member of ‘Bombay Film Writer Association’.
We present Capt. Pravin Raghuvanshi ji’s amazing poem “~ Bird of Destiny…~”. We extend our heartiest thanks to the learned author Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji (who is very well conversant with Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu languages) and his artwork.)
(Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi—an ex Naval Officer, possesses a multifaceted personality. He served as a Senior Advisor in prestigious Supercomputer organisation C-DAC, Pune. He was involved in various Artificial Intelligence and High-Performance Computing projects of national and international repute. He has got a long experience in the field of ‘Natural Language Processing’, especially, in the domain of Machine Translation. He has taken the mantle of translating the timeless beauties of Indian literature upon himself so that it reaches across the globe. He has also undertaken translation work for Shri Narendra Modi, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, which was highly appreciated by him. He is also a member of ‘Bombay Film Writer Association’.
We present Capt. Pravin Raghuvanshi ji’s amazing poem “~ Adorable Life…~”. We extend our heartiest thanks to the learned author Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi Ji (who is very well conversant with Hindi, Sanskrit, English and Urdu languages) and his artwork.)
~ Self Apology… ~ 
इंद्रधनुष्य 
