Classic Poem

1. Reinforce the field of action with
The spirit of duty and devotion,
The seeds of contentment will then grow
To bear the fruits of eternal bliss.
Harness the oxen of twin-breath
To plough the field day and night,
Lash them on to work hard
With the kumbaka whip
Arise, awake and work on to see
That not a patch remains unploughed.

2. Make use of the yoke of love
To plough the field,
With the help of a long handled block of patience
Crush thou the hard lumps of earth,
Lest any moisture of malice remains inside
Sow thou them the seeds of contentment
To grow the crops of bliss.

3. Smoothen thou the drains and raise their bunds
With a heedful mind,
Cut an outlet and place a blockade against
The stream of current to make water flow
Into the field with equanimity and ease,
Sow thou then, the seeds of contentment
To grow the crops of bliss.

4. Spring is but a passing phase
of short-lived beauty, glory and joy,
Lose thou not a moment
of this chancing phase.
Do not wait to sow the seeds of action
and work for happiness to result.
These seeds of contentment will then
Grow the crops of bliss.

5. Do not thou wait to work on each
of the four corners of thy field
Repair thou thy leakages all with
The wet rods of contemplation.

The wet rods of contemplation.
control thou shine indriyas (senses) to
Kill these rats of destruction and,
The seeds of contentment will then
Bear the crops of bliss.

6. With single minded labour of love the fields
Will grow refreshing green by deweeding and,
Ripen fruit with finishing-water of Tepa (meditation)
And then, the composure of mind will bring forth
Blossoms of lotus expanses.
Sow thou then the seeds of contentment and,
Reap the harvest of bliss.

7.Overcome thou shine own avarice and greed lest
They should gnaw away the ripened fields.
With the feelings of love and affection, keep
Ungrudging watch over them day and night
Sow thou then, the seeds of contentment
To yeild you a harvest of bliss.

8. And as it begins to bear fruit then,
The time for merriment is come.
Reap thou it with the sickle of renunciation (Vairag)
And put it aside in tufts to collect.
Seek thou then the help of shine kith and kin
And make it into bundles.
This then is the fruit of contentment
Growing into a harvest of bliss.

9. Then tie it with ropes and carry it on
To collect it in heaps;
Next call thou all shine friends, kith and kin
To carry it on with you
And when you collect it with love and devotion,
It will bring you peace, plenty and good.
Sow thou then, the seeds of contentment
To yield you a crop of bliss.

10. Pile up thy bundles with clear detachment
To build up one big heap;
Then will thou, unmindful of praise or blame
Attain shine nirvaana goal and,
Enter the realms of happiness true.
Sow thou then, the seeds of contentment
To grow the crops of bliss.

11. Beat thou ears of corn on the logs of meditation;
Separte out the grain and then,
Remove the husk to sift out
Sound grains of realization.
Doing this, weigh thou the grain
In the scales of thy pious heart.
Sow thou again, the seeds of contentment
To repeat a harvest of bliss.

12. With the hands of renunciation let
The corners be beaten aright;
Sift out and gather coarse and fine grain
Each in a separate heap.
Keep up your wits and watch lest
Thou should face thy negligence.
Sow thou then, the seed of contentment
To yield thou the fruit of bliss.

13. Then weigh thou shine harvest and,
Store it in separate heaps,
Collect it in 'Sohum' measures
To pay off your dues.
Lighten thou shine burden by
Carrying it to Khanabal.
Sow thou the seeds of contentment
To reap the crop of bliss.

14. Wih prayer and deep meditation
Carry it on to the ghat, P
addle on shine boat in
The calm waters of devotion.
Relieve thyself of the burden and enjoy
The refreshing breeze of Mansbal.
Sow thou the seed of contentment
To gather the crop of bliss.

15. Now pass on the goods to. the owner
Nor should you deprive the tiller.
After all from whom will the balance be due ?
For whom should the excess be saved ?
Sow thou then, the seeds of contentment
To reap the harvest of bliss.

16. Sift out some good grain and
Deposit it for seed;
Sow the seed again grain by grain
When the spring comes.
This good deed will yield
Newer and ever newer fruit.
Sow thou the seed of contentment
To reap the crop of bliss.

17. Become thou the enjoyer of yoga
And shunt off your feelings of duality;
You are given the name 'Sadhu'
And a Sadhu you should become,
Sow thou then, the seed of contentment
To grow the crop of bliss.

18. Thine Guru's word will redeem thou
From the cycle of life and death;
Take thou shine past Karma as
The store of your fate (Prarabdha).
From a knowledge of Karma Kanda
Will spark off the lightning flash.
Sow thou then, the seed of contentment to reap the crop of bliss.

19. Then with the angelic light of Suhum
Thou w'lt be enlightened to be
Unmindful of the problems of
Honour or dishonour.
And thus wilt thou attain
Eternal bliss.
Sow thou the seeds of contentment
To reap the crop of bliss.

20. Parmanand was a Zamindar.
Paying off his debts, he
Was no more subjected to insults
And reminders to pay back dues.
He was relieved of the burdens and
Anxiety of changing his rented house (freed from
The cycle of birth and death
Day in and day out )
Sow thou the seed of contentment
To yield a harvest of bliss.