WOMEN LOST, FORGOTTEN, CELEBRATED

Musical settings of six poems by Mirabai Rathor. English translation by Robert Bly.

My friend, I went to the market and bought the Dark One.
You claim by night, I claim by day.
Actually, I was beating a drum all the time I was burying him.
You say I gave too much, I say too little.
Actually, I put him on a scale before I bought him.
What I paid was my social body, my town body,
      my family body, and all my inherited jewels.
Mirabai says: The Dark One is my husband now.
Be with me when I lie down; you promised me
      this in an earlier life.

Something has reached out and taken in the beams of my eyes.
There is a longing, it is for his body, for every hair of that dark body.
All I was doing was being, and the Dancing Energy came by my house.
His face looks curiously like the moon, I saw it from the side, smiling.
My family says: "Don't ever see him again!" And they imply things in a low voice.
But my eyes have their own life; and they know whose they are.
I believe I can bear on my shoulders whatever you want to say of me.
Mira says: Without the energy that lifts mountains, how am I to live?

The colors of the Dark One have penetrated Mira's
      body; all the other colors washed out.
Making love with the Dark One and eating little,
      those are my pearls and my carnelians.
Meditation beads and the forehead streak,
      these are my scarves and my rings.
That's enough feminine wiles for me.
      My teacher taught me this.
Approve me or disapprove me: I praise
      the Mountain Energy night and day.
I take the old ecstatic path.
I don't steal money, I don't hit anyone.
      What will you charge me with?
I have felt the swaying of the elephant's shoulders;
      and now you want me to climb
      on a jackass? Try to be serious.

Where did you go, Holy One, after you left my body?
Your flame jumped to the wick, and then you 
disappeared and left the lamp alone. 
You put the boat into the surf, and then walked 
inland, leaving the boat in an ocean of parting. 
Mira says: Tell me when you will come to meet me.

When I saw the dark clouds, I wept, 
O Dark One, I wept at the dark clouds. 
Black clouds soared up, and took some yellow along; 
rain did fall, some rain fell long. 
There was water east of the house, 
west of the house; fields all green. 
The one I love lives past those fields; 
rain has fallen on my body, on my hair, 
as I wait in the open door for him. 
The Energy that holds up mountains is the 
energy Mirabai bows down to. 
He lives century after century, and the test I set 
for him he has passed.

Don’t go, don’t go. I touch your soles. 
I’m sold to you. 
Show me where to find the bhakti path, 
show me where to go. 
I would like my body to turn into a heap of 
incense and sandalwood and you set a torch to it. 
When I’ve fallen down to gray ashes, 
smear me on your shoulders and chest. 
Mira says: You who lift the mountains I have some light, 
I want to mingle it with yours.

Stabat mater dolorosa 
Juxta crucem lacrymosa, 
Dum pendebat Filius. 

There stood the Mother grieving, 
Beside the cross weeping, 
While on it hung her son.

Cujus animam gementem, 
Contristatam et dolentem, 
Pertransivit gladius 

Whose saddened soul, 
Sighing and suffering, 
A sword pierced through.

O quam tristis et afflicta 
Fuit illa benedicta 
Mater unigeniti! 

O how sad and how afflicted 
Was that blessed Mother 
Of the Only-Begotten!

Quae moerebat et dolebat, 
Pia Mater, dum videbat 
Nati poenas incliti. 

Loving Mother, who was grieving 
And suffering, while she beheld 
The torments of her glorious Son.

Quis et homo qui non fleret, 
Matrem Christi si videret 
In tanto supplicio? 
Quis non posset contristari 
Christi Matrem contemplari 
Dolentem cum Filio? 

Who is the man who would not weep 
If he should see the Mother of Christ 
In such great distress? 
Who could not be saddened 
If he should behold the Mother of Christ 
Suffering with her only Son?

Pro peccatis suae gentis 
Vidit Jesum in tormentis, 
Et flagellis subditum. 

For the sins of his people, 
She saw Jesus in torments 
And subjected to stripes.

Vidit suum dulcem natum 
Moriendo desolatum, 
Dum emisit spiritum.

She saw her own sweet Son, 
Whose dying caused his desolation, 
While he yielded up his Spirit.

Eja Mater, fons amoris 
Me sentire vim doloris 
Fac, ut tecum lugeam.

Oh Mother, fount of love, 
Make me feel the force of your grief, 
So that I may mourn with you,

Fac, ut ardeat cor meum 
In amando Christum Deum, 
Ut sibi complaceam.

Grant that my heart may burn 
In loving Christ my God, 
So that I may be pleasing to him.

Sancta Mater, istud agas, 
Crucifixi fige plagas 
Cordi meo valide. 
Tui nati vulnerati, 
Tam dignati pro me pati, 
Poenas mecum divide.

Holy Mother, may you do this: 
Fix the stripes of the Crucified 
Deeply into my heart. 
Share with me the pains 
Of your wounded Son 
Who deigned to suffer to much for me.

Fac me tecum pie flere, 
Crucifixo condolere, 
Donec ego vixero. 
Juxta crucem tecum stare, 
Et me tibi sociare 
In planctu desidero.

Make me lovingly weep with you, 
To suffer with the Crucified 
So long as I shall live. 
To stand with you beside the cross, 
And to join with you in deep lament: 
This I long for and desire.

Virgo virginum praeclara, 
Mihi jam non sis amara, 
Fac me tecum plangere. 
O Virgin all virgins excelling, 
Be not inclement with me now; 
Cause me to mourn with you.

Fac, ut portem Christi mortem, 
Passionis fac consortem, 
Et plagas recolere. 

Grant that I may bear the death of Christ;  
Make me a sharer in His Passion 
And ever mindful of his wounds.

Fac me plagis vulnerai, 
Fac me cruce inebriari, 
Et cruore Filii.

Let me be wounded by His wounds, 
Cause me to be inebriated by the Cross 
And the Blood of your Son.

Inflammatus et accensus 
Per te, Virgo, sim defensus 
In die judicii. 
Lest I burn in flames enkindled,

May I, through thee, O Virgin, 
Be defended on Judgement Day.

Christe, cum sit hinc exire, 
Da per Matrem me venire 
Ad palmam victoriae.

O Christ, when from here I must depart, 
Grant that, through your Mother, 
I may obtain the palm of victory.

Quando corpus morietur, 
Fac, ut animae donetur 
Paradisi gloria. Amen.

When my body perishes, 
Grant that my soul be given 
the glory of Paradise. Amen.