Kshmar Adarsha

On 10 August 2002, Sri Chinmoy set his original poem to music, creating his longest song, which on this recording lasts for 30 minutes.

The translation of his original Bengali poem begins

Slowly the queen of astral virgins moves
Across the giant embrace of teeming clouds.
Below, the runnel meanders murmuring high.
The panorama of the moonlit gloom
Captures the hearts of the lovers of beauty’s core.
Our earth’s splendour and delight now grow sublime.
The trance that guides Vasishtha’s fire-pure hut
Is far beyond all mortals’ straining view.
No equal his trees and buds and flowers have.
The flood of their torrent magnificence compels
Eden to bow to them with all its lustre.
A dart of sombre pangs tortures its heart.
It cries aloud, “O Lord! Behold my balk.
My pride is broken, I am now a piteous thing.”

• Kshmar adarsha – song lyrics, Bengali poem and English poem at Sri Chinmoy Songs
• Kshmar adarsha – the English poem at Sri Chinmoy Library (published in Sri Aurobindo: The Infinite)

The poem is based on a traditional Indian story about the great sage Vashishtha. Vishwamitra wanted Vashishtha to declare he was a Rajarshi or Brahmarshi  – someone who has realised God. But Vashishtha refused as it would not be the truth. Vishwamitra was so enraged he proceeded to kill all 100 sons of Vashistha. After committing the terrible deed, he later learnt that Vashishtha refused to tell the lie because he loved Vishwamitra and telling a lie would harm him. It caused Vishwamitra to realise his terrible mistake and plead for forgiveness.

Sri Chinmoy tells the story at Vishwamitra begs Vashishtha for forgiveness – (Sri Chinmoy Library)

Related album

• Today God from Heaven Descends – Sri Chinmoy recites and sings unaccompanied his epic poem ’15th August, 1945′ in honour of Sri Aurobindo.

Artist: Sri Chinmoy
Name: ‘Kshmar Adarsha’
Release year: 2006
Duration: 29:19
Related tags: Sri Aurobindo, Sri Chinmoy singing
Page created: Kamalakanta Nieves | Tejvan Pettinger
Format: Advanced Audio Coding