Love Her, Mind;

Love Her, Mind; She can ferry you across the sea of birth and death. Taxes must be paid in this worthless marketplace, but it's stupid to trust in wealth and family. Have you forgotten your past? Where were you? Where have you come to? Where are you going? You wear nothing but a costume in the world. The Enchantress makes illusion dance, so you dance. And you sit on Her lap in Her prison. Egotism, hatred, love, attachment to pleasing things -- why did you share your kingdom with these? Tell me that! What you've done can't be helped; the day is almost over. On a jeweled island Siva sits in Siva's house. Contemplate Her always. Prasad says, Durga's ambrosial name liberates. Repeat it without ceasing; drench your tongue in nectar. [Translated from Bengali by Rachel Fell McDermott]