Swami Purushottamananda’s 75th Jayanti (Birth Anniversary) was on 21st May 2011. At the time of his Mahasamadhi Rupali Vadekar recited a Marathi Poem as homage to him. Today, as we remember him, we reproduce below the English translation of the Marathi poem. We are thankful to Shri Ravindra Damle for providing us with the translation. If you understand Marathi, we recommend the original poem at this link.
Saw one lonely cloud, In the hot summer day
Was facing heat from sun, But appeared happy and gay
Don’t know from where it came, But surely arrived on time
With a bagful of moisture, On an urgent call from ground
Dark with a sharp silver lining, Carrying life’s load on its back
Smearing rays hitting its back, Seen challenging that severe wroth
Forgetting lashing rays on its back, Came forward with open arms
Keeping the sun away from the land, As if swallowing all that warmth
With serene coolness in his touch, As if that’s his true nature
Took away the heat from all, Without showing any stature
Even modesty shied looking at him, The cloud was such a gem
Running for others emptying own self, Inclined always not for name
Gave life to thirsty people, Made butter of parched soil
Burst in with such a vigour, Took away the ‘I’ ness forever
So much absorbed in moist nature, That he lost his own form
And without knowing by any one, Dissolved in the giant cosmos