Four Hymns for Fulfilled Life:
I
Lead Kindly Light
Lead, kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom;
Lead thou me on!
The night is dark, and I am far from home;
Lead thou me on!
Keep thou my feet; I do not ask to see
The distant scene one step enough for me.
I was not ever thus, nor pray’d that thou
Shouldst lead me on.
I loved to choose and see my path; but now,
Lead thou me on!
I loved the garish day, and, spite of fears,
Pride ruled my will. Remember not past years.
So long thy power hath blest me; sure it still
Will lead me on
O’er moor and fen, o’er crag and torrent, till
The night is gone.
And with the morn those angel faces smile,
Which I have loved long since, and lost awhile!
Songwriters: DYKES, J. /NEWMAN, John Henry
This is Mahatma Gandhi’s favorite Christian Hymn.
Every Evening in all of his Ashrams, this hymn was sung
II
This is Mahatma Gandhi’s Favorite Hymn from the Sanatana Dharma faith tradition- Hinduism. This was sung quite often in gatherings of the Satyagraha much like “We Shall Overcome” was sung during Civil Rights Protests and processions
Vaishnav Janato
Vaishnava janatho (With English Translation) Composed by Sage Nrsimha Mehta.
Vaishnav jan to tene kahiye je
PeeD paraayi jaaNe re
Par-dukhkhe upkaar kare toye
Man abhimaan na aaNe re (Vaishnava)
SakaL lok maan sahune vande
Nindaa na kare keni re
Vaach kaachh man nishchaL raakhe
Dhan-dhan janani teni re (Vaishnava)
Sam-drishti ne trishna tyaagi
Par-stree jene maat re
Jivha thaki asatya na bole
Par-dhan nav jhaalee haath re (Vaishnava)
Moh-maaya vyaape nahi jene
DriDh vairaagya jena man maan re
Ram naam shoon taaLi laagi
SakaL tirath tena tan maan re (Vaishnava)
VaN-lobhi ne kapaT-rahit chhe
Kaam-krodh nivaarya re
BhaNe Narsaiyyo tenun darshan karta
KuL ekoter taarya re (Vaishnava)
Priyataam Pundarikaksha, Sarva Yagneswaro Hari
Tasmin Tushte, Jagat Tushte, Prinite Prinataam Jagat.
Om Tat Sat Sri Krishna Arpanam Astu.
Om Shanti, Shanti Shantihi
English Translation
One who is a Vaishnav (Devotee of Vishnu)
Knows the pain of others
Does good to others
without letting pride enter his mind.
A Vaishnav, Tolerates and praises the entire world.
Does not speak ill of others
Keeps his promises, actions and thoughts pure
your mother is blessed indeed.
A Vaishnav sees everything equally, rejects greed and avarice
respects women as he respects his own mother
though his tongue may tire he will utter no untruth
Never touches the property of others.
A Vaishnav does not succumb to worldly attachments
he has renounced lust of all types and anger
The poet Narsi will like to see such a person by whose virtue,
the entire family gets salvation.
“My beloved Lotus Eyed Lord, the Lord of all sacrifice, when you are contented the world is content, when you are pleased the whole world is pleased. May with your grace the Thaapa Traya afflictions are ameliorated for all.”
I have considered these prayers and deemed them to be truthful and commend these to Lord Sri Krishna the Ultimate Refuge.
III.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)
A PSALM OF LIFE
What the heart of the young man
said to the Psalmist
TELL me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream! —
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, — act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day. Amen
IV
Abide with Me
Abide with me, fast falls the eventide
The darkness deepens, Lord with me abide
When other helpers fail and comforts flee
Help of the helpless, oh abide with me
I need Thy presence every passing hour
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like Thyself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine Lord abide with me
Hold thou Thy cross before my closing eyes
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee
In life, in death oh Lord abide with me. Amen
Songwriters: Rupert Christie, Henry Francis Lyte, Will Henry Monk