Quote by Sarojini Naidu, The Soul's Praye

In childhood's pride I said to Thee:O Thou, who mad'st me of Thy breath,Speak, Master, and reveal to meThine inmost laws of life and death.Give me to drink each joy and painWhich Thine eternal hand can mete,For my insatiate soul can drainEarth's utmost bitter, utmost sweet.Spare me no bliss, no pang of strife,Withhold no gift or grief I crave,The intricate lore of love and lifeAnd mystic knowledge of the grave.Lord, Thou didst answer stern and low:Child, I will hearken to thy prayer,And thy unconquered soul shall knowAll passionate rapture and despair.Thou shalt drink deep of joy and fame,And love shall burn thee like a fire,And pain shall cleanse thee like a flame,To purge the dross from thy desire.So shall thy chastened spirit yearnTo seek from its blind prayer release,And spent and pardoned, sue to learnThe simple secret of My peace.I, bending from my sevenfold height,Will teach thee of My quickening grace,Life is a prism of My light,And Death the shadow of My face.

Summary

This quote expresses a plea from a young person to understand the profound mysteries of life and death. They ask to fully experience both joy and pain, seeking to drink from the extremes of human existence. The individual requests to be spared no pleasure or suffering, desiring to gain knowledge of love and the afterlife. In response, the deity promises to listen to the plea, granting the person a life filled with intense emotions and experiences. The hardships and joys that will be encountered are described as transformative forces, purifying and deepening the individual's desires. Ultimately, the deity will guide them towards a state of peace, imparting wisdom about the nature of life and death.