Japanese Poet Matsuo Basho (1644-94) In The Narrow Road To The Deep South Translated Into Hindi/Urdu/Punjabi Poem by Ravi Kopra

1

In the village of Iwate, Basho puts up in the gatekeeper's house during a stormy night and the next morning writes this poem in Japanese:

Bitten by fleas and lice,
I slept in bed,
A horse urinating all the time
Close to my pillow.

-page 120

pisso aur joo-oN ne kaat kaat kar
khoon mera pee liya tha
magar main soya raha raat bhar bistray main
mere sarhaanay k paas ek ghoDa bandha tha
jo peshaab karta raha har pal main

***

2

He visits a temple called Ryushakuji in the province of Yamagata that inspires him to compose this:

In the utter silence
Of a temple,
A cicada's voice alone
Penetrates the rocks.

-pages 122-123

sun-saan mandar
ki khaamoshi main,
jheeNgar ki awaaz
chattaanaiN paar
kar rehi thi.

***

3

At the barrier gate of Ichiburi, he goes to bed early. In the next room two concubines were whishpering to each other in the company of an old man. Next day the old man left tham and they wantedcompany of Basho who refused to take them along with him to the next shrine. He writes his experience thus:

Under the same roof
We all slept together,
Concubines and I -
Bush-clovers and the moon.

-page 132

usi chappar k neechay
hum sub saath ho kar sotay rehay,
main aur vo rahkhailaiN -
ghaas-phoos chaandani maiN.

***

4 to be cond.