Athithi*
They told me you waited for me.
That patiently you sat in front of my door.
You knocked twice softly, but did not come in.
Inside, I sat waiting for you.
Oblivious of your waiting and knocking,
I was looking for you in the pooja room*,
lost, oh Lord, in my illusions and my sacred chants;
barely moving, lest the sound of my payal*
break my concentration.
While, all the time, you waited for me outside
with dusty feet unwashed.
~ Krishna ~
The following additions have been made by the author
for better understanding of the Sanskrit words used in the
poem and the customs of India.
*Athithi - Guest. In
Sanskrit there is a saying
'Athithi devo bhava', which means, according to
Indian custom, a guest is to be treated like God.
*Pooja room - Prayer room
*Payal - Anklet with small bells worn by women.
