Which Temple? - Kun Mandir Ma Janchau Yatri?

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This is my best song. One of the best poems I've ever read. It's magical. I can't believe that someone could have such talents as to be able to send a message, so powerful, that it seems to be piercing through my heart every time I listen to it, by the mere use of a few phrases of words. And, that too by a man, who lived in the "dark" ages in Nepal, and didn't get to learn a lot.

You're simply awesome, dear Laxmi Prasad Devkota.

Here is the original poem he wrote in Devnagari script,

"यात्री"

कुन मन्दिरमा जान्छौ यात्री, कुन मन्दिरमा जाने हो?
कुन सामग्री पुजा गर्ने, साथ कसोरी लाने हो?
मानिसहरूको काँध चढी, कुन देवपुरीमा जाने हो?

हाडहरूका सुन्दर खम्बा, मांसपिण्डका दिवार !
मस्तिष्कको यो सुनको छाना, इन्द्रियहरूका द्वार !
नसा-नदीका तरल तर, मन्दिर आफू अपार !
कुन मन्दिरमा जान्छौ यात्री, कुन मन्दिरको द्वार ?

मनको सुन्दर सिंहासनमा, जगदिश्वरको राज !
चेतनाको यो ज्योति हिरण्यमय, उसको शिरको ताज !
शरिरको यो सुन्दर मन्दिर, विश्वक्षेत्रको माझ।

भित्र छ ईश्वर बाहिर आँखा, खोजी हिड्छौ कुन पुर?
ईश्वर बस्तछ गहिराइमा, सतह बहन्छौ कति दुर?
खोजी गर्छौ हृदय लगाऊ, बत्ति बाली तेज प्रचुर ?

साथी यात्री बीच सडकमा, ईश्वर हिड्छ साथ
चुम्दछ ईश्वर काम सुनौला, गरिरहेका हात
छुन्छ तिलस्मी करले उसले, सेवकहरूको साथ ।

सडक किनार गाउँछ ईश्वर, चराहरूको तानामा
बोल्दछ ईश्वर मानिसहरूका, पिडा, दु:खको गानामा
दर्शन किन्तु कहिँ दिँदैन, चर्म-चछुले कानामा ।
कुन मन्दिरमा जान्छौ यात्री, कुन नव-देश बिरानामा?

फर्क फर्क हे ! जाऊ समाऊ, मानिसहरूको पाउ !
मलम लगाऊ आर्तहरूको, चहराइरहेको घाउ
मानिस भइ ईश्वरको त्यो, दिव्य मुहार हँसाऊ ।।

Below is a translation of this poem in English. It's good, but still it does not do enough justice to the original poem that Devkota wrote. The translator is myohmyoh .

Which temple will you go oh traveler which temple should you go?
With what would you worship him and what would you offer to your lord?
Riding on people's back which heaven would you go?
With columns made out of your bones, and your skin its walls
With brain as its ceiling, senses its doors
Blood in your veins mystic river, temple is whole in itself.
Which temple will you go oh traveler, which temple's door?
Ruling from your soul is lords beautiful throne,
Feeling the aura, your head the crown,
Beautiful is this body temple in the middle of the world.

Which holy land are you searching with your eyes when inside you is god?
How far will you flow on surface, when lord lives in the depth?
If you want to find him then just open lights of your heart,
Lord is with you my traveler in the middle of road,
He will kiss hands that work selflessly, will touch foreheads with his divine hands.
Lord sings on the songs of the birds by the side of the road,
Lord sings on the pain and suffering of the people,
Yet he does not come before your physical eyes.

Which temple will you go to oh traveler which new country will you go?
Return my traveler and hold peoples feet, help them to heal up their wounds with ointments,
Please your lord oh traveler just by being human.

I've been reading everything Devkota these days, and I must say I am really impressed with what he has accomplished. Back in the days, when I had to read "Is Nepal Small? - (Ke Nepal Sano Cha?) - I thought he was a mad man, because what he said didn't really touch the ground realities, and everything seemed to be so obscure. Now, I believe I was mistaken, or that I was unable to comprehend his writing properly. Well, maybe someday when I learn enough, I will try to comprehend what Devkota has written, and translate his works in the best possible way I can.

To read more about some of his writings, choose from the following list.

From: " The Necessity of a Strongly Organised Writers Union for Nepal"
The Brook
The Swallow and Devkota
The Lunatic
Hymn to Saraswati
Birth Anniversary
I
Song of the Nightingale
From: "Imagination"
"The Parrot in the Cage"
From: Nepali Shakuntal Epic (Canto I)
Evening
From: "The Electric Bulb"
Towards Dashain
A Golden Daybreak
From: "Ajima"
Dust