Author: Rekha Sahay

The song Vande Mataram, composed in Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterji, was a source of inspiration to the people in their struggle for freedom. It has an equal status with Jana-gana-mana. The first political occasion when it was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.

The poem was composed into song by Rabindranath Tagore. The first two verses of the song were adopted as the National Song of India in October 1937 by the Congress Working Committee prior to the end of colonial rule in August 1947.

The translation in prose of the two stanzas rendered by Sri Aurobindo Ghosh. This has also been adopted by the Government of India’s national portal. The original Vande Mataram consists of six stanzas and the translation in prose for the complete poem by Shri Aurobindo appeared in Karmayogin, 20 November 1909.

Sri Aurobindo commented on his English translation of the poem that “It is difficult to translate the National Song of India into verse in another language owing to its unique union of sweetness, simple directness and high poetic force.”

Mother, I praise thee!

Rich with thy hurrying streams,

bright with orchard gleams,

Cool with thy winds of delight,

Dark fields waving Mother of might,

Mother free.

Glory of moonlight dreams,

Over thy branches and lordly streams,

Clad in thy blossoming trees,

Mother, giver of ease

Laughing low and sweet!

Mother I kiss thy feet,

Speaker sweet and low!

Mother, to thee I praise thee. [Verse 1]

Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands

When the swords flash out in seventy million hands

And seventy million voices roar

Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?

With many strengths who art mighty and stored,

To thee I call Mother and Lord!

Thou who savest, arise and save!

To her I cry who ever her foeman drove

Back from plain and Sea

And shook herself free. [Verse 2]

Source:

1. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vande_Mataram

2. http://knowindia.gov.in/national-identity-elements/national-song.php