The Helper on the Way, pp. 504-505

Opening Remarks
The journey upon earth is not easy and hence the Divine has deputed forces and powers of nature to help us go through the process.

Pity and sympathy
I have been pity, leaning over pain
And the tender smile that heals the wounded heart
And sympathy making life less hard to bear.

It is she who awakens pity leaning over pain, and sympathy making life easier to bear and the tender smile that heals the wounded heart.

The sufferer and his moan
Man has felt near my unseen face and hands;
I have become the sufferer and his moan,
I have lain down with the mangled and the slain,
I have lived with the prisoner in his dungeon cell.

Man has felt her unseen nearness as she takes upon herself the burden of his suffering and moan. It is she who lies down with the mangled and the slain and lives with the prisoner in his dungeon cell to ease him a little by her presence.

Yoke of Time
Heavy on my shoulders weighs the yoke of Time:
Nothing refusing of creation’s load,
I have borne all and know I still must bear:
Perhaps when the world sinks into a last sleep,
I too may sleep in dumb eternal peace.

She accepts and bears on her shoulders the heavy yoke of Time refusing nothing of the load of suffering in creation. She bears all and knows that still she must bear. It is only when the world sinks in pralaya that she too will rest in eternal peace.

Calm indifference of Heaven
I have borne the calm indifference of Heaven,
Watched Nature’s cruelty to suffering things
While God passed silent by nor turned to help.

She has borne the calm indifference of Heaven as it turned away and watched with her eyes the cruel ways of Nature while God walked by as a silent witness.

Not cried nor accused
Yet have I cried not out against his will,
Yet have I not accused his cosmic Law.

Yet she has cried not against God’s will nor accused his cosmic Law.

A patient prayer
Only to change this great hard world of pain
A patient prayer has risen from my breast;
A pallid resignation lights my brow,
Within me a blind faith and mercy dwell;
I carry the fire that never can be quenched
And the compassion that supports the suns.

She patiently prays to change this great hard world of pain. A pallid resignation lights up her brows. She has within her a blind faith and mercy and yet she carries a fire that helps the suns burn endlessly giving light to the world and compassion that cannot be quenched.

Hope
I am the hope that looks towards my God,
My God who never came to me till now;
His voice I hear that ever says ‘I come’:
I know that one day he shall come at last.”

She is the hope that looks towards God, her God who never yet came. Still she has the faith and knows that he will indeed come at last.

Closing Remarks
Despite bearing the load of suffering of creation she still harbours hope and faith nor revolts against the Law. She is indeed the goddess who helps earth and its creatures endure the hard and difficult passage through suffering and pain.