Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World

Yoga / Hindu : Shaivite (Shiva)

12th Century

About Akka Mahadevi

Timeline (12th Century)

Akka Mahadevi, Akka Mahadevi poetry, Yoga / Hindu, Yoga / Hindu poetry, Shaivite (Shiva) poetry, [TRADITION SUB2] poetry, poetry

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English version by
A. K. Ramanujan

Original Language
Kannada

Would a circling surface vulture

Themes

Garden

Honey

Lotus

Moon

Perfume

Recommended Books

	Sacred Voices: Essential Women's Voices Through the Ages, Edited by Mary Ford-Grabowsky
	The Shambhala Anthology of Women's Spiritual Poetry, Edited by Aliki Barnstone
	Speaking of Siva, by A K Ramanujan
	Women Writing in India: 600 BC to the Present: Volume 1, Edited by Susie Tharu / Edited by K. Lalita

Would a circling surface vulture
     know such depths of sky
     as the moon would know?

would a weed on the riverbank
     know such depths of water
     as the lotus would know?

would a fly darting nearby
     know the smell of flowers
     as the bee would know?

O lord white as jasmine,
     only you would know
     the way of your devotees:
     how would these,

these
     mosquitoes
     on the buffalo's hide?

-- from Women Writing in India: 600 BC to the Present: Volume 1, Edited by Susie Tharu / Edited by K. Lalita

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Poetry Chaikhana Sacred Poetry from Around the World

About Akka Mahadevi

Poetry Chaikhana
Sacred Poetry from Around the World