As Spring slowly unfurls across our New Haven landscapes hints of winter linger. Chilly winds send last season’s dried up leaves scraping across the stone walkways crisscrossing Old Campus. Damp and shadowed corners remain unimpressed by the calendar date. Bundled in winter jacket and hat, I seek a sunny leeward niche out of the wind. Here the sun’s rays charge the air with a kiss of warmth. Here, a narcissus bloom asserts the new season, lifting pale yellow head to the sky. Emulating the flower, I lift my face to the sun, close my eyes, and pray that its rays melt the chill within. Bring me into Spring; bring me the gladness and peace of the season.
Dear Hearts and Gentle People of Yale:
A prayer for you, a prayer for us, a prayer for all betwixt and between, to ease us into Spring:
auṁ dyauḥ śhāntir antarikṣha-guṁ,
śhāntiḥ pṛthivī, śhāntir āpaḥ, śhāntir oṣhadhayaḥ,
śhāntiḥ vanaspatayaḥ, śhāntir viśhvedevāḥ, śhāntir brahma,
śhāntiḥ sarva-guṁ, śhāntiḥ śhāntir eva, śhāntiḥ sā mā, śhāntir edhi ||
auṁ śhāntiḥ śhāntiḥ śhāntiḥ, hariḥ auṁ
Aum!
Let there be peace in the atmosphere, peace in our cosmos, peace on earth,
peace in the waters, peace in the vegetation, peace in the forests,
peace amid the guardians of the Earth; for peace is the Supreme Being, so let all have peace.
Let there be a true peace, may that peace be mine also, and may it grow and spread throughout the universes.
May there be peace in the universes and elemental forces, peace in the family of humanity and living beings on this planet, and peace within ourselves.
~ Translated by my dharmic brother, Dr. Vrajvihari Sharan, former Director for Dharmic Life & Hindu Spiritual Advisor, Georgetown University