During his trial, the Court Magistrate tried to prove that, through his provocative writings against the British Government, Nazrul carried out subversive activities and created lawlessness. But prior to sentencing, Nazrul made a powerful statement. He repeatedly analyzed the concept of truth and justice, as made manifest in the following court transcript:
I have been charged with treason, convicted for treachery against the king, and sentenced to serve as a prisoner of the king.
I find that there are two sides to this case: on one side is the king’s crown; on the other side is the blazing comet of God. The king has delivered his verdict; however, God will also deliver the verdict of truth and justice. On the king’s side are his paid employees; on my side is the king of all kings, the judge of all judges, who represent the eternal truth, the omnipresent God.
In the eyes of the Supreme Judge, all are treated equally: the king and his subjects, the rich and the poor, the privileged and the unprivileged. On his throne, the king’s crown and the beggar’s “Ektara”are placed side by side. His verdict, not created for any ruling class and not intended for domination, speaks of truth and religion. That ruling, evolved from the realization of truth, renders visible the ultimate and everlasting truth of God of the Universe. The king is represented by the creator’s trifle being, an infinitesimal entity among the entire creation, while I am represented by the creator himself “Rudara,” in his entirety, who is limitless and eternal.
I am a poet sent by God to reveal His untold truth and revitalize His creation. A poet’s voice is the voice of God and my message is the truth by God. It may be proscribed by the king, but, in the eyes of truth, my message does not violate the ruling of truth and justice. Whereas the king may find me guilty, in God’s judgment I am innocent and my message would be saluted as ever-shining, everlasting, unblemished eternal truth.
I am God’s vina. Vina may break into pieces, but who will break God? The existence of God is the ultimate truth, and He will be there forever.
I am only an instrument which reveals truth. Some brute force might try to imprison the instrument and destroy it, but who will imprison the one who plays the instrument and delivers the divine message? Who will destroy Him? I am mortal; my God is immortal. I will die, the king will die, other revolutionaries like me speaking of truth have died and many other kings bringing charges of treason against the messenger of truth have died, but it was never possible to imprison His truth and destroy it. He is expressing Himself today and will continue to do so for eternity. Although today my voice is forcefully silenced by the king, it will in the future continue to resonate in someone else’s voice.
***
Is mine the only voice which cried aloud or did it resonate with the heart rending wailing of all the souls tortured for eternity? I know that the thunderous uproar in my voice echoed with the agonizing howling of the souls of eternity. This cry can’t be silenced by punishing or threating me for it will resonate in someone else’s voice.
Why was Nazrul so fearless, bold & spiritual? Perhaps because he firmly believed that every person comes to this world with a mission and his (Nazrul’s) mission was to deliver the message of truth and justice. He strongly believed that he was “Obinashwar” (“imperishable”); correspondingly, his tremendous power and courage was probably derived from his profound belief in the God of the Universe.
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