The Ballad of Father Gilligan(Summary)

 📖 Summary of “The Ballad of Father Gilligan”


"The Ballad of Father Gilligan" tells the touching story of an old, weary priest named Father Peter Gilligan. During a time of famine or epidemic, many people in his parish are dying. Day and night, he goes from house to house, offering prayers and last rites to the dying. He is physically and emotionally exhausted.


One evening, as he rests on a chair, another person sends for him. Overwhelmed, he speaks words of frustration and quickly asks God for forgiveness, realizing his complaint was born out of tiredness. While praying, he falls asleep unknowingly.


When he wakes up the next morning, he panics, thinking the dying man must have passed away without receiving his final blessings. He rushes to the man’s house, only to find that the man has already died — peacefully — and the family believes Father Gilligan had already come.


At that moment, Father Gilligan realizes that while he was asleep, God sent an angel in his place to perform the sacred duty. Overcome with gratitude, he kneels and prays, thanking God for His mercy and compassion.



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🌟 Moral / Message:


The poem shows that God understands human weakness and responds with kindness and grace. It highlights that divine compassion can cover even our shortcomings and that true faith is always rewarded.



---📖 “The Ballad of Father Gilligan” କବିତାର ସାରାଂଶ (ଓଡ଼ିଆ)


"The Ballad of Father Gilligan" କବିତାରେ ଏକ ବୟସ୍କ ପାଦ୍ରି ପିଟର ଗିଲିଗନ୍ଙ୍କ ଗଳ୍ପ କୁ କୁହାଯାଇଛି, ଯିଏ ତାଙ୍କ ପ୍ରଜାମାନେ ରୋଗ ଓ ଦୁଃଖ ରେ ଏକ ପରେ ଏକ ମରୁଥିବା ସମୟରେ ଦିନ-ରାତି ବ୍ୟସ୍ତ ଥିଲେ। ସେ ଅତ୍ୟଧିକ କ୍ଲାନ୍ତ ଓ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଥିଲେ, କାରଣ ଅଧା ଲୋକ ମରିଯାଇଥିଲେ ଓ ଅନ୍ୟ ଅଧା ରୋଗ ଶଯ୍ୟାରେ ଥିଲେ।


ଏକ ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟାବେଳେ, ଯେତେବେଳେ ସେ ଅଧୋନିଦ୍ରାବସ୍ଥାରେ ଚେୟାର ଉପରେ ବସିଥିଲେ, ଆଉ ଜଣେ ରୋଗୀ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଡାକିଲେ। ସେ ଏକ କ୍ଷଣ ପାଇଁ ଅସନ୍ତୋଷ ପ୍ରକାଶ କଲେ — “ମୋତେ କେବେ ବିଶ୍ରାମ ମିଳୁନାହିଁ”— ତେବେ ଏହି କଥା ପରେ ସେ ତୁରନ୍ତ ଅନୁତାପ କଲେ ଓ ଅପରାଧ ବୋଧରେ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା କରି ଘୁମିଗଲେ।


ସକାଳେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ସେ ଜାଗିଲେ, ତେଣୁ ସେ ଭୟଭୀତ ହେଲେ ଯେ ରୋଗୀ ବେଳେ ଚିକିତ୍ସା ଓ ପ୍ରାର୍ଥନା ବିନା ମରିଗଲେ। ସେ ତୁରନ୍ତ ଘୋଡ଼ା ଚଢ଼ି ଗୁରୁତ୍ୱ ଭାବେ ସେଇ ଘରକୁ ଚଲିଗଲେ।


ସେଠାକୁ ପହଁଚିବା ପରେ ରୋଗୀଙ୍କ ଜଣେ ମହିଳା କହିଲେ ଯେ “ପାଦ୍ରିବାବା, ଆପଣ ତ ଆଗରୁ ଆସିଥିଲେ।” ଏଥିରୁ ସ୍ପଷ୍ଟ ହେଲା ଯେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ସେ ଘୁମିଥିଲେ, ସେଥିରେ ଭଗବାନ ତାଙ୍କ ସ୍ଥାନରେ ଜଣେ ଦୂତ (angel) କୁ ପଠାଇଥିଲେ ଯିଏ ରୋଗୀଙ୍କୁ ଆଶ୍ୱସ୍ତ କରିଥିଲେ।


ଏହା ଦେଖି ଫାଦର୍ ଗିଲିଗନ୍ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଭକ୍ତି ଓ କୃତଜ୍ଞତାରେ ଭଗବାନଙ୍କୁ ଧନ୍ୟବାଦ ଦେଲେ।



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🌟 ନିତି ଶିକ୍ଷା / ବାତ୍ସଲ୍ୟ ବିଚାର:


ଏହି କବିତା ଆମକୁ ଶିଖାଏ ଯେ ଭଗବାନ ମନୁଷ୍ୟଙ୍କ ଦୁର୍ବଳତା କୁ ବୁଝନ୍ତି, ଓ ସେ ବି ଦୟାଳୁ ଓ ଦୟାର ସାଗର। ଯଦି ଆମେ ସତ୍ୟ ଭାବେ କାମ କରୁଛୁ ଓ ଭଗବାନରେ ଆସ୍ଥା ରଖୁଛୁ, ତେବେ ସେ ଆମ ବିଭ୍ରାନ୍ତି ବା ଅସମର୍ଥତା କୁ ମାନି ନେଇଥାଆନ୍ତି।




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