Thinking of how the world has changed for the Japanese in just two and a half minutes….
Mother nature convulses
In sheer fit of outrage
From Heaven yesterday
Turns into a Hell today
Mocking at man’s delusion
That: ” I’m the master.”
Earth throws tantrums
Shakes and trembles
Enfolds life along
Slides and shifts
Turns a mass grave
Ridiculing man’s illusion
That : “I’m the master.”
Oceans roar aloud
Rise high in fury
Sweeping all alike
Matchbox houses
Cardboard cars
Engulfing mortals within
Drowning peace with it
Decieving man’s fantasy
That: “I’m the master.”
Death, despair everywhere
Cities of yesterday
Become graveyards today
Houses, schools, bridges
Turn a pile of rubble
Mountains of tragedy.
Taunting at man’s fallacy
That: “I’m the master.”
( Written in the wake of 23 feet Tsunami and 8.9 Richter scale earthquake that shook Japan on 11 March 2011).
Rajasthani is my mother’s mother tongue. Although I love music from all cultures, Rajasthani music occupies a special chamber in my heart. As Papa who was a hardcore urban Delhiite, was totally in awe with the richness of Rajasthani culture. He often repeated, “The Rajasthani desert terrain and harsh weather conditions is made bearable by its inhabitants with use of vivid colors, arresting music and affable people.
Most Rajasthani songs so easily convey passion through minimal pageantry. Here is a beautiful folk song from Rajasthan with simple lyrics that exude so much affection:
Bole to meetho laage, [Bolti hai tou meethi lagti hai] [When she speaks, she sounds sweet] Hasey to pyaaro laage, [Jab muskurati hai tou pyari lagti hai] [When she smiles, she looks adorable] Bethodo sove mhaare aanganey, [Mere Aangan me baithey hue tum suhaati(achhi lagti) hai] [She looks pleasant, sitting in my courtyard] Saanwri surat jero jaanida mhaaro, [Saawli surat jaisa mera yaar hai] [Wheatish complexioned-such is my beloved] Bethodo sove mhaara aanganey, [Mere Aangan me baithey hue woh suhaati(achhe lagte) hai] [She looks pleasant, sitting in my courtyard] Allah aabaad raakhey, Maula abaad raakhey, [Allah/Maula tum humesha khush(aabaad) rakhey] [May Allah/God/Almighty keep her prosperous(happy) always] Bethodo sove mhaara aanganey, [Mere Aangan me baithey hue wo suhaati(achhi lagti) hai] [She looks pleasant, sitting in my courtyard]
However my favourite version of this song is this one by Barmer Boys:
Preet se preet lagi, piya door dishaa mutt jana, Baso hamari nagri mein, hum mange tum khao Duniya bari baawli, pather poojan jaaye, Ghar ki chakiya koi ni puje, jiska peesa khaaye !
Chadariya jhini re jhini, re ram naam ras bhini body is like finely woven cloth and is permeated by the raam naam (ra+ma rechek purak (breath))
Asht kamal ka charkha banaya, panch tatv ki pooni Eight-petaled lotus was used as a spinning wheel, and the 5 elements as yarn
Naw das maas bunan ko laage, moorakh maili keeni took 9-10 months to knit it, Oh fool you soiled it!
Jab meri chadar ban ghar aaee, rang rej ko deeni When I got my sheet, I gave it to person who dyes sheet(guru).
Aisa rang ranga rangrej ne, laalo lal kar deeni It was dyed such, totally red in color
Dhruv, Prahlad, Sudama ne odhi, Sukhdev ne nirmal keeni Dhruv Prahlad and Sudama wore it, Sukhdev made it pure.
Das Kabir ne aisi odhi, jyo ki tyon dhar deeni
Servant Kabeer wore it such, he left it as it is (as he got it)
—
Kabir here talks about body, or human experience and how to utilize it. He talks about how he lived in the body, how other notable predecessors lived and how does an average man live.
Body is a sheet. breath is the link which makes body experience possible.(raam naam), hence re raam naam ras bhini chadariya
Eight lotuses, eight latent tendencies of body(survival, threat, accumulation, attention, domination , suppression, discontentment,) correlate with eight energy centres within body(7+1(bindu).
The five elements of nature – earth, sky, fire, water, and wind-are the yarn which weave the sheet ( body).
This sheath takes involves 9-10 lunar cycles around earth, time as celestial movement. celestial connection with sheath.
You soiled it, you lost awareness.
Kabir now talks about his own body (mori chadar what happened with his sheet). When kabir took body, he let his guru work on it. His guru dyed it( permanent transformation of body based experiences ) and made it red. (red is the color of awareness).
Kabir now talks about how other noted people who wore it, Dhruv, Prahlad Sudama(all saints), and Sukhdev, and purified it (lived with awareness).
How did Kabir wear it? Kabir, didn’t let it get soiled. He maintained the newborn’s awareness all his life.
This is one of the most popular verses from the Gurugranth Saheb, the Holy Book of the Sikhs. They are Kabir’s words, known in the scriptures as Bhagat Kabir.Kabir has over 280 verses in the Guru Granth Saheb
Awwal Allah Noor Upaya Qudrat Keh Sub Banday Aik Noor Keh Sub Jag Upajiya Kaun Bhale Ko Mandhe
God created light of which all the beings were born And from this light, the universe; so who is good and who is bad
The creation is in the Creator And the Creator is in the creation
Maati Aik Anaik Bhaanth Ker Saaji Sajan Haray Na Kash Poch Maati Kay Bhanday Na Kash Poch Kunbharay
The clay is the same, but the designer has fashioned it in various ways Nothing is wrong with the pot of clay and there is nothing wrong with the potter
Sub Meh Sacha Aiko Soee Dis Ka Keya Sub Kuch Hoyi Hukm Pachanay Saee Ko Janay Banda Kahiyeah Soee
The One true Lord abides in all and by his making everything is made Whoever realises His command, knows the One Lord and he alone is said to be the Lord’s slave
Allah Alkh Na Jaee Lakhiya Gur Gur Dheena Meetha Kahay Kabir Mair Sanka Naase Sarab Niranjan
The Lord Allah is invisible and He cannot be seen; the Guru has blessed me with this sweet brown sugar Says Kabir, my anxiety and fear have been taken away; I see the immaculate Lord pervading everywhere.
Yet the original version of the same verses as sung by Sikh followers as Shabd, or Gurbani or a Hymn is:
Awal Allah noor upaya
Kudrat ke sab bandey
Ek noor te sab jag upjaya
Kaun bhale ko mande.
‘First of all, God created light; Mother Nature created all human beings equal; from that one Light the entire world came into being; so how do we differentiate that one is better that the other?’
Chandan Kaath Ke Banal Khatola, Tapar Dulihan Sutal Ho
Utho Sakhiri Maang Sawaro, Dulha Mosey Ruthal Ho
Aye Jamraja Palang Chadi Baitha, Nainan Ansuwan Tutal Ho
Char Jane Mil Khath Uthain, Chahun Disi Dhu Dhu Uthal Ho
Kehat Kabira Suno Bhai Sadho, Jug Se Nata Chutal Ho
Translation
Who Is The Thug Who Is Robbing The Town.
A Small Cot Is Made Of Sandalwood,
On Which The Bride Sleeps
Get Up Beloved Companion
Adorn Me With Bridal Makeup,
The Groom Is Upset With Me
The Lord of Death, Is Sitting On The Bed,
Eyes Are Filled With Tears
Four People Pick Up The Cot,
Sounds of The Flaring Flames Come From All Four Directions
Says Kabira Listen Oh Learned,
The Relationship With The World Comes To An End
Explanation(Courtesy Maalok).
The town symbolizes the body. The thug is death itself. It robs the body of its life force. The symbolism is at two levels. At the physical level where body and spirit are intertwined like groom and bride, the spirit thinks that body is its abode and tries its best to hang on. It cries at the sight of such a catastrophic loss. But the relentless time (personified as the Angel of Death), is sitting in no mood to yield. The bride or spirit thinks that the groom (body) is upset so tries its best to attract its mate and resorts to all kinds of means represented in the song as “bridal makeup”. The impermanence of the physical reality is manifested ever so clearly as the body is consumed by the very sensory attributes that it identified with (represented as flames). At the spiritual level, of course, the bride is starting its true journey to reach its permanent abode and therefore the relationship with the world comes to an end. The latter part is inferred in contrast to the more apparent physical reality. In his typical mystical fashion, Kabir urges the listener (Sadhu or one who is doing Sadhana) to come to this understanding on their own – a realization that is not bookish but experiential.
Sweeter than the sweetest honey
Softer than the softest bunny
Juicier than the juiciest fruit
Ever saw a rasgullah so very cute?
Lucky are the kins of an awesome treasure
Who spills just joy beyond any measure
With drenching drooling, the melodious cooing
The resonant ga ga, the symphonic goo gooing
Oh, such rolly, polly, bouncy little guy
The snugly charm that makes you sigh
Those screams and wails of a naughty lil’ boy
Ah, you infinitely charming, you bundle of joy.
Blind to Bounds 
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