One of my favorite Kabir's poem I call "Dulhani." In this beautiful poem, Kabir envisions himself as the bride and the universe (or God, which he personifies as "Raag") as her groom. It is a joyous poem that shows the spiritual wedding of Kabir in three stages depicted in the three stanzas: (1) the bride dresses up, (2) the wedding ceremony, and (3) the departure of the bride with her love. There are two recordings of this shabad: one from 2019 and one from 2011. I also have a translation of the poem in English, followed by my own English poem reflecting the sentiments of Kabir's poem. (Updated 2011)
My Encounters With These Words of Joy
I have often sung this shabad at weddings. When I do, I tell the couple that Kabir shows us three steps to marriage: first, dress yourself with good deeds; second, make a commitment with your body to remember what is good for the two who have now become one; and third, walk together in love, carried by grace. It is more than ritual — it is the union of body, mind, and soul in remembrance of the Divine.
On one of my business travels, I met a woman in love who was sitting beside me on a plane. She was radiant — joy spilled out of her in every word. She told me about her fiancé, her cheeks turning pink as she spoke. It was as though her entire being was singing. In her presence I understood the joy of this shabad more deeply, how love itself becomes the song of the bride.
In 2025, I sang this as the last shabad to one of my musicians who was nearing death. We spoke about hope, about how this was not an ending but a transition. Our work of oneness would continue beyond his body. In that moment, I felt the ache Guru Nanak must have felt saying goodbye to Mardana — a love that sings even as it lets go. (Updated 2025)
Kabir's Gao Gao Ri Dulhani - Raag Asa
This recording was made along with the "Saajan" album in 2019, a series of albums dedicated to the 550th birth centenary of Guru Nanak. I must have been in a jovial mood and added trumpets and brass (often used in wedding bands in India) instead of the Sarangi from the previous arrangement (see below for 2011 recording).
Translation and Notes
Gaa-o gaa-o ree dulhanee mangalchaaraa.
Mayray garih aa-ay raajaa raam bhataaraa.
Sing, sing, O soul bride,
sing the song of my wedding
King Raam has come to my house
to become my husband
Sing O Soul bride, Sing songs of bliss for King Raam has come home to wed me. "Coming to my house" or "coming back to my house" are common themes in spiritual poetry. Guru Nanak sings in Suhi "Hum Ghar Saajan Aye." American poem Allen Ginsberg uses this theme in his famous poem "Song":
[...]
yes, yes,
that’s what
I wanted,
I always wanted,
I always wanted,
to return
to the body
where I was born.
Tan rainee man pun rap kar ha-o paacha-o tat baraatee.
Raam raa-ay si-o bhaavar laiha-o aatam tih rang raatee. ||1||
To beautify myself I have anointed my body with good deeds
and that color was so strong my mind has also been dyed.
Five elements have come together as guests
and as I circumambulate with Raam*
my soul is too imbued with His Love.
* Note 2: The word "Pun" is sometimes translated as "again," but that is wrong. Pun is the plural of "Punu" which comes from Sanskrit and means good deads. The words used for again in Gurbani is "Phun." Professor Sahib Singh explains this in his punjabi teeka of the Guru Granth Sahib and I agree with this definition. In Sohela we also sing a shabad in raag Gauri Purbi where we say, "Kar Sadhu Anjuli Pun wadda hay, Kar Dandaut Pun Wadda Hay" - it is a virtuous deed to bow to the "Sadhus" or the ones who have achieved inner peace.
Naabh kamal meh baydee rach lay barahm gi-aan uchaaraa.
Raam raa-ay so doolahu paa-i-o as badbhaag hamaaraa. ||2||
Make the navel-lotus my bridal pavilion
And let Brahma* recite holy mantras
I have obtained the Raam as my Husband
such is my great good fortune. ||2||
* Note: According to old scriptures, Brahma, the creator (also the God of knowledge) sits on the lotus that grows from the Navel of Vishnu. Lotus obviously also reminds the reader of purity despite maligned surroundings. Brahma is also credited to first having "recited" the "Vedas" -- some of the oldest scriptures written in human history. There is a temple in India (near Thanesar) called "Kamal Naabhi" or "Lotus Navel" where Brahma was born from the Navel of Vishnu.
Sur nar mun jan ka-utak aa-ay kot taytees ujaanaaN.
Kahi kabeer mohi bi-aahi chalay hai purakh ayk bhagvaanaa. ||3||
Angles, holy men, sages, and deities have come
in thousands of heavenly chariots to see
my husband take me with him
because Raam is none other than the One Almighty ||3||
Original Poem/Song
Sing O Soul, O soul you sing!
sing freely sing, O fondly sing!
sing sated sweet savory song
sing I hear my wedding bells ring!
Start to sing a song so complete
that with my love, five elements sing
and rain my body and mind so replete,
that you too drenched delighted sing
Sing O soul, a song so pure
as sacred vows that I need sing
on a lotus altar white for sure
Brahma's mantra adorn my hearing!
Sing O soul, a song so magical
come angels, fairies, maidens sing
on heavenly chariots so fanciful
as my Love whisks me away to sing!
Sing of my fortuity sing!
sing the beauty of purity sing
sing this mystical magical song
sing I hear my wedding bells ring!
Version by Shubha Mudgal
Several years ago I heard this and I keep going back to this haunting melody by Shubha Mudgal. The lyrics are strikingly similar to Kabir's shabad in Gurbani, Gao Gao Ri Dulhani.
Raag Asa or Gauri - depending on the listener
Raag In Gurbani this is sung in Asa, while in Kabir's Granthavali this is in Raag Gauri. It is Shubha Mudgal doesn't sing it in either raags. I believe the responsibility of the deciding the raag is sometimes upon the singer, and sometime on the editor. But they are both acting as listeners. They can hear different colors of oneness in the same song and therefore the decision on different raags. Bhai Gurdas or Guru Arjan may have found the hope of bliss in this Kabir shabad and added it to Guru Nanak's new raag Asa. It is also possible that this shabad had been sung in the the guru gharana since Guru Nanak in raag Asa. The editor of the Kabir Granthavali instead focused on coloring of the mind, body and soul to the color of oneness (tan rati kari ...), therefore the choice of Raag Gauri.
Lyrics
Dulhani gavahu mangalchaar
Hum ghar aaye raaja raam bhartaar
Tan rati kari mein man rati kari hoon, panch tatt baraati
ramdev morai paahun aaye, main joban main maati
Sareer sarvar bedi karihoon brahma ved uchaar
Ramdev sang bhaavari lehoon dhan dhan bhaag hamaar
Sur tainteesu kautik aaye munivar sahas athaasi
keh kabir hum byaahi chale hain purush ek avinashi
Translation - Wedding of Kabir
The bride sings songs of joy,
Raja Ram has come to her house as her husband.
I have colored my body and mind; the five elements are the wedding guests.
Ram has come to wed me — I am young, I am mad with love.
In the ocean of the body, Brahma the priest recites the sacred hymns.
I take the wedding rounds with Ram — blessed, blessed is my fortune!
Thirty-three (crore) gods have come, and eighty-eight thousand sages too.
Kabir says: the one indestructible Groom takes me away.
2011 Recording - Raag Asa
The first one I recorded some of the music in India in 2009, and finished recording in California I think in 2011.
Also see
Hindi Version -
Shubha Mudgal - Gawat Dulhan Gawat Mangal Chaar,
Old Composition - Dulhin Gawahu Mangala Char,
Raag Maand Composition - Dulhin Gaavahu Mangalchaar.
Hindi Bhaavarth - https://youtu.be/8oAazczoaGE
Similar Lyrics -
Piya More Aye by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Raag Khambavati)
Dhan Dhan Bhaag Hamaare - Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Raag Gawati)
Similar Gurbani -
Dhan Dhan Hamare Bhaag - Sohan Singh Rasiya
Meri Ichh Puni -
Singing oneness!
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1 Comments
Wonderful!! Wonderful writing done by Kabir bhai and you made this priceless, excellent, outstanding by your singing.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mr Shivpreet for all your work.