It is raining today in San Ramon and I am reminded of a beautiful poem from Meerabai (see below for info on Meerabai). I have been singing this poem in Raag Malhar and hope to publish it soon. Rain reminds Meera of the presence of her love, Krishna, nearby and she sings songs of love to welcome him.
Tiny droplets of water drops
For Meera's love Giridhar Nagar
Lyrics
barse badariyA sAwan ki
sAwan ki man bhavan ki
sAwan mein umangyo merO manvA
jhanak suni hari Avan ki
umad ghumad cAhun disa sE AyO
dAmini dhamke jhar lAvan ki
nanhi nanhi bUndhan meghA barse
shItal pavan suhAvan ki
meerA kE prabhu giridhar nAgar
Anand mangal gAvan ki
Translation
The monsoon clouds are showering
The clouds of monsoon, the clouds of bliss
In the monsoon my mind exults
as he hears that hari is coming
They are turning in from all directions
lightening strikes in a sequence
Tiny droplets of water drops
A cool breeze blows pleasantly
For Meera's love Giridhar Nagar
it is the time to sing wedding songs
More on Meerabai (See more on wikipedia)
Meerabai (Rajasthani: मीराबाई) (c.1498-c.1547AD) was an aristocratic Hindu mystical singer and sahajiya (apasampradaya) devotee of lord Krishna from Rajasthan and one of the most significant figures of the Sant tradition of the Vaishnava bhakti movement. Some 12-1300 prayerful songs or bhajans attributed to her are popular throughout India and have been published in several translations worldwide. In the bhakti tradition, they are in passionate praise of lord Krishna.
Details of her life, which has been the subject of several films, are pieced together from her poetry and stories recounted by her community and are of debatable historical authenticity, particularly those that connect her with the later Tansen. On the other hand, the traditions that make her a disciple of Ravidas who disputed with Rupa Goswami are consonant with the usual account of her life.
More on Meerabai (See more on wikipedia)
Meerabai (Rajasthani: मीराबाई) (c.1498-c.1547AD) was an aristocratic Hindu mystical singer and sahajiya (apasampradaya) devotee of lord Krishna from Rajasthan and one of the most significant figures of the Sant tradition of the Vaishnava bhakti movement. Some 12-1300 prayerful songs or bhajans attributed to her are popular throughout India and have been published in several translations worldwide. In the bhakti tradition, they are in passionate praise of lord Krishna.
Details of her life, which has been the subject of several films, are pieced together from her poetry and stories recounted by her community and are of debatable historical authenticity, particularly those that connect her with the later Tansen. On the other hand, the traditions that make her a disciple of Ravidas who disputed with Rupa Goswami are consonant with the usual account of her life.
Alternative Meanings (http://sangitasopana.blogspot.com/2012/10/barse-badariya.html)
- let the clouds (badariyA) of spring (sAvan kI) shower (barsE)
- the clouds of spring (sAvvan kI), the clouds that entertain (bhAvan kI) the mind (man)
- my (mErO) mind (manvA) always exults (umag AgyO) in (mein) Spring (sAvan)
- I hear (sunI) the sounds (jhanak) of krishNa's (hari) arrival (Avan kI)
- I hear the sounds of thunder (umaD ghumaD) coming (AyO) from (sE) all 4 (cArUn) directions (disA)
- lightning (dAmini) flares (damkE) heralding the arrival (Avan kI) of the rains (jal)
- the clouds (mEghA) shower (barsE) tiny (nanhI) droplets (bUndE) of water
- as cool (SItal) and pleasant (suhAvan) wind (pavan) blows by
- It is the time for mIrA's (mIrA kE) Lord (prabhU), giridhar to
- sing (gAvan) and make happy (Anand) and auspicious (mangaL) music
Lyrics in Hindi
बरसे बदरिया सावन की।
सावन की मन भावन की॥
सावन में उमंगयो मेरो मनवा।
झनक सुनी हरि आवन की॥
उमड़ घुमड़ चहुँ देस से आयो।
दामिनी धमके झर लावन की॥
नन्हे नन्हे बूंदन मेघा बरसे।
शीतल पवन सुहावन की॥
मीरा के प्रभु गिरिधर नगर।
आनंद मंगल गावन की॥
Yet another version of this bhajan (from http://blog.anandway.com/post/Meera-Bai-bhajan-Barase-Badariya-Saavan-ki)
बरसे बदरिया सावन की, सावन की मनभावन की,
१. सावन में उमग्यो मेरो मनवा, भनक सुनि हरि आवन की
२. नन्हीं नन्हीं बूंद सुहावन लागत, बूंदन की झर लावन की
३. दादुर, मोर, पपीहा बोले, कोयल शबद सुनावन की
४. मीरा के प्रभु हरि अविनाशी, आनंद मंगल गावन की,
In the rainy season (Saavan), I am happy and excited. I hear that my Lord is coming. Raindrops looks lovely. Frogs, Papiha bird and cuckoos also voice their happiness in the rainy season. My Lord is the eternal Lord, Hari. This is the time to sing in bliss.
Singing oneness!
. I have been singing t...){kind=link}
1 Comments
In the early 1980s, Ali Akbar Khansahib taught us a version of this poem in rag Malhar in chachar tal. It still sounds in my ears.
ReplyDelete