Yesterday, we lost an amazing kirtaniya, Prof. Kartar Singh ji who passed away at the age of 94 years.
He was recently handed over the Padma Shri award by the Ludhiana DC in the hospital.
Professor Sahib leaves an amazing treasure of music for us, through which he will always live among us. While I have enjoyed a lot of his compositions, I especially like two of his Basant compositions. Both these were sung live in Harimandir Sahib. Both are the traditional Shudha Basant which is different from the more popular purvi basant which is often sung by Hindustani classical musicians.
Professor Sahib leaves an amazing treasure of music for us, through which he will always live among us. While I have enjoyed a lot of his compositions, I especially like two of his Basant compositions. Both these were sung live in Harimandir Sahib. Both are the traditional Shudha Basant which is different from the more popular purvi basant which is often sung by Hindustani classical musicians.
Raga Basant is a Hindustani classical music raga that is associated with the season of spring and is typically performed in the evening. During the spring season it can also be sung at any time. It is also associated with the Hindu festival of Vasant Panchami, which marks the arrival of spring. The raga is often used to convey feelings of joy, happiness, new beginnings and celebration.
Nahi Chhodo Re Baba Raam Naam (Bhagat Kabir)
ਪ੍ਰਹਲਾਦ ਪਠਾਏ ਪੜਨ ਸਾਲ ॥
प्रहलाद पठाए पड़न साल ॥
Parahlāḏ paṯẖāe paṛan sāl.
Prahlaad was sent to school.
ਸੰਗਿ ਸਖਾ ਬਹੁ ਲੀਏ ਬਾਲ ॥
संगि सखा बहु लीए बाल ॥
Sang sakẖā baho līe bāl.
He took many of his friends along with him.
ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕਹਾ ਪੜ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਵਸਿ ਆਲ ਜਾਲ ॥
मो कउ कहा पड़्हावसि आल जाल ॥
Mo kao kahā paṛĥāvas āl jāl.
He asked his teacher, "Why do you teach me about worldly affairs?
ਮੇਰੀ ਪਟੀਆ ਲਿਖਿ ਦੇਹੁ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੋੁਪਾਲ ॥੧॥
मेरी पटीआ लिखि देहु स्री गोपाल ॥१॥
Merī patīā likẖ ḏeh sarī gopāl. ||1||
Write the Name of the Dear Lord on my tablet."||1||
ਨਹੀ ਛੋਡਉ ਰੇ ਬਾਬਾ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ॥
नही छोडउ रे बाबा राम नाम ॥
Nahī cẖẖodao re bābā rām nām.
O Baba, I will not forsake the Name of the Lord.
ਮੇਰੋ ਅਉਰ ਪੜ੍ਹ੍ਹਨ ਸਿਉ ਨਹੀ ਕਾਮੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
मेरो अउर पड़्हन सिउ नही कामु ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Mero aor paṛĥan sio nahī kām. ||1|| rahāo.
I will not bother with any other lessons. ||1||Pause||
ਸੰਡੈ ਮਰਕੈ ਕਹਿਓ ਜਾਇ ॥
संडै मरकै कहिओ जाइ ॥
Sandai markai kahio jāe.
Sanda and Marka went to the king to complain.
ਪ੍ਰਹਲਾਦ ਬੁਲਾਏ ਬੇਗਿ ਧਾਇ ॥
प्रहलाद बुलाए बेगि धाइ ॥
Parahlāḏ bulāe beg ḏẖāe.
He sent for Prahlaad to come at once.
ਤੂ ਰਾਮ ਕਹਨ ਕੀ ਛੋਡੁ ਬਾਨਿ ॥
तू राम कहन की छोडु बानि ॥
Ŧū rām kahan kī cẖẖod bān.
He said to him, "Stop uttering the Lord's Name.
ਤੁਝੁ ਤੁਰਤੁ ਛਡਾਊ ਮੇਰੋ ਕਹਿਓ ਮਾਨਿ ॥੨॥
तुझु तुरतु छडाऊ मेरो कहिओ मानि ॥२॥
Ŧujẖ ṯuraṯ cẖẖadāū mero kahio mān. ||2||
I shall release you at once, if you obey my words."||2||
ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕਹਾ ਸਤਾਵਹੁ ਬਾਰ ਬਾਰ ॥
मो कउ कहा सतावहु बार बार ॥
Mo kao kahā saṯāvahu bār bār.
Prahlaad answered, "Why do you annoy me, over and over again?
ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਜਲ ਥਲ ਗਿਰਿ ਕੀਏ ਪਹਾਰ ॥
प्रभि जल थल गिरि कीए पहार ॥
Parabẖ jal thal gir kīe pahār.
God created the water, land, hills and mountains.
ਇਕੁ ਰਾਮੁ ਨ ਛੋਡਉ ਗੁਰਹਿ ਗਾਰਿ ॥
इकु रामु न छोडउ गुरहि गारि ॥
Ik rām na cẖẖodao gurėh gār.
I shall not forsake the One Lord; if I did, I would be going against my Guru.
ਮੋ ਕਉ ਘਾਲਿ ਜਾਰਿ ਭਾਵੈ ਮਾਰਿ ਡਾਰਿ ॥੩॥
मो कउ घालि जारि भावै मारि डारि ॥३॥
Mo kao gẖāl jār bẖāvai mār dār. ||3||
You might as well throw me into the fire and kill me."||3||
ਕਾਢਿ ਖੜਗੁ ਕੋਪਿਓ ਰਿਸਾਇ ॥
काढि खड़गु कोपिओ रिसाइ ॥
Kādẖ kẖaṛag kopio risāe.
The king became angry and drew his sword.
ਤੁਝ ਰਾਖਨਹਾਰੋ ਮੋਹਿ ਬਤਾਇ ॥
तुझ राखनहारो मोहि बताइ ॥
Ŧujẖ rākẖanhāro mohi baṯāe.
Show me your protector now!
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਥੰਭ ਤੇ ਨਿਕਸੇ ਕੈ ਬਿਸਥਾਰ ॥
प्रभ थ्मभ ते निकसे कै बिसथार ॥
Parabẖ thambẖ ṯe nikse kai bisthār.
So God emerged out of the pillar, and assumed a mighty form.
ਹਰਨਾਖਸੁ ਛੇਦਿਓ ਨਖ ਬਿਦਾਰ ॥੪॥
हरनाखसु छेदिओ नख बिदार ॥४॥
Harnākẖas cẖẖeḏio nakẖ biḏār. ||4||
He killed Harnaakhash, tearing him apart with his nails. ||4||
ਓਇ ਪਰਮ ਪੁਰਖ ਦੇਵਾਧਿ ਦੇਵ ॥
ओइ परम पुरख देवाधि देव ॥
Oe param purakẖ ḏevāḏẖ ḏev.
The Supreme Lord God, the Divinity of the divine,
ਭਗਤਿ ਹੇਤਿ ਨਰਸਿੰਘ ਭੇਵ ॥
भगति हेति नरसिंघ भेव ॥
Bẖagaṯ heṯ narsingẖ bẖev.
for the sake of His devotee, assumed the form of the man-lion.
ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਕੋ ਲਖੈ ਨ ਪਾਰ ॥
कहि कबीर को लखै न पार ॥
Kahi Kabīr ko lakẖai na pār.
Says Kabeer, no one can know the Lord's limits.
ਪ੍ਰਹਲਾਦ ਉਧਾਰੇ ਅਨਿਕ ਬਾਰ ॥੫॥੪॥
प्रहलाद उधारे अनिक बार ॥५॥४॥
Parahlāḏ uḏẖāre anik bār. ||5||4||
He saves His devotees like Prahlaad over and over again. ||5||4||
Kat Jayiye Re Ghar Lago Rang - Professor Kartar Singh
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਜੀ ਘਰੁ ੧
रामानंद जी घरु १
Rāmānanḏ jī gẖar 1
Raamaanand Jee, First House:
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥
Ikoaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਕਤ ਜਾਈਐ ਰੇ ਘਰ ਲਾਗੋ ਰੰਗੁ ॥
कत जाईऐ रे घर लागो रंगु ॥
Kaṯ jāīai re gẖar lāgo rang.
Where should I go? My home is filled with bliss.
ਮੇਰਾ ਚਿਤੁ ਨ ਚਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਭਇਓ ਪੰਗੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
मेरा चितु न चलै मनु भइओ पंगु ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Merā cẖiṯ na cẖalai man bẖaio pang. ||1|| rahāo.
My consciousness does not go out wandering. My mind has become crippled. ||1||Pause||
ਏਕ ਦਿਵਸ ਮਨ ਭਈ ਉਮੰਗ ॥
एक दिवस मन भई उमंग ॥
Ėk ḏivas man bẖaī umang.
One day, a desire welled up in my mind.
ਘਸਿ ਚੰਦਨ ਚੋਆ ਬਹੁ ਸੁਗੰਧ ॥
घसि चंदन चोआ बहु सुगंध ॥
Gẖas cẖanḏan cẖoā baho suganḏẖ.
I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.
ਪੂਜਨ ਚਾਲੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਠਾਇ ॥
पूजन चाली ब्रहम ठाइ ॥
Pūjan cẖālī barahm ṯẖāe.
I went to God's place, and worshipped Him there.
ਸੋ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬਤਾਇਓ ਗੁਰ ਮਨ ਹੀ ਮਾਹਿ ॥੧॥
सो ब्रहमु बताइओ गुर मन ही माहि ॥१॥
So barahm baṯāio gur man hī māhi. ||1||
That God showed me the Guru, within my own mind. ||1||
ਜਹਾ ਜਾਈਐ ਤਹ ਜਲ ਪਖਾਨ ॥
जहा जाईऐ तह जल पखान ॥
Jahā jāīai ṯah jal pakẖān.
Wherever I go, I find water and stones.
ਤੂ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਸਮਾਨ ॥
तू पूरि रहिओ है सभ समान ॥
Ŧū pūr rahio hai sabẖ samān.
You are totally pervading and permeating in all.
ਬੇਦ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਸਭ ਦੇਖੇ ਜੋਇ ॥
बेद पुरान सभ देखे जोइ ॥
Beḏ purān sabẖ ḏekẖe joe.
I have searched through all the Vedas and the Puraanas.
ਊਹਾਂ ਤਉ ਜਾਈਐ ਜਉ ਈਹਾਂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
ऊहां तउ जाईऐ जउ ईहां न होइ ॥२॥
Ūhāʼn ṯao jāīai jao īhāʼn na hoe. ||2||
I would go there, only if the Lord were not here. ||2||
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਮੈ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੀ ਤੋਰ ॥
सतिगुर मै बलिहारी तोर ॥
Saṯgur mai balihārī ṯor.
I am a sacrifice to You, O my True Guru.
ਜਿਨਿ ਸਕਲ ਬਿਕਲ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾਟੇ ਮੋਰ ॥
जिनि सकल बिकल भ्रम काटे मोर ॥
Jin sakal bikal bẖaram kāte mor.
You have cut through all my confusion and doubt.
ਰਾਮਾਨੰਦ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਮਤ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ॥
रामानंद सुआमी रमत ब्रहम ॥
Rāmānanḏ suāmī ramaṯ barahm.
Raamaanand's Lord and Master is the All-pervading Lord God.
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਕੋਟਿ ਕਰਮ ॥੩॥੧॥
गुर का सबदु काटै कोटि करम ॥३॥१॥
Gur kā sabaḏ kātai kot karam. ||3||1||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad eradicates the karma of millions of past actions. ||3||1||
Singing oneness!
