Dec 21, 2014

Raam Ras Meetho Ghano




In this song, Kabir asks us to burn down our house. Only then will a new house arise. And the promise of a new house is 'Raam ras' - the amazingly sweet nectar of Raam, our actual, inner self. I learnt this song from Mahesha Ram ji and his accompanist Amolak Ram. Find more songs at http://ishqfakiri.com/

Main mera ghar jaadiya re, jogiya ji
Liyo paleeta haath
Koi agar jaado ghar aapro re, jogiya ji
Chalo hamaare saath

Raam ras meetho ghano re, jogiya ji
Piye amar hoi jaaye

Ghar jaadyo ghar ubhare re, jogiya ji
Ghar raakhyo ghar jaaye
Ek achambho main joviyo re, jogiya ji
Mado kaal ne khaaye
Raam ras...

Aago re aage dav jade re, jogiya ji
Peechhe hariya hoye
Balihaari un roonkhdi re, jogiya ji
Jad kaatyo phal hoye
Raam ras...

Dhruv piyo, Prahlad piyo re, jogiya ji
Piyo Peepe Ravidas
Bhagat Kabira ras pi rahyo re, jogiya ji
Phir peevan ri aas
Raam ras... 

The Drink of Raam 

I burnt down my house, yogi
I took up the flaming torch
If you scorch your own house, yogi
Then join me on this walk

The drink of Raam is incredibly sweet
One who drinks it never dies

Scorch the house to make a house arise, yogi
Protect it and it’s gone!
I saw a strange, wondrous sight, yogi
A dead man was eating up time 
            Incredibly sweet… 

Ahead, a blaze rages, yogi
Behind it, greenery thrives
I saw such a plant, yogi
Cut the root and the fruit revives 
            Incredibly sweet… 

Dhruv drank it, Prahlad drank it, yogi
Peepa and Ravidas drank it in
Kabir too is drinking, yogi
His thirst as great as it’s ever been 
            Incredibly sweet… 

(translation by Vipul Rikhi)

Dec 6, 2014

Ramta Padhaaro Ganpati



This is a Meera bhajan from Rajasthan. We learnt it from Mahesha Ram ji. It invokes the Lord of Beginnings, Ganesha, inviting him and all the other gods to our 'nij mandir', our very own, deeply personal, temple - this body, where we may welcome all the gods if we prepare it well enough.

Dhoop khevaada agarbatti nij mandariye mo
Ramta padhaaro Ganpati

Moose ri asvaari vaala Ganpat aaya
Sang ma re laaya Riddhi Siddhi

Nandi ri asvaari vaala Shiv ji aaya
Sang ma re laaya Parvati

Raam ji re aaya vhaala, re Lachhman aaya
Sang ma re laaya Sita sati

Anjani ka jaaya vhaala, re Hanumant aaya
Sang me re laaya amar booti

Bolya Meera bai, ne Girdhar gaayo
Guru milya hai Ravidas 

Stop by on Your Travels, O Ganesha

Incense sticks in my self-temple are lit
Stop by on your travels, O Ganesha

A mouse for his vehicle, Ganesha arrives
Together with his wives, wealth and wisdom
Stop by, O Ganesha

Riding his bull, Shiva arrives
Parvati, his partner, by his side
Stop by, O Ganesha

Raam arrives, and Lakshman arrives
Together with Sita, embodiment of truth
Stop by, O Ganesha

Son of the wind, Hanuman arrives
Bringing the herb of eternal life
Stop by, O Ganesha

Meera says, in service of Krishna
I found Ravidas, my true guru
Stop by, O Ganesha

(translation by Vipul Rikhi)

Nov 24, 2014

Kaachi Chhe Kaya Thaari



This body is perishable. The yarns we spin about ourselves and the world are false. Gorakh nudges us to confront these difficult truths in this song, insistently asking, "Who made this fragile body?" Gorakhnath was a legendary ascetic and poet from the 11-12th century, widely known for popularizing the Nath Panth and its yogic practices. Find more songs at www.ishqfakiri.com

Kaachi chhe kaya thaari
Jhuthdi chhe maya Raam
Jhuthda se lekh likhaaya Raam
Kaachi ho, kaun ghadeli thaari kaya?

Ghat maan hi Ganga Raam
Ghat maan hi Jamuna Raam
Ghat maan hi teerath nhaaya Raam
Kaachi ho...

Ghat maan hi amba Raam
Ghat maan hi ambi Raam
Ghat maan hi chaakhan-haara Raam
Kaachi ho...

Ghat maan hi taala Raam
Ghat maan hi koonji Raam
Ghat maan hi kholan-haara Raam
Kaachi ho...

Machhinder prataap jati Gorakh bole re
Samjhya so hi nar paaya Raam
Kaachi ho... 

How Frail Your Body  

How frail your body, how false your world
How untrue the account you give of it
O Raam, dear Raam
Pray tell, do tell
Who fabricated your frail body?

In the body, Ganga flows
In the body, Yamuna flows
In the body, the pilgrim who takes the dip
O Raam, dear Raam
Pray tell…

In the body, the ripe mango
In the body, the raw mango
In the body, the one who tastes and knows
O Raam, dear Raam
Pray tell…

In the body, the lock
In the body, the key
In the body, the one who opens the door
O Raam, dear Raam
Pray tell…

With Machhinder’s grace
Gorakh says
One who got this, got everything
O Raam, dear Raam
Pray tell…

Translation: Vipul Rikhi