Ber Chalya Mera Bhai

O wise one, I was the first to be born
Then my elder brother
With great fanfare my father was born
In the end my mother

All things seem possible in the upside-down world of Kabir! I am born first and the mother is born last; an ant carries an elephant for her dowry; the baby in the womb speaks but not the child that is born. What does it all mean? We, who are ever seeking for meanings (and perhaps ever failing), are hopelessly baffled by the ‘ulatbaansi’ (upside-down verse) of Kabir. Perhaps it is we, not Kabir, who are looking at the world upside-down, the wrong way round. I heard this song from Mahesha Ram ji of Chhatangarh village in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. Listen to his wonderful rendition on Ajab Shahar here.

Ber chalya mera bhai
Magan hui, ber chalya mera bhai
Raam re naam ro gelo re pakdo
Chhodo ni moorkhaai
Raam re naam ro gelo re pakdo
Chhodo ni ghamandaai

Pehle toh guruji main janmya
Peechhe bada bhai
Dhoom dhaam sa pita re janmya
Sabse peechhe maai
Ber chalya mera bhai…

Pehle toh guruji doodh jamaayo
Peechhe gaay ne doi
Bachhda unra rame pet mein
Ghrit bechva gayi
Ber chalya mera bhai…

Keedi chali saasre
Nau man surmo saath
Haathi unra haath mein
Oont lapetya jaai
Ber chalya mera bhai…

Eenda hata bolta
Bachhiya bolya naai
Kahat Kabira suno bhai saadho
Moorakh samjhe naai
Ber chalya mera bhai…

Time is Slipping Away

Time is slipping away, my friend
Meditate – time is flying away
Take the path of Raam’s name
Let go of foolishness
Quit this silly pride

O wise one, I was the first to be born
Then my elder brother
With great fanfare my father was born
In the end my mother
Time is slipping away…

O wise one, first the yogurt was set
Then the cow got milked
While the cow was yet to deliver
The butter fetched a good price
Time is slipping away…

The ant goes to her husband’s home
Nine bags of kohl, her dowry
In one hand, she carries an elephant
Under the other arm, a camel
Time is slipping away…

The unborn child could speak
The newborn child says nothing
Says Kabir, listen seekers
Fools can go on guessing
Time is slipping away…

Translation: Vipul Rikhi

Jab Lag Sukhiyo Shareer

Indian philosophy is understood to propose four stages of life – childhood, youth, middle age and old age, with prescribed dharmas for each stage. This is usually understood in the culture to mean that inner work, meditation, spiritual search or satsang are literally a ‘last resort’, to be postponed diligently till old age while the duties and pleasures of the householder’s life hold sway in youth. Kabir turns this on its head. He says the best time to meditate is now, while your body is still young and willing. In old age, with no prior practice, neither body nor mind is going to buckle down to it! So do it now, while you’re well and the body is game! I learnt this song through Mahesha Ram ji of Rajasthan.

Hove re bhaag bhala re saadho
Satguru madiya, padiyo samand maan seer
Hansa re hove chug leejiye
Naam amolak heer

Peecche re yaad nahin aavse re piya
Pinjde mein vyaape peed
Hari ra gun gaay le re haan
Saadhu bhai, jab lag sukhiyo shareer

Hove re joban hata bhaj leejiye
Jej nahin karna beer
Vikal budhaapo tane aavse re piya
Manado nahin jhaale dheer
Hari ra gun…

Hove re pal pal kshan kshan aayu ghatat hai
Jyon anjali ko neer
Phir re hanso nahin aavse re piya
Maansarovariye ri seer
Hari ra gun…

Hove re sab devan ro dev Raamaiyo
Sab peeraan ro peer
Kehet Kabira bhaj leejiye
Sukhsaagariye ri seer
Hari ra gun…

While You are Well

Sing the praises of Hari, brother
While you’re well and the body is game
You won’t remember to do it later
When your frame is rattling with pain

Oh yes, my fortunes improved, the stream
Merged with the ocean, my true guru came
If you’re a swan, then seek
Only the precious jewel of the Name
Sing the praises…

Meditate while you still have youth
Don’t delay, brother, don’t wait till the end
A restless old age is creeping up on you
Your heart will lose all patience
Sing the praises…

Life slips out of our hands like water
Each moment, each instant, trickling away
The swan returns to the great mountain lake
It won’t pass anymore on this way
Sing the praises…

Oh yes, the god of all gods is Raam
The saint of all saints
Kabir says, meditate on that ocean
Of bliss, and become a part of it
Sing the praises…

Translation: Vipul Rikhi

Mann Laago Yaar Fakiri Mein

In a radical departure from the norm of pursuing wealth and success, in this song the poet Kabir celebrates the joy of poverty, and the beauty of simplicity. But this poverty is not empty – it is filled with the joy of remembrance or meditation. Kabir claims that this joy is far greater than the joys afforded by material comfort or luxury. Saboori, or contentment, is the quality which takes one to fakiri, or the state of being utterly free – free of desires, wants and the incessant need for more!

I learnt this song through Kaluram Bamaniya ji of Malwa, Madhya Pradesh. Watch his wonderful rendition here. The audio recording uploaded here is from a live performance by me at Lamakaan in Hyderabad. Watch the video of it here. With Venkataraman Ramachandran on the kanjira.

Mann laago mero yaar fakiri mein

Mann laago mero yaar gareebi mein

Jo sukh paaya naam bhajan mein

Vo sukh naahin ameeri mein

Mann laago mero yaar fakiri mein…

Haath mein tumba bagal mein sota

Chaaron dishaayein jaageeri mein

Mann laago mero yaar fakiri mein…

Prem nagar mein rehni hamaari

Bhali ban aayi saboori mein

Mann laago mero yaar fakiri mein…

Aakhir yeh tan khaak milega

Kaahe phirat magroori mein?

Mann laago mero yaar fakiri mein…

Kahe Kabir suno bhai saadho

Saahib mile hain saboori mein

Mann laago mero yaar fakiri mein...

My Mind Has Taken To Living Free

Oh friend, my mind has

taken to living free!

The joy of mindful awareness

Cannot be found in luxury

My mind rejoices in poverty

My heart rejoices in simplicity

My mind has taken to living free!

A bowl and a staff is all I carry

Yet my kingdom stretches wherever I see

My heart has taken to living free!

My dwelling in the city of love

Became beautiful with patience

My mind has taken to living free!

Your body will bite the dust one day

Why strut about, so smug, so vain?

My heart has taken to living free!

Says Kabir, listen seekers

The Lord is found in contentment

My mind has taken to living free!

Translation: Vipul Rikhi & Shabnam Virmani

Chun Chun Maati

Death. How can we forget it? The most basic fact of life is forgotten in the rush of life itself. Kabir reminds us - that which is built will fall; that which is born will die. This is a live recording from a concert given in Bangalore in January 2017.

This beautiful song learnt from Bharmal Vagha of Kutch.

Chun chun maati mahal banaaya
Moorakh kahe ghar mera

Na ghar mera na ghar tera

Hai jagat mein phera

Khaak mein khap jaana re banda

Maati se mil jaana

Thoda (nahin) karo abhimaan

Ik din pavan sa ud jaana

Jaada pehro jheena pehro

Pehro malmal saacha

Rupya paawal mushroo pehro

Toye maran keri aasa

Khaak mein khap jaana…

Sona pehro roopa pehro

Pehro heerla saacha

Vaar vaar motida pehro

Toye maran keri aasa

Khaak mein khap jaana…

Maata roye janam janam

Aur behen roye baarah maasa

Ghar ki naari ter din roye

Kare beeja ni aasa

Khaak mein khap jaana…

Ik din jiyo do din jiyo

Jiyo varas pachaasa

Kahat Kabira suno bhai saadho

Toye maran keri aasa

Khaak mein khap jaana…

Laying Brick Upon Brick 

Laying brick upon brick

The fool says, “My house”!

Not my house, nor your house

This world’s a merry-go-round

You’ll turn to dust one day

You’ll merge with the earth

Don’t be so proud, oh fellow

The wind will blow you away

Your attire may be fine or rough

You may wear the best silks

Spend a lot of money on finery

It all ends in death

You’ll turn to dust… 

Wear expensive gold or silver

Or the finest diamonds

Wear pearls over and over

It all ends in death

You’ll turn to dust…

You mother may mourn for years

Your sister for many months

Your partner will wait a few days

Then look for someone else!

You’ll turn to dust…

You may live one day or two

Or a hundred years

Kabir says, listen friend

It all ends in death 
You’ll turn to dust…

Translation: Vipul Rikhi