Achyutam Keshavam

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Achyutam Keshavam Krishna Damodaram,
Rama naraynam Janaki-vallabham,

(praising the Lord Krishna, with different names of Vishnu)
Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan aate nahi
Tum Meera ke jaise bulate nahi, … Achyutam …

Who says God does not come? You don’t call Him with the devotion of Meera


Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan khaate nahi,
Ber Shabri ke jaise khilate nahi, … Achyutam …

Who says God does not eat? You don’t feed him like how Shabari fed him


Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan Sote nahi,
Maa Yashoda ke jaise sulate nahin, … Achyutam …

Who says God does not sleep? You don’t make him sleep like how Mother Yashoda did


Kaun kehta hai Bhagvan naachte nahi,
Tum Gopi ke jaise nachaate nahin, Achyutam…

Who says God does not dance? You don’t make him dance like how Gopis did

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About this Bhajan
This wonderful bhajan is so simple and yet conveys such a beautiful message. We often expect the Lord to come running at our beck and call, but how often do we show Him the same unconditional love He shows us? If we show and live with the kind of love shown by these saints, surely we will see only His love any every word, every thought and every action. Their love did not ask for anything in return, but was simply expressed for what it was – whether it was the devotion of Meerabai, or the dance of the Gopis, this love was so intense that nothing else could possibly remain besides this love, and all other desires and impressions were eliminated. Through just their bhakti, they became one with Him.

Vaishnava jan

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(This is one of my favourite bhajans, and one apparently listened to frequently by Mahatma Gandhi.)

Vaishnava jan


Vaishnava jan to tene kahiye, je peed paraayee jaNe re
He is the true Vaishnava who knows and feels another’s suffering as his own.

Par dukkhe upkar kare toye, man abhiman na aaNe re
While he serves those who are suffering, he does not entertain pride in his mind about it.

————

SakaL lok maan sahune vande, nindaa na kare keni re
He respects everyone, and denounces nobody.

Vaach-kaachch-man nischal raakhe, dhan dhan janani teni re
He keeps his speech, deeds, and thoughts pure; blessed is his mother.
————–

Sam-drushti ne trishNaa tyaagi, parastree jene maat re
Viewing all equally, he rids himself of covetousness, and reveres every woman as though she were his mother.

Jihvaa thake, asatya na bole, par-dhan nava jhaale haath re
His tongue would fail him if he were to attempt to speak an untruth. He does not covet another person’s wealth.
————–

Moh-maayaa vyaape nahin jene, draDh vairagya jena manmaa re
Material attachments do not occupy his mind, it being deeply rooted in renunciation.

Raam-naam shu taaLE laagi, sakaL teerath tena tanmaa re
Every moment he is intent on reciting the name of Rama. All the holy places are ever present in his body.
————–

VaNa lobhi ne kapat rahit chhe, kaam krodh nivaarya re
He has conquered greed, deceit, lust, and anger.

BhaNe Narsaiyyo tenu darshan karata, kuL ekoter tarya re
Says Narsi, the sight of such a Vaishnava saves a family through seventy-one generations.

 

About this bhajan
A beautiful Gujarati poem written by Narsi Metha, this bhajan attempts to describe all the qualities in a man of god, or “vaishnav”. Most striking is the chorus – he who understands and feels another’s suffering as his own and acts on this without any sense of ego. To such a man, helping others is not defined in his mind as “social work”. It is his Lord’s work.

I mentioned above that Gandhiji was fond of this bhajan. Seeing his life, his work, and his struggles, I find it hard to imagine that it is not him being described in these verses.

Prabhuji, Tum Chandan, Hum Pani

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Prabhuji, Tum Chandan, Hum Pani
Jaaki Ang Ang Baas Samaani

Prabhuji, you are the chandan (sandalwood paste), I am the water
Only by merging with you is the sandalwood fragrance released


Prabhuji, Tum Ghan, Ban Hum Mora
Jaise Chitwat Chand Chakora

Prabhuji, you are the thundering clouds, I become a peacock (that longs to dance to the rain)
(or) Like the chakora bird who longs to see the moon…


Prabhuji, Tum Moti, Hum Dhaga
Jaise Sonhe Milat Suhaga

Prabhuji, you are like a pearl and I am the string (losing its identity in a rosary of pearls)
Gold has no fragrance of its own, despite being so beautiful. It would therefore become even more beautiful by gaining a fragrance (sonhe me suhaga). Through losing myself in you this gold (I), gains its fragrance.

Prabhuji, Tum Deepak Hum Baati,
Jaaki Jyoti Barai Dini Raati

Prabhuji, you are like the diya and I am the burning wick
Together we create the flame (light) which burns night and day


Prabhuji, Tum Swami, Hum Dasa
Aisi Bhakti Karai Raidasa

Prabhuji, you are Swami, and I am your servant
This way of devotion is followed by Raidasa


About this bhajan
This beautiul bhajan was composed by Raidasa, the guru of Mirabai. Through a string of colourful metaphors, he shows the non-duality between man and God. With remarkable delicacy he even explains the yearning for the jiva and atman for each other and their dependancy on each other to produce the vibrant and full expression of the Lord.

It has been sung wonderfully by Anup Jalota.
You can view it on youtube here.

Kya Sunder Tera Naam

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Nārāyan….. Nārāyan…..
Nārāyan, Nārāyan, kyā sunder térā nāam

Narayan, Narayan, how sweet is your name

Svāsé svāsé sumiran karilé, vrath svās math khoi
Kyā bharosā svāsa kā, yā phir āvan hoi na hoi

Breath by breath remember his name, waste not a single breath
What trust is there in breath, that another breath will come


Vrindāvan mé gopio, gāyun, vyuksh bolé nāam
Krishnā Krishnā, Rādhā vallabh, murli manohar Shyām

In Vrindavan, gopis, cows, and trees whisper his name
Krishna Krishna, Radha’s love, Shyam to whose flute the mind is lost


Draupadi né jab tumhé pukārā sāari āane badāi
Nāam ke lekar vish bi piy gaya, dekho Mirā bāi

When Drapuadi remembered your name, her saari become eternally long
Taking your name she even drank poison, our beloved Mirabai


Rām bolun yā Shyām bolun, ék vinanthi hé
Janam janam mé térā sunder nāam ratthé rahengé

Whether I sing Ram or I sing Shyam, I have only one wish
(that) For every life I am reborn, your sweet name stays on my lips


About this bhajan
This is a bhajan I have written, or should really say assembled as I have borrowed many of the words from some beautiful written works or bhajans. The first verse is taken from a book called Hari Ras (as sung by Shree Navin Pattni). The third verse is also from a bhajan written by Narsi Metha – “Shree Radhe Govinda”.

[EDIT] Listen to the track
You can hear a recording of this track that was done in 2017: