SOME COMMON BHAJANS AND LEELAS. SUNG / RECITED BY KASHMIRI PANDITS...

              

                                      

                                         

SOME COMMON BHAJANS AND LEELAS SUNG OR RECITED BY KASHMIRI PANDITS

 

Apart from devotional Stutis and hymns ( composed by Adi Sankara, Abhinavgupta and other saints and philosophers) in Sanskrit like kalpa vriksh bhakt rakhshe namos-tateh gajananam, vyapat charachar bhaav vishesham, karpoor-govaram karunavtaaram, shivoham shivoham shivoham shivoham, nagendra-haaraaye trilochanaaye, atibhishan katu- bhaashan yamakinkar Patli, jai narayan jai purushotam jai vaaman kansaare, achutam keshvam ramnarayanam, bhaja govindam bhaja govindam, gaureem aambam ambhuru-haksheem ahamidiye, ya devi sarv-bhuteshu, panchastavi, mahimnapaar,indrakshi naamsa deevi, shaantakaaram bhujagashayanam ( Vishnu Stuti ) almost every Hindi Bhajan or prayer or Stuti was recited in Kashmiri Pandit households and families. I specifically remember the immense popularity of om jai jagdish hare, sri hanuman chaalisa, jai ganesh jai ganesh jai ganesh deva, jai shiv omkaara, sri ram chandra kripalu bhajman , aarti kunjbihari ki, jab sonp diya iss jeevan ka sab bhaar tumhaare haathon mein and itnaa to karna swami jab praan tan se nikalein amongst Kashmiri Pandits. I also remember how we would recite Kashmiri Leelas, prayers, and Devi Stutis in our families during Puja, Homa, marriage rituals and also inside shrines and temples. Remembering all this has proved of enormous utility for our cultural and civilizational continuity, especially during the exile of the Kashmiri Pandit community. 

 

In Kashmir, I vividly remember how every Saturday night, Bhajan Mandlis performed night-long Bhajan / Keertan in some shrines and temples. During my childhood, I was taken to these devotional singing sessions at Hari Parbat and Pokhribal by my father or Ritch Maal, a pious lady in our Mohalla. The night-long tea sessions with Kashmiri bakery were also a temptation in these Bhajan Mandlis. Every Bhajan or Leela was started with a Lal-Vaak ( verse of Lal Ded ). Children were invariably made to join and recite in every Bhajan / Keertan session held in their families. That is how elders passed on the traditions, rituals and culture to us. That is how most of us remember the devotional poetry of Lal Ded, Krishen Joo Razdan, Parmanand, Prakash Ram, Master Zinda Kaul and others. I remember below listed thirty Kashmiri Bhajans, prayers and Leelas that were popular in every Kashmiri Pandit household:-

 

(1)

 ‘Aamitch manas ritch vaasana 

 Ishwar safal kari-na- sana’…..(Master Zinda Kaul)

( A good desire has sprung up from my heart,

 Would the Lord be kind to me and fulfil it.)

(2) 

 ‘Az vaati boozum mol myon

 Kosam vatan vatha-raavasai’….(Master Zinda Kaul )

( I heard my master, my Guru or my father is to arrive today,

 Here I decorate his path with flowers ) 

(3)

 ‘Aasaai sharan kartam daya

 Om shri ganesh aye namaah’….( Krishen Joo Razdan )

( Here I take refuge under your feet,

 O Sri Ganesha, glory be to your name,

 Be kind to me.) 

(4)

 ‘Aadhaar zagatuk kunuyi chhu mantar 

 Shivaaye namah om namaah shivaaye’….( Krishen Joo Razdan )

( There is only one mantra 

 fundamental to this universe,

 Recite shiva's name,

 And shiva be recited .)

(5)

 ‘Kasht kaastam bhagwan harey

 Santusht roztam gari garey’

( Free me from the worries and troubles,

 My Lord, remain kind to me at every moment. )

(6)

 ‘Gataa kaastam tse baastam tchavaapari

 Hey sadashiv shankar trishuldhaari’

( Dispel this darkness that lies all around me,

 O Sadashiva!

 O Shankara,

 O trident carrying Lord .)

 (7)

 ‘Tarvun chhu karnov 

 Haq dith chhu vanaan

 Kaanh maa-sa tariv apour’….(Master Zinda Kaul )

( The ferry boat is about to leave

 The boatman cries loud,

 " Is there anyone who would like to go across the river? ")

(8)

 ‘Dil pholli darshan chaaney

 Soora-matya sorfa Gosaaney’

( At your sight,

 this heart would get 

 filled with immense joy,

 O ash smeared Sadhu(Shiva) !

 O sadhu with snakes around your neck.)

(9)

‘Pari-pooran chhu noor bor-muutiye

 Sooraa-motiye aangan tsaav’

( He is full of radiance and shines bright,

 See the ash-smeared carefree lord

 has come inside my courtyard)

(10)

 ‘Prabhaat aav poshinoolo van 

 Sundar-vaani prasan kar mun’…..(Vasudev Ji)

( It is daybreak,

 Sing oriole,

 Sing your beautiful songs 

 and fill our hearts with happiness)

(11)

 ‘Hosh dim lagayo pamposh paadhan

 Ha saadhan hiendhi saadho lo’……..……( Krishen Joo Razdan )

( Grant me awakening,

 My life at your lotus feet Lord,

 O Lord,

 O King among the ascetics .)

(12)

 ‘Hataa zeevo tass-sinz thav kal 

 Tse praavakh sarvada mangal’

( O human being,

 Keep longing for that master,

 that Lord,

 This longing alone shall bring you unending 

 happiness .)

(13)

 ‘Yeli hyot zanam gopaalan

 Sheen pyaav kohan ta baalan’

( When Gopaala was born,

 The hills and mountains 

 were covered with white snow)

(14)

 ‘Sumiran panien ditchenam premuk nishaana vesiye

 Ratchhrun togum na rovum ossum na baana vesiye’……( Master Zinda Kaul )

( Some cheerful memories he granted me,

 memories like symbols of love.

 Alas! I couldn't hold them safely,

 Alas! I lost that wealth,

 Unlucky, I wasn't capacitated to hold them.)

 (15)

‘Kar iyee me kun gindhun dimas tchahdan-haar

 Aadi-shakti Shaiv jiyas namskaar’……………( Krishen Joo Razdan )

( When shall he visit this way?

 I shall give him a necklace made from sandalwood,

 To that primordial energy source,

 To that Shiva,

 I bow and pay my homage)

(16)

 ‘Sondharo sonn sandhal garaai

 Ho ho karaai Shaam- sondharaai;

(My beautiful lord,

 I shall buy ornaments of gold and sandalwood for you,

 O baby Krishna,

 I shall lull you to sleep)

(17)

 ‘Gokul hriday myon taeyi choan gooer vàan

 Tseit vimarsh deeptimaan bhagwaano’…….(Parmanand)

( My heart has become Gokul,

 within it, 

 O trader of purity,

 O trader of milk,

 you have set up your shop.

 You are the mind,

 You are the deliberations,

 And you are the lustre,

 My lord! 

 My Sri Krishna.)

(18)

 ‘Sakhiyav roothum hayi roothum hayi

 Gatchhith byoothum hayi gaamaniyi’

( Friends, he appears to have taken

some offence or looks angry with me,

 See how he has moved away

 and made his abode away from

 the noise and commotion)

(19)

 ‘Maej sharikaai kar daya

 Var daya hi bhawaani’

  ( O mother Sharika, be kind to us,

 O mother Sharika, deal us with your

 Kindness and compassion )

 (20)

 ‘Me Deevi thaavtam gosh

 Ba laagai sheri pamposh’

( O goddess, listen to my prayers also,

 Here I decorate your head with lotus flowers)

 (21)

 ‘Ba zaari gosh thaavtam hi bhawaani

 Tse rostuyi rachhavun chhuyi kaanh na myonuyi’

( O Bhavani mother, listen to my woes as well,

 Apart from you, I haven't any other protection in this world.)

(22) 

 ‘Aasaai sharan tse paadhan vinay kini namithi

 Vyakultaai manz maata rachhtam tseyi’………( Panchastavi in Kashmiri translation )

( Having surrendered myself at your feet

 I bow my head to you,

 Now in every desperation that I experience,

 O mother protect me .) 

 (23)

 ‘Praatah Kaala aav

 Meti antaai gaash maej

 Chham tchaen aash Maej

 Meti pooran kar’

( The dawn has arrived all over

 lead me as well to the light O mother,

 Only you are my sole hope

 fulfil it, mother,

 fulfil it.)

 (24)

 ‘Paadh Kamalan tal ba aasaai

 Karini tchaani Stuti.’….(Vishendas ji )

( To your lotus feet I have come

 O mother,

 to worship you and sing your praise.)

(25)

 ‘Om Shrimat hi bhawaani

 Chham me aasha chaani’

( O Bhavani,

 I begin your name with Om,

 You alone are my hope now.)

(26)

‘Ba maeji kenh to zaanai na pooz chaani 

 Kshema karizem agar mantar mashyem kaanh’

( Mother, I don't know how to perform your worship,

 forgive me should I forget any specific mantra.)

(27)

 ‘Tse raagenya kaastam gham

 Ba laagai bhaav kosam’

 ( O mother Raagenya ,

 make me free from my sorrows,

 To you, 

 I offer all the flowers of intense devotion.)

(28)

 ‘Ganyomut chhum manas Chon bhaav

 Zagat maata me darshun haav’

( My mind is now intensely desiring 

 your worship,

 O universal mother,

 Just grant me your ‘Darshana’)

 (29 )

“Aav bahaar bol bulbulo

Soan valo bharyo shaadi”…….(Prakash Ram)

 

( The spring has arrived,

O bulbul sing your song now.

Come this way,

 I shall fill your heart with happiness.)

 

(30)

 ‘ Sahib o sath chham me chaani

Vath me asalitch haavtam’……..( Ghulam Ahmed Mehjoor )

 ( Lord, I have put all faith in you, 

 show me the righteous path alone .)

 

There were many other Leelas that were recited specifically at Ashrams of saints and sages in Kashmir. In this category, I would include the Ashram of Bhagwan Gopi Nath, Swami Lakshman Joo's Ashram at Ishber, Kashmir and many other Ashrams in the Kashmir valley. Leelas were also recited before Sona Bub ( a Muslim saint ) by his Kashmiri Pandit followers. Swami Lakshman Joo, the Shaiva scholar of Kashmir was also fond of listening to Leelas composed by Parmanand and Krishen Joo Razdan.

                               

 

 

( Avtar Mota)

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