Lobh Leher At Neejhar Baajai

Second, I especially loved the line "Lobh Leher At Neejhar Baajai" ... the bottom line is that Greed is bad. But how beautifully Bhagat Namdev says this. What an amazing group of words sown together. Lobh - Greed. Lehar - Wave. At - Very. Neejhar - Water fall (Just like PatJhar is Leaf Fall, Neejhar is Water Fall -- also called Nirjhar - where Nir is water and Jhar is fall). Baajai - beats.  The waves of greed are beating the body of my soul (kaaya or body of soul is used in the next line) like a water fall whiplashing the body of a boat in a storm. What a beautiful way of describing how greed works.

Another note on the raag, Basant. Sometimes during Basant, there are floods. This happened this year in California -- after more than a 10 year drought there was so much rains that it was flooding all over the place. So it was apt to sing this shabad. So there maybe 31 color of emotions (Raags) directing towards oneness in Gurbani, each color has several shades. This is a beautiful shade of Basant.

This is Raag Shuddha Basant as per Sikh Musicologists.  It is said that historically this was the more prevalent way of singing Basant (rather than the Purvi Basant that is mostly sung now).  In Hindustani Classical music this raag is not called Shudha Basant; it is called Bhinna Shadaj (Hindustani musicologists have a different definition of Shudha Basant).

Most importantly, I am eternally grateful to my dear friend Janapriyan Levine for playing a few guitar tracks for this recording.  I love collaborating with Janapriyan because not only is he a fantastic musician with a good understanding of Indian classical, he is a wonderful human being, highly spiritual -- this reflects in his music. To contribute to his music please visit: https://www.patreon.com/janapriyan

My wonderfully talented little cousin from Delhi, Simer, did the cover for this -- you can see it on iTunes/Amazon etc. This shabad is dedicated to her.  Much thanks and love you Simro!

While I have translated the shabad on the video, here is an alternative translation of the same:

Lyrics in Punjabi and Gurbani

- Guru Arjan in Durlabham

Similar ideas in a longer shabad by Bhagat Kabir on death -

ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥

गउड़ी कबीर जी ॥

Gaoṛī Kabīr jī.

Gauree, Kabeer Jee:

ਜਿਹ ਮਰਨੈ ਸਭੁ ਜਗਤੁ ਤਰਾਸਿਆ ॥

जिह मरनै सभु जगतु तरासिआ ॥

Jih marnai sabẖ jagaṯ ṯarāsiā.

That death which terrifies the entire world -

ਸੋ ਮਰਨਾ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦਿ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸਿਆ ॥੧॥

सो मरना गुर सबदि प्रगासिआ ॥१॥

So marnā gur sabaḏ pargāsiā. ||1||

the nature of that death has been revealed to me, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. ||1||

ਅਬ ਕੈਸੇ ਮਰਉ ਮਰਨਿ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥

अब कैसे मरउ मरनि मनु मानिआ ॥

Ab kaise marao maran man māniā.

Now, how shall I die? My mind has already accepted death.

ਮਰਿ ਮਰਿ ਜਾਤੇ ਜਿਨ ਰਾਮੁ ਨ ਜਾਨਿਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

मरि मरि जाते जिन रामु न जानिआ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

Mar mar jāṯe jin rām na jāniā. ||1|| rahāo.

Those who do not know the Lord, die over and over again, and then depart. ||1||Pause||

ਮਰਨੋ ਮਰਨੁ ਕਹੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਈ ॥

मरनो मरनु कहै सभु कोई ॥

Marno maran kahai sabẖ koī.

Everyone says, "I will die, I will die".

ਸਹਜੇ ਮਰੈ ਅਮਰੁ ਹੋਇ ਸੋਈ ॥੨॥

सहजे मरै अमरु होइ सोई ॥२॥

Sėhje marai amar hoe soī. ||2||

But he alone becomes immortal, who dies with intuitive understanding. ||2||

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਮਨਿ ਭਇਆ ਅਨੰਦਾ ॥

कहु कबीर मनि भइआ अनंदा ॥

Kaho Kabīr man bẖaiā ananḏā.

Says Kabeer, my mind is filled with bliss;

ਗਇਆ ਭਰਮੁ ਰਹਿਆ ਪਰਮਾਨੰਦਾ ॥੩॥੨੦॥

गइआ भरमु रहिआ परमानंदा ॥३॥२०॥

Gaiā bẖaram rahiā parmānanḏā. ||3||20||

my doubts have been eliminated, and I am in ecstasy. ||3||20||