Composition No. 20145
This week I have only made 2 new compositions; which is quite a drought given I had been on a role earlier. Perhaps because of the headaches associated with the smoke from the california fires. Anyhow I was rearranging my library and moved one of the Gurmat Sangeet books by Principal Dyal Singh and realized that I have had his books for over 20 years but not really read any compositions from that (unlike Bhatkhande which I have probably used 5-6 times). So I decided to open a random page, and a bhagat Namdev shabad appeared. That helps me keep focused on the Bhagat Namdev project I have been working on. It was also nice that I hadn't worked on this shabad before ... it was in Gond and I have recently done 2 shabads in Gond. So I read the composition. Like most compositions I changed it considerably especially to add a Simran element to it. In the end it might not sound anything like the original composition, but I am happy to be inspired. I just recorded a concept version for this shabad. It is in deepchandi, raag gond.
Interesting that I just finished the video for Pavan Guru and had been thinking about why Guru Nanak calls Pavan his Guru. Because he cannot live without his Guru, it is like air for him. Similarly here Bhagat Namdev describes how he is in agony like a fish without water. A fish cannot live without water. Water is air for a fish. And air is Guru. Raam Naam is Namdev's Guru.
The fish trembles when it is out of water. It’s an action that is not as fine as trembling; it’s more gross. Maybe a quaking? Ah words. In Hindi it is chhatpatana. I wonder if there is an English equivalent. There is: wriggle or writhe.
ਗੋਂਡ ॥
गोंड ॥
Gond.
Gond:
ਮੋਹਿ ਲਾਗਤੀ ਤਾਲਾਬੇਲੀ ॥
मोहि लागती तालाबेली ॥
Mohi lāgṯī ṯālābelī.
I am restless and unhappy.
ਬਛਰੇ ਬਿਨੁ ਗਾਇ ਅਕੇਲੀ ॥੧॥
बछरे बिनु गाइ अकेली ॥१॥
Bacẖẖre bin gā▫e akelī. ||1||
Without her calf, the cow is lonely. ||1||
ਪਾਨੀਆ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੀਨੁ ਤਲਫੈ ॥
पानीआ बिनु मीनु तलफै ॥
Pānī▫ā bin mīn ṯalfai.
Without water, the fish writhes in pain.
ਐਸੇ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮਾ ਬਿਨੁ ਬਾਪੁਰੋ ਨਾਮਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ऐसे राम नामा बिनु बापुरो नामा ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Aise rām nāmā bin bāpuro nāmā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
So is poor Naam Dayv without the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||
ਜੈਸੇ ਗਾਇ ਕਾ ਬਾਛਾ ਛੂਟਲਾ ॥
जैसे गाइ का बाछा छूटला ॥
Jaise gā▫e kā bācẖẖā cẖẖūtlā.
Like the cow's calf, which, when let loose,
ਥਨ ਚੋਖਤਾ ਮਾਖਨੁ ਘੂਟਲਾ ॥੨॥
थन चोखता माखनु घूटला ॥२॥
Than cẖokẖ▫ṯā mākẖan gẖūtlā. ||2||
sucks at her udders and drinks her milk -||2||
ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਨਾਰਾਇਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
नामदेउ नाराइनु पाइआ ॥
Nāmḏe▫o nārā▫in pā▫i▫ā.
So has Naam Dayv found the Lord.
ਗੁਰੁ ਭੇਟਤ ਅਲਖੁ ਲਖਾਇਆ ॥੩॥
गुरु भेटत अलखु लखाइआ ॥३॥
Gur bẖetaṯ alakẖ lakẖā▫i▫ā. ||3||
Meeting the Guru, I have seen the Unseen Lord. ||3||
ਜੈਸੇ ਬਿਖੈ ਹੇਤ ਪਰ ਨਾਰੀ ॥
जैसे बिखै हेत पर नारी ॥
Jaise bikẖai heṯ par nārī.
As the man driven by sex wants another man's wife,
ਐਸੇ ਨਾਮੇ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ॥੪॥
ऐसे नामे प्रीति मुरारी ॥४॥
Aise nāme parīṯ murārī. ||4||
so does Naam Dayv love the Lord. ||4||
ਜੈਸੇ ਤਾਪਤੇ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਘਾਮਾ ॥
जैसे तापते निरमल घामा ॥
Jaise ṯāpṯe nirmal gẖāmā.
As the earth burns in the dazzling sunlight,
ਤੈਸੇ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮਾ ਬਿਨੁ ਬਾਪੁਰੋ ਨਾਮਾ ॥੫॥੪॥
तैसे राम नामा बिनु बापुरो नामा ॥५॥४॥
Ŧaise rām nāmā bin bāpuro nāmā. ||5||4||
so does poor Naam Dayv burn without the Lord's Name. ||5||4||
Singing oneness!
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