Happy Spring! I have composed this shabad in Raag Basant as part of the Bhagat Namdev 750 project. There is a live recording and a studio recording; I just released two versions of the live recording: YouTube and Instagram. Below the recordings you will find the lyrics, meanings, translations as well as some related shabads and poems.
Here is Bhai Harjinder Singh's popular composition of the shabad:
राग सोरठि
याही गोविंदा चरन मेरो जीवरौ बसै रे ।
भगति न छांडौं हरिकीं लोग हंसैरे ॥टेक॥
गोबिंदा कै नाइं लीयें भवजल तिरिए रे ।
झूठी माया लागि लागि काहे कूं मरीए रे ॥1॥
साइं कूं सांकडै दीये सेवग भाजै रे ।
चिरकाल न कोई जीवै दोऊ पष लाजै रे ॥2॥
आपनां धन कारणि प्राणी मरणौं मांडै रे ।
भगति भगता जन काहे कूं छांडै रे ॥3॥
गंगा गया गोदावरी संसारी जांमा रे ।
सुपरसन नाराइन सेवग नांमा रे ॥4॥
Essence of the Shabad - Teri Bhagat Na Chhodon
The shabad is a lesson in giving up. It is about loving like the lotus: against all odds. Bhagat Namdev sings in Raag Basant, "I will not stop loving you even if people laugh at me. The one who leave their master in need, leave their honor. People love wealth and would even die for it. But the lovers of truth, love your name and give up their own existence. Bathing in the Ganges and Godavari is for the people of the world. For me, the service of hari is above all. I will not stop loving you even if people laugh at me." Teri Bhagat Na Chhodon Bhave Log Hasai.
Reminds me of "Tyaagna Tyaagan Neeka, Kaam Krodh Lobh Moh Tyaagna"
Related Hindi Abhang and Guru Amar Das Shabad
Nov 2020: Today I was reading a Hindi abhang of Sant Namdev (Yaahi Govinda Charan - see below) and I found it similar to a shabad I have composed earlier: Teri Bhagat Na Chhodon (see below for lyrics, meaning and essence). When I compared the two, they were very similar. One was in Raag Sorath, the other in Raag Basant. I also found today a shabad by the Guru Amar Das (also in Raag basant - see end of this note) which uses very similar language.
Bhagat Namdev lived between 1270 and 1350 AD while Guru Amardas lived lived two hundred years later between 1479 and 1574 AD. Guru Arjan Dev compiled the first Adi Granth in 1604 AD and Guru Gobind completed the final Guru Granth Sahib in 1708 AD. There are other writings that I have discovered where Guru Nanak converses with Bhagat Namdev's through poetry. Thanks to Guru Nanak bhagat Namdev's bani was saved in pristine form for generations to come. It is amazing to find conversations happening between spiritual poets over centuries. Discovering these while encountering new poetry is one of my favorite pastimes. So many riddles to solve; so much joy to be had!
Bhagat Namdev in Gurbani - Teri Bhagat Na Chhodoon Bhaven Log Hasai
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ੴ सतिगुर प्रसादि ॥
Ikoaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਸੰਕਟਵੈ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਭਜੈ ॥
साहिबु संकटवै सेवकु भजै ॥
Sāhib sanktavai sevak bẖajai.
If the servant runs away when his master puts him in trouble,
ਚਿਰੰਕਾਲ ਨ ਜੀਵੈ ਦੋਊ ਕੁਲ ਲਜੈ ॥੧॥
चिरंकाल न जीवै दोऊ कुल लजै ॥१॥
Cẖirankāl na jīvai ḏoū kul lajai. ||1||
he will not have a long life, and he brings shame to all his family. ||1||
ਤੇਰੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਨ ਛੋਡਉ ਭਾਵੈ ਲੋਗੁ ਹਸੈ ॥
तेरी भगति न छोडउ भावै लोगु हसै ॥
Ŧerī bẖagaṯ na cẖẖodao bẖāvai log hasai.
I shall not abandon devotional worship of You, O Lord, even if the people laugh at me.
ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲ ਮੇਰੇ ਹੀਅਰੇ ਬਸੈਂ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
चरन कमल मेरे हीअरे बसैं ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Cẖaran kamal mere hīare basaiʼn. ||1|| rahāo.
The Lord's Lotus Feet abide within my heart. ||1||Pause||
ਜੈਸੇ ਅਪਨੇ ਧਨਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਮਰਨੁ ਮਾਂਡੈ ॥
जैसे अपने धनहि प्रानी मरनु मांडै ॥
Jaise apne dẖanėh parānī maran māʼndai.
The mortal will even die for the sake of his wealth;
ਤੈਸੇ ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾਂ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਛਾਡੈਂ ॥੨॥
तैसे संत जनां राम नामु न छाडैं ॥२॥
Ŧaise sanṯ janāʼn rām nām na cẖẖādaiʼn. ||2||
in the same way, the Saints do not forsake the Lord's Name. ||2||
ਗੰਗਾ ਗਇਆ ਗੋਦਾਵਰੀ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਕੇ ਕਾਮਾ ॥
गंगा गइआ गोदावरी संसार के कामा ॥
Gangā gaiā goḏāvrī sansār ke kāmā.
Pilgrimages to the Ganges, the Gaya and the Godawari are merely worldly affairs.
ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਸੁਪ੍ਰਸੰਨ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਨਾਮਾ ॥੩॥੧॥
नाराइणु सुप्रसंन होइ त सेवकु नामा ॥३॥१॥
Nārāiṇ suparsan hoe ṯa sevak nāmā. ||3||1||
If the Lord were totally pleased, then He would let Naam Dayv be His servant. ||3||1||
Another one of my translations -
If the servant runs away when his master puts him in trouble,
He will not have a long life, and he brings shame to all his family. ||1||
I won't stop serving you even if people laugh at me.
The lotus feet abide within my heart. ||1||Pause||
Like the greedy man doesn't risk wealth for his own life
Saints do not forsake the Lord's Name for any reason. ||2||
Pilgrimages to the Ganges, the Gaya and the Godawari are merely worldly affairs.
If the Lord were totally pleased, then He would let Naam Dayv be His servant. ||3||1||
Bhagat Namdev in Hindi - Yaahi Govinda Charan Mero Jeevaro Basai Re
राग सोरठि
याही गोविंदा चरन मेरो जीवरौ बसै रे ।
भगति न छांडौं हरिकीं लोग हंसैरे ॥टेक॥
गोबिंदा कै नाइं लीयें भवजल तिरिए रे ।
झूठी माया लागि लागि काहे कूं मरीए रे ॥1॥
साइं कूं सांकडै दीये सेवग भाजै रे ।
चिरकाल न कोई जीवै दोऊ पष लाजै रे ॥2॥
आपनां धन कारणि प्राणी मरणौं मांडै रे ।
भगति भगता जन काहे कूं छांडै रे ॥3॥
गंगा गया गोदावरी संसारी जांमा रे ।
सुपरसन नाराइन सेवग नांमा रे ॥4॥
Teri Bhagat Na Chhodon - Guru Amar Das
ਬਸੰਤੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ਇਕ ਤੁਕਾ ॥
बसंतु महला ३ इक तुका ॥
Basanṯ mėhlā 3 ik ṯukā.
Basant, Third Mehl, Ik-Tukas:
ਸਾਹਿਬ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਰੈ ॥
साहिब भावै सेवकु सेवा करै ॥
Sāhib bẖāvai sevak sevā karai.
When it pleases our Lord and Master, His servant serves Him.
ਜੀਵਤੁ ਮਰੈ ਸਭਿ ਕੁਲ ਉਧਰੈ ॥੧॥
जीवतु मरै सभि कुल उधरै ॥१॥
Jīvaṯ marai sabẖ kul uḏẖrai. ||1||
He remains dead while yet alive, and redeems all his ancestors. ||1||
ਤੇਰੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਨ ਛੋਡਉ ਕਿਆ ਕੋ ਹਸੈ ॥
तेरी भगति न छोडउ किआ को हसै ॥
Ŧerī bẖagaṯ na cẖẖodao kiā ko hasai.
I shall not renounce Your devotional worship, O Lord; what does it matter if people laugh at me?
ਸਾਚੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਮੇਰੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਵਸੈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
साचु नामु मेरै हिरदै वसै ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Sācẖ nām merai hirḏai vasai. ||1|| rahā▫o.
The True Name abides within my heart. ||1||Pause||
ਜੈਸੇ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਾਣੀ ਗਲਤੁ ਰਹੈ ॥
जैसे माइआ मोहि प्राणी गलतु रहै ॥
Jaise māiā mohi parāṇī galaṯ rahai.
Just as the mortal remains engrossed in attachment to Maya,
ਤੈਸੇ ਸੰਤ ਜਨ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਰਵਤ ਰਹੈ ॥੨॥
तैसे संत जन राम नाम रवत रहै ॥२॥
Ŧaise sanṯ jan rām nām ravaṯ rahai. ||2||
so does the Lord's humble Saint remain absorbed in the Lord's Name. ||2||
ਮੈ ਮੂਰਖ ਮੁਗਧ ਊਪਰਿ ਕਰਹੁ ਦਇਆ ॥
मै मूरख मुगध ऊपरि करहु दइआ ॥
Mai mūrakẖ mugaḏẖ ūpar karahu ḏaiā.
I am foolish and ignorant, O Lord; please be merciful to me.
ਤਉ ਸਰਣਾਗਤਿ ਰਹਉ ਪਇਆ ॥੩॥
तउ सरणागति रहउ पइआ ॥३॥
Ŧao sarṇāgaṯ rahao paiā. ||3||
May I remain in Your Sanctuary. ||3||
ਕਹਤੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਕੇ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਕਾਮਾ ॥
कहतु नानकु संसार के निहफल कामा ॥
Kahaṯ Nānak sansār ke nihfal kāmā.
Says Nanak, worldly affairs are fruitless.
ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਕੋ ਪਾਵੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਨਾਮਾ ॥੪॥੮॥
गुर प्रसादि को पावै अम्रित नामा ॥४॥८॥
Gur parsāḏ ko pāvai amriṯ nāmā. ||4||8||
Only by Guru's Grace does one receive the Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||4||8||
Haj Hamari Gomti Teer - Kabir
ਆਸਾ ॥
आसा ॥
Āsā.
Aasaa:
ਹਜ ਹਮਾਰੀ ਗੋਮਤੀ ਤੀਰ ॥
हज हमारी गोमती तीर ॥
Haj hamārī gomṯī ṯīr.
My pilgrimage to Mecca is on the banks of the Gomati River;
ਜਹਾ ਬਸਹਿ ਪੀਤੰਬਰ ਪੀਰ ॥੧॥
जहा बसहि पीत्मबर पीर ॥१॥
Jahā basėh pīṯambar pīr. ||1||
the spiritual teacher in his yellow robes dwells there. ||1||
ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਕਿਆ ਖੂਬੁ ਗਾਵਤਾ ਹੈ ॥
वाहु वाहु किआ खूबु गावता है ॥
vāhu vāhu kiā kẖūb gāvṯā hai.
Waaho! Waaho! Hail! Hail! How wondrously he sings.
Additional Links
Namdev 750 - Project celebrating 750th birth centenary of Bhagat Sant Namdev
Bhagat Sant Namdev - All posts related to Bhagat Sant Namdev in this blog
Singing oneness!
4 Comments
Shivpreet Singh ji - Thank you for the beautiful rendition of the shabad. The translation of one of the lines needs further thought. It is unlikely that the Master will be in need / trouble, since the Master herre refers to the all powerful Creator. The likely meaning is that when the Master puts the servant in a difficult situation, if the servant runs away, he loses. Like "ਪ੍ਰਣਵੈ" means to "do an appeal", ਸੰਕਟਵੇੈ would be interpreted as "to do / create a difficult situation"
ReplyDeleteAfter going through other sources, I find many sources have made this interpretation. A clearer interpretation emerges form Prof. Sahib Singh ji's translation. Pasting an excerpt below, you will find it on GuruGranthDarpan website
ਜੇ ਮਾਲਕ ਆਪਣੇ ਨੌਕਰ ਨੂੰ ਕੋਈ ਕਸ਼ਟ ਦੇਵੇ, ਤੇ ਨੌਕਰ (ਉਸ ਕਸ਼ਟ ਤੋਂ ਡਰਦਾ) ਨੱਠ ਜਾਏ, (ਜਿੰਦ ਨੂੰ ਕਸ਼ਟਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਬਚਾਉਣ ਦੀ ਖ਼ਾਤਰ ਨੱਠਿਆ ਹੋਇਆ) ਨੌਕਰ ਸਦਾ ਤਾਂ ਜੀਊਂਦਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ, ਪਰ (ਮਾਲਕ ਨੂੰ ਪਿੱਠ ਦੇ ਕੇ) ਆਪਣੀਆਂ ਦੋਵੇਂ ਕੁਲਾਂ ਬਦਨਾਮ ਕਰ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ। (ਹੇ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ! ਲੋਕਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਸ ਠੱਠੇ ਤੋਂ ਡਰ ਕੇ ਮੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਦਰ ਤੋਂ ਨੱਠ ਨਹੀਂ ਜਾਣਾ) ।1।
You are absolutely right. I was perplexed by the other translations because they didn't make sense. This is the right way to think about it. The correct meaning of sankatavai makes it clear. I generally don't change other people's translations because I believe everyone has their own interpretation - but in this case, I think it is apt to change it so the wrong meaning is not shared much. Making the change and much thanks for your keen reading and insight. May the guru continue to bless you.
DeleteThank you Shivpreet Singh ji!
DeleteBot khub shoni presentstion ji bot shona explain kita hai ...bot bot shukrana ji.
ReplyDelete