Lyrics of Paayo Ji Maine
Neha K Desai
>
> Hi ,
> Could anyone provide me with the lyrics of 'Paayo Ji Maine Ram
> Ratana
> Dhana payo' ?
Sure. From what I remember it should be :
(Corrections welcome!)
paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
wastu amolit di more sadguru
wastu amolit di more sadguru
kirpa kar apnaayo
paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
janam ki poonji paayi
janam ki poonji paayi
jag mein sabhi khowaayo
paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
kharche na khoote chor na loote
kharche na khoote chor na loote
din din badhat sawaayo
paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
satya ki naav khewaTiya sadguru
satya ki naav khewaTiya sadguru
bhav saagar tar aayo
paayoji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
--
Neha Desai
------------------------------------------------------------------
There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to, to avoid
the real labour of thinking. Sir Joshua Reynolds.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Neha K Desai
> paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
> paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
>
> wastu amolit di more sadguru
> wastu amolit di more sadguru
> kirpa kar apnaayo
> paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
>
> janam ki poonji paayi
> janam ki poonji paayi
> jag mein sabhi khowaayo
> paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
>
> kharche na khoote chor na loote
> kharche na khoote chor na loote
> din din badhat sawaayo
> paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
>
> satya ki naav khewaTiya sadguru
> satya ki naav khewaTiya sadguru
> bhav saagar tar aayo
> paayoji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
From an email I got in response to this post:
--------
Vyjayanthi Manian wrote:
One small correction - I think the first line should
read - "paayo ji maine NAAM ratan dhan paayo'
Here Meera talks about getting the mantra "Krishna/Giridhar"
from her Guru (vastu amol likh dee mere sat guru - my guru
wrote down this rare gem of a word for me...).
The last two lines of the song are
"meera kahe prabhu giridhar na gar
harakha harakha jas gayo"
She sings the NAAM in ecstasy ....
--------
Which makes sense(the naam instead of raam). Now I must
go back and listen to the tape of Lata Bhajans and check
how she sings it.
Thanks, Vyjayanthi.
Hemlata N. Khemani
> Neha K Desai wrote:
Vyajanthi's interpretation really makes sense. I wonder why Meera would
write raam ratan dhan paayo! But the surprise is that all the versions I
have seen do transcribe the song as "raam ratan dhan paayo". In fact I
have a cassette just by that name and the first song is this one by Lata.
And she does sing Ram, doesn't she? Anyway, some corrections:
>
> > paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
> > paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
> >
> > wastu amolit di more sadguru
> > wastu amolit di more sadguru
I think sometime back Chetan had wrote that Indians can pronounce w better
than v or some such thing. I am not quite sure what he meant, so Chetan
if I am misquoting you, please pardon me. I think that an Indian, in
general terms, can say "vine" correctly, but not "wine". There is a "va"
in Hindi for which if you stress enough your upper teeth will touch the
lower lip. But for "wa" sound as in wine, when you start to pronounce it,
it's more like as when you start to whistle. And this I think is not in
the Hindi varnamala. Anyway, coming back to the point, I think "wastu"
should be "vastu". "more" should be "mere" (I thought Neha would listen to
Lata better than "anyone") I think the line is
vastu amolik dii mere sataguruu (not in literary terms but going by how
Lata sings it)
amolik = without any "mol", amuulya
<two stanzas snipped>
> > satya ki naav khewaTiya sadguru
> > satya ki naav khewaTiya sadguru
"sat" ki naav. Again as Lata sings it. Now many people do say "naav" as
"naaw".
-
Speed gets you nowhere if you're headed the wrong way!
Deepak Sabnis
Hemlata N. Khemani wrote in message ...
>On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Neha K Desai wrote:
>
>> Neha K Desai wrote:
>
>Vyajanthi's interpretation really makes sense. I wonder why Meera would
>write raam ratan dhan paayo! But the surprise is that all the versions I
>have seen do transcribe the song as "raam ratan dhan paayo". In fact I
>have a cassette just by that name and the first song is this one by Lata.
>And she does sing Ram, doesn't she?
That is because this is NOT a Meera Bhajan. D.V. Paluskar, who made this
Bhajan popular (lata sang it much later) was a devout Ram Bhakt. Even the CD
with Lata singing this Bhajan is titled something like "Ram Ratan Dhan
....". While Vyajanthi's comments make sense, they are not correct as far as
this Bhajan goes.
Deepak
S44218
About Payoji Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo:
The text is supposedly written by Mirabai and has been placed in Acarya
Parashuram Chaturvedi's critical edition of Mirabai Padavali in the appendix.
It has been done so, because there are a number of poems attributed to Mira (
we don't know if she wrote this bhajan) which seem to be in the Kabir style
where god is like a precious jewel (Ram Ratan) given by the Guru.
Mira did refer to Rama (as in Ramcandra of Ayodhya) as being another name for
Krishna since they are both avataras of Vishnu, but other times it seems to be
a generic name for God. This why it has been placed in an appendix given we all
know Mira to have been a Krishna bhakta and it would seem unusual for her to
have written in the Kabir style, regardless of her alleged ties to Raidas which
at least historically isn't true.
As for the language, Mira wrote in Rajasthani and that has its own linguistic
pecularities which can be heard wonderfully in Lata's recording of Meera
Bhajans with her brother Hridayanath. What has happened, however, is that
with all these bhajans (Meera or otherwise) singers modernize the pronunciation
to make it accessbile to audiences who don't have facility over Rajasthani,
Avadhi, or Braj Bhasha. They also add words in order for the metre to fit
whatever musical melody they are singing.
What follows is the transliteration style that I follow as a grad. student
who studies Hindi and Sanskrit. Dicritics are omittted and is taken from the
Chaturvedi critical edition which I have at home. This version is taken from
what has been found in manuscripts and show how artists and the whole process
of oral tradition can change the wording of poetry. What Lata, Pt. D. V
Paluskar and others sing, consequently, is somewhat different but still
reflect the meaning of the poem as found in manuscripts
Again, we will never know the original form of this poem, but the following ---
some would argue -- would be an approxmation of what Mira might have sung if
she indeed composed this bhajan.
Hope this long-winded post helps somehow in the end. Text follows:
Yours
Sandip.
---------------
Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo
Vastu amolaka di mere sataguru, kar kirpa apanayo (1)
Janama Janama ko puji payi, jaga me sab khovayo (2)
Kharache nahi koi chor na lave, din din badhata savayo (3)
Sat ki nav khevatiya sataguru, bhavasagar tari ayo (4)
Mira ke prabu giridhar nagar, harashi harashi jas gayo (5)
Deepak Sabnis
Meera Bhajan.
However, the words still seem to point to Ram instead of Naam
Cheers..
Deepak
Deepak Sabnis wrote in message <7em5h3$fmm$1...@ocean.cup.hp.com>...
Rajan P. Parrikar
>That is because this is NOT a Meera Bhajan. D.V. Paluskar, who made this
>Bhajan popular (lata sang it much later) was a devout Ram Bhakt. Even the CD
"pAyoji maine Rama ratana dhana pAyo" is indeed a Meera bhajan. The
popular Mishra Pahadi tune is due to Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (DV's
father) who popularised it. But Vishnu Digambar was never recorded
and he does not as yet have a webpage or Amar Chitra Katha in his
name, therefore your confusion is understandable.
Meerabai had great affection for Shri Rama (like anyone else who knows
His character and qualities) and saw him as no different from her Gopala.
There are several other padas where she sings Rama-stuti. Some instances:
- "Rama-nAma rasa peeje manuvA, taja kusanga satsang baiTha nita..."
The pada ends with her signature "MeerA ke Prabhu Giridhara." This song
is frequently sung in Raga Tilak Kamod (which was again a tune of Vishnu
Digambarji, I think).
- "mero mana Rama hi Rama raTe re...." very well known this.
- "Rama-nAma mere mana basiyo...," set beautifully in Raga Hamsakinkini.
- "Lacchmana dheere chalo mai hAri, Rama-Lacchamana dono..." (I think
DV Paluskar has recorded this).
*****
On a slightly different tack, Meerabai isn't the only or even the first
Indian icon of women with exceptional courage and independence of mind.
It is regrettable that one hears so little of Akka Mahadevi. The searing
intensity of her passion for Lord Shiva renders Meera tame in comparison.
Akka Mahadevi belongs to the veerashaivA tradition and was contemporaneous
with Basavanna (12th C). Some of her vacanas are available in translation
in A.K. Ramanujan's "Speaking of Shiva" (Penguin Classics). My only peeve
with Ramanujan's wonderful work is that he should have let epithets of the
Lord stand untranslated, with a footnote or two of explanation. How lame
it sounds to read "Lord of Meeting Rivers" instead of "KooDalasangamadevA"
or "Lord White as Jasmine" for "Mallikarjuna."
Ramanujam writes: "...Mahadevi, a spirit married already to the Lord White
as Jasmine, scorning all human carnal love as corrupt and illegitimate.
wife to no man, exile bound to the world's wheeling lives, archetypal
sister of all souls...Mahadevi's vacanas speak of this conflict. Sometimes
the Lord is her illicit lover, sometimes her only legitimate husband...
Like many another saint, she left birthplace and parents. She appears to
have thrown away even modesty and clothing, those last concessions to
the male world, in a gesture of ultimate social defiance, and wandered
about covered in her tresses..."
We reproduce some vacanas of Akka Mahadevi (I have substituted Mallikarjuna
for "Lord White as Jasmine"):
(88)
He bartered my heart,
looted my flesh,
claimed as tribute
my pleasure,
took over
all of me.
I'm the woman of love
for my Mallikarjuna.
(114)
Husband inside,
lover outside.
I can't manage them both.
This world
and that other,
cannot manage them both.
O Malikarjuna
I cannot hold in one hand
both the round nut
and the long bow.
(124)
You can confiscate
money in hand;
can you confiscate
the body's glory?
Or peel away every strip
you wear,
but can you peel
the Nothing, the Nakedness
that covers and veils?
To the shameless girl
wearing Mallikarjuna's
light of morning,
you fool,
where's the need for cover and jewel?
(199)
For hunger,
there is the town's rice in the begging bowl
For thirst,
there are tanks, streams, wells.
For sleep,
there are the ruins of temples.
For soul's company
I have you O Mallikarjuna.
(283)
I love the Handsome One
he has no death
decay nor form
no place or side
no end nor birthmarks.
I love him O mother. Listen.
I love the Beautiful One
with no bond nor fear
no clan no land
no landmarks
for his beauty.
So my Mallikarjuna is my husband.
Take these husbands who die,
decay, and feed them
to your kitchen fires!
(328)
I have Maya for mother-in-law
the world for father-in-law;
three brothers-in-law, like tigers
and the husband's thoughts
are full of laughing women:
no god, this man.
And I cannot cross the sister-in-law.
But I will
give this wench the slip
and go cuckold my husband with Hara, my Lord.
My mind is my maid:
by her kindnessm I join
my Lord,
my utterly beautiful Lord
from the mountain peaks,
my Mallikarjuna,
and I will make Him
my good husband.
*****
Warm regards,
r
Umesh Garg
: On Fri, 9 Apr 1999, Neha K Desai wrote:
:
: Vyajanthi's interpretation really makes sense. I wonder why Meera would
: write raam ratan dhan paayo! But the surprise is that all the versions I
: have seen do transcribe the song as "raam ratan dhan paayo". In fact I
: have a cassette just by that name and the first song is this one by Lata.
:
:
The actual Meera bhajan is "....naam ratan dhan paayo.." (any Hindi text
book from Rajasthan or UP would clarify that). I think for some reason the
lyrics must have gotten changed in the first recording and the rest have just
followed that lead.
There also has been considerable "shuddhikaran" of Meera's original words
(a mixture of Mevadi and Brijbhasha) to standard Hindi over the years.
For example, "vastu" is unlikely to have been used by Meera. If I
remember it right, the word was "basat" ( the word is the same but in
Rajasthan, "va" is rarely used
in colloquial language--it is "ba", just like in many parts of India, there
is always confusion between "sha" and "sa". "vastu" would be quite alien
even today).
Examples of such conversions to "khadi boli" abound in Bhajan recordings, the
most blatant ones in those of Anup Jalota who routinely changes lyrics,
perhaps to suit the tune. Or, the reason simply might be that "non natives"
simply have difficulty with certain words.
-Umesh
Ashok
>
>In article <7em5h3$fmm$1...@ocean.cup.hp.com>, Deepak Sabnis wrote:
>
>"pAyoji maine Rama ratana dhana pAyo" is indeed a Meera bhajan. The
>popular Mishra Pahadi tune is due to Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (DV's
>father) who popularised it. But Vishnu Digambar was never recorded
>and he does not as yet have a webpage or Amar Chitra Katha in his
>name, therefore your confusion is understandable.
Thanks, Rajan, for disposing off the distraction that the author of
this song is not Meera. Judging from Umesh's post, there is still
some uncertainty about the text: whether it is "naama" or "raama."
Let me add one more! I have problem interpreting the expression
"raama ratana dhana" (or "naama ratana dhana"). usage of both "ratana"
and "dhana" seems to me to be redundant, unless there is a special
meaning attached to "ratana" through "raama ratana" or "naama ratana."
Sandip's post suggests that there is some such association for
"raama ratana"; he can elaborate, perhaps?
Short of a special meaning, it makes better sense if the word "ratan"
is changed to "raTan" (or "raTaN"). "I gained the wealth of reciting
raama (or name)". All the versions I have heard/read do have it as
"ratana." But then, they all have "raama", which has been called into
question. Is there a definitive variorum edition of Meera songs?
>Meerabai had great affection for Shri Rama (like anyone else who knows
>His character and qualities)
I find him a bore; too much of an "apple-pie and momhood" kinda guy
for my taste. :) (I do believe in the pagan--read non-monotheistic--
principle of talking of gods and goddesses as one does of neighbors
and fiction characters.)
and saw him as no different from her Gopala.
>There are several other padas where she sings Rama-stuti. Some instances:
A couple of years ago, BMG/Cresent India released a very interesting
two-cassette set called "Meera Ke Raam". It consists of renditions of
15 Raama Bhajans of Meera. The songs are the result of painstaking
research carried out by the late music director Shri Shambhu Sen, who
also composed the music. The singer is Kavita Krishmamurti and Lalil
Sen is the music arranger. There is narration by Harish Bhimani. The
set has a nice enough brochure containing a short essay (in English and
Hindi) and the text of the songs in devanaagari. Some excerpts:
Meera is generally recognized as a unique devotee of Lord Krishna and a
composer of devotional songs attributed to him alone. But, the truth is
that she was an ardent devotee of Lord Rama too and composed devotional
songs to establish Lord Rama's greatness, patronage, and compassion.
Goswami Tulsi Das, a firm devotee of Lord Rama, performed the holy work
of creating faith toward Rama in the heart and mind of Meera.
...
... Meera wrote a letter to Goswami Tulsi Das in the form of poetry and
requested him to show her the right path under the circumstances when
all her kith and kin had turned deadly against her for the devotion to
Lord Krishna and her singing of devotional songs.
svasti shree tulasee kulabhooshhaNa, dooshhaNa haraNa gusaa_ee |
baarahimbaara praNaam kara hu.N ab, har soka samudaa_ee||
ghar ke svajaNa hamaare jete, sabaNa upaadhi ba.Dhaa_ee|
saadhu sanga aroo bhajaNa karat mohi, det kalesa maTaa_ee||
mere maat pitaa sam hou, haribhagataNa sukhadaa_ee||
ham ko.n kahaa uchit karibo hai, so likhiyo samujhaa_ee||
Goswami ji, an ardent devotee of Rama, gave an instant reply in poetry-
form and guided her to have faith in Lord Rama the great protector, and
to immediately leave the company of all those near and dear ones, who did
not keep faith in God, as Prahlaad, Vibhishan, Bharat and Bali had done.
jaake priya na raam vaidehee|
tajie taahi koTi bairee sama, sadyapi param snehee||
tajyo pitaa prahlaad bibheeshhan bandhu, bharat mahataaree|
bali guroo tajy, kanta braj banatani, bhaye muda mangalakaaree||
naate neha raama ke maniyat, suh^Rda susevya jahaa.n lau.n|
anjan kahaa aankhi jehi phooTai, bahutak kahaa.N kahaa.n lau.n||
tulasi so sab bhaanti paramahita, toojya praan te pyaaro|
jaaso.n hoya sneha raama pada, aito mato hamaaro||
Meera, when she received the guiding letter of Goswami ji, felt extremely
happy. A wave of devotion to Lord Rama rippled in her bosom. She
instantly relinquished the royal palace and all her kith and kin, bowed
to Chittor, detached herself completely from worldly attachments and
moved out for Ayodhya--(the holy place of Lord Rama).
During her sojourn in Ayodhya, Meera composed and sang devotional songs
pertaining to Lord Rama. Some of those songs, which throw light upon
the brilliance and benign spendour of Meera's Rama, are presented here.
Unfortunatley, the essay doesn't say how many Raam Bhajans there are
by Meera. The ones included are:
. mere to mana raama raama, raama so na koee
(signature: baa_ee meeraa raama prabhu)
. raana naama mere mana basiyo, rasiyo rijhaa_oo.N a maaya
(meeraa ke prabhu giridhara naagara)
. raama milaNa ke kaaj sakhee
(meeraa vyaakula ati ukalaaNee)
. parama snehee raama kee nita olyu.N mhaane aavai
(meeraa ke prabhu darasaNa deejyau)
. laagee mohi raama khumaaree ho
(meeraa daasee raam kee)
. meeraa bhakti kare re prakaT kee
. naato naam ko mosoo tanaka na ro.Dyo jaae
(meeraa.n ke prabhu raama naama kee bhakti mhaane de_ee)
. mai.n ne raama ratana dhana paayo (**Yes, "raama" and "ratana"!)
(meeraa ke prabhu giridhara naagara)
. raama milaNa ro ghaNo umaavo, nita uTha jo_oo.N baaTa.Diyaa.n
(meeraa ke shree raama prabhu jee)
. rama_iyaa bini yau jivaDau dukha paave
(jana meeraa sataguroo ke saraNai)
. jogiyaa jo chhaa_ee rahyo paradesa
(meeraa ke prabhu raama milaNa koo.n)
. mero mana raama hee raama raTai re
(meeraa kahe prabhu hariavinaasee)
. raama mero baa.Nha.Dalee jee gaho
(meeraa ke prabhu avinaasee laaj)
. raama bina mohe gha.Dee na suhaave.
raama mile mhaa.Nraa hiyaaraa Tharaay
(meeraa daasee raama kee jee)
. ab ke mosar jnaana bisaaro, raama naama mukha gaatee
(meeraa.n kahe ik aas aap kee)
>*****
>On a slightly different tack, Meerabai isn't the only or even the first
>Indian icon of women with exceptional courage and independence of mind.
>It is regrettable that one hears so little of Akka Mahadevi.
Thanks for the write-up on "bahan" Mahaadevi. It is interesting that
historical events and personalities receive attention in proportion to
thd dominance of the group they belong to! Thus quite trivial events
and persons from the West end up becoming world-historically important.
The same phenomenon operates within India and, perhaps, within regions
and states, almost like a fractal pattern. The Veerashaiva movement of
12th century in Northern Karnataka was a major social and political
upheaval. In terms of the ideas generated and the changes that were
attempted, it was far ahead of the goings on in Europe; e.g., equality
of all people, including women, was put on the social agenda more than
800 years ago! The extent of creative outpouring the movement stimulated
in common people of the time is unbelievable. The depth of the social
churning engendered can be gauged from the fact that many prostitutes
became poets and social commentators; their writings/sayings have been
preserved.
There is an additional source for the obscurity of the Veerashaiva
movement. For some unfathomable reason, there is a tendency on the
part of historians of bhakti movement to include devotees of Krishna,
not of Shiva!
The searing
>intensity of her passion for Lord Shiva renders Meera tame in comparison.
>Akka Mahadevi belongs to the veerashaivA tradition and was contemporaneous
>with Basavanna (12th C). Some of her vacanas are available in translation
>in A.K. Ramanujan's "Speaking of Shiva" (Penguin Classics). My only peeve
>with Ramanujan's wonderful work is that he should have let epithets of the
>Lord stand untranslated, with a footnote or two of explanation. How lame
>it sounds to read "Lord of Meeting Rivers" instead of "KooDalasangamadevA"
>or "Lord White as Jasmine" for "Mallikarjuna."
I agree. There is a probing analysis of cultural potiics involved in
various choices translators make in a book called "Siting Translation"
by Tejaswini Niranjana (U. of California Press, 1992). Ramanujan's work
is discussed in depth. The conclusion on the above point is the same, but
based on a cultural-political reasoning: by opting to translate the
signatures into English, the translator becomes an accomplice in erasing
the identity. (Conflict-of-interest alert: the author of the book is my
sister-in-law).
Sometime ago, RPG released a very good Kannada cassette called
"samykta vachana" (SFHV 849236, 1996). It includes nine vachanas of
Basaveshwara and seven vachanas of Akkamahaadevi. Four of the former
were composed and sung by Mallikarjuna Mansurm, making the cassette a
prized possession. Unfortunately, RPG did not include the Akkamahaadevi
vachanas sung by him; they remain unobtainable.
>We reproduce some vacanas of Akka Mahadevi (I have substituted Mallikarjuna
>for "Lord White as Jasmine"):
Her signature is: "chenna mallikaarjuna". (chenna is becautiful, fine)
>*****
>
>r
Meerabai, Mahadeviyaka, ... Tracing the sequence back in time further,
one must mention Andal (a.nDaaL0) from Tamilnadu, the foundling girl who
is supposed to have left this world in a symbolic marriage to Vishnu
(Ranganatha). She was only 15 then, but had left behind two major poetical
works.
Her better-known work is the Tiruppavai, a poem in thirty verses. Here
Andal imagines herself to be a gopi. She yearns to serve him and achieve
bliss not just in this birth, but for all eternity. The poems describe
the oath (pavai) that she and other gopis take to achive it.
Her other work is the Nachiyar Tirumoli (Goddess's Sayings), a poem in
143 verses, dealing with her intense longing for Vishnu.
She is counted among the 12 aLvaars (one who is immersed in the joy of
god) in the shreevaishhNava tradition in Tamilnadu. Tiruppavai is very
popular in Karnataka and Andhra also. Maaragashira month (December/
January) is devoted to singing Tiruppavai.
For more detail on Andal, as well as a translation of Tiruppavai, check out
http://www.best.com/~mani/sv/alvars/andal/andal-bio.html
You can listen to the recitation of the complete Tiruppavai at
http://www.iupui.edu/~rravindr/andal.html
Ashok
S44218
Meera bhajans ? Is it worth buying ?
Thanks,
Sandip.
Arup Ray
Hema had opined in a previous post about the "Wastu" versus "Vastu"
debate:
:Vyajanthi's interpretation really makes sense. I wonder why Meera would
:write raam ratan dhan paayo! But the surprise is that all the versions I
:have seen do transcribe the song as "raam ratan dhan paayo". In fact I
:have a cassette just by that name and the first song is this one by Lata.
:And she does sing Ram, doesn't she? Anyway, some corrections:>
^^^^^^ =============
You mean, some opinions, right?
: > > paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
: > > paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
: > > wastu amolit di more sadguru
: > > wastu amolit di more sadguru
:I think sometime back Chetan had wrote that Indians can pronounce w
:better than v or some such thing. I am not quite sure what he meant, so
:Chetan if I am misquoting you, please pardon me. I think that an Indian,
Yes Chetan had indeed mentioned that "w" is more easily pronounced than
"v" by Indians. I agree with him. In fact, I think that your contention
that "vine" is generally more correctly pronounced than "wine" is
incorrect. I had a friend Vivek during my undergrad years. When he
pronounced his name most of the Americans thought that his name was Wiwek.
They heard the "w" where I disitnctly heard a "v". So, the question is
whether the Indian letter wa/va is better transcribed in English as a "w"
or a "v". I have given some argument as to why I feel it should be a "w".
:in general terms, can say "vine" correctly, but not "wine". There is a
:"va" in Hindi for which if you stress enough your upper teeth will touch
:the lower lip. But for "wa" sound as in wine, when you start to
:pronounce it, it's more like as when you start to whistle. And this I
:think is not in the Hindi varnamala. Anyway, coming back to the point, I
:think "wastu" should be "vastu". "more" should be "mere" (I thought Neha
:would listen to Lata better than "anyone") I think the line is vastu
:amolik dii mere sataguruu (not in literary terms but going by how Lata
:sings it)
The letter "wa" in Sanskrit is an Avargiya (not in any class) along with
ya, ra and la. These letters are referred to as semi-vowels in phonetic
studies. The Sanskrit alphabet is very logically organized - phonetically.
These Avargiyas are derived using rules similar to Swara-sandhi (vowel
conjunction).
e + a = ya
ri + a = ra
li (now obsolete) + a = la
u + w = wa - NOT va
An example of the last Sandhi would be Manu + Antar giving rise to
Manwantar.
Of course, there would be variations of how this letter is pronounced
based on the position of the letter in the word (wasundhara), whether it
precedes another consonant (vrata) or follows one (ishwar/ishvar).
Regional variations could also play a role.
However, when this letter is transcribed to English it should indeed be a
"w" because it represents the "wa" sound of u + a. So Neha is correct in
transcribing the word as "wastu" and not as "vastu".
Hemavati / Hemawati / Hemlata what say you?
-Arup
mrat...@my-dejanews.com
ADhar...@WorldBank.Org (Ashok) wrote:
>
> Thanks, Rajan, for disposing off the distraction that the author of
> this song is not Meera. Judging from Umesh's post, there is still
> some uncertainty about the text: whether it is "naama" or "raama."
> Let me add one more! I have problem interpreting the expression
> "raama ratana dhana" (or "naama ratana dhana"). usage of both "ratana"
> and "dhana" seems to me to be redundant, unless there is a special
> meaning attached to "ratana" through "raama ratana" or "naama ratana."
> Sandip's post suggests that there is some such association for
> "raama ratana"; he can elaborate, perhaps?
>
The word is "raama". Now regarding the Meera Bai writting a Ram bhajan, I
have nothing to comment on her personal devotion to Lord Ram, but in the
"saint circle" at that time, the term "raama" was used as a reference to God
along with other terms such as "hari", "prabhu". Sant Kabir as has also used
"raama" in many of his bhajans and dohaas. eg.
raama naama kii lut hai lut sake to lut..
Second, the usage "raama ratan dhana" means,
wealth in the form of a gem - (called) raama.
Redundant, may be. But it fits rhymically.
Regarding her popularity compared to other women saints, its has more to do
with the timing and the language (Though I do not know what language Mahadevi
used). Lot of saints of that time (Kabir, Tulasi, Surdaas, Meerabai) got
there fame because they used khaDi boli - a language which common man at that
time could understand (like Bollywood movies). bhajans that these poeple
wrote became very popular among locale singers. Traditional bhajani (bhajan
singers) in north India even now sing those bhajans.
>
> Ashok
>
>
--
Have fun
Mohan
-----------== Posted via Deja News, The Discussion Network ==----------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Discuss, or Start Your Own
mrat...@my-dejanews.com
<snip>
> ---------------
> Maine Ram Ratan Dhan Payo
> Vastu amolaka di mere sataguru, kar kirpa apanayo (1)
>
> Janama Janama ko puji payi, jaga me sab khovayo (2)
>
> Kharache nahi koi chor na lave, din din badhata savayo (3)
>
> Sat ki nav khevatiya sataguru, bhavasagar tari ayo (4)
>
It should be "bhavasaagr taravaayo" (meaning - 'enabled me cross the sea
of...') tari ayo doesn't make sense, neither in Rajasthani nor in Hindi.
> Mira ke prabu giridhar nagar, harashi harashi jas gayo (5)
>
>
Rajan P. Parrikar
>In article <7er22o$3...@drn.newsguy.com>, parr...@colorado.edu says...
>>"pAyoji maine Rama ratana dhana pAyo" is indeed a Meera bhajan. The
>>popular Mishra Pahadi tune is due to Vishnu Digambar Paluskar (DV's
>
>Let me add one more! I have problem interpreting the expression
>"raama ratana dhana" (or "naama ratana dhana"). usage of both "ratana"
>and "dhana" seems to me to be redundant, unless there is a special
>meaning attached to "ratana" through "raama ratana" or "naama ratana."
The "Rama-ratana" should be read hyphenated, then "dhana pAyo."
>Meera is generally recognized as a unique devotee of Lord Krishna and a
>composer of devotional songs attributed to him alone. But, the truth is
>that she was an ardent devotee of Lord Rama too and composed devotional
>songs to establish Lord Rama's greatness, patronage, and compassion.
>Goswami Tulsi Das, a firm devotee of Lord Rama, performed the holy work
>of creating faith toward Rama in the heart and mind of Meera.
While Rama was the object of his focus Tulsidas also wrote Shiva-stuti.
>Sometime ago, RPG released a very good Kannada cassette called
>"samykta vachana" (SFHV 849236, 1996). It includes nine vachanas of
>Basaveshwara and seven vachanas of Akkamahaadevi. Four of the former
>were composed and sung by Mallikarjuna Mansurm, making the cassette a
>prized possession. Unfortunately, RPG did not include the Akkamahaadevi
>vachanas sung by him; they remain unobtainable.
There is a wonderful cassette of Basavraj Rajguru ("chandrikA chakore")
singing self-tuned vacanas of Basavanna. It is produced by a Bangalore
house and the production quality is nothing if not embarrassing.
Warm regards,
r
Vandana V Iyengar
> >Indian icon of women with exceptional courage and independence of mind.
> >It is regrettable that one hears so little of Akka Mahadevi.
>
> Thanks for the write-up on "bahan" Mahaadevi.
>
> Meerabai, Mahadeviyaka, ... Tracing the sequence back in time further,
> one must mention Andal (a.nDaaL0) from Tamilnadu, the foundling girl who
> is supposed to have left this world in a symbolic marriage to Vishnu
> (Ranganatha). She was only 15 then, but had left behind two major poetical
> works.
>
> Her better-known work is the Tiruppavai, a poem in thirty verses. Here
> Andal imagines herself to be a gopi. She yearns to serve him and achieve
> bliss not just in this birth, but for all eternity. The poems describe
> the oath (pavai) that she and other gopis take to achive it.
>
> Her other work is the Nachiyar Tirumoli (Goddess's Sayings), a poem in
> 143 verses, dealing with her intense longing for Vishnu.
>
> She is counted among the 12 aLvaars (one who is immersed in the joy of
> god) in the shreevaishhNava tradition in Tamilnadu. Tiruppavai is very
> popular in Karnataka and Andhra also. Maaragashira month (December/
> January) is devoted to singing Tiruppavai.
>
> For more detail on Andal, as well as a translation of Tiruppavai, check out
> http://www.best.com/~mani/sv/alvars/andal/andal-bio.html
>
> You can listen to the recitation of the complete Tiruppavai at
> http://www.iupui.edu/~rravindr/andal.html
>
> Ashok
Ashok, thanks for mentioning AnDaaL, a beloved deity of the practicing
Srivaishnavites (Iyengars) of South India. It brings back memories of
chilly December/January mornings (maargazhi maasam as per the lunar
calendar) in Madras when the neighbourhood 'Perumal Kovil' (Vishnu
temple) would start blaring Thiruppaavai verses on the loud speakers
at 5 am sharp! The loudspeaker tradition was no doubt inspired by
the election loudspeakers blaring popular MGR songs like "Pudhiya
vaanam pudhiya boomi" during election time. :-)
As you mentioned, Thiruppaavai contains 30 verses, one for each day
of the month of maargazhi. Each verse is set to a different raagam.
A definitive rendition of Thiruppaavai is by none other than
M.L. Vasanthakumari. I remember my mom had a phonograph record of the
the same. Unfortunately I was not able to find it in cassette or CD
form on my last trip to Madras. I would appreciate any information
regarding this. Other renditions exist - I have one by the
Sulamangalam sisters, and I believe Sudha Raghunathan has also
made a recording.
Coming to her other major work "Nacchiyaar Thirumozhi", the most
popular is the 6th segment, a lovely poetic creation which is
structured in the fashion of AnDaL telling her friends about her
dream of an elaborate wedding with Sriman NaaraayaNa himself.
I have reproduced the verses below and I hope someone will provide
a better translation that I can attempt to give.
(The book from where I transliterated the verses has a preface relating
how unmarried [read: unhappy] girls of marriageable age will be
granted a swift marriage 'pact' if they recite these verses with
devotion. So much for Meera/Mahaadeviakka/AndaaL being "women with
exceptional courage and independence of mind", they are ultimately
reduced to the same stereotypical icons.) As a colorful aside,
Iyengar girls are dressed up as AnDaaL when they get married even today.
=====================================================================
vaaraNam aayiram suuzha valam seidhu
naaraNa nambi nadakinraan enredhir
pooraNa porkudam veithu puramengum
thoraNam naatta kana kanden thozhi naan
naaLai vadhuvai maNamendru naaLittu
paaLai kamugu parisuDai pandarkizh
koLari madhavan govindan enbaanor
kaaLai pugudha kana kanden thozhi naan
indiran uLLitta devar kuzhamellaam
vandhirindhu ennai magaL pesi mandiriththu
mandira kodi uduthi manamaalai
andhari naatta kana kanden thozhi naan
naaldhisai theertham konardhu naninalgi
parpana chittargal pallaar eduthethi
poopunai kanni punidhanodendrenai
kaappunaaN kaatta kana kanden thozhi naan
kadhiroLi deepam kalasamudan yendhi
chadhiriLa mangaiyar thaamvandhedhirkolla
madhuraiyaar manna aDinilai thottengum
adhira pugudha kana kanden thozhi naan
maththaLam kotta varisangam ninroodha
muthuDai thamam niRainthazh.ndha pandharkeezh
maithunan nambi madhusudhan vandhennai
kaithalam patra kana kanden thozhi naan
vaai nallaar nalla marai odhi mandhirathaal
pachilai naaNal paduthu paridhiveithu
kaaichinamaakaLiranran en kai patri
theevalam seiya kana kanden thozhi naan
immaikum ezhezhu piravikkum patravaan
nammai udayavan naaraayaNan nambi
chemmai udaya thirukaiyaal thazh patri
ammi midhikka kana kanden thozhi naan
varisilai vaaL mugathu ennaimaar thaam vandhittu
erimugam paarithu ennai munne nirutthi
arimugan achuthan kai mel en kai vaithu
pori mugam thatta kana kanden thozhi naan
kumkugam appi kuLirchandham mattithu
magala veedhi valam seidhy maNaneer
angavanodum udanchenranganai mel
manjanamaatta kana kanden thozhi naan
aayanukkaga thaan kanDa kanavinai
veyar pugazhvillu puththurkon kodai chol
thooya tamizh maalai eeraindum vallavar
vaayum nan makkalai petru maghizhvare
Andaal thiruvadigale sharanam
=====================================================================
Vandana.
--
##########--------------------------------------------------##########
# Help CRY (Child Relief & You) help a Child http://www.us.cry.org #
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S44218
poetry (called "Mirabai ki Padavail and published by Hindi Sahitya Sammelan,
Prayag). The text he gives still reads "tari aayo", but then it could be a
misprint or something wrong with the manuscript collection he worked with
I do see your point , so.. I will take it your interpretation is right
especially since I am still getting used to understanding Rajasthan.
Yours,
Sandip.i
S44218
Sandip
Sreenivas Paruchuri
Ashok <ADhar...@WorldBank.Org> 19 Apr 1999 20:42:27 GMT wrote:
Thanks for a nice post! A couple of brief comments, rather
nitpickings (?) ...
while writing on VeeraSaiva movement you said:
> in common people of the time is unbelievable. The depth of the social
> churning engendered can be gauged from the fact that many prostitutes
> became poets and social commentators; their writings/sayings have been
I think theres a difference between Devadasi-s (well, its also a
bowdlerized term from modern times) and the prostitutes. In fact, Ludwik
Sternbach talks (JAOS, 1951) at length about the synonyms of the word:
prostitute, and says that there are more than 250 words. My point is:
these poet(esse)s belonged to the 'so called' dEvadaasi community, who
traditionally enjoyed good training in fine arts and literature. The
problem is on one hand the dEvadaasi/vESya enterprise is overly
romanticized (e.g. Tharu & Lalitha in their highly laudable 2 Vol
anthology: _Women's Writing in India_ go little further while talking
about muddupaLani, @ Tanjavur Nayaka Court), and OTOH was severely
criticized by socalled "reformers" -highly influenced by the Victorian
morals- at the turn of this century.
Basically "devadasi" is an early twentieth century word invented to soften
the connotations of sexuality in the community's several names. As far as I
can see, sexuality was not a problem for Indian intellectuals before 20th
century. Nor was there a conflict between spirituality and sexuality before
the Victorian influence on Indian thinking.
> There is an additional source for the obscurity of the Veerashaiva
> movement. For some unfathomable reason, there is a tendency on the
> part of historians of bhakti movement to include devotees of Krishna, not
> of Shiva!
Didn't Indira Peterson (in her: Poems to Siva- The hymns of the Tamil
Saints, PUP, 1989), V. Narayana Rao (Siva's warriors-the basavapuraaNa of
paalkuriki sOmanaatha, PUP, 1990), David Shulman (Songs of the harsh
devotee - Tevaarams of Cuntaramurtinayanar, UPenn, 1990) talk about
devotees of Siva & bhakti movement! Also, AKR in his excellant afterword
(on Bhakti movement) to: Hymns for the drowning - poems for Vishnu by
Nammazhvaar (PUP, 1981) talks about VeeraSaiva poets along with _VaishNava_
poets.
> based on a cultural-political reasoning: by opting to translate the
> signatures into English, the translator becomes an accomplice in erasing
> the identity. (Conflict-of-interest alert: the author of the book is my
> sister-in-law).
I share your (and Rajan's) opinion that the _makuTam_: chenna-
mallikaarjunaa, kooDala sangamESwaraa, kaaLahasteeSwaraa, muvva-
gOpaala, etc. ...... 'd have been left that way. However, I find Teju's
above criticism little harsh. This is one problem I have with Po-Cos
(and more with Po-Mos). I am informed by a renowned scholar working on
south Asia that these translations were in 1st line made for "them",
i.e. the 'others' (and not "us"). My paraphrasing! The situation is so
pathetic that _even_ today a scholarly study on south India(n languages),
needs to have the "customary" footnote, "right" at the very begining saying
that: Tamil/Telugu/Kannada/Malayalam is a language spoken by ca. 60million
people.
At last, I can't describe in words, what an influence did AKR's translations
(and V. Narayana Rao's) from Tamil and Kannada (from Telugu) had on
south Asian scholarly community since the release of his first poetry
anthology of translation: Interior Landscape (1967), introducing a totally
new world of poetry/literature. With great pleasure I also note the
availability (and good sales) of all these wonderful translations
available as paper-backs (at low prices) in India too.
Regards,
Sreenivas
--
E-Mail: sre...@ktp.uni-paderborn.de
Hemlata N. Khemani
> :have seen do transcribe the song as "raam ratan dhan paayo". In fact I
> :have a cassette just by that name and the first song is this one by Lata.
> :And she does sing Ram, doesn't she? Anyway, some corrections:>
> ^^^^^^ =============
>
> You mean, some opinions, right?
Not exactly, Arup. I meant corrections as well as opinions. :-))
Corrections because- look at amolit, it doesn't make any sense at all. The
correct word is amolik or amolika to be trnsliterate correctly. There may
have been more corrections, I don't rememebr. Bottomline: There were
corrections as well.
> An example of the last Sandhi would be Manu + Antar giving rise to
> Manwantar.
good example.
> However, when this letter is transcribed to English it should indeed be a
> "w" because it represents the "wa" sound of u + a. So Neha is correct in
> transcribing the word as "wastu" and not as "vastu".
In your manwantar example I do agree with you. But I still believe that a
word starting with "va" should be written as "va" and not "wa". The sound
of u + a would come when you are "sandhi" ising it. However there is no
consonant as "wa", there is a "va" though. So lets agree to disagree on
that one.
> Hemavati / Hemawati / Hemlata what say you?
:-) Rule out Hemawati.
Hema.
Kishore Krishna
>A definitive rendition of Thiruppaavai is by none other than
>M.L. Vasanthakumari. I remember my mom had a phonograph record of the
>the same. Unfortunately I was not able to find it in cassette or CD
>form on my last trip to Madras. I would appreciate any information
>regarding this.
It's available in a double CD from HMV/EMI - any decent store like Shrimati's in Berkeley
has it. The 2 tape version was reprinted and available this last December as also MLV's
version of the Tiruvempaavai (a saiva version inspired by the tiruppaavai).
>I have reproduced the verses below and I hope someone will provide
>a better translation that I can attempt to give.
I'll translate into serviceable bare bones prose.
>(The book from where I transliterated the verses has a preface relating
>how unmarried [read: unhappy] girls of marriageable age will be
>granted a swift marriage 'pact' if they recite these verses with
>devotion. So much for Meera/Mahaadeviakka/AndaaL being "women with
>exceptional courage and independence of mind", they are ultimately
>reduced to the same stereotypical icons.) As a colorful aside,
>Iyengar girls are dressed up as AnDaaL when they get married even today.
Why is this so surprising? Women rulers like Rudramadevi (c.11-
13th cent - rashtrakuta?) had to dress up as men with false beards
to establish their ability to rule. How many women (indian or otherwise)
have founded a dynasty?
Several translations have been recommended in another response - I'd
add David Shulman's A Poem at the Right Moment as well.
>===================================================================
==
>vaaraNam aayiram suuzha valam seidhu
Amidst a thousand elephants
>naaraNa nambi nadakinraan enredhir
Lord Narayana walks; to welcome him
>pooraNa porkudam veithu puramengum
authentic/full golden vessels where placed and
>thoraNam naatta kana kanden thozhi naan
garlands were strung - friend I dreamt this
>
>naaLai vadhuvai maNamendru naaLittu
Tomorrow is fixed as the Wedding day,
>paaLai kamugu parisuDai pandarkizh
Beneath the wooden shamiana? are the gifts;
>koLari madhavan govindan enbaanor
the wielder of the discus Govinda Madhava
>kaaLai pugudha kana kanden thozhi naan
entered - friend I dreamt this (she compares him
to a bull since the gait of a decorated bull in
procession is supposed to epitomize the male -
unfortunately in english "he walked in like a
bull" is most likely to be completed "in[to] a
china shop." The perils of translation:-)
>
>indiran uLLitta devar kuzhamellaam
All the devas with Indra at their head
>vandhirindhu ennai magaL pesi mandiriththu
came to plan and perform my Wedding -
>mandira kodi uduthi manamaalai
I was in ceremonial dress and exchanged
>andhari naatta kana kanden thozhi naan
garlands - friend I dreamt this
>
>naaldhisai theertham konardhu naninalgi
The sacred waters of the four theerthas
(manasarovar, raameswaram? kaasi, &
naarayansarovar in Gujarat) were brought
>parpana chittargal pallaar eduthethi
many brahmin priests chanted & praised
>poopunai kanni punidhanodendrenai
as the Sacred One tied the protective
>kaappunaaN kaatta kana kanden thozhi naan
string [on me] - friend I dreamt this
>
>kadhiroLi deepam kalasamudan yendhi
With lamps burning bright as the Sun
and sacred vessels,
>chadhiriLa mangaiyar thaamvandhedhirkolla
dancing maidens welcomed
>madhuraiyaar manna aDinilai thottengum
the King of Ma(d)thura(i); the earth
>adhira pugudha kana kanden thozhi naan
shook as he waled in - friend I dreamt this
>
>maththaLam kotta varisangam ninroodha
The Mridangam was played, the conch blown,
>muthuDai thamam niRainthazh.ndha pandharkeezh
pearl strings weighing him down, 'neath the shamiana?
>maithunan nambi madhusudhan vandhennai
the Lord Madhusudhana grasped
>kaithalam patra kana kanden thozhi naan
my hand - friend I dreamt this
>
>vaai nallaar nalla marai odhi mandhirathaal
The good people recited the scriptures
>pachilai naaNal paduthu paridhiveithu
with the leaves ....[some ritual - arundhati
paarthal?]
>kaaichinamaakaLiranran en kai patri
the Lord (who resembled a bull) grasped
>theevalam seiya kana kanden thozhi naan
my hand and circled the fire with me -
friend I dreamt this
>
>immaikum ezhezhu piravikkum patravaan
For this life and the rest he is the refuge
>nammai udayavan naaraayaNan nambi
he owns us - Lord Naarayana
>chemmai udaya thirukaiyaal thazh patri
with his red hands grasped my foot
>ammi midhikka kana kanden thozhi naan
and placed it on the mortar - friend I dreamt this
[someone who got married south indian vaishnavite
please explain what ammi midithu arundhati
paarpathu means]
>
>varisilai vaaL mugathu ennaimaar thaam vandhittu
?
>erimugam paarithu ennai munne nirutthi
As I stood facing the Fire
>arimugan achuthan kai mel en kai vaithu
Narasimha Achyuta placed my hand over his
>pori mugam thatta kana kanden thozhi naan
and we shaped pori - friend I dreamt this
>
>kumkugam appi kuLirchandham mattithu
Applying kumkum and cool sandal paste
>magala veedhi valam seidhy maNaneer
we circled the street in procession,
>angavanodum udanchenranganai mel
then we ceremonially bathed in the
>manjanamaatta kana kanden thozhi naan
sacred waters while sitting - friend I dreamt this
This is a benedictory verse composed by someone else
>
>aayanukkaga thaan kanDa kanavinai
the dream she dreamt of the cowherd
>veyar pugazhvillu puththurkon kodai chol
the daughter of the famed brahmin & chief of villiputhur
>thooya tamizh maalai eeraindum vallavar
she recited in pure tamil as a garland numbering twice fifteen
>vaayum nan makkalai petru maghizhvare
- if repeated/sung by the able, they will be blessed with good
children who'll make them happy
>
>Andaal thiruvadigale sharanam
I take refuge at the sacred feet of Aandaal
>===================================================================
==
--
Kishore Krishna
kskr...@silcon.com
dheeraj....@gmail.com
dheeraj....@gmail.com
Butter Wala
> Anupama Mahajan wrote:
> >
> > Hi ,
> > Could anyone provide me with the lyrics of 'Paayo Ji Maine Ram
> > Ratana
> > Dhana payo' ?
>
> Sure. From what I remember it should be :
> (Corrections welcome!)
>
> paayo ji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
>
> wastu amolit di more sadguru
> wastu amolit di more sadguru
> paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
>
> janam ki poonji paayi
> janam ki poonji paayi
> jag mein sabhi khowaayo
> paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
>
> kharche na khoote chor na loote
> kharche na khoote chor na loote
> din din badhat sawaayo
> paayoji maine ram ratan dhan paayo
>
> satya ki naav khewaTiya sadguru
> paayoji maine raam ratan dhan paayo
> --
> Neha Desai
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to, to avoid
> the real labour of thinking. Sir Joshua Reynolds.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
-Anil
