Bhajan

Bhajans are basically musical prayers. They are sung with devotion in relation to goddesses and gods in the Hindhu pantheon. The name Bhajan   is given to any type of Indian   devotional song in general. The word ‘Bhaj’ meaning to serve or to love the divine is the root for the term Bhajan. Having no fixed form, it may be as simple as a   set of verses or as sophisticated as the   classical  musical notes.

A bhajan is normally lyrical, expressing love, devotion and surrender to the divine. Hence its importance to the   Bhakthi movement   that spread from the south of India throughout the entire subcontinent is paramount. The subject of bhajans covers a wide range of topics like descriptions of gods, episodes from scriptures, the teachings of saints and social conditions also, all related to the divine.

Bhajan singing has acquired different traditions with respect to the different regions of the country they evolved from. The traditional South Indian form is called Sampradhāya Bhajan. The compositions of the Nāyanārs and Āzhwārs of Thamizhnāḍu and the Dhāsas of Karṇāṭaka and many others formed the core of this tradition. The   kīrthan as   or songs in the Haridhāsa   tradition are related to the Bhajan form. From the northern part of the continent, Nānak,   Kabīr,   Mīrā,   Sūrdhās   and   Thulasīdhās   are notable composers. Bhajans   by these   and a few others like Narotthama Dhās are considered to be classic. The languages of their work are influenced by several dialects of Hindi and are widely enjoyed even among those who do not speak Hindi. Other than the above, traditions of Bhajan such as Nirguṇi, Gorakhanāthi, Vallabhapanthi, Aṣhṭachhāp, Madhhura-Bhakthi etc. each have their own repertoire and methods of singing.

It is interesting to note that the   Dhrupad   style in Hindhusthāni music and the Sūfi   qawwāli are inspired by the Bhajan form.   In the present period of time, the Bhajan form influences all age groups and is considered the easiest way to connect to the Divine.

Rāga: Brundhāvan Sārang
Thāḷa: Dheśhādhi
Composer: Swāthi Thirunāḷ
Language: Hindi
Meanings – Word by word & Overall: R.Shankar – Rasikas.Org

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Chaliye Kunjan Mo Thum Ham Mil Shyām Hari

Dhekho Jamunā Re Bahi Sundhar Athi Nirbhari
(Chaliye)

Choḍiye Kaise Mokun Main Tho Thero Hāth Dhhari
(Chaliye)

Suniye Koyal Ke Bol Piyā Kyā Kahri
(Chaliye)

Chaliye Kunjan Mo Thum Ham Mil Shyām Hari

Chaliye = Let Us Go
Kunjan Mo = Into (mo) The Garden (Kunjan)
Thum = You
Ham = Me/Us
Mil = Together/After Meeting
Shyām Hari = Oh! Kriṣhṇa

A young Gopi approaches the lord of Vrundhāvan, and says, oh Kriṣhṇa, let us go to the garden together.

Dhekho Jamunā Re Bahi Sundhar Athi Nirbhari
Dhekho = See
Jamunā = The River Yamunā
Re = Addressing Kriṣhṇa (With An Extreme Degree Of Familiarity)
Bahi = Is Flowing
Sundhar = Pretty/Beautiful
Athi = Excessively
Nir = Water
Bhari = Filled Will

Oh Kriṣhṇa! See the beautiful river Yamunā as it flows filled with/ brimming with water!

Note: Yamunā (per mythology) is the daughter of the sun god, Sūrya and Chhāyā (the shadow of Sūrya's first wife, Sanjanā). She is the sister of Yama the lord of death and Śhani (saturn) the planet - as a river and a goddess she is described as being fickle - changing course at the drop of a hat, or, a plough (hala hati bhiti)....

Choḍiye Kaise Mokun Main Tho Thero Hāth Dhhari

Chodiye = Please Let Go
Kaise = How
Mokun Could Mean "Me" (Mujhe/ Mujhko). Chodiye Kaise Mokun = How Can You Leave Me = Mujhe (Mujhko) Kaise Chod Sakte Ho

Main  Tho = I
Thero = Your
Hāth = Hand
Dhhari = Hold

"Choḍiye Kaise Mokun Main tho Thero Hāth Dhari" Conveys A Different Meaning, I.E., How can you leave me when I have held your hand?

Choḍiye Kaise Mokun - How could you leave me?
Main Tho There Hāth Dhhari - I have held (caught hold of) your hand.

The ever mischevious Kriṣhṇa tries to hold the Gopi's hands, making her aghast at this familiarity. She says how can I hold hands with you in public and walk around this garden? People will misunderstand me, and my reputation will be in tatters. So, please, unhand me, Mohana!

Note: The Gopis are an interesting bunch - they couldn't live without Kriṣhṇa on the one hand, and oh, they felt annoyed when he got too familiar with them.

Suniye Koyal Ke Bol Piyā Kya Kahri

Suniye = Please Listen
Koyal Ke = Cuckoo's
Bol = Song/Words
Piyā = Loved One
Kya = What
Keh rahi = Is Saying

The Gopi diverts Kriṣhṇa's attention to that of a cuckoo who is singing the eternal song of love - and says, listen! Do you hear what that cuckoo is saying?

Rāga:

Thāḷa: Ādhi

Composer: Mīrā Bāī

Language: Hindhi

Meaning- Word by word & Overall: Team Ambalam

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Ho Ramaiya Bin Nīndh Na Āve
Nīndh Na Āve Biraha Sathāve Prem Ki Āg Lagāve

Bin Piyā Jyoth Mandhir Andhiyāro Dhīpak Dayan Āve
Piyā Bin Meri Saz Aluni Jāgath Rain Bihāve
Piyā Kab Āve . Ramaiya Bin ....

Dadur Mor Papīhā Bole Koyal Sabad Sunāve
Ghumat Ghhatā Ular Hui Āyi Dhāmini Damak Darāve
Nain Jhar Lāve . Ramiya Bin ....

Ko Hai Meri Sakhhi Saheli Sajani Piyā Ko Ān Milāve
Mīrā Ke Prabhu Kare Miloge Manmohan Mohe Bhāve
Kab Bathlāve . Ramaiya Bin ....

Meaning:

Ho Ramaiya Bin Nīndh Na Āve
Nīndh Na Āve Biraha Sathāve Prem Ki Āg Lagāve

Ho – Oh! ; Ramaiya –the beloved;

 Bin – without; Nīndh – sleep; 

Na – has not; Āve – come;
Nīndh Na Āve – sleep evades me;

 Biraha – separation; Sathāve – troubles;

 Prem – love; Ki – of; Āg – fire; Lagāve – ignites

Oh! I cannot sleep without my beloved. Sleep evades me as separation from my beloved troubles me with the fire of love being ignited.

Bin Piyā Jyoth Mandhir Andhiyāro Dhīpak Dayan Āve
Piyā Bin Meri Saz Aluni Jāgath Rein Bihāve
Piyā Kab Āve ( Ramaiya Bin ....)

Bin – without; Piyā – beloved;

Jyoth – light; Mandhir – temple;

Andhiyāro – darkness; Dhīpak – light;

 Dayan - ; Āve – coming;
Piyā Bin – without beloved;  Meri – my;

 Saz Aluni  - slow breath; Jāgath –to be awake; Rein – time,spirit

 Bihāve - disturbed
Piyā  - beloved; Kab Āve – when will he come? (Ramaiya Bin ....)

Without the light (my beloved), the temple is dark. The lights are dim, my breath is slow and my spirit is disturbed without my beloved. When will my beloved come?

Dadur Mor Papīhā Bole Koyal Sabad Sunāve
Ghumat Ghhatā Ular Hui Āyi Dhāmini Damak Darāve
Nain Jhar Lāve (Ramiya Bin ....)

Dadur - ; Mor – peacock;

 Papīhā – cuckoo; Bole – says (sings)

Koyal – nightingale; Sabad – word, sound;

Sunāve – make you listen;
Ghumat -  moving; Ghhatā – thecloud;

 Ular – Hui – has happened;

 Āyi – came; Dhāmini – the sky;

 Damak – shine; Darāve -
Nain – eye; Jhar  - tears; Lāve – bringing; (Ramiya Bin ....)

The peacock and the cuckoo make sounds, the nightingale sings, the moving clouds happen to be……the sky is shining, all these bring tears to my eyes.

Ko Hai Meri Sakhhi Saheli Sajani Piyā Ko Ān Milāve
Mīrā Ke Prabhu Kare Miloge Manmohan Mohe Bhāve
Kab Bathlāve (Ramaiya Bin ....)

Ko - who; Hai – is there;

 Meri – my; Sakhhi – friend;

Saheli – friend; Sajani – lover (female); Piyā – lover(male);

 Ko –to;  Ān – eyes;  Milāve – meet;

Mīrā – Meerabai; Ke - of; Prabhu – Lord;

 Kare – does; Miloge  - will u meet;

Manmohan – charmer;  Mohe – me;

Bhāve – in mind; Kab – when; Bathlāve  - can I say? (Ramaiya Bin ....)

Who else is there O friend of mine, who can meet his eyes? The lord of Meera, the charmer is in my mind. When will I be able to say it to him?

Rāga: Miśhra Yaman

Thāḷa: Ādhi

Composer: Rangeśhwar

Language: Marāṭhī

Meaning - Word by word: Team Ambalam with inputs from Dr. Shilpa Pandit

Meaning - Overall: Priyadarshini Govind

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Rusali Rādhhā Rusala Mādhhava Rusale Gokula Sāre

Kunjavani Nathi kahi Rusala Tharuvari Dhanuvari Rāje

Kithi Konāche Dhharuni Abola Rusuni Baisale Mohana Rādhhā

Koṇi Vadhāve Ādhi Nakaḷe

Meaning

Rusali Rādhhā Rusala Mādhhava Rusale Gokula Sāre

Rusali - she is sulking, upset, angry etc.; Rādhhā – that Radha;

 Rusala - he is sulking, upset, angry etc.; Mādhhava -   that Krishna;

Rusale Gokula Sāre – the whole of Gokula is upset.

Kunjavani Nathi kahi Rusala Tharuvari Dhanuvari Rāje

Kunjavani Nathi kahi Rusala Tharuvari Dhanuvari Rāje

Kithi Konāche Dhharuni Abola Rusuni Baisale Mohana Rādhhā

Kithi - how; Konāche – with whom; Dhharuni – to hold on; Abola – not speaking;

 Rusuni – upset and sulking; Baisale – sitting; Mohana – Krishna; Rādhhā - Radha

Koṇi Vadhāve Ādhi Nakaḷe

Koṇi - who; Vadhāve – will speak; Ādhi – first; Nakaḷe – do not know

Radha is sulking and so is Krishna. The entire town of Gokula is upset because they are sulking. How long can they hold on without speaking to one another? Krishna and Radha are sitting with upset and sulking.

Note:

Looking at Krishna with other girls, Radha is upset. While Krishna tries to pacify Radha, looking at her anger, Krishna is upset. Looking at both of them upset, entire nature is upset. The bees separate from the flowers, the peacocks do not dance, the birds argue - all of nature is angry. 

 Who is going to speak first? Who is going to give in?

Raga: Yaman kalyāṇi.

Thāḷa: Miśhrachāpu

Composer: Tulsidhās

Language: Hindi

Meaning-Overall:Bhajansonline.Blogspot.Com

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Śhrī Rāmachandhra Krpālu Bhajamana Haraṇa Bhhavabhhaya Dhāruṇam

Nava Kanjalochana Kunjamukha Kharakanja Kanjāruṇam

Kandharpa Agaṇitha Amitha Chhavi Navanīla Nīraja Sundha Rāma

Pata Pita Mano Thaditha Ruchi Naumi Janaka Suthāva Rāma

Bhaja Dhīnabandhu Dhineśha Dhānava Dhaithya Vamśha Nikandanam

Raghunandha Ānandhakandha Kosalachandha Daśharatha Nandhanam

Śhira Mukuṭa Kunḍala Thilaka Chāru Udhara Aṅga Vibhūṣhaṇam

Ājānubhuja Śharachāpa Dhhara Saṅgrāma Jithakhara Dūṣhaṇam

Ithi Vadatha Tulasīdhāsa Śhankara Śheṣha Muni Mana Ranjanam

Mama Hrdhaya Kanja Nivāsakara Kāmādhi Khaladala Ganjanam

Meanings:

Śhrī Rāmachandhra Krpālu Bhajamana Haraṇa Bhhavabhhaya Dhāruṇam

Nava Kanjalochana Kunjamukha Kharakanja Kanjāruṇam

O my heart! Sing praises of Śhrī Rāma, who absolves the greatest fears due to the cycle of life and death, and whose eyes, mouth, hands, and feet are like a newly blooming red lotus.

Kandharpa Agaṇitha Amitha Chhavi Navanīla Nīraja Sundha Rāma

Pata Pita Mano Thaditha Ruchi Naumi Janaka Suthāvaram

I bow to Śhrī Rāma, whose beauty cannot be compared with that of the cupid kamdev, whose pleasing appearance is beyond any measures, whose body is like a newly formed dense blue cloud, whose yellow robes are shining like lightening (on his cloud like body), whose beauty is gleaming, and who is the consort of the daughter of Janaka (Sīthā)

Bhaja Dhīnabandhu Dhineśha Dhānava Dhaithya Vamśha Nikandanam

Raghunandha Ānandhakandha Kosalachandha Daśharatha Nandhanam

Sing praises of Śhrī Rāma, who is the friend of poor, who is the lord of sun, who expurgated the lineage of demons from Dhāu and Dhaithya, who is the dear one of Raghu, who is like a cloud of happiness, who is beautiful from Kosala and who is dear one of Daśharatha.

Śhira Mukuṭa Kunḍala Thilaka Chāru Udhara Aṅga Vibhūṣhaṇam

Ājānubhuja Śharachāpa Dhhara Saṅgrāma Jithakhara Dūṣhaṇam

Sing praises of Śhrī Rāma, who has a beautiful crown on his head, who is adorned with ear-hoops, who has a beautiful colored mark (Thilaka) on his forehead, who has expanded and beautiful organs decorated by ornaments, who has long hands reaching his knees, who holds a bow and an arrow, and who defeated Khara and Dhūṣhaṇa in a fierce battle.

Ithi Vadatha Thulasīdhāsa Śhankara Śheṣha Muni Mana Ranjanam

Mama Hrdhaya Kanja Nivāsakara Kāmādhi Khaladala Ganjanam

Thulasīdhāsa says this; Rāma, the enticer of Shiva, Śheṣha (Śheṣhanāga), and saints, reside in my lotus-like-heart and destroy the evils generated by desire.