Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

13 Janëū i [Nieuw Nickerie, 1967]

cäitahi barüā teja cale bäisākha mę pahųcäi ho
bhikṣā dëo e maiyā¹ bhikṣā dëo maį to barüā barāhmana ho
jau maį jānatyų ai barüā hamare ghare äihäu ho
osara maį jutā̈i ke ghana motiyā bovāvatïų ho
motiyana thāra bharā̈i ke maį barüā ke detiyäų ho

The boy candidate² walks fast in (the month of) caitra³ and arrives in (the month of) vaiśākha³ (and begs on the way).

1 The song continues while the initiate is going round the gathering receiving alms. The same lines are repeated, replacing the word maiyā (mother) with other lady relatives, e.g. dādī (paternal grandmother), nānī (maternal grandmother) etc.

2 Barüā (S. vaṭu), a young boy who has not yet been initiated into the study of the Veda.

3 Caitra: February-March. Vaiśākha: March-April. The two months of the spring season are the time enjoined for the upanayana ceremony of a Brāhmaṇa child. Vasante brāhmaṇam upanayīta (ApDS. 1.1.19).

[p. 61]

II.

- Give alms, O mother;¹ give alms. I am but a young Brāhmaṇa candidate.

III.

- If I had known, O young candidate, that you would come to my home,

IV.

I would have ploughed the top storey (of my home)² and would have got a thick (crop of) pearls sown.

V.

I would have (then) filled a plate³ with the pearls and given to (you), the young candidate.

1 Not necessarily one's own mother. Any lady may be addressed in this way.

2 Perhaps she means that she would have ploughed down even the land where her house stands.

3 Thālī. A variant is kañcana thāra: a plate made of gold.