Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

62 Pacrā ii [Ansoe, 1967]
To Pārvatī as Mahāmāyā⁴

sumaraų ādi bhavānī maha re māyā
pahale maį sumiraų rāmā se lachamana, sītā guhane laga jā̈ų̄

are mahā re māyā

ādhe ke nadiyā nīra bahatu hai ādhe gaṅgā jala nhāy

are mahā re māyā

ądharā ke ąkhiyą̄ däiho koṛhiyā ke kāyā

are mahā re māyā

bąjhanī ke pūta dīho khilāve mahā māyā

are mahā re māyā

4 Cp. Lines IV-V, T.L. Sāstrī ('62: 77).

[p. 118]

I.

I remember the Pārvatī of the Origin,¹ the Great Māyā.

II.

First I remember Rāma (and) then Lakṣmaṇa; I attach (myself) to Sītā's side -

 

O, the Great Māyā.

III.

In one half of the river (just ordinary) water flows (and in the other) half (one) bathes in the (sacred) water of (the river) Gaṅgā -

 

O, the Great Māyā.

IV.

You would give eyes to the blind and (a wholesome) body to the leper -

 

O, the Great Māyā.

V.

You would give a son to the infertile woman. (It is the) Great Māyā that causes (one to) play -²

 

O, the Great Māyā.

1 This is the most philosophical aspect of the mother goddess, as the origin of the universe, the first material principle, the Śakti of God, prakṛti in the Sāṅkhya, and māyā in the Vedānta. Re, Rāma as Śiva and Sītā as Pārvatī, vide p. 34 and song No. 19.

2 Khilānā: when the worshipper is possessed by the goddess (vide p. 26) his movements are known as khelnā, for it is the play of the goddess.