Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

63 Pacrā iii [Paramaribo, 1967]
To pārvatī as Śītalā³

jau maį jānatyų bhavānī maiyā yahi bāṭe äihäi ho
[jau maį jānatyų (sītala) maiyā yahi bāṭe äihäi ho]
maiyā rahiyā mę sagarā khanāvatyų ḍaphaiyā mārati āvatyu ho
jau maį jānatyų sītala maiyā yahi bāṭe äihäi ho
maiyā rahiyai mę bagiyā lagāvatiyų jūṛe jūṛe āvatiyu ho
jau hama jānatyų sītala maiyā yahi bāṭe äihäi ho
maiyā rahiyā mę baniyā basāvatyų lavaṅiyā lai caṛhāvatiyų ho
jau hama jānatyų sītala maiyā, are ho bhavānī maiyā äihäu ho

3 Cp. D. Siṁha ('44: 48-49).

[p. 119]

VIII.

maiyā rahiyā mę ahirā basāvatyų ḍaheriyā lai ke caṛhāvatiyų ho

IX.

jau hama jānatyų sātaų maiyā yahi bāṭe äihäu ho

X.

maiyā rahiyā mę ahelavā basāvatyų badhaiyā lai bajāvatiyų ho

XI.

jau hama jānatyų bhavānī maiyā, are ho sītala maiyā, ehi bāṭe äihäu ho

XII.

maiyā rahiyā mę pasiyavā basāvatyų chavanavā lai caṛhāvatiyų ho

Had I known, mother Pārvatī (Śītalā), that you would come by this route -
Mother, I would have had a pond dug on the way (so that) you would have come taking dips (in it).
Had I known, mother Śitalā, that you would come by this route -
Mother, I would have had a garden grown on the way so you would have come in the cool (shades).
Had I known, mother Śitalā, that you would come by this route -
Mother, I would have settled a shopkeeper on the way and taking cloves (from him) I would have made an offering (thereof to you).
Had I known, mother Śitalā, O mother Pārvatī, that you would come -
Mother, I would have settled a cowherd on the way and taking yoghurt (from him) I would have made an offering (thereof to you).
Had I known, all seven mothers,¹ you would come by this route -
I would have settled a hunter² on the way and taking the killed (creature from him) I would have made an offering (thereof to you).

1 For the seven deities of small-pox, the seven Śītalā sisters, see p. 25.

2 Badhaiyā bajāvatiyų (I would have made congratulatory music played) seems to have no connection with the presence of an aheliyā, a hunter. Hence, badhaiyā (from S. vadha) must mean the killed creature, and perhaps the singer meant badhaiyā caṛhāvatiyų (I would have made an offering of the killed creature) or, badhāvatiyų.

[p. 120]

XI.

Had I known, mother Pārvatī, O mother Śitalā, that you would come by this route -

XII.

I would have settled a pāsī¹ on the way and taking² a a thatch (from him) I would have made an offering (thereof to you).

1 A low caste. They often worked as labourers to thatch huts etc.

2 It should probably be chavanavā lai chavāvatiyų (I would have caused a thatch to be made).