Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

66 Bhajan i [The Hague in the Netherlands, 1966]

bhajana binā baila birānā hǫ̈iho
dhobī ke ghara gadahā hǫ̈iho ladiyana lāda ladą̈iho
hota bhinasāra ḍaṇḍe khäiho hippo hippo karata pahųcäiho

bhajana binā...

naṭavā ke ghara bą̄dara hǫ̈iho nāka kāna chidavą̈iho
bīca sabhā mę khīsa nipoṛiho apanā bharama gavą̈iho

bhajana binā

Without devotion you will be (born) a crazy bull.
You will be (born) a donkey in the house of a washerman; you will be loaded with loads (of laundry);
At the coming of morning you will be beaten with sticks and you will carry the burden to destination with many a bray.

Without devotion...

You will be (born) a monkey in the house of a showman³ and you will have (your) nose and ears pierced;
In the middle of a gathering you will show your teeth⁴ and lose your illusions.⁵

Without devotion...

3 Naṭa, a caste of showmen. Some of them also give shows with trained animals, including monkeys, on the roadside. The nose and ears of the monkeys are pierced for ornaments.

4 In a semblance of laughter or annoyance, as demonstrated by these show monkeys.

5 ‘You will be thoroughly disillusioned’.