Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

[p. 123]

67 Bhajan ii [Ansoe, 1962]

satya bacan aura dinatā para tiya māta samān
itane mę hari nā mile tulasī hai jhūṭha jabān

basau tu hamare hirday mę sāradā mā̈ī
sursati more hirday basihai bhūlā gñāna batā̈ī
dhaulāgiri para banala cautarā tero kirati maiyā tīnǫ jaga ṭhā̈ī

basau hamare...

devi ke ą̄gana pīpar sohaį baṭa sohaį pachavāre
sone ke chatara bhavana par sohaį lāla dhujā mę...¹ phaharā̈ī

basau tu...

Truthful speech and meekness, (beholding) another's woman as mother -
If just by this God is not met, (says) Tulasīdāsa, then one's word is untrue.²

Mother Sarasvatī,³ abide in my heart.
Sarasvatī will abide in my heart (and) tell (me) the forgotten knowledge.
(Her) altar is built on Dhaulgiri.⁴ Mother, your repute is spread throughout the three realms.

Abide in my heart...

1 The words are not clear in our tape.

2 If one says that he practised all these and yet did not find God, he is speaking untruth somewhere.

3 Here, Sarasvatī is identified with the general mother goddess. The prayer is to Sarasvatī, the goddess of wisdom, but the description given in the song applies to Devī, the general mother goddess.

4 See p. 36.

[p. 124]

IV.

In the courtyard of the goddess the pīpal trees appear beautiful (and) at the back (of the shrine) the vaṭa trees appear beautiful.

V.

The gold parasols appear beautiful on the building, and on the red flag flutter...¹

 

Abide in my heart...

1 The words are not clear in our tape.