Ritual songs and folksongs of the Hindus of Surinam

[p. 153]

88 Birahās x [Leiding 8A, 1962]
Long Birahā: Kṛṣṇa's adventure into Pātāla; an Ahīr narrative¹

janame kanhā̈i gokulā mahārājā
bābā ghara nanda bhayā sārā
gęda ke khol kara dāba liye haį gāl mą̄
hį̄ci hį̄ci gędā māre kadama ke jhāṛa mą̄
ucharini geyanā girini jamunā mą
kariyā ke beṭa pahira nagicānā
taba kūda parini siri kriśna kanhā̈ī
o māre buḍhukiyā pātāla cali jā̈ī
jahą̄ nāga sovę nāgina beniyā ḍulā̈ī
o tahą̄ gäini siri krisna kanhā̈ī
o dekhe nāgini sihir höi jā̈i
o janam manukh haväį hamare kahą̄, ā̈i
o bhāgo bhāgo tu siri krisna kanhā̈ī
o uṭhi nāga choṛihaį phuphukārā
taba gore kanhaiyā są̄vare höi jā̈i
tab una ḍą̄ṭe kanhaiyā re bhā̈ī
aur tore nāga ke nāgin ham nā ḍarā̈i
ąguṭhana mār nāgin nāgäu jagā̈i
au uṭhe nāga choṛini phuphukārā
tab gore kanhaiyā są̄var höi jā̈i
choṭe choṭe bų̄dā ke dāg pari jā̈i
o bansī phų̄ki garura guharā̈i
tab to garura calini hai ā̈i
tab garula jhapaṭe nāgini gäį̄ dabakī
o nāgana ke muruchāna bhayo re
o kusa ukhāra kānhā nagäǫ ke bānhe
o nāga nāthi gokula ke lëijā̈i
o saba bāhar phūla o dihini lagā̈i
ghara ghara kanhaiyā dhūma macā̈i

1 Cp. Archer and Prasād ('43: 101).

[p. 154]

XXX.

köi ka phore gagarī köi ke phore loṭā

XXXI.

köi sakhiyana gą̄vana māre jhoṭhā

Kṛṣṇa is born the king of Gokula.
The whole house of father Nanda¹ became happy.
He (i.e. Kṛṣṇa) released the ball² and hid (it) in (his) cheek.
With full force, repeatedly he threw the ball against the kadam tree.
The ball bounced and fell in the (river) Yamunā.
The son of Kāliya first came near.
(So) Śrī Kṛṣṇa jumped down (into the river).
Diving down (he) reached the underworld.
Where the nāgas³ sleep and the nāginīs⁴ fan (them with the) fans -
There went Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
The nāginīs see him and bristle up.⁵
- Being of human birth where(fore) have (you) come (down) here?
Run, run away, Śrī Kṛṣṇa!
The nāgas will wake and give out hisses (on you) -
(And) then the fair Kṛṣṇa will go dark.
Then, oh brother, Kṛṣṇa scolded them.
- And, oh nāginīs, I fear not your nāgas.
The nāginīs goaded the nāgas with (their) thumbs (and) woke (them) up.
And the nāgas woke and gave out hisses.
Then the fair Kṛṣṇa (began to) go dark.
Tiny little drop-like spots appeared (on him).
He blew (his) flute and called⁶ Garuḍa⁷

1 The word seems to have been used with a double meaning; as the name of Nanda, and as a shortened form of ānanda, happiness. Otherwise the sentence makes no sense.

2 Perhaps, he got the ball from somewhere; released it from a hiding place.

3 The snake-folk.

4 The female snake-folk.

5 Siharnā: to experience a tremble of excitement, fear or emotion, coupled with the hair standing on edge.

6 Guharānā: translated differently in the last song, according to the context.

7 Viṣṇu's vehicle, a mythical bird, a sworn enemy of the nāgas.

[p. 155]

XXIII.

Then Garuḍa travelled and (has)¹ arrived.

XXIV.

Then Garuḍa pounced (and) nāginīs cringed.

XXV.

The nāgas fainted away.²

XXVI.

Kṛṣṇa dug up (some) kuśa (grass) and tied the nāgas up.

XXVII.

He bound the nāgas and carried them to Gokula.

XXVIII.

All (the people) placed flowers outside (their homes, to welcome him).

XXIX.

In every home Kṛṣṇa caused (a happy) uproar.

XXX.

He broke someone's pitcher; he broke someone's water-jug,

XXXI.

(and) some sakhis sing swaying (with frenzy).

1 Such, grammatical irregularities are commonplace.

2 Literally, ‘fainting happened to the nāgas’.