Vaishnava Janato -- Translation

[Guest guest]

Narasinh Mehta's wonderful "Vaishnava Janato" was posted

to rec.music.indian.classical recently. His description

of what it means to be a Vaishnava really strikes a chord

in me.

 

--

 

tiwarin (Nachiketa Tiwari)

Newsgroups: rec.music.indian.classical

Vaishnav Janato - Translation

23 May 1994 04:48:55 GMT

Organization: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia

 

Lot of persons have sent me E-mail reg. the meaning of the Bahajan. It

follows.

 

Vaishanav: A follower of Vaishnav school of Hinduism. Strict

vegetarianism, ahimsa simplicity are the hallmarks of a true vaishnav. The

Bhajan is in essence a "definition" of "vaishnav".

 

 

Vaishnav jan to tene kahiye je

[One who is a vaishnav]

PeeD paraayi jaaNe re

[Knows the pain of others]

Par-dukhkhe upkaar kare toye

[Does good to others, esp. to those ones who are in misery]

Man abhimaan na aaNe re

[Does not let pride enter his mind]

Vaishnav...

 

SakaL lok maan sahune vande

[A Vaishnav, Tolerates and praises the the entire world]

Nindaa na kare keni re

[Does not say bad things about anyone]

Vaach kaachh man nishchaL raakhe

[Keeps his/her words, actions and thoughts pure]

Dhan-dhan janani teni re

[O Vaishnav, your mother is blessed (dhanya-dhanya)]

 

Vaishnav...

 

Sam-drishti ne trishna tyaagi

[A Vaishnav sees everything equally, rejects greed and avarice]

Par-stree jene maat re

[Considers some one else's wife/daughter as his mother]

Jivha thaki asatya na bole

[The toungue may get tired, but will never speak lies]

Par-dhan nav jhaalee haath re

[Does not even touch someone else's property]

Vaishnav...

 

Moh-maaya vyaape nahi jene

[A Vaishnav does not succumb to worldly attachments]

DriDh vairaagya jena man maan re

[Who has devoted himself to stauch detachment to worldly

pleasures]

Ram naam shoon taaLi laagi

[Who has been edicted to the elixir coming by the name of Ram]

SakaL tirath tena tan maan re

[For whom all the religious sites are in the mind]

Vaishnav...

 

VaN-lobhi ne kapaT-rahit chhe

[Who has no greed and deciet]

Kaam-krodh nivaarya re

[Who has renounced lust of all types and anger]

BhaNe Narsaiyyo tenun darshan karta

[The poet Narsi will like to see such a person]

KuL ekoter taarya re

[by who's virtue, the entire family gets salvation]

Vaishnav...

 

 

Nachiketa