Original Devotion… Is Like This: A Translation of Sacred Song by Jillian Burnett

[Translator’s Note: To my belovéd guru without whom this work would never be written. Real Devotion … is Like This is my translation of the devotional song  ऐसी लागी लगन  Aise Lagi Lagan, by Anup Jalota. Its context is Goddess centered devotion in Krishna. Here divinity is expressed as the play of compassionate beings in their roles with each other. The story takes place in the cultural context of the Hindu culture where devotion is a transcendental value. Its aspect is seen in family social and student teacher relationships across many traditions. One such tradition is of sacred storytelling called Lila. In this view all activities and all players are cosmic actors taking on the activities of the manifest universe spontaneously to achieve bliss. Another tradition this song intersects is Kirtan; sacred storytelling in song. Aise Lagi Lagan is a bhajan; a type of devotional song; it historically belongs to the Hindu bhakti movement which is characterized by passionate devotion in the context of deep spiritual truth. Finally, the translated lyrics tell the story of Princess Meera, whose engagement in devotion was so passionate, that she achieved her every desire in the perfection of divine bliss that she sought in life. While this translation is verse, I have tried to fairly render it with additions to engage context where needed.]

Drawing by J.A.A. Narayan

है आँखवो जो श्याम

 का दर्शन किया करे

है शीश जो प्रभु चरण में

वंदन किया करे

बेकार वो मुख है जो व्यर्थ बातों में

मुख है वो जो हरी नाम का

 सुमिरन किया करे

हीरे मोती से नहीं शोभा है हाथ की

है हाथ जो भगवान् का

पूजन किया करे

मर के भी अमर नाम है

उस जीव का जग में

प्रभु प्रेम में बलिदान जो

 जीवन किया करे

ऐसी लागी लगन, मीरा हो गयी मगन

वो तो गली गली हरी गुण गाने लगी

महलों में पली, बन के जोगन चली

मीरा रानी दीवानी कहाने लगी

These eyes came to see shy Krishna

With this mirror I see Govinda’s gaze

I touch his foot to find my worship.

Worthless is the mouth which talks and

Says many words in vain

I only speak – to meet him in union

My lips blissfully say only Krishna’s

name

My wrists bear no more diamonds or

Pearls – no more fashion for my fingers

Rather these hands come together in

Hymn to greet Krishna.

We who resonate his name are rendered

Deathless in this world

Under the full moon of his melody

I offer the belovéd my entire life

Real devotion is like this:

Meera was so deeply enraptured –

In alleys and streets, she sang his name

Always in his song, she gave of herself

Completely to the belovéd

Born and raised in vast palaces

She became a yogi

And left her life as a Princess

Then people started sharing her story

Of lost and bewildered Princess Meera

Devoted to her belovéd distant Krishna

कोई रोके नहीं

कोई टोके नहीं

मीरा गोविन्द गोपाल गाने लगी

बैठी संतो के संग

रंगी मोहन के रंग

मीरा प्रेमी प्रीतम को मनाने लगी

वो तो गली गली

 हरी गुण गाने लगी

राणा ने विष दिया, मानो अमृत पिया

मीरा सागर में सरिता समाने लगी

दुःख लाखों सहे

मुख से गोविन्द कहे

मीरा गोविन्द गोपाल गाने लगी

वो तो गली गली हरी गुण गाने लगी

ऐसी लागी लगन, मीरा हो गयी मगन

No one can stop her nor interrupt her With offering of song for her belovéd

Her devotion focuses melodic union

Her bright moon and his dark night

Sitting with monks and saints

Covered with Krishna’s colors

Meera was centered, she invited Beloved Krishna to meet her

She sang for her belovéd

In every alley and lane

Never leaving divine concentration Every moment, a place to meet her Beloved husband

Meera’s father gave her poison

But in Krishna’s love the elixir became Eternal nectar

She combined her essence with his

Like a river flows into the sea.

Enduring infinite suffering

Her lips only say Krishna’s name

From place to place as a homeless Wanderer,

Always Meera sang stories to Krishna

Her heart kept his song

And finally finding each other

The two resided in perfect union.


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