When I was a babaji in India, one of my most memorable experiences came when travelling on one of those long distance locals north of Katwa. I was headed to Rampur Hat, which is the nearest train station to Ekchakra, the birthplace of Lord Nityananda.
North of Katwa, things really change. You lose practically all vestiges of modern India. Nothing like those local commuter trains with a crush of Calcutta babus commuting, or cars of tired hawkers with their cannisters of milk and baskets of produce, the floor ankle deep in rotting banana leaves and tossed out guavas. Nor is it anything like those long-distance trains between Calcutta and Delhi, or an air-conditioned super express train from Howrah to Madras.
This is the local slow train, winding through the backside of Bengal into the Santal Paraganas of Bihar. Small-market stuff. A party of Santals going to a marriage in a distant village.
This is also Baul country. and it was a Baul musician who very strongly affected me with the following song. He was dressed in white and playing the one-stringed gourd instrument called the ektara, jingling his ankle bells to give the rhythm. He sang with so much feeling, and the minute he uttered Radha’s name, I was totally absorbed in his song. Though other people were there in the train, which was only moderately crowded, I felt that he was singing just for me. Before it was over, tears were pouring from my eyes. I literally emptied my pockets for that Baul busker, and I would do it again, even if my pockets were fuller than they were then.
I felt that I could even become a Baul just for this song.
Recently, I found the same song on a CD “Musique du monde” called “Inde: Chants d’initiation des Bauls de Bengale.” When I saw the title, I immediately bought the record. Though on the whole there is some pretty bad singing on this album, luckily the 8’45” version of “Be born as Radha in your next life” (as the title is given there), with dotara and kartal accompaniment, is every bit as good as I remember it from that day. I transcribed it as best as I could, with all the repetitions and everything, and provide a translation. This is Radha, cursing Krishna to become Gauranga.
========================================
Be born as Radha in your next life.
Refrain:
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
In your next life, O dear one,
become like me, Radha.
(1)
sundara viraha -- mone hobe jena
sundara viraha -- mone hobe jena
keno kande braja-bala
para-janame hobe radha
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
When you bear the separation from your handsome lover,
then you will know why the girls of Braja cried.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(2)
shyama raya
kandiya kandiya amari moton tumi
kandiya krishna krishna nama vadane bolibe
kandiya kandiya amari moton tumi
kandiya krishna krishna nama vadane bolibe
na maniya monodi badha
para janame hobe radha
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
Like me, you will cry and cry,
And crying, call out Krishna’s name.
Like me, you will cry and cry,
And crying, call out Krishna’s name,
without any regard for the world outside.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(3)
bujhibe jokhon narira bedon
shyama raya shyama raya
bujhibe jokhon narira bedon
radhar porane koto byetha
para janame hobe radha
para janame amari moton
radha hoia tumi priya
Then you will understand how much women suffer,
Just how Radha’s life is full of pain.,
Shyama, O Shyama!
Then you will understand how much women suffer,
Just how Radha’s life is full of pain.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(4)
kandayacho shyama tumi kandibe temoni
shyama raya shyama raya
kandayacho shyama tumi kandibe temoni
kandibo na ami kothin pashaniya
para janame hoio radha
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
O Shyama, then you will cry,
just as you made me cry.
Shyama O Shyama.
O Shyama, then you will cry,
just as you made me cry.
But I won’t cry, I’ll be as hard as stone.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(5) [Repeats first verse.]
sundara viraha mone hobe jeno
keno kande braja-bala
keno kande braja-bala
sundara viraha mone hobe jeno
keno kande braja bala
keno kande braja bala
As you experience separation from your beautiful lover,
you will know why the girls of Braja cried.
As you experience separation from your beautiful lover,
you will know why the girls of Braja cried.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(6)
tomara banshi-ti amara vinati
tomara banshi-ti amara vinati
eki sudhechilo sadha
para janame hoio radha
poro jonome amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya.. priya
radha hoio tumi priya.. priya
poro jonome amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya.. priya
I humbly pray to your flute,
I humbly pray to your flute,
I have revealed to you this, my desire.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
North of Katwa, things really change. You lose practically all vestiges of modern India. Nothing like those local commuter trains with a crush of Calcutta babus commuting, or cars of tired hawkers with their cannisters of milk and baskets of produce, the floor ankle deep in rotting banana leaves and tossed out guavas. Nor is it anything like those long-distance trains between Calcutta and Delhi, or an air-conditioned super express train from Howrah to Madras.
This is the local slow train, winding through the backside of Bengal into the Santal Paraganas of Bihar. Small-market stuff. A party of Santals going to a marriage in a distant village.
This is also Baul country. and it was a Baul musician who very strongly affected me with the following song. He was dressed in white and playing the one-stringed gourd instrument called the ektara, jingling his ankle bells to give the rhythm. He sang with so much feeling, and the minute he uttered Radha’s name, I was totally absorbed in his song. Though other people were there in the train, which was only moderately crowded, I felt that he was singing just for me. Before it was over, tears were pouring from my eyes. I literally emptied my pockets for that Baul busker, and I would do it again, even if my pockets were fuller than they were then.
I felt that I could even become a Baul just for this song.
Recently, I found the same song on a CD “Musique du monde” called “Inde: Chants d’initiation des Bauls de Bengale.” When I saw the title, I immediately bought the record. Though on the whole there is some pretty bad singing on this album, luckily the 8’45” version of “Be born as Radha in your next life” (as the title is given there), with dotara and kartal accompaniment, is every bit as good as I remember it from that day. I transcribed it as best as I could, with all the repetitions and everything, and provide a translation. This is Radha, cursing Krishna to become Gauranga.
========================================
Be born as Radha in your next life.
Refrain:
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
In your next life, O dear one,
become like me, Radha.
(1)
sundara viraha -- mone hobe jena
sundara viraha -- mone hobe jena
keno kande braja-bala
para-janame hobe radha
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
When you bear the separation from your handsome lover,
then you will know why the girls of Braja cried.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(2)
shyama raya
kandiya kandiya amari moton tumi
kandiya krishna krishna nama vadane bolibe
kandiya kandiya amari moton tumi
kandiya krishna krishna nama vadane bolibe
na maniya monodi badha
para janame hobe radha
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
Like me, you will cry and cry,
And crying, call out Krishna’s name.
Like me, you will cry and cry,
And crying, call out Krishna’s name,
without any regard for the world outside.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(3)
bujhibe jokhon narira bedon
shyama raya shyama raya
bujhibe jokhon narira bedon
radhar porane koto byetha
para janame hobe radha
para janame amari moton
radha hoia tumi priya
Then you will understand how much women suffer,
Just how Radha’s life is full of pain.,
Shyama, O Shyama!
Then you will understand how much women suffer,
Just how Radha’s life is full of pain.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(4)
kandayacho shyama tumi kandibe temoni
shyama raya shyama raya
kandayacho shyama tumi kandibe temoni
kandibo na ami kothin pashaniya
para janame hoio radha
para janame amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya
O Shyama, then you will cry,
just as you made me cry.
Shyama O Shyama.
O Shyama, then you will cry,
just as you made me cry.
But I won’t cry, I’ll be as hard as stone.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(5) [Repeats first verse.]
sundara viraha mone hobe jeno
keno kande braja-bala
keno kande braja-bala
sundara viraha mone hobe jeno
keno kande braja bala
keno kande braja bala
As you experience separation from your beautiful lover,
you will know why the girls of Braja cried.
As you experience separation from your beautiful lover,
you will know why the girls of Braja cried.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
(6)
tomara banshi-ti amara vinati
tomara banshi-ti amara vinati
eki sudhechilo sadha
para janame hoio radha
poro jonome amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya.. priya
radha hoio tumi priya.. priya
poro jonome amari moton
radha hoio tumi priya.. priya
I humbly pray to your flute,
I humbly pray to your flute,
I have revealed to you this, my desire.
You will be Radha in your next life.
In your next life, O dear one,
become Radha like me.
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