सुनता हैं गुरु ज्ञानी - Sunta hain Guru Gyani - Nirgun Bhajan by Kabeer

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संत कबीर रचित निर्गुण भजन - Nirgun Bhajan by Kabeer

Rendition of this Bhajan by Pandit Kumar-Gandharva

Another Rendition of this Bhajan by Rahul Deshpande (I love this version more)

सुनता हैं गुरु ज्ञानी गगन में,

आवाज हो रही झिनी झिनी - (धृ)

पाहि लीयाये नाद बिंदु से,

पीछे जमया पानी हो जी

सब घट पूरण बोली रह्या है,

अलख पुरुष निर्बानी हो जी ll 1 ll

वहां से आया पता लिखाया,

तृष्णा तौने बुझाई ..

अमृत छोडसो विषय को धावे,

उलटी फाँस फंसानी हो जी ll 2 ll

गगन मंडलू में गौ भी आनी

भोई पे दही जमाया...

माखन माखन संतों ने खाया,

छाछ जगत बापरानी हो जी ... ll 3 ll

बिन धरती एक मंडल दीसे,

बिन सरोवर जूँ पानी रे

गगन मंडलू में होए उजियाला,

बोल गुरु-मुख बानी हो जी ll 4 ll

ओऽहं सोऽहं बाजा बाजे,

त्रिकुटी धाम सुहानी रे

इडा पिंगला सुखमन नारी,

सुनत भजन पहरानी हो जी ll 5 ll

कहत कबीरा सुनो भई साधो,

जानी अगम के बानी रे..

दिन भर रे जो नज़र भर देखे,

अजर अमर वो निशानी हो जी ... ll 6 ll

Attempted Translation

Says the all knowing teacher from the sky, if you care to listen His gentle whisperings... (Dhripad)

1. I am unable understand the full significance of this verse as yet.. :-)

2. When You arrived from There at a particular address (took birth in particular family), spotless and desireless you were.. why then are you falling back in trap by desiring worldly pleasures over eternal peace and complete knowledge?

3. The celestial cow (of knowledge/Brahman) is milched for the benefit of everyone.. The knowledgeable opt for butter (spiritual knowledge), while the commoners out of ignorance are content in butter-milk...

4. Instead of seeing at earth, understand that it is merely a circle... Just like seeing at lake, one should understand that it is (in principle) nothing but water.. When one starts experiencing the underlying unifying principle over apparent diversity and duality, the knowledge dawns.. Says the words of the Teacher..

5. When this happens (verse 4), then all the questions like "Who am I" and "So am I" are answered and one easily can meditate on Agnaa-Chakra (आज्ञा चक्र ) and experience peace and pleasure. Ida and Pingala Naadis are pacified and Sushumna Naadi is activated upon listening these protective hymns... Says the Teacher from sky....

6. Says Kabeer, listen oh righteous brothers.. Understand and experience and become one with the Non-Aging and eternal One-Principle who looks after this entire universe every single moment..

Comments

The composition of this song in Raaga Ahir Bhairav is highlight which makes it enjoyable, even if one decides to overlook the deeper esoteric meaning of the words being sung. However, it is bound that listeners who get stuck with these beautiful renditions and listen to it often, enquire about the meaning of the composition.

To analyse and comment on experiences of Kabir authentically requires a spiritual qualification far beyond my current understanding and status. Furthermore, my incomplete knowledge of Bhojpuri language makes it further more difficult. I wish and hope that at some point of time in future, when the complete significance of these verses dawn on to me, I will update this blog-article and share it with my readers..

Meanwhile, if any of the readers have any greater understanding and insight of the verses than the one provided by me, please feel obliged to correct me.. :-)

P.S. - I would request the Sikh-readers of the blog to please comment on this article and let me know whether this bhajan is included in Sri Gurugranth Saahib or not. If yes, what is the elaboration of this Bhajan from Sikh perspective. My translation is slightly influenced by Advaita-Vedanta world-view. I would appreciate the Dvaita and Sikh take on these verses.

Dhanyavaad...