Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Sriram on May 10, 2018, 05:44:27 PM

Title: A devotional song.
Post by: Sriram on May 10, 2018, 05:44:27 PM

Hi everyone,

I was listening to one of my favourite bhajans (devotional song) and thought I should share it with you. This was also Mahatma Gandhi's favourite  bhajan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xipue67yfPQ

It was written and sung by a saint called Narsi Mehta in the 1400's in Gujarati language.  The above video has the translation in english. It brings out what Hinduism basically stands for.

Hope you like it.

Cheers.

Sriram

Title: Re: A devotional song.
Post by: Robbie on May 10, 2018, 06:04:37 PM

That is charming Sririam, thank you. I loved the tree with the words written amongst the branches.

Title: Re: A devotional song.
Post by: bluehillside Retd. on May 10, 2018, 06:12:57 PM

Sriram,

Very nice. Indian microtonal singing can sound odd to the western ear, so it takes some getting used to. If we're talking devotional songs though (and with your permission) this Bulgarian one is pretty stunning I think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_gm0j1H1kc

Title: Re: A devotional song.
Post by: torridon on May 10, 2018, 08:54:32 PM

Quote from: Sriram on May 10, 2018, 05:44:27 PM

Hi everyone,

I was listening to one of my favourite bhajans (devotional song) and thought I should share it with you. This was also Mahatma Gandhi's favourite  bhajan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xipue67yfPQ

It was written and sung by a saint called Narsi Mehta in the 1400's in Gujarati language.  The above video has the translation in english. It brings out what Hinduism basically stands for.

Hope you like it.

Cheers.

Sriram

Yes I like that, eerily beautiful and enigmatic.

Here is a Kirtan session I've been listening to recently; useless music to have on the stereo while you are on the motorway; but in the quiet of a Sunday morning at dawn, that is a different thing :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H15hE53msYE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H15hE53msYE)

Title: Re: A devotional song.
Post by: Sriram on May 11, 2018, 06:12:51 AM

Thanks for that Robbie, Blue and Torridon. 

There are literally thousands of bhajans and kirtans (devotional songs) in India, in various languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, Hindi and so on. Each community and region has developed its own style which may or may not appeal to everyone even within India.  Depends on who is singing it too.  Devotion is a very personal thing and each individual is free to follow his/her own path.

My point in the OP was to highlight that all devotional songs need not be about God or any deity. It could be just about how one should develop oneself so that the God within is awakened.  As the poet Narsi Mehta says in that bhajan.....if a person develops all the good qualities, all pilgrim centers are within oneself and meeting such a person is itself a blessing.

Cheers.

Sriram