[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.]
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.