I Am at Play

Yesterday Jigness bhai went to an astrologer to show his horoscope. The astrologer after seeing his kundli told him, you have Saturn in Aries which is debilitated (in neecha sthan) so you have to do some pooja to appease Shani Maharaj.

 Jigness :  Maharaj Please do the pooja, How much will it cost?

Pundit: Rs 2100/-.

Jigness: Maharaj I can’t afford that much.

Pundit: Ok, for you I will do it in 1100/-.

Jigness: Maharaj, that is also too much. Please consider.

Pundit: Ok since you are insisting so much, I will do it in 501/.

Jigness: But Maharaj, I am currently jobless, Please give some discount?

Pundit: Ok Ok, I will do it last in 151/.

Jigness: But Maharaj I have only that much in my pocket, how will I go home?

Pundit: Jigness bhai, you go home bindaas, nothing will happen. When you don’t even have Rs 151, what harm is Shani Maharaj going to do????? And Jigness came home and told me this whole story. Though it all sounded phunny to me, it got me thinking. What if you don’t have any money and can you still be happy?

I said Jigness bhai, “ havey su karso( what will you do now)”. He smiled and started humming a song. I was hearing it for the first time. I asked him which this song is. He said “Areh, this is the problem with you guys; you don’t know anything about our Gujarati literature. It is a song written by Dhruv Bhatt , a well-known Sahitya Akademi awarded Gujarati poet and writer.

 While walking along the banks of the river Narmada, he once came across a farmer working in his field under a blazing sun. When he asked him how he was doing, the farmer turned to him with a thousand watt smile, and replied with no hint of self-pity, that he was full of joy! That moved Dhruv bhai so much which inspired him to write this poem/song.” 

Lyrics and translation: (Like waves in the ocean I’m at play) 

Ochintu koi mane raste made ne kadi
dheere thi poochhe ke kem chhe

If I am walking down the path & suddenly someone stops me and asks how you are today?

To aapne to kahiye ke dariya si mauj maan
ne upar thi kudrat ni rehem chhe

I’ll say, I am as joyous as the waves of the ocean because I have the grace of nature’s hand on my head.

Phaatela khissa ni aad maan muki chhe ame
chhalkaati malkaati mauj

In my tattered pocket I hide overflowing waves of joy

Eklo ubhun ne toye mela maan houn
evun laagya kare chhe mane roj

I may be alone but at all moments of the day I feel like I am in a carnival

Taalu vasaaye nahin evadi pataari maan
aapno khajaano hem-khem chhe

On a treasure chest so small that you can’t even fit a lock on it, My treasure is as safe as day like waves in the ocean

Aankhon maan paani to aave ne jaaye
nathi bheetar bheenaash thathi ochhi

Water in the eyes comes and goes but the moistness within my heart never diminishes.

Vadh ghat no kaanthaao raakhe hisaab nathi
parvaah samandar ne hoti

Let the shores may keep accounts of less and more (good fortune/bad fortune) the ocean doesn’t bother about such scores

Sooraj to uge ane aathmiye jaaye

maari upar aakaash em-nem chhe

The sun may rise and set every day 
The sky over me is always the same 

Like waves in the ocean
I’m at play! 

Do watch the soulful rendition here:-

https://youtu.be/-EoUslmaa-4         

Jigness taught me to open up my inner splendor.

To feel the consciousness of the soul with the sense of unity. To feel the life lived with open and radiant heart.

LIVE.LAUGH.LOVE.SERVE.