Music has incredible powers. It can change our mood. It can make us move involuntarily when there’s a catchy beat. It can help put our feelings into words. And as I’ve learned over the past few weeks, it can help you grieve and heal.
As a Hindu, we believe that a person’s body is temporary. It’s simply a vessel to carry their athma, or their eternal soul. Your soul stays consistent but comes back in different forms in different lifetimes but the goal is to escape samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth, and achieve moksha. Your actions and words is what will dictate whether you are reborn again, and in what form, or whether you are liberated from the cycle and achieve moksha. This ties in to how Hindu funerals are conducted as well as the grieving process. In Hinduism, the body is cremated and then ashes are spread at a sacred body of water or some other place of importance to the person who passed. At the funeral, you wear white, there are prayers conducted asking for liberation of the person’s soul and acceptance of them. You wear white. You share memories. And you pray.
Another part of the mourning process is a nightly prayer session at the person’s home or their family’s home. A diya, or oil lamp, is lit in front of a photo of them and you sing bhajans, or devotional songs, to pray for peace for their soul. This is where music comes in and can be therapeutic. There’s something about a chorus of voices singing the same song that is beautiful and emotional to me.
I’ve learned bhajans since I was a little girl but only recently started to really listen to the lyrics and the meanings behind them. Bhajans aren’t just for funerals, they’re used for celebrations as well as weekly or daily regular prayers as well. At a funeral though, the type of bhajans you sing are more centered around asking for a soul’s acceptance and remembering someone. There are two in particular that always move me to tears–not just for my loved one that recently passed, but for all of the people who have passed along the way. They’ve brought me comfort and hope that they may bring you the same.
Bhulo Bhale Beeju Badhu – Lyrics with English translation
Bhulo bhale beeju badhu, maa baap ne bhulsho nahi (You can forget everything but never forget your mother and father) Aganeet che upkaar ena eh visarsho nahin (Their favors are countless, never forget that)
Asay vethi vaid na tyare deetu tame mukadu (They prayed to many gods on earth, to see your face) Eh punit jana naa kaadjaa patthar bani chundsho nahin (Do not become rocks and crush the hearts of those saintly people.)
Kaadhi mukhethi kodiaa, monmaa dai motaa karyaa, (They fed morsels from their own mouth to raise you) Amrut tanaa denaar saame, Zher ugadsho nahin (Do not spit poison on the ones who gave you nectar)
Laakho ladaavya laad tamane kodh sau poora karyaa, (Those who loved you immensely and fulfilled all your desires) Eh kodh naa purnaar naa,kodh purvaa bhulsho nahin (Do not forget to fulfill the desires of those who fulfilled your desires)
Laakho kamaataa ho bhale,maa baap jethi naa tharyaa, (You could earn millions, but if make your parents happy at heart) Eh laakh nahin pan raakh che, eh maanvu bhulsho nahin (Always remember, those millions are as good as ashes)
Santaan thi seva chaaho, santaan cho seva karo, (Expect service from your children, and serve being a child yourself) Jevu karo tevu bharo, Eh bhavnaa bhulsho nahin (Remember the teaching, as you sow so shall you reap)
Bhine sui potee ane, sooke suvdaavya aapne, (They slept in wet areas but made sure you were on dry land) Eh amimay aankhne,bhuline bhinjavsho nahin (Do not let tears come to those loving eyes)
Pushpo bichaavyaa prem thi, jene tamaaraa raah par, (They spread flowers in your path with love) Eh rahbar naa raah par, kantak kadi bansho nahin (Do not spread thorns in the path of those path makers)
Dhan kharachtaa madshe badhu, mata pitaa madshe nahin, You will get everything by spending money, but not mother and father) Eh nah punit charano tani chaahnaa bhulsho nahin (Do not forget every loving moment of those auspicious feet)
Bhulo bhale beeju badhu, maa baap ne bhulsho nahi (You can forget everything but never forget your mother and father) Aganeet che upkaar ena eh visarsho nahin (Their favors are countless, never forget that)
Anjali Geet – Lyrics with English translation
He naath jodi haath paye premthi sau mangiye, sharan male sachu tamaru ae rudaythi mangiye
(O Lord! we are praying to you from the bottom of our hearts that please take us in and lend us shelter (meaning give us your true devotion))
Je jiv avyo aap pase charanma apnavjo, Parmatma ae atmane shanti sachi aapjo…
(A soul which has come to you please lend him shelter, O great soul (GOD) please give him (the soul) the eternal peace.)
Vadi karmana yoge kari je kudma ae avtare
Tyan poorna preme O prabhuji apni bhakti kare
Lakh chorasi bandhanone lakshma lai kapjo
Parmatma ae atmane shanti sachi aapjo…
(While, he might get his birth in a lineage(royal or poor) based on his own karma,
We wish that he truly devotes himself to you o great God. Consider it as your target to liberate the soul from the cycle of 84 millions rebirths(it is said in hindu mythology that a soul goes through 84 millions different species of life before finally being born as a human; it is strongly believed that only the almighty has the
power to liberate the soul from this cycle)
O great soul (GOD) please give him (the soul) the eternal peace.)
Susampati suvichar sat karmano daee vaarso
Janamo janam sat sangthi kirtar par utarjo
Aa lokne parlokma tav prem rag rag vyapjo
Parmatma ae atmane shanti sachi aapjo
(O Lord! bring him pious wealth, wisdom and pious companionship
and bring him through all the troubles with true devotion towards you.
May your love spread through both worlds (earth and the other world where we go after death).
O great soul (GOD) please give him (the soul) the eternal peace.)
Male moksh ke sukh swargna asha ure evi nathi
Diyo deh durlabh manvino bhajan karva bhavthi
Sachu batavi roop Shree Ranchhod rudye sthapjo
Parmatma ae atmane shanti sachi aapjo
(We are not hoping to find salvation or the pleasures of heaven for that soul,
if he finds rebirth as a human(which is rare), devotion(here prayers) towards you should be his aim show him your true mystic form and we hope that your true form (meaning devotion) gets established in his heart (during his rebirth as a human)
O great soul (GOD) please give him (the soul) the eternal peace.)
