This post records the hindi verses, transliteration and translation of Prahlad Tippaniya’s rendition of the song Kahan se aaya, Kahan Jaoge as performed in Stanford University.
Video of the performance is below:
सब आया एक ही घाट से, उतरा एक ही बाट
sab aaya ek hi ghaat se, utra ek hi baat
Everyone came from one place, and took the same road
बीच में दुविधा पड़ गयी, हो गए बारह बाट
beech mein dhuvidha pad gayi, ho gaye baarah baat
Half way along, you fell into doubt, and it became twelve roads
घाटे पानी सब भरे, अवघट भरे न कोय
ghaate paani sab bhare, avghat bhare na koi
Everyone draws water from river banks, No one draws where there is no bank
अवघट घाट कबीर का, भरे सो निर्मल होए
avghat ghaat kabir ka, bhare so nirmal hoi
No bank is like the bank of Kabir, The one who draws there, he becomes pure.
हिंदू कहूँ तो हूँ नहीं, मैं मुसलमान भी नहीं
hindu kahu to hoon nahi, mai musalmaan bhi nahi
Saying Hindu that I am not, I am not a Muslim also
अरे जो दोनों के बीच में, मैं खेलूं दोनों में
are jo dono ke beech mein, mai khelu dono mein
What is in between the two, I play in both
कहाँ से आया कहाँ जाओगे
kahan se aaya kahan jaaoge
Where are you coming from, Where are you going?
खबर करो अपने तन की
khabar karo apne tan ki
Get the news from your body
कोई सदगुरु मिले तो भेद बतावें
koi sadhguru mile to bhed bataave
If you find a true guru, he will tell you the difference
खुल जावे अंतर खिड़की
khul jaave andar ki khidki
Then inner window will open
हिन्दू मुस्लिम दोनों भुलाने
hindu muslim dono bhulaane
Hindus, Muslims both deluded
खटपट मांय रिया अटकी
khatpat maay riya atki
Stuck in always fighting
जोगी जंगम शेख सवेरा
jogi jangam sheikh savera
Yogis, wandering jains, sheikhs
लालच मांय रिया भटकी
laalach maay riya bhatki
all lost in greed
काज़ी बैठा कुरान बांचे
kaazi baita kuraan baanche
The Kazi sits and reads the Quran
ज़मीन जोर वो करी चटकी
zameen jot woh kari chatki
And then he grabs someone’s land
हर दम साहेब नहीं पहचाना
har dam saaheb nai pehchaana
Can’t see the lord in every breath
पकड़ा मुर्गी ले पटकी
pakda murgi le patki
Catches a hen and smashes it.
बहार बैठा ध्यान लगावे
baahar baita dhyaan lagaave
Outwardly he meditates,
भीतर सुरता रही अटकी
bheetar surta rahi atki
Inside his thoughts are stuck
बहार बंदा, भीतर गन्दा
baahar banda, bheetar ganda
Outside saintly, inside filthy
मन मैल मछली गटकी
man meil machli gatki
mind tainted, he swallows a fish.
माला मुद्रा तिलक छापा
mala mudra tilak chaapa
With garlands, money, tilaks,
तीरथ बरत में रिया भटकी
teerath barath mei riya bhatki
He is lost in pilgrimages
गावे बजावे लोक रिझावे
gaave bajaave lok rijhaave
sings, plays entertains people
खबर नहीं अपने तन की
khabar nahi apne tan ki
But has no understanding of his body
बिना विवेक से गीता बांचे
bina vivek se geeta baanche
Unthinking he reads the Gita
चेतन को लगी नहीं चटकी
chetan ko lagi nahi chatki
But it fails to brush his thoughts
कहें कबीर सुनो भाई साधो
kahe kabir suno bahi saadho
Kabir says, listen sadhus,
आवागमन में रिया भटकी
aavaagaman mein riya bhatki
people are lost in coming (birth) and going (death).