Tu prabh daata
Posted on: November 17, 2013
This article is written by Sudhir, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
“Guru Nanak Dev ji de prakash utsav di lakh lakh badhaayi”
(as we would say it in Punjabi)
“A million greetings on the anniversary of the appearance of the shining light that is Guru Nanak Dev ji”
Today (17th November 2013), the full moon day of the month of Kartik is being celebrated around the world as the anniversary of one of the greatest sages
and spiritual teachers that this land has had the good fortune to have walk on this earth. Revered as the first and the primary Guru by the followers of the Sikh faith, Guru Nanak Dev ji is equally revered and honored by people of all belief systems in India.
For today’s write up, I am presenting a song that is one of hymns that is originally written by Guru Nanak Dev ji himself. Some days back, I had received a message from Avinash ji, requesting to write up this particular song for the celebration for today. In this form, this hymn was included in the film ‘Halla Bol’ from 2008. The music direction is by Sukhwinder Singh, who has also rendered this song. The two links provided give the full version of the song in audio, and a partial version in video.
(With due apologies to all friends and readers, the main article has not been done in detail due to paucity of time. I have deciphered and provided the translation and detailed notes for the verses in this hymn below. In interest of time to get this post to Atul ji in good time, I will make effort to replace this article with a little more detailed piece.)
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Translations and Notes
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
tu prabh daata, daan mati puraa
ham thaare bhikhaari jee’o
O Almighty
The most munificent, the most benevolent
You are the giver, the only provider
The Master of all knowledge, all understanding
The only One who can impart complete knowledge
I am but a mere beggar at Your door
Seeking Your kind compassion
NOTES:
tu = You – addressing God
prabh = variant of the word ‘prabhu’, meaning God
daata = one who gives
daan = that which is given, charity, endowment
mati = knowledge, understanding
poora = complete, whole
ham = I or we
thaare = Yours
bhikhaari = beggar, aspirant, one who seeks, one who needs
jee’o = a respectful address to Him
This couplet compares self with God, and establishes that He is the One with complete understanding, and He is the One and Only provider of everything in
this universe. Even my understanding and knowledge, however limited, is a gift from Him. I am just a beggar, a supplicant at his benevolent mercy, seeking his benefaction.
main kya maangoon, kuchh thir na rahaai
hari deejey naam, pyaari jee’o
What shall I beg for
What is there that is worth begging for
For everything in this world is transient
Nothing is permanent, so what should I desire
O Lord
Please bless me with the love of Your Name
For that is the only permanent treasure to desire
NOTES:
main = I
kya= what
maangoon = ask for, beg for
kuchh = ‘nothing’ (in context of this line)
thir = steady, stationary, permanent
na = no, not
rahaai = stays, remains
Being a beggar at your door, what is it that I should beg for? Everything within in this world is impermanent, it changes, it decays, it withers away, it dies. So there is nothing worth begging for, nothing worthy of desires, for nothing will remain. Your Name, Yourself are the only permanent entities. My dear Lord, please bless me, please bestow upon me the love of Your Name, that I may ensconce it in my mind and my heart, forever.
ghat ghat rav’ rahiyaa Banwaari
jal thal mahi’al gupto varte
gur shabdi dekhi, nihaaree jee’o
In every mote of dust
In every drop of water
In every heart
In everything
Dwells the One, the Keeper of the flowers
The Caretaker of the garden
He permeates all elements
He pervades this earth, the waters
And the spacious skies
Imbued, impregnated in everything
But still is unseen, un-perceived
He is revealed only
By the words of the Guru –
The only way to perceive Him
To realize His presence
NOTES:
ghat = literally, the earthen vessel called ‘matka’, container; in context
refers to the every entity, every atom in the universe
rav’ =
rahiyaa = to be, to be located, to exist
Banwaari = one of the names of Lord Krishna; this name is a variant of ‘Banmaali’ – gardener, keeper of the flowers; in context the indication is towards this garden of creation, this universe, and Banwaari is the caretaker
jal = water
thal = earth, ground
mahi = skies
‘al = in all (contextual)
gupto = variant of ‘gupt’ – secret, concealed
varte = variant of ‘vartan’ – that which dwells inside, that which gives the
vital energy
gur = Guru, teacher
shabdi = variant of shabd – words
gur shabdi = words or instructions of the Guru
dekhi = to see, to be able to see
nihaaree = view, view with adoration
He, who is the caretaker of this creation, He pervades into every being, every particle, everything, and gives everything the vital energy to be, to exist. He is unseen, cannot be perceived with eyes. His presence can only be revealed through the words and instructions of a true teacher.
marat paeiaal akaash dikhaaye’o
gur satguru kirpaa thaari jee’o
My Guru, the true Guru
Has showered me with his mercy and blessings
Has given me the vision to perceive Him
In the world around me
In the nether regions of the underworlds
And in the ethers pervading the space
It is only my Guru’s mercy
NOTES:
marat = refers to death; in context the use is for Mrityulok, the visible universe that we can see; the primary characteristic of this visible universe is that everything that is born into this universe must die
paeiaal = variant of ‘pataal’ – the nether worlds and regions that exist below the earth
akaash = sky; more appropriately – the space
dikhaaye’o = to show; in context – shown to me
satguru = the True Guru; also, the Guru who has the knowledge and
understanding of the Truth
kirpaa = mercy, blessings
thaari = yours
My satguru has showered his mercy and his blessings on me, and has shown me the presence of the Lord in this world, in the worlds below this earth and the worlds that above in the ethereal skies.
More NOTES: In the Vedas and Puranas, there is a scheme of universes that has been described. As per this scheme, there are fourteen worlds, or fourteen levels of existence. Six of them are above this earth (or this visible universe) and are also termed as ‘heavens’ and seven of them are beneath this visible universe, also termed as ‘underworlds’. The sequence of these fourteen worlds is as follows, starting from the highest to the lowest :-
1. Satya Lok
2. Tapas Lok
3. Janas Lok
4. Mahas Lok
5. Svar Lok
6. Bhuvas Lok
7. Bhu Lok – This is the level of our earth or the visible universe that
we can see
8. Atala Lok
9. Vitala Lok
10. Sutala Lok
11. Rasaatal Lok
12. Talaatal Lok
13. Mahaatal Lok
14. Pataal Lok
In this couplet, the fourteen worlds have been condensed into three words –“marat”, “paeiaal” and “akaash”, representing the earth or Bhu Lok, the seven underworlds and the six heavens above respectively. The depth of Vedic knowledge and wisdom that is ensconced within this seemingly simply worded verses speaks of the level of enlightenment of the person behind these verses.
so Brahm ajoni, hai bhi honi
ghat bheetar dekhau Muraari jee’o
That Almighty Supreme Lord is forever unborn
He is, and shall ever be
Endeavor to seek Him within the self
And you will behold Him, the slayer of the ego
NOTES:
so = that
Brahm = the Supreme God, the Almighty; (not to be confused with Brahma, who the creator of universes)
ajoni = unborn; one who is not born; one who is away from the cycle of birth
and death
hai = is
bhi = and
honi = future, in future; in context – shall always be, for all time in
future, forever
ghat = literally, the earthen vessel called ‘matka’, container; in context
refers the human form
bheetar = inside
dekhau = see, to see
Muraari = one of the names of Lord Krishna; means the slayer of the demon named Mur
The name Muraari is composed of two parts, mur + ari; ‘mur’ is the name of the demon, ‘ari’ means enemy. In the commentaries, the demon ‘Mur’ is compared to the ego, the arrogance that is a constant companion of every human being. The use of this specific name is very important in this verse. The Guru has instructed to look for and search for the Lord within oneself. But this search cannot be accomplished because of the ego. The success of this search is only by removal or destruction of the ego. But the destruction of ego is not a feasible victory to be accomplished by us mortals. So the Guru instructs to pray and call upon the Lord in the name of Muraari, to slay the personal ego, and enable us to ‘see’ Him.
janam maran ko ehu jag bapuro
in dooje bhaghat visaari jee’o
Ah, this poor wretched world
Trapped in this tangled web of birth and death
It is so in love with this illusion, this duality
That it has deserted Him, and His love
NOTES:
janam = birth
maran = death
ko = of
ehu = this
jag = world
bapuro = variant of ‘bapura’; weak, pitiful, wretched
in = he, they
dooje = second, another; in context – the illusion of believing unimportant
things to be important
bhaghat = to worship, to adore
visaari = to let go, to desert
The people in this world are weak and wretched. Caught in the endless cycles of birth and death, they have deserted the love and worship for Him, and adore the illusions that this world apparently presents to them.
satguru miley taan gurmat paaiye
saakat baaji haari jee’o
O poor helpless soul
Seek out the true Guru
And accept the teachings of truth
The one without the true Guru
The faithless cynics
Will lose in this game of life
NOTES:
satguru = the true teacher, the enlightened teacher
miley = to meet, to come in contact with
taan = then
gurmat = teachings of the Guru
paaiye = get, receive
saakat = one without a Guru, faithless person, one who indulges in bad
things in life
baaji = gamble; in context – the game of this life
haari = to lose
The endeavor should be to seek the true teacher and receive the teachings of truth. Those who are faithless, those who do not abide by a true Guru, will
lose in this game of life.
The victory and loss in the game of life is related to this cycle of birth and death. The victory is to become free from this cycle, and the loss is to continue to be trapped in this vicious circle.
satguru bandhan todi niraare
bohad naa garbh manjhiaari jee’o
My Satguru has destroyed my bonds
He has separated me (from the illusions of this world)
And has set me free
I shall not be cast into another womb
I shall not be reincarnated again
My Satguru has ferried me
(Across this ocean of being and not being)
NOTES:
satguru = the true teacher, the enlightened teacher
bandhan = bonds
todi = cause to be broken, destroyed
niraare = to separate
bohad = more of, again
naa = no
garbh = womb; potencies of happening; potencies of being generated
manjhiaari = to row a boat, to ferry across (related to the word ‘maanjhi’ –the one who ferries the boat)
When I learned the truth from my Satguru, my true teacher, his teachings have destroyed my bondages. My illusions are dissolved. My Satguru has separated me from the illusions of this world, and has ferried me across this ocean of being and not being, of birth and death. I am now free of the vicious cycle and will not have to be in a womb ever again.
nanak gyaan rattan pargaasiyaa
har mann basiyaa nirankaari jee’o
Nanak says
My Satguru has made me imbibe the truth
The jewels of spiritual wisdom
Are now shining forth
And I can now see
That the amorphous form of the Almighty
Dwells within my being
And the being of everyone else
NOTES:
gyaan = knowledge
rattan = jewels
pargaasiyaa = variant of ‘prakat’; to make visible, to enable to be seen
har = every
mann = mind, heart, the being within oneself
basiyaa = to dwell, to reside, to be within
nirankaari = the formless manifestation of the Almighty; the amorphous soul within every living being
Nanak says that the Satguru has enabled me to see and understand the shining jewels of wisdom. The illusions and the armor of ego are destroyed, and the
Lord is visible as the amorphous soul within each being.
Audio
Video (parital)
Song-Tu Prabh daata (Halla Bol)(2008) Singer-Sukhwinder Singh, Lyrics-Guru Nanak Dev Ji, MD-Sukhwinder Singh
Lyrics
satt naam
sri waahe guru . . .
. . . . . .waahe guru . . .
. . . . . . . .waahe guru . . .
. . . . . . . . . .waahe guru . . .
tu prabh daata
daan mati puraa
ham thaare bhikhaari jee’o
main kya maangoon
kuchh thir na rahaai
hari deejey naam
pyaari jee’o
tu prabh daata
satt na. . .am
. . . . . . satt na. . .am
. . . . . . . . satt na. . .am
sri waahe guru . . .
. . . . . .waahe guru . . .
. . . . . . . .waahe guru . . .
. . . . . . . . . .waahe guru . . .
ghat ghat
rav’ rahiyaa Banwaari
jal thal mahi’al gupto varte
gur shabdi dekhi
nihaaree jee’o
tu prabh daata
daan mati puraa
ham thaare bhikhaari jee’o
marat paeiaal
akaash dikhaaye’o
gur satguru kirpaa
thaari jee’o
so Brahm ajoni
hai bhi honi
ghat bheetar dekhau
Muraari jee’o
main kya maangoon
kichh thir na rahaai
hari deejey naam
pyaari jee’o
satt naam
satt naam
waahe guru
waahe guru
satt naam
satt naam
waahe guru
waahe guru
janam maran ko
eh jag bapuro
in dooje bhaghat
visaari jee’o
satguru miley taan
gurmat paaiye
saakat baaji
haari jee’o
main kya maangoon
main kya maangoon
kichh thir na rahaai
hari deejey naam
pyaari jee’o
satt naam
satt naam
(satt na. . . .am)
waahe guru
waahe guru
satt naam
satt naam
(waa. . .ahe guru)
waahe guru
waahe guru
satguru bandhan
todi niraare
bohad naa garbh
manjhiaari jee’o
nanak gyaan
rattan pargaasiyaa
har mann basiyaa
nirankaari jee’o
main kya maangoon
kichh thir na rahaai
hari deejey naam
pyaari jee’o
satt naam
satt naam
waahe guru
waahe guru
satt naam
satt naam
waahe guru
waahe guru
tu prabh daata
satt naam
satt naam
waahe guru
waahe guru
satt naam
satt naam
(satt na. . . .am)
waahe guru
waahe guru
satt naam
satt naam
(waa. . .ahe guru)
waahe guru
waahe guru
——————————————————
Hindi script lyrics (Provided by Sudhir)
——————————————————
सत्त नाम
श्री वाहे गुरु
॰ ॰ ॰ वाहे गुरु
॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ वाहे गुरु
॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ वाहे गुरु
तू प्रभ दाता
दान मति पूरा
हम तारे भिखारी जी’ओ
मैं क्या माँगूँ
कुछ थिर न रहाई
हरि दीजे नाम
प्यारी जी’ओ
तू प्रभ दाता
सत्त नाsssम
॰ ॰ ॰ सत्त नाsssम
॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ सत्त नाsssम
॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ सत्त नाsssम
श्री वाहे गुरु
॰ ॰ ॰ वाहे गुरु
॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ वाहे गुरु
॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ ॰ वाहे गुरु
घट घट
रव’ रहिया बनवारी
जल थल महि’अल गुप्तो वर्ते
गुर शब्दी देखी
निहारी जी’ओ
तू प्रभ दाता
दान मति पूरा
हम तारे भिखारी जी’ओ
मरत पई’आल
अकाश दिखाएओ
गुर सतगुरु किरपा
तारी जी’ओ
सो ब्रह्म अजोनी
है भी होनी
घट भीतर देखौ
मुरारी जी’ओ
मैं क्या माँगूँ
किछ थिर न रहाई
हरि दीजे नाम
प्यारी जी’ओ
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
जनम मरण को
एहु जग बपुड़ो
इन दूजे भगत
विसारी जी’ओ
सतगुरु मिले तां
गुरमत पाइये
साकत बाजी
हारी जी’ओ
मैं क्या माँगूँ
किछ थिर न रहाई
हरि दीजे नाम
प्यारी जी’ओ
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
(सत्त नाssssम)
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
(वाssssहे गुरु)
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
सतगुर बंधन
तोड़ी निरारे
बौहड़ ना गर्भ
मंझियारी जी’ओ
नानक ज्ञान
रतन परगासिया
हर मन बसिया
निरंकारी जी’ओ
मैं क्या माँगूँ
किछ थिर न रहाई
हरि दीजे नाम
प्यारी जी’ओ
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
तू प्रभ दाता
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
(सत्त नाssssम)
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
सत्त नाम
सत्त नाम
(वाssssहे गुरु)
वाहे गुरु
वाहे गुरु
3 Responses to "Tu prabh daata"
November 18, 2013 at 7:10 am
Sir, thanks a lot for this detailed post…
thanks again ! Sukhwinder has rendered it so beautiflly…
LikeLike
Atul’s Song A Day- A choice collection of Hindi Film & Non-Film Songs 
November 18, 2013 at 3:56 am
Beautiful. Thanks a lot. Great exposition
LikeLike