Maner Mala Japbi Jakhon

Maner Mala Japbi Jakhon


Bhaktivinoda Thakur
has written this song “Maner Mala Japbi Jakhon”. The official name for this song is “Bault Sangit Song 8”. This song is taken from the book Baul Sangit. Bhaktivinod Thakur has said in his song to chant the names of Sri Krishna and perform Krishna sankirtan loudly so that its vibration pervades the external and internal body. Some people just like to show off that they are real devotees. But the fact is that they just pretend to be among the devotees.
 
(1)
maner mala japbi jakhan, mana,
keno korbi bahya visarjana
mane mane bhajan jakhan hoy,
prema uthle pade’ bahya-dehe vyapta ho’ye roy;
abar dehe care, japay kore, dharay mala anuksana
 
(2)
je vyata bhanda-tapasa hoy,
baka-bidala dekha’ye bahya ninde atisoy;
nije juta pe’le kamini-kanaka kore sada samghatana
 
(3)
se vyatar bhitora phakkakar,
bahya-sadhana-ninda boi ar ache kiba ta’r;
(nijer) mana bhalo dekha-te giye ninde sadhu-acarana
 
(4)
suddha kori’ bhitora ba;hira, bhai,
hari-nam korte thako, tarke kaj nai,
(suska) tomar tarka korte jivana ja’be
canda-baul tay duhkhi ho’no
 
(1) My dear mind, when you chant japa on the mala within your mind, why do you cease the actions of chanting japa externally? When one performs bhajan within the mind, and premafactually arises internally, then the external body also becomes pervaded by those symptoms. Therefore the body rocks and sways, while one incessantly turns their beads in chanting japa.
 
(2) This improper form of mental chanting is the tendency of the pretentious so-called renunciants. As displayed in the fables of the crane and cat, such renunciation is extremely contemptible. Although such a trait is shown externally, whenever one gains an opportunity to enjoy women and wealth he continually indulges.
 
(3) Inside such a man is merely an empty cavity of deceit. What does he have to express other than direct blasphemy of the process of executing external sadhana-bhakti? He thus makes a show of his own mental concoctions as being supposedly "superior" while he openly condemns the activities of the true sadhus.
 
(4) O dear brother! Purify yourself both internally and externally. Stay engaged in chanting Hari-nama, instead of simply babbling stubbornly with controversial attitudes. When you pass your life consumed with dry arguments, then Chand Baul becomes very sad.