મન તું શંકર ભજી લે

પદ - ૯૯૪
pada 994

Syadla Bhajan Mandal (Recorded in 1982 in Mumbai)

મન તું શંકર ભજી લે, મન તું શંકર ભજી લે
છોડ ને કપટ ભોળાનાથને ભજી લે ... ટેક
man tuň shaňkar bhaji le, man tuň shaňkar bhaji le
chhod ne kapat bholā-nāth-ne bhaji le ... repeat

કોણ ચઢાવે ગંગા જમુના, કોણ ચઢાવે દૂધ;
કોણ ચઢાવે બિલ્લી પત્ર, કોણ ચઢાવે ભભૂત ... ૧
kon chaDhāve gaňgā jamunā, kon chaDhāve dudh;
kon chaDhāve bil-li patra, kon chaDhāve bhabhut ... 1

રાજા ચઢાવે ગંગા જમુના, રૈયત ચઢાવે દૂધ;
બ્રાહ્મણ ચઢાવે બિલ્લી પત્ર, યોગી ચઢાવે ભભૂત ... ૨
rājā chaDhāve gaňgā jamunā, rai-yat chaDhāve dudh;
brāhman chaDhāve bil-li patra, yogi chaDhāve bhabhut ... 2

કોણ માંગે અન્ન ધન, કોણ માંગે પુત્ર;
કોણ માંગે કંચન કાયા, કોણ માંગે રૂપ ... ૩
kon māňge an-na dhan, kon māňge putra;
kon māňge kaňchan kāyā, kon māňge rup ... 3

ગરીબ માંગે અન્ન ધન, વાંઝિયા માંગે પુત્ર;
બ્રાહ્મણ માંગે કંચન કાયા, ગુણિકા માંગે રૂપ ... ૪
garib māňge an-na dhan, vaňjhiyā māňge putra;
brāhman māňge kaňchan kāyā, gunikā māňge rup ... 4

આંકડાનો ભાત બનાવ્યો, ધંતુરાની ભાજી;
પીરસે રાણી પાર્વતી ને જમે ભોળાનાથ ... ૫
āňkadā-no bhāt banāvyo, dhaňturā-ni bhāji;
pirase rāni pārvati ne jame bholā-nāth ... 5

આંકડો ધંતુરો શિવજી, ભાવના છે ભોગી;
ભણે નરસૈંયો વહાલો, જૂનાગઢનો જોગી ... ૬
āňkado dhaňturo shiva-ji, bhav-nā chhe bhogi;
bhane nar-sai-yo vahālo, junā-gaDh-no jogi ... 6

YouTube Video(s):
1. Bhakta Youth - May 17, 2008, Bhajan Sammelan at Bhakta Cultural Center, Norwalk, CA, USA
2. Bhakta Youth - April 19, 2015, Shraddhanjali Bhajans at Shree Ramkabir Mandir Mandir, Carson, CA, USA
3. Shree Ramkabir Mandir Bhajan Mandal - January 25, 2017

English Translation:
0. O' my mind, pray Shankar! Worship Lord Shankar, whose name itself means the Supreme Benefactor. Pray Bholanath - an embodiment of honesty, by giving up all your slyness.

1. Why worry who would proffer holy waters of Ganga and Jamuna, and who would proffer milk for ablution? Don't worry who shall proffer Bilipatra¹ and also ash?

2. The king proffers waters of Ganga and Jamuna, while subjects of king or state, proffer milk; while a Brahmin may proffer Bilipatra¹, an ascetic (Yogi) proffers ash.

3. Again, stop worrying as to who is seeking abundance of grains or wealth, or even divine blessings to beget a son. Some prays Lord Shiva for perfect health, while some for beauteous appearance.

4. In fact, poor may pray for food, and a childless may seek blessings to beget a son. A Brahmin may ask for pure gold-like healthy physical form, while a courtesan may ask for enchanting beauty.

5. Wife of Shankar is so much engrossed in worship of her lord, that she cooked Ankdo² for rice, and Dhanturo³ for vegetable. Lost in lovelorn prayers of Shiva, the queen Parvati serves such meal, and Bholanath happily dines.

6. Saint Narsinh, an ascetic from Junagadh (Gujarat) says, Lord Shiva accepts all things proffered to him with equal love, even Ankdo² and Dhanturo³. It is a symbolic representation of how Lord Shiva absorbs pains and anguish signified as poisonous of his devotees. As the legend of Amrut Manthan (churning of sea) describes how Lord Shiva accepted a bowl of deadly poison, that nobody wanted. If it was left out loose in the world, nothing could have survived.

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¹bilipatra - Leaf of Bael tree (Botanical - Aegle marmelos)
²ankdo  - Crown flower (Botanical - Calotropis gigantea)     
³dhanturo - Datura (Botanical - Genus datura)

Note: Both ankdo and dhanturo plants have medicinal uses and he being a divine ascetic living in forests, had realized the value of such seemingly unwanted plants.