aami tor piriter mora
tui chaiya dekhna ek nazor,
bondhu re!
oporadhi hoileo aami tor
i have died of myself in your love
will you not bless me with your glance?
o intimate friend of mine!
no matter how much i oppressed my soul
forever i am all yours.
aamae jodi dao taraiyya
emon jaega naire giya
ei ovagar juraitam ontor
if you forsake me from you,
where else can i take this wretched self
to quench my thirsty heart?
tumi jodi vinno basho
aami tore koina por
if you withdraw your love from me,
my heart will still cling to you
- never separate are you.
koto dukkho aamar buke
dikha ache parar loke
tor ki nai kolongkeri dor, bondhu
the world is witness to my heart's ache,
yet you remain without a trace of blame
o beloved!
aami jodi jai moria
ke korbe tore aador?
oporadhi hoileo
aami tor.
when i will depart for the land of death,
who else will remain here to caress you?
no matter how much i oppressed my soul
forever i am all yours.
(c) translation version by Sadiq Alam, the italic lines are from original bangla / bengali in transliteration. Charlottesville, VA, March 6, 09
[>] Listen to the song: Aami tor Piriter Mora via Imeem
above is an interpretive translation from a popular bengali folk song of Bangladesh rich with deep mystical devotion and lyrics of love. folk baul song is a genre of music composed and sung by native mystics of bengal, the fertile land that has given birth to numerous saints, gnostics and friends of God in all faith tradition including hindu vedanta (non-dualistic school), vaishnavite hinduism, buddhism and islam.
baul music celebrates celestial love, but does this in very earthy terms, as in declarations of love by the baul mystic for his boshTomi or lifemate. with such a liberal interpretation of love, it is only natural that Baul devotional music transcends limiting religious conformity.
like many baul song this song on the outward is expression of love for human lover, but inwardly carries the highest devotion for the Friend with capital F or as sufis talk about the Beloved with capital B. when the gnosis of the heart of a deep listener penetrate the apparent meaning of such carefully encoded songs' lyric and reach the inner meaning, then such songs become successful in its transmission. the translation is done keeping in mind that mystical inner meaning and intended for highest devotional offering.
from mystical / sufi perspective, 'ami tor piriter mora' is probably one of the best way of transmission / equivalent parable in bengali language what beloved Prophet Mustafa in his famous saying meant "mutu qabla anta mutu", die before you die. in this song the dying refers to that Dying which comes from Union. Coleman Barks did a wonderful transmission from Rumi's poem by the title, Solomon and the Gnat (one of my most favorite) which talks about such Union.
Such is the way of every seeker!
... when the Presence arrives
where are the seekers?
first there is dying
then Union ...
- Rumi by Coleman
... when the Presence arrives
where are the seekers?
first there is dying
then Union ...
- Rumi by Coleman
To Listen: two version of this songs are available online via Imeem:
1. by Bari Siddique (thanks to Rabeya for finding the song for us)
2. by Mona sung in Closeup One
# Related:
. o mor bondhu dhon roshia | bengali folk song by dohar
. khachar bhitor ochin pakhi kemne ashe jae
. die before you die
. whom do we really love?
. Sacred Songs blog
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