Our India's Mirabai24

Sri Chinmoy made the following comments after composing a song for Prince Ranariddh of Cambodia, Rajar dulal Ranariddh.

Our India’s Princess Mirabai came from the family of Rana. Her relatives were Ranapratap’s family. Mirabai’s husband was also of the Rana family. The greatest devotee, Mirabai, came from Rana.

Just recently I got a book of Mirabai’s songs from Bhutan. Last night I read the English translation of some of Mirabai’s songs. How horrible was the English translation! When people sing her songs in Hindi, it is so charming; but about the English translation, what can I say? When people sing Mirabai’s bhajans in Hindi, they are so devotional — heart-melting, to say the least. They melt your heart, right from the beginning to the end.

When Dilip Roy and the most famous Subbulakshmi used to sing Mirabai’s bhajans, the listeners were absolutely in another world. But when we read this English translation, alas, it is silly, silly, silly.

We have many, many words for “prince.” First comes Rajar dula — the king’s darling. He is the prince. And then there is Yuvaraj — the one who will become the king. He is the eldest son. Whoever is going to get the throne is called Yuvaraj. Rana is the prince, and he got the throne. His father is in China. Riddh is prosperity. I have used his name in my song: Ranariddh. It means that he is the most powerful king, full of prosperity.


FSC 25. 20 December 2001, Inter-Continental Hotel, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

From:Sri Chinmoy,The Feet of the Supreme's Compassion, Agni Press, 2015
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/fsc