Best Bhajan - Baiju Bawra

June 3, 2012

I have had a series going on Gita in Bollywood. My originally intent was to avoid the various Bhajans (devotional songs) that make their appearance frequently in Indian films since that would be too easy and make me a lazy blogger. However, a recent viewing of the Baiju Bawra song, "Man tadapat Hari darasan ko aaj" (click here for the lyrics from smriti.com) made me change my mind.

After seeing the Youtube video below, you have to agree that this is probably the earliest and best rendition of devotional music in a Hindi film.

Remember Geeta 7-16:
चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन |
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ||७-१६|
chaturvidhaa bhajante maa.n janaaH sukR^itino.arjuna .
aarto jiGYaasurarthaarthii GYaanii cha bharatarshhabha .. 7-16..
Four kinds of virtuous men worship Me, O Arjuna, the dissatisfied, the seeker of (systematised) knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the wise, O best among the Bharatas.

While listening to / watching bhajans in films, I repeatedly see illustrations of two of the four types mentioned by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in this verse, the अार्तः (aartaH), the troubled or dissatisfied and the अर्थार्थी (arthaarthI), the seeker of wealth.

I am perfectly happy to be corrected on whether this is the best bhajan. Looking forward to your recommendations on what might be as good, if not better... or just other great examples.

Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

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