Running From This World? Pause and Reflect

Running From This World? Pause and Reflect - Geeta in Bollywood

October 26, 2012

The song "Sansaar se Bhaage Phirte Ho" from the movie Chitralekha (1964) has many overtones of Arjuna's predicament at the start of the Bhagavad Geeta. I say this even though it is clear that this song is sung by a courtesan, Meena Kumar. She addresses this to a Yogi (Ashok Kumar) who, even while he desires Meena Kumari, struggles to reject her. Sahir Ludhianvi's lyrics are soulful and on reflection reveal very subtle layers of meaning.

For the lyrics, click here.

Some of the standout lines are:
इस लोग को भी अपना ना सके
उस लोक में भी पछताओगे
सन्सार से भागे फिरते हो...
is log ko bhii apanaa naa sake
us lok me.n bhii pachhataa_oge
sansaar se bhaage phirate ho
(When) you can't accept the challenges of this world / the other will be filled only with regrets / You who run away from this world.

ये भोग भी एक तपस्या है
तुम त्याग के मारे क्या जानो
अपमान रचेता का होगा
रचना को अगर ठुकराओगे
सन्सार से भागे फिरते हो
ye bhog bhii ek tapasyaa hai
tum tyaag ke maare kyaa jaano
apamaan rachetaa kaa hogaa
rachanaa ko agar Thukaraa_oge
sansaar se bhaage phirate ho
These desires are also a test of will / Obsessed with renunciation, how will you understand? / It is an insult to the Creator / If you reject His creation. / You who run away from this world.

हम जनम बिता कर जायेंगे
तुम जनम गँवा कर जाओगे
ham janam bitaa kar jaaye.nge
tum janam ga.Nvaa kar jaa_oge
We live life and depart / You reject and go

सन्सार से भागे फिरते हो
भगवान को तुम क्या पाओगे
सन्सार से भागे फिरते हो
sansaar se bhaage phirate ho
bhagawaan ko tum kyaa paa_oge
sansaar se bhaage phirate ho
You who run away from this world / How will you gain the Lord / You who run away from this world

Geeta 3-4 is a good starting point to relate to the theme of this song.
न कर्मणामनारम्भान्नैष्कर्म्यं पुरुषोऽश्नुते |
न च संन्यसनादेव सिद्धिं समधिगच्छति ||३-४||
na karmaNaamanaarambhaannaishhkarmyaM purushho.ashnute .
na cha sa.nnyasanaadeva siddhi.n samadhigachchhati .. 3-4..
Not by non-performance of actions does man reach 'actionlessness' ; nor by mere renunciation does he attain Perfection.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa can never be accused of rejecting life for the "other world". His own life as narrated in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is evidence of this. Śrī Kṛṣṇa repeatedly tells Arjuna that mere giving up of action cannot lead to saṁnyāsa.

In this song the courtesan challenges the Yogi and questions "How will you attain the Lord?" See Geeta 5-6.
संन्यासस्तु महाबाहो दुःखमाप्तुमयोगतः ||५-६||
sa.nnyaasastu mahaabaaho duHkhamaaptumayogataH . 5-6
Renunciation, O mighty-armed, is hard to attain without YOGA

While the Hindu review linked to above calls this a song about spiritual hypocrisy, I see it as the timeless push and pull between the spiritual and the worldly. Rejecting the worldly for the spiritual for the wrong reasons and at the wrong time, is fraught with peril is Śrī Kṛṣṇa's message in the Bhagavad Geeta.

Hari Om and Namaskaar until the next post

PS The free translation is entirely mine. I would be glad to correct any errors if you submit these in the comments column.

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