Old Lady’s Devotion to Shivguru / बूढ़ रानी के शिवगुरु पर आस्था

Documented by Coralynn V. Davis and Carlos Gomez
Transcription by Nidhi Anand and Translation by Neeraj Kumar
Translation edits by Coralynn V. Davis

Teller: Unknown
Location: Sagarpur
Date: 03/23/17

March 23, 2017: Session 5
Maithili Folklore Story 17_03_23_05

View the transcription in Maithili.

एगो राजा रहथिन। एगो राजा रहथिन। एगो रानी रहथिन। 

Once there was a king. There once were a king and a queen.

रानी रहथिन तऽ हुनका बड्ड भारी कऽ राजमहल रहैन। राजमहल रहैन लेकिन हुनका एकोटा बालक नै रहैन। 

The queen had a huge palace. She had a palace but no sons.

एकोटा बालक नै रहैन तऽ ओ बड्ड चिंतामे रहथिन जे एते भारी राजमहल अछि अपना दुनू पति पत्नीमे विचार करथिन कभी सुतली सुतली रातिमे sकभी कतौ बैठथिन दुनू आदमी तब अपना दुनूमे चिंतित रहथिन। 

Since she didn’t have any sons, she was under a lot of stress, thinking “I have such a huge palace…” They were anxious and would often wake up from sleep in the night and discuss between them as husband and wife.

देखियौ लोक जे कहय छै जिनका राजमहल नय तिनका भरि घर बालक आ जिनका राज तिनका कोई बालक नय, से राजमहल के कोई रखबार नय छै से केना जिंदगी बीतत। 

See, people often say that those who don’t have a palace have a house full of sons, and those who have it don’t have a son. And nobody is there to take care of the palace in future, so how would the regime carry on?

जीवन केना बीतत से नय तऽ ओइ के लेल कुछ करऽ पड़तय। कुछ तऽ करे के चाही। गेलखिन, गेलखिन तऽ बाद जे जाइत रहथिन दुनू प्राणी कतौ गाड़ीसँ घूमय लेल जाइत जाइत पीपर के गाछ रहय बड्ड भारी। 

“How can we continue on? We need to do something about it. We must do something.” Subsequently, when they were on an trip, on a tour by car, they came across a giant peepal tree.

ओइ ठाम देखलखिन सेएनाही शिव गुरु के चर्चा होइत। ओतऽ पाँच मिनट गाड़ी घूमा कऽ रानी जे रहथिन कहलखिन रूकू एतऽ। 

They saw a devotional discussion about Lord Shiva going on there. The queen asked to stop the car there for five minutes, “Please stop here.”

राजा साहेब कहलखिन जे से कि बात कियै बीच रस्तामे अहाँ गाड़ी रोका देलियय। 

The king queried, “Why have you ordered the car to stop midway?”

तऽ एना एना बात से एतऽ कनी विचार लिय जे एतऽ कि भऽ रहल छय। अगर ईहै केलैसँ हमरा सुख मिल जाए। 

She said, “The thing is, let’s think about what is happening here. Who knows if we might achieve happiness by doing this.”

कहलखिन धुर्र ई सब लटारममे कि पड़ैत छी, चलू चलू आगा। 

He responded, “What? Why are you getting into these sticky matters? Let’s move on.”

कहलकय नय नय से केना हैत किछ हमरो बात तऽ अहाँकेँ राखऽ पड़त। 

But she replied, “No, no. How will we achieve anything? You have to take care of my wishes too.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै। महिलो के बात कुछ रखलखिन।

“Okay,” he responded. He honoured the woman’s wishes too.

ओतऽ जे रूकलखिन तऽ ओ गाड़ीसँ निकलि कऽ गेलखिन। गेलखिन तऽ देखलखिन एनाही पूजा पाठ खूब धूमधामसँ होइत। ओतऽ एकटा दीदी जे रहथिन साइडमे बैठल तिनका पूछलखिन माता राम से ई केना से कि होइ छै? ई कथी के सोचना भऽ रहल छै? 

When they stopped there, she got out of the car and went to check it out. There she saw that a devotional session was in full swing and being undertaken with much zeal. So, she asked a woman who was sitting there, “Hello, mother, what’s happening here? What is being discussed here?”

कहलकय देखियौ ई केला से कुछ नै होय छै आ केला से बहुत कुछ होय छै। 

She replied, “See here, by doing this, nothing is achieved, and yet by doing this, everything is achieved.”

कहलकय फेन एकर एरिया तऽ बतेबय कि छियय।

 So the queen queried further, “Then could you please tell me what exactly this is?”

कहलकय छियय तऽ कुछ नै ,देखियौ ई केला से ई होय छै, निर्धन के धन होय छन आ बांझिन के पुत्र होय छन आ कुमारी कन्या के मनचाहा बर दय छथिन्ह। 

To which she replied, “This is nothing, actually, but you see, by doing this the poor become wealthy, women achieve motherhood, and unmarried girls find the men of their dreams.”

बांझिन जे रहय छथिन्ह तिनका जरूर शिव गुरु दया करय छथिन्ह तऽ हुनका बालक होय छैन। शिव गुरु बड्ड दयालु छथिन्ह। सब पर दया करय छथिन्ह तऽ अहूँ पर दया करत। अहाँ मोनसँ आशीर्वाद लिय हुनकासँ। 

“Those who have no children are surely blessed by Shiv Guru, and thus they give birth to a son. Shiv Guru is very kind. He blesses everybody, so he would bless you too. Just pray to him from the depth of your heart.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै।  देखियौ हम तऽ छी बड्ड चिंतितमे पड़ल से बड्ड भारी रानी छी राजमहल के छी लेकिन हमरा एकोटा बालक नै अइ। 

The queen replied, “Fine. You see, I am very anxious that I am a queen of a huge palace but have no son.”

कहलखिन अहूँ के मनोरथ पूरा हैत अहाँ अइ पर ध्यान दियौ। 

She assured her, “Just meditate on it, and your prayer will also be heard.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै। ओतऽसँ जाइत जाइत गेलखिन तऽ शिव गुरू अपना दया कऽ देलकय।

She answered, “All right, then.” As she moved on from there, Shiv Guru himself blessed her.

जाइत जाइत गेलखिन आगे गेलखिन फेन, फेन देखलखिन जे एनाही फोटो बिकाइत रहे। फोटो जे बिकाइत रहय तऽ देखलखिन तऽ ओ रानी कहलखिन यौ राजा साहेब से कनी अहाँ पाँच मिनट और रूकू। 

Continuing along, she saw a photograph on sale.  Seeing the photograph on sale, she requested, “My lord, please stop for five minutes again.”

कहलकय कि बात .

“What for?” he asked.

आ तऽ कुछ नै से अहाँ कनी गाड़ीगाड़ी लगाऊ पाँच मिनट। 

She said, “Nothing. Just please order the car to stop for five minutes.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै। 

He replied, ‘Okay.”

फेन लगेलखिन कहलखिन ई हमरा से किन दियऽ। 

Once they stopped, she requested, “Please buy me this.”

कहलखिन धुर्र एते घरमे अहाँकेँ अछि ओइसँ नय मोन भरय यै ई लिंग लऽ कऽ अहाँ कि करब। 

He responded, “Oh! You have so much at home, but that doesn’t satisfy you, and now you are asking for this Shivalinga image. What would you do with it?”

कहलखिन नय नय हमरा ई लिंग चाही। 

She said, “No, I want this Shivalinga.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै। फेन हुनका ओ लिंग किन देलकन। भोला बाबा के जे राखल रहैन से ओ किन देलकन, लऽ कऽ ओ फेन आगे बढ़लखिन।

He said, “All right.” Then he bought her the Shivalinga. He bought her that item, which was a Bhola Baba image of Shiva. And she took it and moved from there.

फेन आगे गेलखिन तऽ फेन देखलखिन ई उजरा माला बिकाइत। फेन  माला जे बिकाइत देखलखिन तऽ ओ कहलखिन हमरा फेन एतऽ गाड़ी रोकू पाँच मिनट।

And once again, as they continued along, she saw there was a white flower garland on sale. Again when she saw this, she requested, “Please stop the car for five minutes more.”

कहलखिन गेट गेट पे अहाँ हमरा गाड़िए रोका रहल छी से ई सब लऽ कऽ कि हैत एते सोना चाँदी घरमे पड़ल अछि से कुछ नय रुद्राक्ष के माला पेहेन के अहाँ कि करब। 

He said, “You are asking the car to stop at every gate. What business do you have wearing these Rudraksha beads, knowing that you have so much gold and silver lying at home?”

कहलकय कुछ नय हमरा ई चाही। 

She said, “I don’t know. I just want it.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै अहाँ लऽ लियऽ। 

He acquiesced, “Ok, fine. Get it.”

ओ लेलखिन फेन आगे गेलखिन तऽ जेना भोला बाबा के चंदन लगय छैन तऽ ओ चंदन रहय बिकाइत फेन ऊहो कहलखिन जे हमरा इहो खरीद दियऽ।

She got it. And after some distance she saw sandalwood powder on sale, so she said, “I want this as well.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै अहाँ  लियऽ। 

He said, “Fine, get it.”

सबटा लऽ कऽ जे घर एलखिन तऽ आन दिन कहय छलखिन नोकरनी के जे हमरा आँगन घर के काम कऽ दे लेकिन ओइ दिन एते विचार हुनका मोनमे एलैन जे ऊ ककरो नै कहलखिन ने नौकर चाकर के समाद देलखिन किनको नै।

Once she brought home everything, normally she would ask servants to go and do the household chores, but that day she thought to herself, she didn’t tell anybody, nor did she inform her servants.

खुद ओ अपनेसँ परेशानी उठा कऽ अपने कर्म लगलखिन पूरा घर बाहर के काम। 

She started doing all household chores by herself, bothering with it all herself.

केलखिन, कऽ कऽ आ जब नोकरनी एलैन तऽ कहलखिन जे मलिकैन से अहाँ सारा काम से अपने उठा लेलियय शरीर पर कष्ट।

She did it all, and when the servant arrived, she asked the queen, “Madam, why did you all work on your own physical efforts?”

तऽ से कोनो बात नै छै से आइ तू कनी टोला पड़ोसामे ई खबरि कऽ दहक जे राजमहलमे शिव चर्चा हुए बला छै। 

She replied, “No worries. Just inform people in the neighbourhood and area that there is a Shiva devotional gathering scheduled today at the palace.”

कहलकय अहूं करबय चर्चा। 

She asked the queen, “Will you, too, organise a Shiva devotional gathering?”

तऽ हँ ई हमरा मोनमे आइ रूकि गेल छै से ई हम आइ पूरा करबय। 

The queen said, “Yes, actually this has settled in my mind, so I will fulfil that today.”

कहलकय ठीक छै। 

She responded, “Okay.”

नोकरनी जे रहथिन से सौंसे गाँवमे शोभो कऽ देलखिन जेना अपने सब एलखिन तेनाहि कऽ देलखिन जे आइ राजमहलमे शिव चर्चा होइ बला छै से अहाँ सब जत्ते गुरु बहिन छियय से सब पहुँचबय ओतऽ। 

The servant informed all in the village (just like we have gathered here today), “There is a Shiv charcha devotional gathering in the palace today, and all you devout women are requested to come.”

कहलकय ठीक छै।

They replied, “Okay.” 

जत्ते रहथिन टोल पड़ोसमे गुरु भाई गुरु बहिन सब पहुँचलखिन, खूब भारी मोनसँ चर्चा भेलय अपन। 

All devotional sisters and brothers from the neighbourhood arrived, and Shiv charcha took place with great devotion.

चर्चा भेलनि फेन प्रसादी जे रहैन सबटा बाँटि खोंटि कऽ टोला पड़ोसा सौंसे ऊ पहुँचा देलखिन। 

After the charcha devotional event, she delivered all of the blessed offerings from the session to the doorsteps of people in the neighbourhood.

पहुँचा कऽ गुरुसँ दया मंगलखिन जे हे गुरु सब पर तऽ दया केलियय हमरो पर कनी दया करू। 

After delivering these, she prayed to Shiv Guru, “Hey, Shiv Guru, you blessed everybody, please also shower your blessings on me.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै। 

He answered, “Very well.”

सब चलि गेलखिन अपना अपना घर प्रसादी लऽ कऽ पूजा गेलनि तऽ, जे प्रसादी हुनका बचलैन ऊ कनी फेर राजा के देलखिन थोड़े अपने खेलखिन। 

Everyone left for their homes with blessed offerings after the worship session, and of the offerings that were left with the queen, she gave some of them to the king and ate some of them herself. 

चरणामृत बचलैन, चरणामृत बचलैन तऽ थोड़े हुनको देलखिन फेन अपनो पिलखिन। 

The elixir offering was also left, and she drank that and also gave some to the king.

पिलखिन तऽ ओहि राति हुनका शिवगुरु दया केलखिन तऽ गर्भ रहि गेल। गर्भ रहि गेल तऽ सुन्दरसँ बालक भेलनि। 

Since she drank that, the same night Shiv Guru blessed her, and she became pregnant. Once the pregnancy was complete, she gave birth to a handsome son.

बालक भेलनि तऽ खूब और खुशी भेलनि हमरा ठीके ई केलासँ एना भेल। एते केलौं तऽ नय भेल लेकिन शिवगुरु के चर्चा केलासँ खुशी हमरो भेल। 

With the son arriving, she became happier, musing, “Because I worshipped, this came to pass. I did so many things but nothing worked; now that I did devotion to Shiva, this much happiness came to me.”

बड्ड मोनमे खुश भेलनि। 

She became very happy.

जब छोटसँ बच्चा भऽ गेल बारह तेरह साल कऽ बारह तेरह साल के बच्चा भेलनि तऽ और सुन्दर भेलनि और सुन्दर भेला के बाद भेलनि ऊ बाइस साल के। 

When the small child grew to 12 or 13 years old, he became even more handsome, and after that again he became 22 years old.

बाइस साल के भेलनि तऽ आब राजा साहब सोचलखिन जे कुछ एकर शादी बियाह के लेल सोचल जाय। 

When he turned 22, the king thought, “Now let’s think about his marriage.”

पढ़ा लिखा तऽ लेबे केलौं कुछ शादी बिबाह के लेल सोचल जाय। 

“I have given him an education and such; now I should think about getting him married.”

फेन रानी कहलखिन जे एतनी उमरमे केना राजा साहब अहाँ कहय छियय शादी करब से नै करू। 

To which the queen responded, “Why, my lord, do you say that we should get him married at this young age; please don’t.”

कहलकय नै से केना हैत, से नै तऽ सबहक घर द्वारमे देखय छियैन हम से नै तऽ करऽ दियौ। 

He said, “No, why not. I see in everybody’s home, let’s do that.”

कहलकय ठीक छै करू। 

She acquiesced, “Ok, fine. Let’s do it then.”

शादियो बियाह के बात विचार केलखिन। शादियो बियाह के जे बात विचार केलखिन जबकि शादी के टाइम एलैन तऽ राजा साहब अपने गुजरि गेलखिन।  

They considered the matter of marriage. After considering the matter of marriage, and when the time to marry him arrived, the king passed away.

जब राजा साहब शादी-बिबाह के टाइम एलैन तऽ राजा साहब अपने गुजरि गेलखिन। अपने गुजरि गेलखिन तब अकेले कि हैत हुए। फेन सोचल जाय। 

When the time for marriage arrived, the king himself passed away. It was thought how would it be done now, since the queen is alone? “Let’s think it over.”

फेन हुनका जेते रहैन रिश्तेदारमे तिनका बजा कऽ ओ रानी अपना बेटा के खूब धूम धामसँ अपन शादी-बिबाह केलैथ। 

Then the queen gathered her relatives and married her son off with much fanfare. 

शादी-बिबाह जे केलैथ तऽ ओ कनिया एलैन घरमे सुन्दर। 

And once he was married, a beautiful bride came home.

कनिया एलैन तऽ ओ रानी जे रहथिन अपने तऽ ओ शिव गुरू के शिष्य रहथिन। शिष्य रहथिन तऽ हुनका तऽ जखन तखन गुरूसँ अप्पन दया मांगथिन मने मन।

After the bride arrived, the queen, who was a disciple of Shiv Guru, would keep herself more often engaged in prayers and seeking blessings from Shiv Guru.  

साँझ हुनकर होइथ कि ओ दया मंगथिन। 

By evening, she would pray and seek blessings.

माला जे देखलखिन कनिया तऽ कहलखिन माँजी ई कथी अहाँ घरमे रखने छी। 

When the bride saw the mantra beads, she asked, “What is this that you are keeping at home, mother?”

कहलकय कनिया ई कुछ नै से अहाँ के कि मतलब अइ से अइ पर ध्यान नै दियौ। अहाँ अपना कामसँ काम राखू। 

She said, “Nothing, it shouldn’t concern you, so don’t bother about it. You attend to your own work.”

कहलखिन अइसँ अहाँ के कि होय यै। 

But she again asked, “What does it do for you?”

कहलखिन हमरा कुछ नै होय यै। अहाँ के एक बेर कहलौं कनिया अहाँ अपना कामसँ काम राखू अइ पर अहाँ ध्यान नै दियौ। 

She replied, “Nothing happens to me because of this. I told you once already: attend to your own matters, don’t worry about it.”

फेन कनिया अप्पन काममे लागि गेलखिन। काममे लागि गेलखिन फेन शाम के टाइम भेलनि। 

Then the bride attended to her own work. She got to work, then after some time it became evening.

साँझ बाती के टेम तऽ साउस जे रहथिन अप्पन रानी से साँझ बाती दऽ कऽ माला के हाथमे लॉ के अप्पन बैठ गेलखिन जे अप्पन कनिया खाना बनबय छै सबकुछ काम करतय हम अप्पन जाप कर लय छी। 

When it was time for evening prayers and oil lamps, the queen offering evening prayers and oil lamps went to sit with the beads in hand, saying, “The bride will cook dinner and do all other chores. I am going to chant prayers with the beads.” 

जाप जे करैत रहथिन तऽ ओ कनिया एलखिन घर देखि लेलखिन आ चलि गेलखिन। 

As she was engaged in prayer, the bride came to her room, saw her and went back.

जब पति एलखिन तब पति के कहलखिन देखियौ से हम तऽ अइ घरमे नै रहब। 

When her husband arrived home, she told him, “Look, I won’t be able to live in this home.”

कहलकय जा से कि बात भेल जे अहाँ एहन बात हमरा कहय छी। 

He replied, “Oh, what has happened that you would say such a thing to me?”

हुनका भेलनि हमरा हँसी करैत छथि। 

He thought that she was joking.

कहलखिन ई हँसी मजाक हमरा ठीक नै लगय यै। 

He said, “I don’t like this joking around.”

कहलखिन नै से नै अहाँ तऽ देखियौ मम्मी छथि से एना एना बात करय छथि। हमरा ई सब पसंद नै अबय यै। ई सब पसंद हमरा नै अबय यै। 

She said, “No, you see, mother is doing like that. I don’t like these. I don’t like these.”

कहलकय से कियै? 

He asked, “Why?”

तऽ ओहिना । 

She said, “Just because.”

कहलकय ठीक छै अहाँ के पसंद कि अबय यै।

Then he asked, “What do you like then?”

तऽ पसंद अबय यै हमरा टीवी सीडी रेडियो बाजा पसंद अबय यै लेकिन ई सब हमरा पसंद नै अबय यै। 

She said, “I like TV, CDs, radio, soundboxes, but I don’t like all these.”

कहलकय ठीक छै आब जे महिला बूढ़ भेलखिन तऽ हुनका तऽ वैह नीक लगतैन से नै तऽ हुनका जे करय छथि से करऽ दियौन अहाँ अपना सोसाइटीमे रहु। 

He said, “Ok, but when a woman gets old they prefer such things, so let her do what she does, and you engage in your own society.”

कहलखिन नै से रहब तऽ हमरा मायके जै दियौ हम नय रहब। हँ जै दियऽ।  

She said, “No, let me return to my natal home. I won’t live here.”

कहलखिन ठीक छै। 

He said, “All right.”

ऊ माता राम जे रहथिन से अप्पन सुनि लेलखिन, सुनि लेलखिन तऽ कहलखिन जे मनमे विचार केलखिन  गुरु के दया मंगलखिन जे हे गुरु अहाँ के सेवा केलासँ हमरा ई पुत्र मिलल एते संकट कऽ कऽ आ से पुत्र एला से देखियौ जे पुत्र हमर किछु नै कहय छथि आन घर के बेटी एलथि ई हमरा पर एते ऐब लगा रहल छथि लेकिन हम खुद अहाँ के नै छोड़ब। 

The mother heard all of that conversation and thought in herself, and prayed before Shiv Guru, “From praying intently earlier you gave me this son, and, see, my son doesn’t trouble me ever, but this girl who has come from another home has accused me of so many things. Yet I myself will never forsake you.”

कतबो किछ कोई करता लेकिन अहाँ के हम नै छोड़ब। 

“No matter how much trouble anyone gives me, I won’t forsake my devotion to you.”

ओ जे रहथिन से ओ कनिया चलि गेलखिन।अपना भाई के मंगा कऽ ओ चलि गेलखिन, चलि गेलखिन। 

That bride left. She called her brother and went along home.

आब ई माता राम रहथिन से सोचऽ लगलखिन जे हमरा कारण हमर बेटा शादी केलक आ से हमर बेटो के छोड़ि कऽ चलि गेल। अपने स्वामी छलथि सेहो गुजरि गेलथि तऽ फेन एते भारी राजमहलमे हमरा लऽ कऽ कि श्रृंगार हेतय कुछ श्रृंगार नै हेतय से नै तऽ हमहीं निकलि जाय छी।

Now the mother began to think, “It was because of me that my son became ready to marry, and now she has left my son and gone. My husband too passed away, and will there be any beauty left at this huge palace with me remaining here? No beauty is possible, so it is me who should leave this place.” 

निकलि गेलखिन, राता राति निकलि गेलखिन। गुरू के नाम जपिते जते समान पत्तर रहैन सबटा समेट लेलखिन अपन विदा भऽ गेलखिन। चलि गेलखिन। 

She left, left in the night. Chanting Shiv Guru’s name, she left taking along all her belongings. She left. 

सुति कऽ जे बेटा उठलनि तऽ गेलनि खोजय लै जे माँ उठु कनी चाय ताय बना कऽ दियऽ। 

When her son awoke, he requested, ‘Mother, wake up, get me some tea.”

देखलखिन बिस्तर पर नै माँ के नै कुछो समान पत्तर कुछो नै। 

He saw neither his mother nor any of her belongings, nothing.

ओतऽसँ दौड़ल गेलखिन ससुरारि। कहलखिन चलू से हमर माँ तऽ जे अहाँ सोचलौं हमर मम्मी पूरा कऽ देलथि से नै तऽ अहाँ चलू आब अपना घर। फेन ओतऽसँ एलखिन। 

He went running to his in-law’s place. He told his wife, “Let’s go. What you desired, my mother provided you. Now come back along with me.” Then they came back from there.

ओतऽसँ एलखिन तऽ ओ देखलखिन साउस के नय। जाइत जाइत ओ गुरू के नाम जपैत जपैत चलि गेलखिन बड़ी  दूर। 

Now when she came back, she didn’t see her mother-in-law, who had gone a long distance, praying to Shiv Guru.

बड़ी  दूर गेलखिन तऽ आधा रस्तामे जा कऽ हुनका पीपर के बड्ड भारी के गाछ भेटलनि जतै ओ चर्चा भेल रहैन ततै हुनका ओ मिल गेलनि। 

Once she had gone a long distance, after reaching mid way, she found the same peepal tree where she had seen the Shiv charcha devotional gathering.

मिल गेलनि तऽ भजन गबैत रहलखिन बैठि कऽ। बैठि कऽ जे भजन गबैत रहथिन से मल्लाह रहथिन जे नाव खेवै छथिन्ह नदी सबमे। 

Once she found that, she sat there and started singing a devotional song. Some fishermen who were there listened to her singing.

ओ खेवै बला जे रहथिन से अप्पन काम करैत रहथिन। ऊ हिनकर भजन सुनि कऽ से बहुत प्रसन्न भेलखिन, बहुत मनमे शांति एलैन। 

Those fishermen were working there. They became very happy hearing her devotional song, and felt peace in their minds.

कहलखिन ऐह से देखियौ से माता राम जे छथिन्ह से अकेले पीपर जड़िमे पड़ल छथिन्ह आ भोला बाबा के ई नचारी गाबि रहल छथिन्ह भजन आ कते सुन्दर भजन। कहलखिन से नै तऽ लऽ चलू अपना घर पर हिनका। 

They said, “Oh, see how this mother is alone at the base of that peepal tree root and is singing Lord Shiva’s nachari. What a beautiful devotional song! So, let’s take her to our home.”

कहलखिन पूछय छियय अगर जेथिन तऽ लऽ जेबन।

They said, “Let’s ask her, we will take her along if she is willing.”

हुनका पूछलकन तऽ कहलखिन बौआ हम कतौ नै जैब जतऽसँ हमरा गुरु अनने छथि हुनके शरणमे हम जेबैन। हम केकरो द्वार पर नै जेबैन। 

When they asked her, she said, “Son, I won’t go anywhere. I will go only to the place where Shiv Guru brought me from. I won’t go to anybody else’s home.”

कहलखिन से केना हैत माता राम चलू हमरा द्वार पर अहाँ। क्रोधितमे रहथिन, क्रोधितमे रहथिन । 

They said, “How can we leave you like that? Mother, please come along to our home.” She was angry, in anger.

कहलखिन ठीक छै चलू। 

Then she said, “Well, okay, let’s go.”

गेलखिन तऽ फेर हुनका दुरा पर  एनाहि रातिमे भजन जगेलखिन। जगेलखिन तऽ कहलखिन हिनका तऽ अखैन भोजन चाही।

Arriving there, she began singing a song, in the evening at their home. When she sang the song, the hosts said, “Now she will also have to be offered dinner.”

हुनका सबकुछ भोजनो के इंतजाम केलकैन,  रहय के इंतजाम केलकैन। सबकुछ के इंतजाम केलकैन। भजन गेलखिन, भरि राति सब खुशी मनेलक। जबकि चारि बजलय भोर हुनकर प्राण चलि गेलखिन, लऽ गेलखिन अपना शरणमे शिवगुरू। फेन ओ मरि गेलखिन तब बेटा के नींद टूटलैन। 

They also made all the arrangements for her dinner, her stay. They arranged for everything. Then she sang the devotional song and people made merry all night. In the morning at four am, her soul departed, Shiv Guru took her under his tutelage. She died, and then her son woke up.  

बेटा कहलखिन ओह आब तऽ अहाँ एते  दिन रूकलौं से नै तऽ हमरा माँ के याद अबय यै से नै तऽ हमरा मम्मी के खोजऽ पड़त। मम्मी हमर आखिर गेल तऽ गेल कतऽ। 

The son said [to his wife], “Now you have stayed for so long, and since I am missing my mother, I must go and search for her. After all, where did she really go?”

अहाँ तऽ एबे केलौं आखिर पतो तऽ हमरा लगेनाइ जे हमरो मम्मी कतऽ अछि स्थापना भेल।

“You came finally, but in any case I have to find where my mother is actually.” 

कहलकय ठीक छै अहाँ खोजू गऽ लाऊ गऽ माँ कऽ खोजि कऽ आब। 

She said, “Yes, fine, you go look for her and bring her back.”

कहलकय देखियौ फेर तऽ अहाँ कहलौं हमर माँ कऽ खोजि कऽ लबय लै आ कनी कनी बातमे विस्फोट कऽ लेलौं जे मम्मी घरसँ निकलि गेल।

He then said, “Look here, you only are telling me to go and find her, but for minor reasons you took off and she too left home.” 

हमरा कते कष्टमे रहलौं लेकिन हमरा एला सुखी एलासँ अहाँ एते कष्ट दऽ देलियय जे मम्मी घरसँ निकलि गेलखिन। 

“I lived in so much trouble, and when happiness came to me, you gave so much trouble to my mother that she left home.”

मम्मी तऽ रहथिन मरि गेल। मरि गेलखिन जा कऽ पीपर गाछ लग जबकि सब कहलखिन टोल पड़ोस के लोक सब जे बाप रे बाप ई बूढ़ी माता भरि राति भजन गेलखिन आ सवेर होइत होइतमे देखियोजे हिनकर मृत भऽ गेलनि, मृत भऽ गेलनि से नै तऽ आब कि कैल जाय।

His mother had already died by then. When she went and died near the peepal tree, people from the area there began saying, “Oh my God, old mother sang the devotional song the whole night, and by dawn, she was dead; what to do?”

कतऽ के छलखिन नय छलखिन। कोनो नाम ठेका नै छैन, कोन जाति छलखिन से सब नै बूझए छियय केना कि हेतय। हिनकर संस्कार पाती केना हेतय, के आगि लेथिन से सब टोला पड़ोसामे भऽ रहल रहय विचार ताबेमे हुनकर बेटा पहुँचलय। 

“Nobody knows where she was from or not. Nobody knows her name, her caste, nothing is known, so how can it all be taken care of? How will her last rites be performed, who will light the funeral pyre?” People were in the midst of discussing all these matters, and then her son arrived.

बेटा जे पहुँचलय तऽ कहलकय जे यौ एगो बूढ़ी माता एलखिन हैं अइ टोल पर। 

Upon arrival, the son said, “Have you seen an old mother coming to this area?”

तऽ कहलखिन से अहाँ बूढ़ी माता के के लगबय? 

That person questioned, “How are you related to that old mother?”

तऽ से नै पहिले अहाँ सब हमरा बताऊ ने एलखिन हैं ? 

“No, first you tell me whether she has come here or not.” 

तऽ हँ  हँ।

“Yes, yes,” he then confirmed.

एक आदमी कहलखिन हँ  हँ एगो बूढ़ी माता भरि राति भजन गेलखिन हन आ सवेर होइत होइतमे हुनका मृत भऽ गेलनि। 

One person replied, ‘Yes, yes. An old mother sang a devotional song the whole night, and by dawn she had died.”

कहलखिन बताऊ ने हमरा कनी। 

He beseeched, “Please tell me in detail.”

कहलकय अहाँ अइ टोलसँ ओइ टोल जे जैब ओतऽ अहाँ पूछबय जे पीपर के गाछ कोन ठाम छै वैह अहाँ के बतेतत्त। ओ पीपर के गाछ लग जैब तबे अहाँ के पता लागत। 

He advised, “Go from this place to another, and there ask where the peepal tree is. Only there will they tell you about it. You will only come to know when you go there.”

तब ऊ कहलखिन ओह हमर माँ तऽ नै हैत मरल से नै हमरा मम्मी के मिठाई बड्ड पसंद रहय छलय से नै तऽ हम मिठाई लऽ लय छी रसगुल्ला। ओ जे मिठाई लय लै गेलखिन मिठाई बला के कहलखिन हमरा मिठाई दियऽ रसगुल्ला छेना बला। 

Then he said, “Oh I fear for my mother; I hope she isn’t lying dead there. I need to buy some rasgulla sweets for her; she liked them a lot.”  When he went to buy the sweetmeat, he asked the shopkeeper, “Give me rasgulla, made of cheese curd.”

ऊ नै देलकैन। चीनी के  लड्डू हुनका से देलकैन। चीनी के लड्डू देलकैन, नै पसंद भेलनि छोड़ि देलखिन चलि गेलखिन। 

He couldn’t give it to him, so he offered laddu sweets instead. He offered him laddu, made of sugar, which he didn’t like, and he left without it.

फेन ओतऽसँ जाइत जाइत गेलखिन तऽ एगो लोक देखलकय तऽ कहलखिन जे यौ अहीं खोजय छियय अपना मम्मी के। 

Again as moved along from there, a man saw him and queried, “Hey, is it you who is looking for his mother?”

तऽ हँ। 

“Yes,” he answered.

कहलखिन चलि जाऊ पीपर गाछ लग ठेकियैल बड्ड भीड़ लागल छै ओतय छथिन्ह एगो बूढ़ी माता से डेथ कऽ गेलखिन।

He said, “Okay, go yonder to the peepal tree. A crowd is there. An old mother has died there.”

भागल पड़ाएल गेलखिन देखलखिन, देखलखिन माँ के, चिन्ह गेलखिन। परेशान भऽ गेलथि। मूर्छित भऽ कऽ ई गिर गेलखिन। फेन इनका पानि तानि मुँह पर देलकैन, होशमे अनलकैन। 

Running to reach there he saw his mother and identified her. Overcome with anxiety, he fainted. So people splashed water on him and brought him back to consciousness. 

कहलखिन एना केलासँ केना हैत से नै तऽ आब हिनकर संस्कार पाती के लेल करू। कहलकय केना हेतय तऽ बाँस कटय लै गेलय।

They said, “In this state, how could you perform all necessary rites? So, gain strength.”

He asked, “How can it all get done?” Then they left to cut bamboo.  

जिंदामे आरो दुलरुआ बेटा खटियो नै जानि

“When she was alive, this pampered son didn’t even know about a cot;

रे जानि खटियो नै पटियो नै जानि

Neither did he know about a mat.

रे जानि मरलौमे बाँस कटौलो हे जानि

Now he has to know that bamboo has to be cut when someone dies;

रे जानि मरलौमे बाँस कटौलो हे जानि

Now he has to know that bamboo has to be cut at the occasion of someone’s passing.”

फेन लऽ गेलखिन चचरी बनेलखिन फेन बेटा कानऽ लगलय फेन अपने मने मने कहलखिन

Then they took it all and prepared a bed of bamboo, and the son began to cry. Then they chorused:

जिंदामे आरो दुलरुआ बेटा गुदरी पुरान नै जानि

“When she was alive, this pampered son didn’t even know about a soiled and worn out cloth;

रे जानि गुदरी पुरान हे जानि

Now he has to know about a soiled and worn out cloth.

रे जानि मरलौमे दियऽ नीक पीताम्बर हे जानि

Now he has to know that a good quality yellow silk cloth has to be given;

जानि मरलौमे दियऽ नीक पीताम्बरी हे जानि

Now he has to know that a good quality yellow silk cloth has to be given.”

खिस्सेमे छियय ई लाइन सब। फेन हुनकर संस्कार पाती भऽ गेलनि। फेन गेलखिन गंगाजीमे पानि अनय लै,

All these lines are integral to the story. Then her last rites were performed. And they went to fetch water from the Ganges River.

जिंदामे आरो दुलरुआ बेटा पनियो नै जानि

“When she was alive, this pampered son didn’t even know about this water;

रे जानि हे पनियो नै जानि

Now he has to know about this water.

रे जानि मरलौमे गंगाजल हे जानि

Now he has to know about the role of Gangajal holy water in a death;

जिंदामे आरो दुलरुआ बेटा सुखलो नै रोटियो जानि

When she was alive, this pampered son didn’t even know about stale bread;

रे जानि सुखलो नै रोटियो जानि

Now he has to know about stale bread. 

रे जानि मरलौमे पूरिया हे जानि

Now he has to know about puri fried bread in a death; 

रे जानि मरलौमे पूरिया हे जानि

Now he has to know about puri in a death.”