| "Vaishnava Jana To" | |
|---|---|
| Song by Several artists like Amirbai Karnataki Lata Mangeshkar Shreya Ghoshal K.S.Chithra Gotuvadyam Narayana Iyengar Jagjit Singh M. S. Subbulakshmi | |
| Language | Old Gujarati |
| Published | 15th century |
| Genre | Bhajan, devotional poetry |
| Songwriter(s) | Narsinh Mehta |
Vaishnava Jana To (Gujarati: વૈષ્ણવ જન તો) is a Hindu bhajan, written in the 15th century by the poet Narsinh Mehta in the Gujarati language. The poem speaks about the traits and the ideals of a Vaishnava jana (a follower of Vaishnavism).
This article contains Indic text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks or boxes, misplaced vowels or missing conjuncts instead of Indic text.
Influence
This devotional hymn became popular during the life time of Mahatma Gandhi and was rendered as a bhajan in his Sabarmati Ashram by vocalists and instrumentalists like Gotuvadyam Narayana Iyengar. It was popular among freedom fighters throughout India. It embodies the philosophy of the poet, Narsinh Mehta. According to the scholar Vasudha Narayanan, this poem is a traditional example of the concept of jiva-daya, a form of ahimsa that comprises experiencing the pain of others and associating it with bhakti, which is devotion to God.
Lyrics
| Gujarati | Devanagari | IAST Transliteration | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
|
વૈષ્ણવ જન તો તેને કહિયે જે |
वैष्णव जन तो तेने कहिये |
vaiṣṇava jana to tene kahiye |
Call those people Vaishnava who |
|
સકળ લોકમાં સહુને વંદે, |
सकळ लोकमां सहुने वंदे, |
sakaḷa loka māṁ sahune vande, |
They respect the entire world, |
|
સમદૃષ્ટિ ને તૃષ્ણા ત્યાગી |
समदृष्टि ने तृष्णा त्यागी, |
sama-dṛṣṭi ne tṛṣṇā tyāgī, |
They see all equally, renounce craving, |
|
મોહ માયા વ્યાપે નહિ જેને, |
मोह माया व्यापे नहि जेने, |
moha māyā vyāpe nahi jene, |
They do not succumb to worldly attachments, |
|
વણ લોભી ને કપટ રહિત છે, |
वणलोभी ने कपटरहित छे, |
vaṇa-lobhī ne kapaṭa-rahita che, |
They have forsaken greed and deceit, |
See also
References
- "Vaishnava Jan To from Gandhi Godse Ek Yudh: Shreya Ghoshal's emotional track captures Mahatma Gandhi's journey". The Indian Express. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2024.
- Dalal, Roshen (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. Penguin Books India. p. 262. ISBN 978-0-14-341517-6.
- Narayanan, Vasudha (16 April 2020). The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Religion and Materiality. John Wiley & Sons. p. 405. ISBN 978-1-118-68832-8.