Vaishnava jana to

"Vaishnava jana to"
Song by Several artists like Lata Mangeshkar Jagjit Singh M. S. Subbulakshmi Etc.
Published	15th century
Genre	Bhajan, Devotional
Language	Gujarati
Writer	Narsinh Mehta

Vaishnava jana to is one of the most popular Hindu Bhajans, written in the 15th century by the poet Narsinh Mehta. It is in the Gujarati language. The bhajan was included in Mahatma Gandhi’s daily prayer. The bhajan speaks about the life, ideals and mentality of a Vaishnav Jana (a follower of Vishnu or Krishna).

Lyrics

Lyrics of the bhajan:

Narsinh Mehta, writer of the song

Gujarati		Hindi		Translation
વૈષ્ણવ જન તો તેને કહિયે, જે પીડ પરાયી જાણે રે પર દુ:ખે ઉપકાર કરે તોયે, મન અભિમાન ન આણે રે. ॥ધૃ॥ સકળ લોકમાં સહુને વંદે, નિંદા ન કરે કેની રે વાચ કાછ મન નિશ્છળ રાખે ધન ધન જનની તેની રે. ॥૧॥ સમદૃષ્ટિ ને તૃષ્ણા ત્યાગી પરસ્ત્રી જેને માત રે જિહ્વા થકી અસત્ય ન બોલે પરધન નવ ઝાલે હાથ રે. ॥૨॥ મોહ માયા વ્યાપે નહિ જેને દૃઢ વૈરાગ્ય જેના મનમાં રે રામ નામ શુ તાળી રે લાગી સકળ તીરથ તેના તનમાં રે. ॥૩॥ વણ લોભી ને કપટ રહિત છે, કામ ક્રોધ નિવાર્યાં રે ભણે નરસૈયો તેનું દર્શન કરતાં કુળ એકોતેર તાર્યાં રે. ॥૪॥		वैष्णव जन तो तेने कहिये जे पीड पराई जाणे रे, पर दुखे उपकार करे तोये मन अभिमान न आणे रे॥ सकल लोकमां सहुने वंदे निंदा न करे केनी रे, वाच काछ मन निश्चल राखे धन धन जननी तेनी रे॥ समदृष्टि ने तृष्णा त्यागी, परस्त्री जेने मात रे, जिह्वा थकी असत्य न बोले, परधन नव झाले हाथ रे॥ मोह माया व्यापे नहि जेने, दृढ़ वैराग्य जेना मनमां रे, रामनाम शुं ताली रे लागी, सकल तीरथ तेना तनमां रे॥ वणलोभी ने कपटरहित छे, काम क्रोध निवार्या रे, भणे नरसैयॊ तेनु दरसन करतां, कुल एकोतेर तार्या रे॥		One who is a Vaishnav (one who is a devotee of Vishnu) Knows the pain of others Does good to others, especially to those ones who are in misery Does not let pride enter his mind A Vaishnav, Tolerates and praises the entire world Does not say bad things about anyone Keeps his/her words, actions and thoughts pure O Vaishnav, your mother is blessed A Vaishnav sees everything equally, rejects greed and avarice Considers some one else's wife/daughter as his mother Will never speak lies with his/her tongue, Does not even touch someone else's property A Vaishnav does not succumb to worldly attachments Who has devoted himself to staunch detachment to worldly pleasures Who has been addicted to the elixir coming by the name of Ram For whom all the religious sites are in the mind Who has no greed and deceit Who has renounced lust of all types and anger The poet Narsi will like to see such a person By who's virtue, the entire family gets salvation

Influence

• This bhajan has inspired many people. This bhajan was one favourite bhajan of Mahatma Gandhi.
• In 1999, this song has been rendered in a single album by top artistes such as classical vocalists, Gangubai Hangal and Pandit Jasraj and pop star Remo Fernandes and also including, Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Narayan on the sarangi, flute maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia and santoor exponent Shivkumar Sharma played an instrumental rendition of this song.
• Along with Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram, Vaishnava jana to is also sung regularly by Delhi's best known western classical choral groups — The Capital City Minstrels at its annual Peace Concerts coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti.

In movies

Elements of the hymn were included in Hollywood movie Gandhi, Bollywood movies Water & Road to Sangam and Kollywood movie Hey Ram. The hymn was also used as a title song for several Indian films. Its recital by classical singer M. S. Subbulakshmi is very popular.

See also

• Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram

External links

• Vaishnava Janato -- Translation
• Vaishnava Janato Recital by M.S.Subbulakshmi