Zara Halke Gaadi Haanko
Drive This Cart Slowly
ज़रा हलके गाड़ी हांको
कबीर नाव जर्जरी,
और कूड़े खेवनहार
हल्के हल्के तिरी गए,
बूड़े जिन सर भार
धीरे धीरे रे मना,
और धीरे सब कुछ होए
माली सींचे सौ घड़ा,
ऋतु आये फल होए
ज़रा हल्के गाड़ी हांको,
मेरे राम गाड़ी वाले
ज़रा धीरे धीरे गाड़ी हांको,
मेरे राम गाड़ी वाले
गाड़ी मेरी रंग रंगीली,
पईया है लाल गुलाल
हांकन वाली छैल छबीली,
बैठन वाला राम, ओ भईया
हल्के गाड़ी हांको…
गाड़ी अटकी रेत में
और मजल पड़ी है दूर
इ धर्मी धर्मी पार उतर गया
ने पापी चकनाचूर, ओ भईया
हल्के गाड़ी हांको…
देस देस का वैद बुलाया,
लाया जड़ी और बूटी
वा जड़ी बूटी तेरे काम न आई
जद राम के घर से छूटी, रे भईया
हल्के गाड़ी हांको…
चार जना मिल मतो उठायो,
बांधी काठ की घोड़ी
लेजा के मरघट पे रखिया,
फूंक दीन्ही जैसे होली, रे भईया
हल्के गाड़ी हांको…
बिलख बिलख कर तिरिया रोवे,
बिछड़ गयी रे मेरी जोड़ी
कहे कबीर सुनो भाई साधो,
जिन जोड़ी तिन तोड़ी, रे भईया
हल्के गाड़ी हांको…
Zara Halke Gaadi Haanko
Kabir naav jarjari,
aur koode khevanhaar
Halke halke tiri gaye,
boode jin sar bhaar
Dheere dheere re mana,
dheere sab kuchh hoye
Maali seenche sau ghada
ritu aaye phal hoye
Zara halke gaadi haanko,
mere Raam gaadi vaale
Zara dheere dheere gaadi haanko,
mere Raam gaadi vaale
Gaadi meri rang rangeeli,
paiya hai laal gulaal
Haankan vaali chhail chhabeeli,
baithan vaala Raam, re bhaiya
Zara halke gaadi…
Gaadi atki ret mein,
aur majal padi hai door
Dharmi dharmi paar utar gaya,
ne paapi chaknachoor, re bhaiya
Zara halke gaadi…
Des des ka vaid bulaaya,
laaya jadi aur booti
Va jadi booti tere kaam na aayi
jad Raam ke ghar se chhooti, re bhaiya
Zara halke gaadi…
Chaar jana mil mato uthaayo,
baandhi kaath ki ghodi
Le ja ke marghat pe rakhiya,
phoonk deeni jaise Holi, re bhaiya
Zara halke gaadi…
Bilakh bilakh kar tiriya rove,
bichhad gayi re meri jodi
Kahe Kabir suno bhai saadho,
jin jodi tin todi, re bhaiya
Zara halke gaadi…
Drive This Cart Slowly
Kabir, this boat is wobbly
And the boatmen are inept
They got across who were light
The heavy ones drowned
Slowly, oh heart, slowly
Things take shape slowly
The gardener may pour pots of water
But the fruit appears only in season
Drive this cart slowly
Oh my Raam of this cart
Drive this cart gently
Oh my Raam of this cart
This cart is colourful, beautiful
The wheels are red and rosy
A sassy young girl holds the reins
Raam sits in the vehicle
Drive slowly…
The cart got stuck in the sand
And the destination is far away
The true ones made it there
The criminals got crushed
Drive slowly…
Healers from many lands were called
They brought their herbs & cures
None of this was of any use to you
When your link to Raam got broken
Drive slowly…
Four people lift the stretcher
And prepare a wooden carriage
Drive to the funeral grounds
And up it goes in flames like Holi
Drive slowly…
The woman weeps in great distress
Our pair has been torn apart
Kabir says, listen seekers
The one who unites, separates
Drive slowly…
In case it is possible the Sufi meaning shall be a great help to understand the depth?
The song seems to be about remembering Raam while we are alive. And this remembering happens only in slowness and awareness. This Raam is sitting in the cart, in our own bodies, and the woman is the ‘surat’ or individual attention which is driving us. This marriage (with Raam) happens only while in the body. Then the connection is broken and the woman (‘surat’) weeps because her couple has been broken, realising that she did not make the most of this opportunity. Perhaps this is one way to read it! 🙂
Nice!
Possibly the message is to be aware and watchful as if something precious is sitting inside… not to disturb the inner peace bcz of outside stuff…
डूब गयो सो पार उतर गयो,
रह्यो किनारे वो लटक गयो!
ऐसा जादू रामनामका…2
कर ले जीवन शृंगार
जरा धीरे धीरे गाड़ी …..
कबीरजी को शत शत प्रणाम!
Hello, thanks for the translation. Can you suggest a source where I can understand the meaning and interpretation of this song. Your explanation about Surat and Ram in the discussion is wonderful.
I am not able to link the following two paragraphs with the larger meaning which the song is trying to convey. –
गाड़ी अटकी रेत में
और मजल पड़ी है दूर
इ धर्मी धर्मी पार उतर गया
ने पापी चकनाचूर, ओ भईया
हल्के गाड़ी हांको…
देस देस का वैद बुलाया,
लाया जड़ी और बूटी
वा जड़ी बूटी तेरे काम न आई
जद राम के घर से छूटी, रे भईया
हल्के गाड़ी हांको…