Hriday’s Song

A reminiscence by Sri Chinmoy
at the Nexus Resort Karambunai, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

 

The words for the song Tumi je hao se hao are by my eldest brother, Hriday. I was not even two years old when he wrote this poem. It is addressed to Sri Aurobindo:

Sri Chinmoy’s formal translation:

O Absolute Lord Father,
Why do I have to know who You are
And what You do,
As long as I know You and claim You
As my Father Absolute.
You are not only my Guru,
But the Guru of the whole world.

Who and what Thou art,
What need have I to know:
Thou alone art my God:
Thy Grace in my life
Forever has been written in golden letters.
Supreme Love!
How great Thou art.
The real identity Thou mayst not reveal.
I accepted Thee in dream of night.
Thee alone I greet at the dawn of life.
I see Thee as the Formless One,
As the Infinite in Thy Universal Self-form.
O my Guru, O Guru of the world,
What kind of game art Thou playing
Inside the world-room?

It is a most inspired poem and I also was most inspired when I set this melody at the age of thirty-five or thirty-six. The song is very, very appealing to me, both the words and the melody. I have sung this song many, many, many times. Once, I sang this song at Thousand Island Park, New York. While I was singing, my eyes were swimming in tears and uncontrollable tears were falling on my harmonium. I will never forget that experience.

Many people have written poems and songs about Sri Aurobindo. Among them, this song deserves a very, very special place in the heart of Sri Aurobindo’s disciples. I am not saying this simply because I am Hriday’s youngest brother.

This brother of mine received more than two hundred letters from Sri Aurobindo. When Sri Aurobindo had his accident and got a compound fracture in the knee, he could not walk. For the next few years, the disciples would write to him and he used to answer their questions. For five years or six years my brother received so many letters from Sri Aurobindo. And what was I doing at that time? Perhaps I was studying in kindergarten or primary school.

Published in I Wanted to be a Seeker of the Infinite

 

Tumi Je Hao Se Hao

Bengali lyrics by Hriday Ranjan Ghosh, Sri Chinmoy’s eldest brother, circa 1933
Music by Sri Chinmoy, circa 1966/67

Lyrics:

Tumi je hao se hao kiba kaj jene
Tumi je amar devata eka
Tomar karuna amar jibane
Sonar ankhare rayeche lekha
He param priya tumi kato baro
Swarup naoba janale more
Barinu tomare rateri swapane
Tomare bari jibana bhore
Amar nayane arup asim
Swarup simai tomar dehe
Jagater guru he amar guru
Ki khela khelicho dharar gehe

Published in My Indian Sunrise no. 21

 


Listen to Sri Chinmoy’s first recording,
January 7-14 1968, in Jamaica, West Indies

 


Listen to Sri Chinmoy singing with his disciples in 1995

 

Light Absolute: Alo

Published in Alo Divine Mother

 

Jasmine: Shephali

Published in Paramer Mahatripti

 

Fairy: Paree

Published in Paramer Mahatripti

 

Life-Energy: Pranika

Published in Paramer Mahatripti

Note:

These songs and others are composed at the Nexus Resort Karambunai, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.