[p. 38]
Chapter two
The Songs and Translations
1 Sohar i [Nieuw Nickerie, 1967]
Wishes fulfilled through religious observances1
I.
pahalī mągana sītā mą̄gę javana bidhi purave ho
[pahalī mągana sītā (mą̄gäile) javana bidhi (puraväile) ho]
[pahalī mągana sītā mą̄gę javana bidhi (puravelā) ho]
II.
sītā mą̄gele ajodhyā ke rāja sarajū jī ke darasana ho
[sītā mą̄gele ajodhyā ke rāja sarajū jī ke (daraśana) ho]
III.
dusarī mągana sītā mą̄ge javana bidhi purave ho
[dusarī mągana sītā (mą̄gäile) javana bidhi (puraväile) ho]
[dusarī mągana sītā mą̄ge javana bidhi (puravelā) ho]
IV.
sītā mą̄gele kosillā äisī sāsa sasura rājā dasaratha ho
[sītā (mą̄ge) (kausilyā) äisī (sāsū) sasura rājā dasaratha ho]
V.
tisarī mągana sītā mą̄ge javana bidhi purave ho
[tisarī mągana sītā mą̄ge javana bidhi (puravelā) ho]
VI.
sītā mą̄gele purusa bhagavāna devara bābū lachamana ho
[sītā mą̄gele purusa bhagavāna devara bābū (lachimana) ho]
VII.
cauthī mągana sītā mą̄ge javana bidhi purave ho
VIII.
sītā mą̄ge goda ke balakavā ągana bhara kheläę ho
IX.
milahu na sakhiyā sahelarī mili juli caläu ho
X.
sītā kauna bidhi kara leyau rāma bara pāyäu ho
XI.
māghäi māsa nahānī agana nahį tāpe agina nahį tāpäi ho
XII.
sakhi barata rahyaų paräivā rāma bara pāyäu ho
[p. 39]
XIII.
milahu na sakhiyā sahelarī mili juli caläu ho
XIV.
sītā kauna kavana tapa kara leyau rāma bara pāyäu ho
XV.
barata rahyaų ekādasī aur duvādasī auro duvādasi ho
XVI.
sakhi tulasī ke diyanā jalāyau rāma bara pāyäu ho
XVII.
je yahi mangala gāve aura gāya ke sunāve, aura gāya ke sunāväi ho
XVIII.
sakhi tulasīdāsa bhali āsa amara phala pāväi ho
I.
Sītā makes (her) first wish - (if) God1 may fulfil it;
II.
Sītā wishes2 that she may see in the kingdom of Ayodhyā the venerable (river) Sarayū.
III.
Sītā makes (her) second wish - (if) God may fulfil it;
IV.
Sītā wishes that she may have a mother-in-law like Kauśalyā and a father-in-law like Daśaratha.
V.
Sītā makes (her) third wish - (if) God may fulfil it;
VI.
Sītā wishes that she may have a husband like the Lord (i.e. Rāma) and that she may have his brother Lakṣmaṇa as her devar.3
VII.
Sītā makes (her) fourth wish - (if) God may fulfil it;
VIII.
Sītā wishes that a child of her (own) lap may play about all over the courtyard.
IX.
- Gather up, sakhis,4 gather up and come along (to ask),
X.
What observances did Sītā perform (that she) obtained Rāma as (her) husband.
XI.
- Bathing in the very (cold) month of māgha (January-February) (I) did not warm (myself) by a fire; (I) did not warm (myself) by a fire.
XII.
Sakhi, I kept fast on the first day of the (lunar) fortnight and obtained Rāma as (my) husband.
XIII.
- Come on, sakhis, gather up and let us go (to ask),
XIV.
What and what (kind) of austerities did Sītā undertake (that she) obtained Rāma as (her) husband.
XV.
- I kept fast on the eleventh day of the fortnight and on the twelfth; again, on the twelfth,
[p. 40]
1This is the most popular sohar; four versions have been recorded. The words in the brackets in the first six lines are given to show the variants (see p. 3) used by different singers in the same group. This system will not be followed in the balance of the text. Cp. R. Tripāṭhī ('29: 142).
1Bidhi (S. Vidhi), the god of fate, or god Brahmā.
2‘mągana mą̄ge’ - she asks for the wish to be fulfilled.
3Devar, husband's younger brother.
4See note 1 on p. 5.
1Literally, ‘kindled a diyā’. Diyā (S. dīpaka) is a clay lamp filled with oil in wich a cotton wick is dipped. A common household object, it is also used as an offering of light to a deity.
2Tulasī plant. This is worshipped as a manifestation of Lakṣmī, the consort of Viṣṇu. See Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa (Prakṛti khaṇḍa) 7.45-47; 21. 1-103 and Padma Purāṇa 58.109-145; 59.1-42 re. the legend of Vṛndā incarnating as Tulasī, and her worship. Vide also Viennot ('54: 17).
