New arrangements of Paramahansa Yogananda's groundbreaking 1938 Cosmic Chants, and several of the Bengali songs that he loved to sing. Naren’s arrangements are unique, focusing on the musical roots of India. His knowledge of Indian Classical music as well as his research of Bengali devotional music have enabled him to arrange Cosmic Chants into a form closer to their original expression.
Release Date: June 21, 2018 by Sangita Yoga Music, BMI
1. In the Temple of Silence
by Paramahansa Yogananda, 1938 Cosmic Chants
In the temple of silence,
In the temple of peace
I will meet Thee, I will touch Thee, I will love Thee
And coax Thee to my altar of peace.
In the temple of samadhi
In the temple of bliss
I will meet Thee, I will touch Thee, I will love Thee
And coax Thee to my altar of bliss
Bengali:
Shaanti mondire, shaanti kutire
Tomaare heribo, tomaare paaroshibo
Bhaalobaashibo, bhaalobaashibo
Bhulae aanibo, bhulae aanibo
Hridoyo bedi pore
Shaumadhi mondire, Shaumadhi kutire
Tomaare heribo, tomaare paaroshibo
Bhaalobaashibo, bhaalobaashibo
Bhulae aanibo, bhulae aanibo
Shaumadhi bedi pore
2. When My Dream’s Dream Is Done
by Paramahansa Yogananda, 1938 Cosmic Chants
Whence do they come here?
Whither do they flit away?
In all follies’ dark sway
Keep floating on hope’s way.
Take the dust of each one’s feet
Serving Mother where She sleeps.
When my dream’s dream is done
She will lift me on Her lap.
3. Do Not Dry the Ocean of My Love
by Paramahansa Yogananda, Cosmic Chants 1938
Do not dry the ocean of my love
With the fires of my desires,
With the fires of my restlessness.
For Thee I pine [cry], for Thee I weep. I'll cry no more, Thou mine evermore!
Thee I find behind the fringe of my mind.
Hide no more, Lord [Ma], hide no more.
Leave me not, Lord [Ma], leave me no more!
4. Tamal Tree
These verses were translated from the original Bengali song, which is a form of Vaishnava Padabali Kirtan, a genre of sacred music that dates back to the 15th – 17th century. These songs were composed in the praise of Sri Radha and Krishna’s Divine play and are a vital part of medieval Bengali literature. Our version of this song has been taken from the original Bengali “Sri Sri Ramakrishna Kathamrita” (The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna), by Sri Mahendranath Gupta (Master Mahasaya). This beloved song of Bengal was brought to the West, translated and set to music in the song “My Krishna is Blue” by Sri Paramahansa Yogananda.
Bengali
Moribo moribo shokhi nischoy moribo
Amar Kaanu haeno gunonidhi
Kaare diye jaabo.
Naa poraayo Radha aungo
Naa bhaashaayo jaule
Morile baadhiya rekho Tomaleri daale
Ami tomaey boroi bhalobashi
Amar Krishna kaalo Tomal kaalo
Ami taito Tomal bhalobashi
Aha Krishno kaalo, Tomal kaalo, Tomal bhalobashi
Tomaleri tolae she je bajai tobashi
Ami taito Tomal bhalobashi
English Translation by Lopamudra Bose
One day I will die, I will surely die
And my Kanu - the noble and virtuous Krishna
Who can I leave him with?
Don’t burn this body of Radha,
Nor float it down the waters
When I die, bind this body to a branch of the Tamal Tree.
I deeply love the Tamal Tree
My Krishna is of dark hue, and so is the Tamal Tree
Oh friend, that is why I love the Tamal Tree,
Krishna is black, the Tamal is black, I love the Tamal
Beneath the Tamal boughs, He played His flute.
That is why I love the Tamal Tree.
5. Desire, My Great Enemy
by Paramahansa Yogananda, 1938 Cosmic Chants
Paramahansa Yogananda recalled that this song was a favorite of his Guru’s, Swami Sriyukteswar, and they would often sing it together in Bengali. Sri Yogananda has rendered a beautiful English version. In this context, ‘desire’ refers to the Sanskrit word ‘kāma’ or selfish material desire. This lustful and greed for material satisfaction is said to be the root cause of spiritual suffering. Pranayama, which means ‘life force control’ is the sadhana that yogis prescribe to help overcome this desire. In its cosmic sense, pranayama is the Creator and Mover of all life. The ‘wishing tree’ is the Kalpataru in Sanskrit and is a mythological and symbolic tree that fulfills all desires, both material and spiritual. The yogi calls out to the Lord for guidance and aid. The Lord responds with counsel to the yogi to be immersed in pranayam.
Desire, my great enemy,
With his soldiers surrounding me; is giving me lots of trouble, Oh my Lord.
That enemy I will deceive, remaining in the castle of peace
Night and day in Thy joy, Oh my Lord.
What will be my fate? Oh Lord, tell me.
”Pranayam be thy religion, Pranayam will give thee salvation.
Pranayam is the wishing tree.
Control the little pranayam, become all-pervading Pranayam.
You won’t have to fear anything anymore.”
6. Sri Ramprasad’s Song
Original Bengali song by Sri Ramprasad, 18th century mystic poet who achieved spiritual liberation through sadhana and ecstatic chanting to the Divine Mother Kali. Paramahansa Yogananda loved this song, and many songs of Sri Ramprasad. Sri Daya Mata, a disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda, recalls the time when he sang this song in Bengali to a few gathered in his ashram in Encinitas, CA. He then began to translate, line for line, this holy song.
English adaptation by Paramahansa Yogananda, from Cosmic Chants:
Will that day, O come to me Ma?
When saying, “Mother dear” my eyes will flow tears.
Heart’s lotus will blossom forth, darkness will steal away
Steal away, Ma steal away.
A thousand Vedas do declare Divine Mother’s everywhere
Sri Ramprasad says, “My Mother everywhere stays”
Blind eyes see the Ma hiding everywhere.
Melody arranged by Naren K. Schreiner in jhaptal
Bengali transliteration and translation by Lopamudra Bose
Aemon dīn ki haube Tārā
When will that day come, O Tara?
Jaube Tārā Tārā Tārā bole / Be-e porbe dhārā
When saying “Tara, Tara, Tara” / my tears will flow.
Hrīdī paudde uthbe phūte / Moner ådhar jābe chhute
Heart’s lotus will blossom, mind’s darkness will flee
Taukhon dhaurā taule porbo lute / Tārā bole haubo shārā
Then I will fall to the earth, my whole being uttering Tara
Tejibo shaub bhedā bhed / Ghūche jābe moner khed
I will relinquish all dualities / All grievances will flee my mind
Ore shauto shauto shotto bed / Tārā āmār nirākārā
Oh, hundreds of vedas declare My Tara is beyond form [everywhere]
Sri Ramproshād raute, Ma birāje shaurbo ghaute
Sri Ramprasad declares, Ma resides everywhere *literally ‘in every ghaut’ [referring to the Bengali custom of having a sacred water vessel, ‘ghaut' or ‘kalash’, placed on the altar of every home and temple].
Ore åkhi aundho daekh Mā ke
Oh blind eyes, behold Ma
Timire timire bhaurā
Amidst the deep darkness
7. Divine Mother’s Song to the Devotee
From a traditional Bengali Baul song, adapted to English by Paramahansa Yogananda in Cosmic Chants 1938
Oh devotee, I can give thee salvation, but not My love and devotion;
For when I give those away, I give Myself away.
Ask of Me salvation, but not My love and devotion
For indeed then, when I give those away
I became poor, enclosed in your heart’s way.
8. Who Is In My Temple?
by Paramahansa Yogananda, 1938 Cosmic Chants
This chant is an English translation and adaptation by Paramahansa Yogananda of one of his favorite Rabindranath Tagore’s songs.
Who is in my Temple?
All the doors do open themselves;
All the lights do light themselves.
Darkness like a dark bird flies away, oh, flies away.
9. Divine Gypsy
by Paramahansa Yogananda, 1938 Cosmic Chants
It is likely that this song is inspired by a Baul song, which is a genre of sacred folk music composed by the roaming holy men and women of Bengal called Baul, who sing and dance as a form of sadhana that is rooted in mystical yoga and tantra.
I will be a gypsy! I will be a gypsy!
Roam, roam and roam!
I’ll sing a song that none have sung
I’ll sing to the sky! I’ll sing to the wind!
I’ll sing to my red cloud
I’ll roam, roam and roam
I’ll roam, roam with Om!
I’ll be the king of the land through which I roam.
10. Nahi Shurjo Nahi Jyoti
by Narendranath Dutta (later Swami Vivekananda) in the 1880’s.
This great soul later took sannyas and was known to world as Swami Vivekananda. He wrote these lofty verses as a description of samadhi. He later wrote an English version, “Hymn to Samadhi”. The genre of the song is dhrupad, and he composed it in the raga is Bageshri. Swami Vivekananda, a great disciple of the avatar Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, was revered by the young Mukunda Lal Ghosh (Paramahansa Yogananda’s birth name). In the book Mejda by Sri Yogananda’s younger brother, there is an intimate account of young Mukunda singing this very song at midnight and then entering into a deep state of samadhi.
Transliteration by Lopamudra Bose
নাহি সূর্য নাহি জ্যোতিঃ নাহি শশাঙ্ক সুন্দর।
Nahi shurjo nahi jyoti nahi shauhanko shundauro l
ভাসে ব্যোমে ছায়া-সম ছবি বিশ্ব-চরাচর॥
Bhashae byomay Chaya-shaumo chobi bissho chaurachoro ll
অস্ফুট মন আকাশে, জগত সংসার ভাসে,
Aushphuto mono akashae, jaugoto shongsharo bhashae
ওঠে ভাসে ডুবে পুনঃ অহং-স্রোতে নিরন্তর॥
Othae bhashae dubae punoh auhong-srotae nirauntauro ll
ধীরে ধীরে ছায়া-দল, মহালয়ে প্রবেশিল,
Dheerae dheerae Chaya-daulo, mauhaloyae probesheelo
বহে মাত্র ‘আমি আমি’ — এই ধারা অনুক্ষণ॥
Bauhae matro “ami ami”—aei dhara aunukhhauno ll
সে ধারাও বদ্ধ হল, শূন্যে শূন্য মিলাইল,
Shae dharau bauddho holo, shunnae shunno milailo,
‘অবাঙমনসোগোচরম্’, বোঝে — প্রাণ বোঝে যার॥
Aubongmonoshogochaurom, bojhae – prano bojhae jaar ll
THE HYMN OF SAMADHI
Composed in English by Swami Vivekananda
Lo! The sun is not, nor the comely moon,
All light extinct; in the great void of space
Floats shadow-like the image-universe.
In the void of mind involute, there floats
The fleeting universe, rises and floats,
Sinks again, ceaseless, in the current "I".
Slowly, slowly, the shadow-multitude
Entered the primal womb, and flowed ceaseless,
The only current, the "I am", "I am".
Lo! 'Tis stopped, ev'n that current flows no more,
Void merged into void — beyond speech and mind!
Whose heart understands, he verily does.
11. Tagore’s Thou Art My Life
by Rabindranath Tagore in 1886
It was published Tagore’s book, Geetabitan in 1931 listed as a Puja song. He also composed the melody, which is based on Raag Yaman Kalyan. It was a favorite of Swami Vivekananda who sang it often, and also of Paramahansa Yogananda. Researchers of Tagore’s works believe that Tagore composed this song in dedication to the life of Jesus Christ.
Bengali:
Shotto mongolo premomoyo tumi,
Dhrubojyoti tumi aundhokarae
Tumi shauda jaaro hridhae birajo
Dukhojala shei paashore shob dukhojaala shehi paashorae
Tomaro gyanae tomaro dhaynae taubo namae kauto madhuri
Jei bhaukoto shei jane Tumi janao jare shei jane Ohae, tumi janao jarae shei janae
Literal Translation in English by Lopamudra Bose:
You are Truth, Auspicious and permeated with Love
You are my polestar in the darkness.
You reside forever in my heart, overcoming all sorrow.
Your wisdom, Your meditation, Your name—so sweet, so sweet!
That devotee knows whom You let know, Oh! only whom You let know
12. Thou Art My Life
by Paramahansa Yogananda, 1938 Cosmic Chants
Thou art my life, Thou art my love,
Thou art the sweetness which I do seek.
In the thought by my love brought,
I taste Thy name so sweet, so sweet…
Devotee knows how sweet you are.
He knows whom You let know .
13. Guru Vandana Kirtan
by: Naren K. Schreiner
This vandana, or adoration, is to the guru-lineage of Paramahansa Yogananda; and to the Divine Mother that Sri Yogananda worshiped and communed with from his youth throughout his life—Ma Kali, and specifically Her form in Dakshineshwar Temple, named Bhavatarini Kali.
Jai Guru Jai Guru Jai Guru Jai
Paramahansa Yogananda Jai Guru Jai
Swami Sri Yukteswar Jai Guru Jai
Lahiri Mahasaya Jai Guru Jai
Mahavatar Babaji Jai Guru Jai
Jai Ma Jai Ma Jai Jai Ma
Bhavatarini Kali Jai Ma Ja