Manohar Kavishwar and His Song Divine

Shri Krishna -Arjuna in Dialogue

Shrimadbhagavat Gita, also called the Song Divine, is a dialogue between Arjuna and Bhagwan Shri Krishna in the battlefield of Kurukshetra where Shri Krishna, answers the dilemma set within the mind of Arjuna and leads him to fight  a righteous battle  to  uphold dharma (धर्म- the righteousness). Allegorically, the battlefield is the Kshetra ( क्षेत्र-human body), Arjuna is the kshetragya (one who resides in the kshetra), the soul (आत्मा), Bhagwan Krishna is the  supreme soul, the  Spirit (परमात्मा) and the battle  is the constant dialogue going on between the good and evil tendencies within a human mind (मानस). Summing up the esoteric significance of Bhagavad Gita, the Song Divine is a unique scripture in the world which offers a philosophy  to the mankind to fight the constant inner battle between his/her good and evil tendencies dwelling in and answers the  dilemma to use power of Buddhi (discrimination) to choose the right course of action.

Many commentaries, in the form of voluminous books and poetries have been written by great philosophers, yogis and saints on the Bhagvad Gita throughout the ages and many more would be written in future too to explore the truth. Here, I will reproduce a simple poetry written in Indian Marathi language by an ordinary, not very well known school teacher, Shri Manohar Kavishwar with its English translation.  The extra ordinary thing about the poetry by an ordinary man is that it could depict the essence of entire Gita in few lines.

Shri Manohar Kavishwar

Manohar Kavishwar was a Marathi lyricist, musician, play director and singer. With his multi-linguistic command, exceptional melody and music compositions, he rose to a preeminent position in the literally world. Inspired by the great Marathi musical venture of Shri Gajanan Digambar Madgulkar, popularly known as GaDiMa and singer & composer Shri Sudhir Phadke, the Geet Ramayan (a compilation of fifty six classical Marathi language songs graphically leading the listeners to the events from the Indian Hindu epic, the Ramayana), Manohar Kavishwar has composed the song “Kartaya ne ghadto manush  कर्तव्याने घडतो माणूस जाणून पुरुषार्था” depicting brilliantly the entire essence of Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta in few lines. Kavishwarji was a school teacher in Amravati city in Maharashtra, a faraway place from the Marathi cultural hub of Mumbai-Pune. It was a great honour to the poet that none other than the accomplished Sudhir Phadke, an icon of the Marathi film industry, had agreed to give his immortal voice to this song. Kavishwarji had composed much poetry including Geet Govindam, a compilation of his poetries and Geet Gajanan (on the life of Gajanan Maharaj, a Maharashtriyan saint). Unfortunately, very little material is available about the life of this great poet.

The granddaughter of Shri Manohar Kavishwar, Jui Kavishwar posts the following for a music lover about this song available on YouTube:

“This song is written by my Grandfather I have heard this since forever. Miss you mother-baba. I am blessed to be his granddaughter, he was a great play director as well, I used to accompany him for rehearsals of the plays like Sanshay Kallol, Ekach pyala, Sashtang Namskar, I must have been 8 or 9 years old. But I used to watch him keenly, He use to be there and not there at the same time. Lost in his thoughts. A great Artist. And the best Grandfather who spoilt me silly. And you are right he was not appreciated or recognized as much as he deserved but nonetheless there are wonderful people like you who still remember him and appreciate his art.”

Whenever I myself listen to the song विमोह त्यागून कर्मफलांचा सिद्ध होई पार्था, कर्तव्याने घडतो माणूस जाणून पुरुषार्था melodiously sung by Sudhir Fadke, I am transported to a different world where I feel a great joy, peace and motivation. It gives me immense strength, courage and peace to remain truthfully connected & grounded to path of duty, the righteous Karma. I just listen this song again and again.

The lyrics in Marathi is as below and the English translation is also given subsequently;

विमोह त्यागून कर्मफलांचा सिद्ध होई पार्था
कर्तव्याने घडतो माणूस जाणून पुरुषार्था

शस्‍त्र त्याग तव शत्रू पुढती नच शोभे तुजला
कातर होसी समरी मग तू विरोत्तम कसला
घे शस्‍त्रा ते सुधीर होऊन रक्षाया धर्मार्था

कर्तव्याच्या पुण्य पथावर मोहांच्या फूलबागा
मोही फसता मुकशील वीरा मुक्तीच्या मार्गा
इह परलोकी अशांतीने तव विक्रम झुकवील माथा

कुणी आप्‍त ना कुणी सखा ना जगती जिवांचा
क्षणभंगुर ही संसृति आहे खेळ ईश्वराचा
भाग्य चालते कर्मपदांनी जाण खर्‍या वेदार्था

रंगहीन मी या विश्वाच्या रंगाने रंगलो
कौरवात मी, पांडवात मी, अणुरेणूत भरलो
मीच घडवितो, मीच मोडितो, उमज आता परमार्था

कर्मफलाते अर्पून मजला सोड अहंता वृथा
सर्व धर्म परि त्यजुनी येई शरण मला भारता
कर्तव्याची साद तुझ्या तुज सिद्ध करी धर्मार्था

English Translation:

Leaving infatuation to fruits of actions

Prove your masculinity by rising to your duty

Abandoning weapons in front of opponent, does not go suit you

Becoming timid before war, what type of a warrior you are?

Take the weapons without wavering to uphold dharma

On the divine path of duties, lies illusory flowers of infatuations

Getting trapped in infatuations, you will miss the path of liberation

With unrest in the heaven, will lower the head of valor too

Nobody is your own, nobody a friend of soul in this world

The world is fleeting, just a play of God

Destiny walks on the feet of duties

Know this is the truth, the essence of knowledge

Colorless I, got colored with the color of the world 

I am in the Kauravas, am in Pandavas, am everywhere, in every atom

Only I do create, I do destroy

Understand this truth now, for your highest good

Dedicate the fruits of actions to me, leaving the false ego

Leaving all your ethos, surrender to my shelter Arjuna

Realize joy of righteous duty you yourself.

The video file of the song is also attached and interested listeners may enjoy the beautiful song.

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