आरती कुंजबिहारी की, श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की॥
आरती कुंजबिहारी की, श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की॥
Aarti Kunj Bihari ki, Shri Giridhar Krishna Murari ki
Aarti Kunj Bihari ki, Shri Giridhar Krishna Murari ki
This is the aarti of Kunj Bihari, who roams the groves of Vrindavan: of Shri Krishna, the lifter of the mountain, the enemy of Mura.
गले में बैजंती माला, बजावै मुरली मधुर बाला।
श्रवण में कुण्डल झलकाला, नंद के आनंद नंदलाला।
गगन सम अंग कांति काली, राधिका चमक रही आली।
लतन में ठाढ़े बनमाली, भ्रमर सी अलक, कस्तूरी तिलक,
चंद्र सी झलक, ललित छवि श्यामा प्यारी की॥
श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की॥
Gale mein Baijanti mala, bajavai murli madhur bala
Shravan mein kundal jhalkala, Nand ke anand Nandlala
Gagan sam ang kanti kali, Radhika chamak rahi aali
Latan mein thadhe Banmali, bhramar si alak, kasturi tilak
Chandra si jhalak, lalit chhavi Shyama pyari ki
Shri Giridhar Krishna Murari ki
On his neck is the Vaijayanti garland, and the young one plays his sweet flute. Earrings sparkle in his ears; he is Nandalala, the joy of Nanda. His body has the dark glow of the sky, and Radhika shines beside him, O friend. The one with the forest garland stands among the vines, with curls dark as bees, a tilak of musk and a face shining like the moon: the lovely beauty of the beloved of Shyama (Radha).
कनकमय मोर मुकुट बिलसै, देवता दरसन को तरसैं।
गगन सों सुमन रासि बरसै, बजे मुरचंग, मधुर मिरदंग,
ग्वालिन संग, अतुल रति गोप कुमारी की॥
श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की॥
Kanakmay mor mukut bilsai, devta darsan ko tarsain
Gagan son suman rasi barsai, baje murchang, madhur mirdang
Gwalin sang, atul rati gop kumari ki
Shri Giridhar Krishna Murari ki
His golden crown of peacock feathers gleams, and the gods long for a glimpse of him. Heaps of flowers rain from the sky; the murchang (jaw harp) and the sweet mridang drum play, and with him are the cowherd girls, in the matchless love of the gopis.
जहाँ ते प्रकट भई गंगा, कलुष कलि हारिणि श्रीगंगा।
स्मरन ते होत मोह भंगा, बसी शिव सीस, जटा के बीच,
हरै अघ कीच, चरन छवि श्रीबनवारी की॥
श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की॥
Jahan te pragat bhai Ganga, kalush kali harini Shri Ganga
Smaran te hot moh bhanga, basi Shiv sees, jata ke beech
Harai agh keech, charan chhavi Shri Banwari ki
Shri Giridhar Krishna Murari ki
From him the Ganga came forth, Shri Ganga who takes away the stains of the Kali age. Remembering her breaks the spell of delusion; she rests on Shiva's head among his matted locks and washes away the mire of sin: such is the glory of the feet of Shri Banwari, lord of the forest.
चमकती उज्ज्वल तट रेनू, बज रही वृंदावन बेनू।
चहूँ दिसि गोपि ग्वाल धेनू, हँसत मृदु मंद, चाँदनी चंद,
कटत भव फंद, टेर सुन दीन दुखारी की॥
श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की॥
Chamakti ujjwal tat renu, baj rahi Vrindavan benu
Chahun disi gopi gwal dhenu, hansat mridu mand, chandni chand
Katat bhav phand, ter sun deen dukhari ki
Shri Giridhar Krishna Murari ki
The bright sands of the Yamuna's bank shine, and the flute is playing in Vrindavan. On every side are gopis, cowherds and cows; he laughs softly in the moonlight. He cuts the bonds of worldly existence when he hears the cry of the poor and suffering.
आरती कुंजबिहारी की, श्री गिरिधर कृष्ण मुरारी की॥
Aarti Kunj Bihari ki, Shri Giridhar Krishna Murari ki
This is the aarti of Kunj Bihari, of Shri Krishna, the lifter of the mountain, the enemy of Mura.
Sung daily in Krishna temples and homes, and especially at midnight on Janmashtami after the birth abhisheka of Laddu Gopal, on Radhashtami, Govardhan Puja and Holi in Braj. Its images come straight from the Bhagavata Purana's Vrindavan stories.
Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki is the most popular aarti of Krishna, sung in homes and temples across North India, at ISKCON temples, every evening in Braj, and above all at midnight on Janmashtami. Kunj Bihari means “the one who roams in the groves (kunj)” of Vrindavan; the refrain also calls him Giridhar, the lifter of the mountain, and Murari, the enemy of the demon Mura. Its author is unknown; it belongs to the Braj devotional tradition and is written in Braj Bhasha.
Its verses are a painting of Krishna in the forest of Vrindavan: wearing the Vaijayanti garland and a crown of peacock feathers, playing his flute, dark as the sky, with Radha shining beside him, as gods long for a glimpse of him and flowers rain from heaven. One verse remembers that the Ganga herself flows from Vishnu’s feet and rests in Shiva’s matted hair. The last pictures the moonlit sands of the Yamuna, the sound of the flute, and the cowherd boys, gopis and cows gathered around.
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