kahan ke pathik kahan-Tulsidas

[smala]

Just heard this lovely Tulasi Das composition rendered in the sweet soothing voice of Veena Sahasrabuddhe. Her rendition is devotional.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUvQq1NdYUs

Lyrics below from the net, with some corrections. P. Bala, please post the Hindi script, if you can.

Note : There are substantial differences in places in the version sung by Anuradha Krishnamoorthy. The raga and style is very different from Veenaji.
http://www.hummaa.com/music/song/kahaanke-pathak/144066

Krishnaa, please add your translation here.
Corrections made based on Paluskar's rendition, thanks to Lakshmanji for the link.

kahAn kE paththik kahAn kinhO hai gamanuvA
kaun gramA kaun dhamA kE vAsi rAm kE kAran tuma tyajo hai bhavanuvA
uttara disI nagari ek ayodhyA rAja dasarath nripa wahAn hai bhavanuvA
unhi kE hum dOno kunvaruvA mAtA vachan suna tyajo hai bhavanuvA
gram vadhu punchchaT un siya sE kaun sE priyatama kaun sE devaruvA
siya muskAyi bolata mridu bAni sAnvarO tO prItam gaura tO devaruvA
tulsidas prabhu As charan kE merA man har lIno jAnaki ramanuvA

[krishnaa]

Oh one of my favorites! Just love the bhajan and the rendition just adds to it! The youtube video has the rough translation though...

[the villagers ask sri rama, sita devi and sri lakshmana]
kAhAn ke pathik kAhAn kInho hai gamanavA
O travellers (pathik)! From where (kAhAn) are your origins? And where do (kInho) you travel to (gamanavA)?
kaun dhAma ke grAma ke vAsI, ke kAran tum tyajyo hai bhuvanavA
In which (kaun) place (dhAma), which village (grAma) do you reside (vAsI)? And what is the reason (ke kAran) for you to abandon (tyajyo) your residence (bhuvanavA)?

[the princes reply]
uttara disi ek nagarI ayodhya rAjA daSaratha nripa jAhAn hai bhuvanavA
Towards the North (uttara) direction, there dwells a (ek) city (nagarI) named AyodhyA. King (rAjA) daSaratha is the emporor (nripa) in the palace (bhuvanavA) there.
UnahI ke hum dono kunvaravA mAta bacana suni tyajyo hai bhuvanavA
We (hum) both (dono) are the sons (kunvaravA) of him (UnahI). We heed (suni) to the words (bacana) of our mother (mAta) and thus we abandoned (tyajyo) our home (bhuvanavA).

[the village ladies enquire from sita devi]
grAma vadhU sab pUnchhe siyA se kaun so prItama kaun devarvA
All (sab) the village (grAma) ladies (vadhU) ask (pUnchhe) devi sItA (siyA) that which one (kaun so) is your beloved (prItama) and which one is your brother-in-law (devarvA).

siyA muskAI bolata mRdu bAnI sAnvaro prItama gore devarvA
Sita devi smiled (muskAI) and spoke (bolata) in a soft and sweet (mRdu) voice (bAnI), the dark-hued (sAnvaro) one is my beloved (prItama) while the fair one (gore) is my brother-in-law (devarvA).

tulasIdAs prabhu Asa carana kI mero mana hara lInho jAnakI ramanavA
The poet tulasIdasa says that the lotus feet (carana) are his only inspiration (Asa) and declares "my (mero) heart (mana) ahs been stolen (hara) by the beloved of jAnakI (jAnakI ramanavA).

[VK RAMAN]

Beauty comes out when the right meaning comes out. I love it.

[smala]

yes, yes, yes, the beauty is in the right translation, that's why I wanted it from you, Krishnaa. Am spoiled between you, rshankar and Smt. Savitri. A lovely read, I'm going to savor it more carefully listening to Veenaji.

Thanks, Sri VKRaman. have been enjoying your renditions on youtube, keep them coming.

Krishnaa, please add your thoughts on Veenaji's version with its classical touch that appeals immensely to me, versus Anuradha's - which one is more commonly heard?

Thanks Krishnaa, lovely to have you back

[Lakshman]

smala: Please check your email.

If you want to hear D.V.Paluskar's version it is here:

http://www.surgyan.com/V-D_V_Paluskar.html

It is the last song under bhajans.

[smala]

Thank you so much, Lakshmanji.

[VK RAMAN]

soothing indeed Veenaji's rendition. What is the difference between Carnatic bimplas and Hindustani bimplas? Learned rasikas may like to clarify!

[rshankar]

Krishnaa lovely...
Smala...my all time favorite rendition of this is Smt. MSS'
And please savor the last line where the poet doesn't say that he's lost his heart to rAmA; instead he says, 'this husband of jAnaki has won/stolen my heart' - I always imagine a tussle for tulsIdAsji's heart, that is won/stolen by rAma....

[krishnaa]

My pleasure to bring out the beauty of Tuldidas ji's poetry... truthfully, I feel blessed as I translate his compositions!
Will listen to Anuradha's version, I havent listened to it yet. Actually after listening to Srimati Veena's rendition, I didnt want to listen to any other. My music teacher gave me her rendition!

Ravi, yes the line is very beautiful.. and the avadhI tint of vA in jAnakI ramanavA just makes it sound even sweeter!

Will listen to Dr Paluskar's version too...

[VK RAMAN]

I would also not like to listen to any other audio after listening to Veenaji; true.