Prabhu Kaa Dhyaan reminds the devotee to keep the mind fixed upon God. Its message is simple: remember the Divine morning and evening, recognize God’s presence throughout creation, and do not become consumed by the temporary concerns of this world. Rather than promising a life without suffering, the bhajan teaches that continual remembrance of God offers peace, direction, and strength in the midst of life’s difficulties.
Featured Recording
Prabhu Kaa Dhyaan
“Meditation on the Lord”
Performed by Kavita Gawrinauth on voice and harmonium, with tabla accompaniment by Kevin Gawrinauth.
Lyrics and Translation
Hindi Lyrics and English Translation
The translation below conveys the devotional meaning of the bhajan as it is performed. The lyrics follow the transliterated version used in this performance and may differ slightly from other oral traditions.
Prabhu kaa dhyaan lagaa man mere,
Mit jaayenge sab dukh tere.
Sumiran karle saanjh savere,
Mit jaayenge sab dukh tere.
O my mind, meditate upon the Lord. Remember God morning and evening, and your sorrows will gradually fade away.
Jal mein, thal mein, neel gagan mein,
Kan kan mein hai Prabhu kee chhaayaa re, bhaai.
Jis-ne man kee aankhen kholeen,
Us-ne uskaa darshan paayaa re, bhaai.
Jo nar Prabhu kee maalaa phere,
Chhoote janam janam ke phere.
God is present in the waters, upon the earth, throughout the blue sky, and within every particle of creation. Whoever opens the inner eye of the heart can recognize the Divine everywhere. Those who continually remember the Lord may find freedom from the endless cycle of birth and rebirth.
Dagar dagar par jhoothaa melaa re,
Bharmaatee hai jhoothee maayaa re, bhaai.
Kaun saath dhan le jaayegaa re?
Kaun saath dhan leke aayaa re, bhaai?
Jag mein sab ke rain basere,
Saath kisee ke kaun chale re?
Everywhere we turn, the world is filled with distractions and temporary pleasures. No one brings wealth into this world, and no one carries it away. We are all only temporary travelers here. In the end, it is the remembrance of God’s name—not material possessions—that remains.
Reflection
Remembering the Divine Name
As I researched the history of Indian indenture in British Guiana, I was struck by how often select published primary sources referred to the remembrance of God’s name. Memoirs, devotional writings, songs, missionary accounts, and later recollections describe laborers invoking Ram, Hari, Krishna, Prabhu, and other sacred names while working in the cane fields. Although these sources come from different people and different moments in time, together they suggest that remembering God formed an important part of everyday religious life.
Reading those sources has changed the way I hear Prabhu Kaa Dhyaan. The bhajan reminds listeners to remember God morning and evening, to recognize the Divine throughout creation, and not to become consumed by the temporary concerns of the world. Its message helps explain why the simple repetition of God’s name could become such a meaningful devotional practice.
The historical record cannot tell us exactly what every individual experienced while working on the plantations. Yet the repeated appearance of sacred names across these sources suggests that calling upon Ram, Hari, Krishna, or Prabhu could offer comfort during physically demanding labor. The Divine Name became something that could be carried wherever one went, whether in prayer, in song, or quietly within the heart.
When I sing Prabhu Kaa Dhyaan, I think about those moments preserved in the historical record. References to laborers chanting the names of God are no longer simply words on a page. Through bhajans like this one, they become easier to imagine and, in a sense, easier to hear. The song reminds me that faith is often sustained through small, repeated acts of remembrance, and that the Divine Name has long been a source of comfort, perseverance, and hope.