Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki in Gujarati
આરતી કુંજબિહારી કી
Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki is one of the best-loved aartis of Lord Krishna, sung in homes and temples across North India and the diaspora. Below is the complete Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki in Gujarati script, every line also in English letters, with the meaning of each verse in simple English.
- Gujarati script
- 5 verses
- 4 min
- Traditional (author unknown)
- Best on Wednesday
Recite line by line, listen, count with a mala. The reader opens in Gujarati.
આરતી કુંજબિહારી કી, Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki,
શ્રી ગિરિધર કૃષ્ણ મુરારી કી॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
Meaning
This aarti is for Kunj Bihari, who roams the groves of Vrindavan: Shri Krishna Murari, the lifter of Mount Govardhan.
ગલે મેં બૈજંતી માલા, બજાવૈ મુરલી મધુર બાલા। Gale Mein Baijanti Mala, Bajave Murli Madhur Bala
શ્રવણ મેં કુણ્ડલ ઝલકાલા, નંદ કે આનંદ નંદલાલા। Shravan Mein Kundal Jhalkala, Nand Ke Anand Nandlala
ગગન સમ અંગ કાંતિ કાલી, રાધિકા ચમક રહી આલી। Gagan Sam Ang Kanti Kali, Radhika Chamak Rahi Aali
લતન મેં ઠાઢે બનમાલી, Latan Mein Thade Banmali
ભ્રમર સી અલક, કસ્તૂરી તિલક, ચંદ્ર સી ઝલક, Bhramar Si Alak, Kasturi Tilak, Chandra Si Jhalak
લલિત છવિ શ્યામા પ્યારી કી॥ Lalit Chhavi Shyama Pyari Ki
શ્રી ગિરિધર કૃષ્ણ મુરારી કી॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
આરતી કુંજબિહારી કી, … Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki, … Refrain, sung again
Meaning
A Vaijayanti garland hangs at his neck, and the young Lord plays sweet music on his flute. Earrings gleam in his ears. He is Nanda's joy, Nanda's darling son. His body has the dark glow of a rain-filled sky, and beside him Radhika shines, dear friend. The Lord of the forest garland stands among the vines, his curls dark as bees, a musk tilak on his brow, his face aglow like the moon. This aarti is for the lovely form of Radha's beloved, Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari.
કનકમય મોર મુકુટ બિલસૈ, દેવતા દરસન કો તરસૈં। Kanakmay Mor Mukut Bilse, Devta Darsan Ko Tarse
ગગન સોં સુમન રાસિ બરસૈ, Gagan Son Suman Raasi Barse
બજે મુરચંગ, મધુર મિરદંગ, ગ્વાલિન સંગ, Baje Murchang, Madhur Mirdang, Gwalin Sang
અતુલ રતિ ગોપ કુમારી કી॥ Atul Rati Gop Kumari Ki
શ્રી ગિરિધર કૃષ્ણ મુરારી કી॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
આરતી કુંજબિહારી કી, … Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki, … Refrain, sung again
Meaning
A golden crown of peacock feathers gleams on his head, and even the gods long for a glimpse of him. Heaps of flowers rain down from the sky. The murchang and the sweet mridanga play as he moves among the cowherd girls. This aarti is for the one who holds the matchless love of the gopis, Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari.
The murchang is a small metal jaw harp still played in Braj and Rajasthan.
જહાં તે પ્રકટ ભઈ ગંગા, સકલ મન હારિણિ શ્રી ગંગા। Jahan Te Prakat Bhai Ganga, Sakal Man Harini Shri Ganga
સ્મરન તે હોત મોહ ભંગા, Smaran Te Hot Moh Bhanga
બસી શિવ સીસ, જટા કે બીચ, હરૈ અઘ કીચ, Basi Shiv Sees, Jata Ke Beech, Hare Agh Keech
ચરન છવિ શ્રીબનવારી કી॥ Charan Chhavi Shri Banwari Ki
શ્રી ગિરિધર કૃષ્ણ મુરારી કી॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
આરતી કુંજબિહારી કી, … Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki, … Refrain, sung again
Meaning
From his feet the holy Ganga came forth, Shri Ganga, who captivates every heart. Remembering her shatters delusion. She came to rest in Shiva's matted locks and washes away the mire of sin. This aarti is for the beauty of the feet of Shri Banwari, Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari.
Tradition holds that the Ganga flowed from the foot of the Lord in his Vamana (Trivikrama) form and was caught in Shiva's hair as she descended to earth.
ચમકતી ઉજ્જ્વલ તટ રેનૂ, બજ રહી વૃંદાવન બેનૂ। Chamakti Ujjwal Tat Renu, Baj Rahi Vrindavan Benu
ચહું દિસિ ગોપિ ગ્વાલ ધેનૂ, Chahun Disi Gopi Gwal Dhenu
હંસત મૃદુ મંદ, ચાંદની ચંદ, કટત ભવ ફંદ, Hansat Mridu Mand, Chandni Chand, Katat Bhav Phand
ટેર સુન દીન દુખારી કી॥ Ter Sun Deen Dukhari Ki
શ્રી ગિરિધર કૃષ્ણ મુરારી કી॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
આરતી કુંજબિહારી કી, … Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki, … Refrain, sung again
Meaning
The bright sand of the Yamuna's banks glitters, and the flute of Vrindavan is playing. On every side are gopis, cowherd boys and cows. He smiles a soft, gentle smile beneath the moonlit sky, and the snares of worldly life are cut. This aarti is for the one who hears the cry of the humble and the suffering, Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari.
About Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki
'Kunj Bihari' means the one who roams the kunjas, the flowering groves of Vrindavan, and 'Girdhar' is the lifter of Mount Govardhan. The aarti is in the sweet Braj idiom of Krishna's homeland. Its long lines break into short rhyming phrases, 'bhramar si alak, kasturi tilak, chandra si jhalak', which make it easy to sing together. Its author is unknown. It reached many Hindi-speaking homes through temples and aarti booklets.
Questions
Is this the same Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki that is sung in Hindi?
Yes. These are the same Braj words, written in Gujarati letters so you can read them aloud. It is a transliteration, not a translation into Gujarati. The meaning of each verse is given in English.
How was the Gujarati text prepared?
We keep one checked Devanagari edition (Traditional Braj/Hindi aarti as printed in popular aarti-sangrah booklets; text cross-checked against BhaktiBharat.com, Drik Panchang (Hindi) and two further lyric collections (chantchalisa.com, hindibhajanlyrics.co.in)) and write it in Gujarati letters with fixed spelling rules, so every verse matches the original letter for letter. The English-letter line is the common singing spelling.