Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki in Punjabi
ਆਰਤੀ ਕੁੰਜਬਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੀ
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 Punjabi script, every line also in English letters, with the meaning of each verse in simple English.
- Punjabi (Gurmukhi) script
- 5 verses
- 4 min
- Traditional (author unknown)
- Best on Wednesday
Recite line by line, listen, count with a mala. The reader does not show Punjabi yet; it opens in English letters.
ਆਰਤੀ ਕੁੰਜਬਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੀ, Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki,
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗਿਰਿਧਰ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼੍ਣ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ 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.
ਗਲੇ ਮੇਂ ਬੈਜੰਤੀ ਮਾਲਾ, ਬਜਾਵੈ ਮੁਰਲੀ ਮਧੁਰ ਬਾਲਾ। Gale Mein Baijanti Mala, Bajave Murli Madhur Bala
ਸ਼੍ਰਵਣ ਮੇਂ ਕੁੰਡਲ ਝਲਕਾਲਾ, ਨੰਦ ਕੇ ਆਨੰਦ ਨੰਦਲਾਲਾ। Shravan Mein Kundal Jhalkala, Nand Ke Anand Nandlala
ਗਗਨ ਸਮ ਅੰਗ ਕਾਂਤਿ ਕਾਲੀ, ਰਾਧਿਕਾ ਚਮਕ ਰਹੀ ਆਲੀ। Gagan Sam Ang Kanti Kali, Radhika Chamak Rahi Aali
ਲਤਨ ਮੇਂ ਠਾੜ੍ਹੇ ਬਨਮਾਲੀ, Latan Mein Thade Banmali
ਭ੍ਰਮਰ ਸੀ ਅਲਕ, ਕਸ੍ਤੂਰੀ ਤਿਲਕ, ਚੰਦ੍ਰ ਸੀ ਝਲਕ, Bhramar Si Alak, Kasturi Tilak, Chandra Si Jhalak
ਲਲਿਤ ਛਵਿ ਸ਼੍ਯਾਮਾ ਪ੍ਯਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ Lalit Chhavi Shyama Pyari Ki
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗਿਰਿਧਰ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼੍ਣ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
ਆਰਤੀ ਕੁੰਜਬਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੀ, … 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.
ਕਨਕਮਯ ਮੋਰ ਮੁਕੁਟ ਬਿਲਸੈ, ਦੇਵਤਾ ਦਰਸਨ ਕੋ ਤਰਸੈਂ। Kanakmay Mor Mukut Bilse, Devta Darsan Ko Tarse
ਗਗਨ ਸੋਂ ਸੁਮਨ ਰਾਸਿ ਬਰਸੈ, Gagan Son Suman Raasi Barse
ਬਜੇ ਮੁਰਚੰਗ, ਮਧੁਰ ਮਿਰਦੰਗ, ਗ੍ਵਾਲਿਨ ਸੰਗ, Baje Murchang, Madhur Mirdang, Gwalin Sang
ਅਤੁਲ ਰਤਿ ਗੋਪ ਕੁਮਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ Atul Rati Gop Kumari Ki
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗਿਰਿਧਰ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼੍ਣ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
ਆਰਤੀ ਕੁੰਜਬਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੀ, … 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.
ਜਹਾਂ ਤੇ ਪ੍ਰਕਟ ਭਈ ਗੰਗਾ, ਸਕਲ ਮਨ ਹਾਰਿਣਿ ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗੰਗਾ। Jahan Te Prakat Bhai Ganga, Sakal Man Harini Shri Ganga
ਸ੍ਮਰਨ ਤੇ ਹੋਤ ਮੋਹ ਭੰਗਾ, Smaran Te Hot Moh Bhanga
ਬਸੀ ਸ਼ਿਵ ਸੀਸ, ਜਟਾ ਕੇ ਬੀਚ, ਹਰੈ ਅਘ ਕੀਚ, Basi Shiv Sees, Jata Ke Beech, Hare Agh Keech
ਚਰਨ ਛਵਿ ਸ਼੍ਰੀਬਨਵਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ Charan Chhavi Shri Banwari Ki
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗਿਰਿਧਰ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼੍ਣ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
ਆਰਤੀ ਕੁੰਜਬਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੀ, … 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.
ਚਮਕਤੀ ਉੱਜ੍ਵਲ ਤਟ ਰੇਨੂ, ਬਜ ਰਹੀ ਵ੍ਰਿੰਦਾਵਨ ਬੇਨੂ। Chamakti Ujjwal Tat Renu, Baj Rahi Vrindavan Benu
ਚਹੁੰ ਦਿਸਿ ਗੋਪਿ ਗ੍ਵਾਲ ਧੇਨੂ, Chahun Disi Gopi Gwal Dhenu
ਹੰਸਤ ਮ੍ਰਿਦੁ ਮੰਦ, ਚਾਂਦਨੀ ਚੰਦ, ਕਟਤ ਭਵ ਫੰਦ, Hansat Mridu Mand, Chandni Chand, Katat Bhav Phand
ਟੇਰ ਸੁਨ ਦੀਨ ਦੁਖਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ Ter Sun Deen Dukhari Ki
ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਗਿਰਿਧਰ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ਼੍ਣ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ਕੀ॥ Shri Girdhar Krishna Murari Ki
ਆਰਤੀ ਕੁੰਜਬਿਹਾਰੀ ਕੀ, … 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 Punjabi letters so you can read them aloud. It is a transliteration, not a translation into Punjabi. The meaning of each verse is given in English.
How was the Punjabi 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 Punjabi letters with fixed spelling rules, so every verse matches the original letter for letter. The English-letter line is the common singing spelling.