Chadariya Jhini re Jhini English Translation

Chadariya describes a weaving for a shawl (chaadar), which is a type of garment for covering the body. Jhini means small or tiny and describes the type of weaving that makes the shawl. Jhini re jhini loosely translates to smaller than small (in the order of microscopic). The size of the weaving usually determines the skill of the artisan and in this case, God is the master artisan because his weaving of the chaadar is microscopic. Although chaadar translates to a shawl, which covers the body, it is a covering, just as the body is a covering for the soul. Therefore, the chaadar is a symbolic representation of one’s own body. Hence, in this hindi bhajan, I use the word covering for both chaadar and body.

Anup Jalota sings the best version of this song when he gave a live performance at ISKCON. A double LP set known as Bhajan Sandhya immortalises his amazing voice and singing talent. If you are a Krishna devotee at ISKCON, then you have to get hold of these records because listening to the original audio is divine inspiration.

In classical science, the body consists of five elements. The five (panch) tattva (elements) are ether, air, fire, water, and earth. In this song, the master weaver (God) weaves these elements together to make the human body, and finally dips it in the essence of Ram.

Rang-rej is a person whose job is to dye the material by painting or colouring, and in this song, he symbolises a guru or teacher.

Lyrics English Translation

Kabira, jab ham paida hue,

Kabira, when I was born,

jaag hanse, ham roye

people smiled, and I cried

aisi karani, kar chalo

I will leave (this world) with such good deeds

ham hanse, jag roye.

that I will smile, and people will cry.

Chadariya...

Weaving...

Chadariya, jhini re jhini,

Weaving, smaller than small,

ke Ram nam ras bhini.

dipped in the essence of Ram’s name.

Astah kamal ka, charkha banaya

A lotus flower with eight petals made the spinning wheel

panch tattva ki puni

loaded with five elements (to make the thread)

Nao/das maas bunan ko lage,

It takes 9/10 months to make (the covering),

murkh maili kinhi.

(but) the foolish soil it straight away.

jab mori chaadar, ban ghaar ayie,

When my covering was made, and came home,

rang-rej ko dinhi.

it was given to a master-painter.

Aisa rang, ranga rang re le,

He painted the colours such that,

lal-o-lal kar dinhi.

(he) made it completely red.

Chaadar odh, sanka mat kariyo,

(While) wearing this covering, have no doubts,

yeh do din tum ko dinhi.

it is loaned to you for (only) two days.

Murkh log, bhed nahi jane,

Foolish people do not understand the difference,

din-din maili kinhi.

(and) day-by-day soil it.

Dhruv, Prahlad, Sudama, ne odhi, chaadar re,

Dhruv, Prahlad, Sudama, also received the covering,

Sukhdev ne nir-mal kinhi.

Sukhdev made it (more) purer.

Das kabir ne, aisi odhi,

Das Kabir, wore it such,

jyun ki tyu dhar dinhi.

(that he) presented it back (to God) in the same state as was given.