Mon Chalo Nijo Niketane ~ Swami Vivekananda Quotes

Mon Chalo Nijo Niketane (Bengali: মন চলো নিজ নিকেতনে) is a Bengali devotional song, composed by Ayodhyanath Pakrashi (alternative spelling: Ajodhyanath Pakrashi), a Brahmo Samaj leader. In 1881, when Narendranath Datta (pre-monastic name of Vivekananda) first met Ramakrishna at Surendranath Mitra's house in Calcutta, he sang this and few other devotional songs.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Lyrics

Here is the original Bengali lyrics of this song—

মন চলো নিজ নিকেতনে

সংসার বিদেশে বিদেশীর বেশে

ভ্রম কেন অকারণে

মন চলো নিজ নিকেতনে।

বিষয়-পঞ্চক আর ভূতগণ

সব তোর পর কেহ নয় আপন

পরপ্রেমে কেন হয়ে অচেতন ভুলিছ আপনজনে

মন চলো নিজ নিকেতনে।

সত্যপথে মন কর আরোহণ,

প্রেমের আলো জ্বালি চল অনুক্ষণ

সঙ্গেতে সম্বল রাখো পূণ্যধন

গোপনে অতি যতনে

লোভ-মোহাদি পথে দস্যুগণ,

পথিকের করে সর্বস্ব সমশন

পরম যতনে রাখোরে প্রহরী

শম, দম দুইজনে

মন চলো নিজ নিকেতনে।

সাধুসঙ্গ নামে আছে পান্থধাম,

শ্রান্ত হলে তথায় করিবে বিশ্রাম

পথভ্রান্ত হলে শুধাইবে পথ সে পান্থনিবাসী গণে।

যদি দেখ পথে ভয়েরই আকার

প্রাণপণে দিও দোহাই রাজার

সে পথে রাজার প্রবল প্রতাপ,

শমণ ডরে যার শাসনে।

মন চলো নিজ নিকেতনে।

সংসার বিদেশে বিদেশীর বেশে

ভ্রম কেন অকারণে।

Translation

Here is an approximate translation of the song, collected from Wikisource—
(Note: here in this translation, we have tried matching with Bengali lyrics' stanzas)

Let us go back once more, O mind, to our own abode!
Here in this foreign land of earth
Why should we wander aimlessly in stranger’s guise?

Let us go back once more, O mind, to our own abode!

These living beings round about, and the five elements;
Are strangers to you, all of them; none is your own.
Why do you thus forget yourself,
In love with strangers, O my mind?
Why do you thus forget your own?

Ascend the path of Truth, O mind!
Unflaggingly climb, with Love as the lamp to light your way.
As your provision for the journey, bring with you

The virtues, carefully concealed; for, like two highwaymen,

Greed and delusion wait to rob you of your wealth.
And keep beside you constantly,
As guards to shelter you from harm,
Calmness of mind and self-control.

Companionship with holy men will be for you
A welcome rest-house by the road;
There rest your weary limbs awhile, asking your way,
If ever you should be in doubt, of him who watches there.

If anything along the path should frighten you,
Then loudly shout the name of the Lord;
For He is Ruler of that road,
And even Death must bow to Him.

Audio/Video

You may listen to this song here —

Or search more in YouTube.

In popular culture

This song has been included in several films and music albums, such as—
[This list might be incomplete, do you have some information? Please write in the comment section below]

Films

Swami Vivekananda (1998), Hindi language film directed by G. V. Iyer. Translation of the song Chalo Man Jaye Ghar Apne (Hindi: चलो मन जाये घर अपने ) was used in this film. K. J. Yesudas was the singer and the Hindi translation was done by Gulzar.
The Light: Swami Vivekananda (2013), (Bengali and Hindi) film directed by Utpal (Tutu) Sinha. The song was sung by Subhankar Bhaskar.

Music albums

Dekha Hobe Ei Banglay (2013), Bengali music album. In this album "Mon Chalo Nijo Niketane" was sung by Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty
This song is also been sung by notable singers like Ashoketaru Bandopadhyay, Indranil Sen, Anup Jalota.