Silu

Complete English Lyrics (Translated)

In the translation the persons speaking have been indicated by M (man), W(woman). K (King) and S (maid servants).

(W) "Alas, where have you been, oh husband?"
(M) "Why do you worry, wife? I have been performing my duties."
(W) "There is no mutual understanding, though you and I have been living together.
Where have you been, oh husband, where have you been?"

(M) "To bathe at Silutirtha confers much bless.
I went to search for a friend to go with me to Silutirtha."
(W) "Don't search for a friend, oh husband! You and I, we shall both go together.
To go together, as man and wife, to Silu will confer much bless upon us."

(M) "If both of us are to go together, we must first consult a astrologist."
(M) When I consulted him, the astrologist predicted: You will be forced to part from one another.
(W) "Oh husband, why consult a astrologist? You and I, we will both go together.
(W) To bathe together will confer much bless upon us."

(M) "Don't insist, oh wife! You and I will have to part.
Though I have been trying to make you understand, you still do not do so. We shall certainly have to part."
(M) Having got up and left my home, I went to stay the night at Dhamathuli.
When I reached Dhamathuli and looked back, I saw my wife following me.

(M) "Don't say 'I shall come,' oh wife! Go back home!
Don't insist, oh wife! You and I will have to part."
(W) "If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left Dhamathuli, I went to stay the night at Nyaga:mani.
When I reached Nyaga:mani and looked back, I saw, my wife following me.
(M) "Don't say 'I shall come,' oh wife! You and I will have to part."
(W) "If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left Nyaga:mani, I went to stay the night at Jaiphalapauva.
When I reached Jaiphalapauva and looked back, I saw, my wife following me.
(M) "Don't say 'I shall come,' oh wife! You and I will have to part."
(W) "If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left Jaiphalapauva, I went to stay the night at Ranipauva.
When I reached Ranipauva and looked back, I saw, my wife following me.
(M) "Don't say 'I shall come,' oh wife! You and I will have to part."
(W) "If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left Ranipauva, I went to stay the night at Caturalipauva.
When I reached Caturalipauva and looked back, I saw, my wife following me.
(M) "Don't say 'I shall come,' oh wife! You and I will have to part."
(W) "If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left Caturalipauva, I went to stay the night at Na:kva:byasi.
When I reached Na:kva:byasi and looked back, I saw, my wife following me.
(M) "Don't say 'I shall come,' oh wife! You and I will have to part."
(W) "If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left Na:kva:byasi, I went to stay the night on the slopes of Dhaivu.
When I reached the slopes of Dhaivu and looked back, I saw, my wife following me.
(M) "Don't say 'I shall come,' oh wife! You and I will have to part."
(W) "If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left the slopes of Dhaivu, I went to stay the night at the foot of Bhimalapakva.
When I reached the foot of Bhimalapakva and looked back, I saw, my wife following me.
(M) "Don't say 'I shall come,' oh wife! You and I will have to part."
(W) "If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left the foot of Bhimalapakva, I went to stay the night at Dhunchyabyasi.
When he reached Dhunchyabyasi, my husband bowed his head.
(W) "Don't be grieved, oh husband! Don't worry!
If we go and stay together, how shall we both be forced to part?"

Having left Dhunchyabyasi, I went to stay the night at Lakaribina.
(M) "Though I am trying to make you understand, you still don't do so. We shall certainly have to part."

Having left Lakaribina, I went towards Silutirtha and arrived there.
When we bathed at SilutIrtha, the King sent soldiers to prevent her from doing so.

The woman, difficult to hinder, though I tried to hinder her, insisted-and was lost.
A woman who lacked experience in sitting in a duli, was now seated in a supala.
Having got into the supala, she looked and saw her husband weeping.

(K) "It is not your husband who is weeping. A dog is weeping."
(W) "No dog is weeping, King. My husband is weeping."
(W) "Don't weep, oh husband! You will get another wife as good as I am."
(W) The King gave me a tari-flower. I shall make my husband put it in his hair.

(W) "Don't weep, oh husband! You will get another wife as good as I am."
(M) "I should have to practice austerity to obtain a wife as good as you are.
Even if I practiced austerity in the Himalayas, I should not get a wife as good as you are."

Sitting in the supala, she passed through many flowery forests, and having left her husband, followed the King.
After we have gone together, as man and wife, to Silu, I have now been left alone.

The woman, difficult to hinder, though I tried to hinder her, insisted-and was lost.
Returning from Silutirtha, I proceeded towards the foot of Bhimalapakva and arrived there.
When I reached the foot of Bhimalapakva, I thought of my wife.

Having left the foot of the Bhimalapakva, I went to stay the night at Na:kva:byasi.
Where can I go to meet her again? I thought of my wife.

Having left Na:kva:byasi, I proceeded towards RanIpauva and arrived there.
Having left RanIpauva, I proceeded towards Nyaga:mani and arrived there.
Having left Nyaga:mani, I proceeded towards Pasupati and arrived there.
I shall visit the shrine of Nilakantha Mahadeva.

The woman, difficult to hinder, though I tried to hinder her, insisted and was lost.
Returning from Pasupati, I proceeded towards my home and I arrived there.
When I reached my home, my parents scolded me. All my kinsmen despised me.
Why shall I stay at home? I'll go away as a Yogin.

The woman, difficult to hinder, though I tried to hinder her, insisted-and was lost.
Putting on a Yogin's garment, I shall roam about and search for another wife.
Though I searched, wandering throughout the country, there was no wife as good as you were.
For twelve years I shall practice austerity and vows.
But even if I practice austerity for twelve years, I shall certainly not get a wife as good as she was.

The woman, difficult to hinder, though I tried to hinder her, insisted and was lost.

(K) "Don't worry, oh Queen. Don't be afraid!
I shall give you so many maids and servants,
I shall give you diamonds, pearls and other jewels, emeralds, ornaments and dresses.
Let us go, oh Queen, to play dice together for a while!"
(W) "Don't use these words, oh King! Listen to my appeal!
I have started the four months of fasting and shall have to carry out this vow."

(K) "What things do you need for the four months of fasting?"
(W) "I need ghee, sugar, milk, and everything.
Furthermore I shall have to feed all our people.
I shall have to assemble all the Yoginis of our country."

(W) Now all the Yoginis and the people came, only my husband has not come.
My husband came, when I was bathing.
(W) "Don't worry, husband! Don't be afraid!
Disguised as a nun, I shall deceive the King and come with you."

(W) "Listen, oh maids, I shall go to the toilet to defecate."
(S) "Do not go to the toilet, Queen. We shall place a jug and pot for you."
(W) "How can I defecate in such a room?"
Saying, "I shall go to the toilet," she left her room.
Having gone alone to some place, she took off all her clothes
and, smearing ashes on her body, put on the ochre robe.
Disguised as a nun, she then deceived the King and left.

(W) "I have come, oh husband, don't worry!
We had better not go together, you go first!
I will change my course in the middle of the journey and I will overtake you later."
(W) 'Blessed is my fate, blessed is my karma, since I met my husband again!
We shall not stay here now, oh lord. Let us go home!"

Source: Songs of Nepal - An anthology of Newar Folksongs and Hymns (By: Siegfried Lienhard)