Don’t Cry for Me Children of Sikh Dharma

In the autumn of 1999, during one of Yogi Bhajan’s meditation classes in Espanola, he requested that I write this song. He specifically requested that it include the line “Don’t cry for me children of Sikh Dharma” and that it be written in the past tense as if he had already passed.

He asked that the song celebrate his life, not mourn his death. His intention was that we be comforted, uplifted and joyful with his passing and that his life, our mission and our future be celebrated. When we played the song for him, his words were “It’s perfect. Don’t change a thing.”

 Lyrics

Who was this man called Yogi Bhajan.
Who came into our lives from ‘cross the sea?
A Father, a Teacher, a Master,
Servant for all humanity.
He came from the East just to teach us,
There is one God who dwells in all.
Happiness begins with commitment,
Fulfillment from answering the call.

He said, don’t cry for me Children of Sikh Dharma.
My love for you will live eternally.
Keep walking with your grace and strength and courage.
Chant the name and set your spirit free.
Chant the name and serve humanity.

In sandals in the snow drifts of Toronto,
His mission began so humbly.
Touching the hearts of the hopeless,
He helped them to regain their dignity.
Through every trial he kept on winning,
To show us that we could do it too.
With kindness, compassion, with laughter,
He said royal courage will see us through.

Don’t cry for me Children of Sikh Dharma.
My love for you will live eternally.
Keep smiling with your grace and strength and courage.
Chant the Name and set your spirit free.
Chant the Name and serve humanity.

He sculpted every being with precision,
No matter what their status or their state.
Poking, provoking, confronting.
His only purpose to elevate.He gave us our home as a temple.
Our marriage as a path to the One.
Our wealth as a way to serve our neighbor.
Our future through our daughters and our sons.

Don’t cry for me Children of Sikh Dharma.
My love for you will live eternally.
Keep singing with your grace and strength and courage.
Chant the Name and set your spirit free.
Chant the Name and serve humanity.

Don’t cry for me, you are Sikh Dharma.
Let your love live eternally.
Keep walking with your grace and strength and courage.
Chant the Name and set your spirit free.
Chant the Name and serve humanity.
960 million we will be.

Sat Siree, Siree Akaal,
Siree Akaal, Maahaa Akaal,
Maahaa Akaal, Sat Naam,
Akaal Moort, Wha-hay Guroo

~Dev Suroop Kaur

Credits

From Chants Eternal, track released October 6, 2004
A Master’s Request
Words and music by Dev Suroop Kaur, Sangeet Kaur and Ek Ong Kaar Kaur — Espanola, NM
Main vocals – Dev Suroop Kaur
Supporting vocals – Theresa Coe
Guitars – Ric Flauding
Fretless Bass Guitar – Mike King
Conga – Tony RedhouseProduced by Liv Singh Khalsa and Dev Suroop Kaur