What state does a seeker-lover most desire? To sit by the beloved in rapt adoration. To have an uninterrupted conversation — talking or in silence.

Bit by bit, the lover-seeker wishes to progress into a state of oneness. The overwhelming affection of the lover heightens the radiance of the beloved. Such proximity elevates the seeker to a different realm of experience.

The bhajan ‘Prabhu Ji tum Chandan hum pani’ by the Bhakti saint Raidas conveys this sentiment. The song is an intense longing of a seeker who witnesses God everywhere. Using many metaphors from nature and everyday life, Saint Raidas defines his relationship with the divine. With each comparison, he gives a new meaning and dimension to his bond.

Raidas says, “My Lord, you are like sandal, and I am water. Together, we are steeped in fragrance.” Anyone preparing sandalwood paste for Pooja purposes understands the importance of adding water. Bereft of any smell, initially, the water becomes fragrant like sandal once mixed with it.

In the next couplet, Raidas remarks, “My lord, you are the burgeoning cloud, and I am a peacock. I look at you fondly the way a Chakora bird (Patridge) adores the moon.” Peacocks are known to sing and dance at the sight of rainclouds. Rain could be read as a shower of grace. For a seeker-lover, the arrival of the divine is celebratory. He waits for a meeting patiently, admiring the beloved from a distance. Chakora bird is said to feed on the moon's rays. Its fascination with the moon is a popular idea of love in Indian poetry and literature.

Next Raidas says that if the divine is the lamp, he is the wick. Together, they create a flame that burns day and night. The love of the devotee is complementary. He acts like a thread for the pearls. To make a necklace, one needs a humble thread. The devotee acts like Suhaga which when added to gold, brings more shine. Similarly, the devotee’s presence adds beauty and meaning. Bhakta Raidas revels in his various associations with the divine. In the last line, surrendering himself completely, he calls the divine ‘master’ and himself, ‘servant’. He wants to achieve the stature in devotion where divine will operates through him. It is the joyful acceptance of the presence of God in one’s life.