Karuna Suno Shyam Mori - a viraha composition by Pandit Ravi Shankar


Presenting a melancholic composition composed by Pt. Ravi Shankar for the movie Meera (1979) which was originally sung by Vani Jairamji. Featuring actress Hema Malini, the song is a traditional Meera Bai composition expressing intense longing and devotion (viraha) for Lord Krishna. The song portrays the bhakti of Meerabai as she calls out to Krishna, having left all worldly happiness for him.


Tuned to Raag Poorvi by PanditJi, you will notice the heavy karuna ras, with a sprinkle of Shuddha Ma infused in a very subtle way.
I had sung this song many years back - perhaps in 2012 when I had first learned raag Poorvi from my Guru Swati PandaJi. Fast forward now to 2026, and I was revisiting some Komal rishabh raags. Found a old recording in my archives but I said to myself - Let me try singing this again.


Of course, technology has changed by leaps and bounds so I could orchestrate the track using Ai. Recorded the song fresh and of course in my voice :-)
Hope you like my take!

Song-Karuna Suno Shyam Mori   (Meera)(1979) 

Singer-Vani Jairam

Lyrics-Meera Bai

Music : Pandit Ravi Shankar

Lyrics

Karuna suno shyaam moree
karuna suno shyaam moree
main toh hoi rahee cheri tori
karuna suno shyaam moree

tumhre kaaran sab sukh chhodya
ab mohe kyun tarsa ho
viraha vyatha laagee ur antar
so tum aaye bujha
karuna suno shyaam moree
main toh hoi rahee cheri tori
karuna suno

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