Brindaban
Mike Heron Lyrics

Mike Heron's song Brindaban is a contemplative observation of the human experience of merging with the divine. In the first two lines, the artist describes an intense personal realization of the presence of the divine in his life. The description of a face coming close in on his, and a voice doing the same, draws a vivid picture of an encounter with something sublime. This is reinforced by the repeated use of the phrase "like sunshine", which evokes an image of something radiant and all-embracing. The artist goes on to affirm his conviction that this divine presence is intimately tied to his own existence, stating that "I know your life is running close to me".

The next two lines are a reference to traditional Hindu imagery: the peacock and kokila (an Indian bird) are both often associated with praise and devotion to the god Krishna, and are said to have distinctive calls that sound like songs of devotion. The reference to Jayadeva, an ancient Indian poet who is considered one of the foremost writers of devotional songs to Krishna, reinforces this interpretation. Finally, the artist invokes the names of Ma Lati and Madhava, two names for Krishna, and states that they are close to Brindaban. This is likely a reference to the town of Brindavan in northern India, which is considered a site of great importance in Hinduism due to its association with the god Krishna.