hermeticism

Vladimir Vysotsky (1938 – 1980) was a Soviet singer and songwriter, a "bard" as they were called in Soviet Russia, and actor. He was renowned for his distinctive singing style and lyrics that included social and political commentary in humorous street jargon. Despite being overlooked by the official cultural establishment, he enjoyed widespread popularity and left a lasting impact on many Russian musicians and actors.

One of the songs he wrote in 1969 was "The Ballad of Soul Transmigration." The song is quite humorous and is not to be taken seriously. Still, transmigration of souls is a topic you would not expect to hear about in Soviet Union which prided itself a bastion of rationality and "scientific materialism." The fact that Vysotsky wrote this song testifies to the existence of an esoteric underground in Russia at the time.

You can hear the song here:

Watch on YouTube

...and here's the lyrics and the translation.

"Баллада о переселении душ"

Кто верит в Магомета, кто - в Аллаха, кто - в Иисуса,
Кто ни во что не верит - даже в черта, назло всем,-
Хорошую религию придумали индусы:
Что мы, отдав концы, не умираем насовсем.

Стремилась ввысь душа твоя -
Родишься вновь с мечтою,
Но если жил ты как свинья -
Останешься свиньею.

Пусть косо смотрят на тебя - привыкни к укоризне,-
Досадно - что ж, родишься вновь на колкости горазд.
И если видел смерть врага еще при этой жизни,
В другой тебе дарован будет верный зоркий глаз.

Живи себе нормальненько -
Есть повод веселиться:
Ведь, может быть, в начальника
Душа твоя вселится.

Пускай живешь ты дворником - родишься вновь прорабом,
А после из прораба до министра дорастешь,-
Но, если туп, как дерево - родишься баобабом
И будешь баобабом тыщу лет, пока помрешь.

Досадно попугаем жить,
Гадюкой с длинным веком,-
Не лучше ли при жизни быть
Приличным человеком?

Так кто есть кто, так кто был кем?- мы никогда не знаем.
С ума сошли генетики от ген и хромосом.
Быть может, тот облезлый кот - был раньше негодяем,
А этот милый человек - был раньше добрым псом.

Я от восторга прыгаю,
Я обхожу искусы,-
Удобную религию
Придумали индусы!

"The Ballad of Soul Transmigration"

Some believe in Mohammed, in Allah, some in Jesus,
Some believe in nothing - not even in the devil, to spite everyone, -
The Hindus came up with a good religion:
That we, having kicked the bucket, do not die for good.

If your soul aspired to the highest realm -
You will be born again with a dream,
But if you lived like a pig -
You will remain a pig.

Let them look at you sideways- get used to reproach -
It's annoying - well, you will be born again, good at taunts.

And if you saw the death of an enemy in this life,
In another you will be granted a faithful, keen eye.

Live at ease -
There is a reason for celebration:
After all, maybe you will transmigrate into a director.

Perhaps you live as a janitor - you can be reborn as a foreman,
And then from a foreman you will grow to be a minister,-
But if you are as dumb as a tree* - you will be born as a baobab
And you will be a baobab for a thousand years until you die.

It is annoying to live as a parrot,
As a viper with a long lifespan,-
Isn't it better to be 
A decent person?

So who is who, so who was who? - we never know.
Geneticists have gone crazy with genes and chromosomes.
Perhaps that mangy cat was once a scoundrel,
And that nice person was once a kind dog.

I jump with delight,
I bypass temptation,-
The Hindus came up with a good religion!

* - a Russian equivalent of "as dumb as a rock."