Shivpreet Singh

I stumbled upon this beautiful poem by Emily Dickinson. In this poem she writes about the desire of the heart and how it evolves as we go through life:

The Heart asks Pleasure – first –
And then – Excuse from Pain –
And then – those little Anodynes
That deaden suffering –

And then – to go to sleep –
And then – if it should be
The will of its Inquisitor
The liberty to die –

The first and foremost desire of the heart is pleasure, which is the ultimate goal of every human being. However, when pleasure is unattainable, the heart seeks to avoid pain and live a life free from suffering.

But what happens when pain is unavoidable? The heart then longs for "Anodynes," or painkillers, to ease its discomfort. The word "Anodyne" stems from the Greek for "without pain," and it represents the heart's desperate plea for relief. Yet, even when anodynes fail, the heart does not give up hope. It seeks the escape of sleep or unconsciousness to find some solace.

But what if sleep fails to soothe one's ills? What if the pain is too great to bear, and there seems to be no end in sight? At this point, the heart's only remaining desire is for death to bring it the ultimate release. It is a desperate plea for liberty, a way to end the suffering once and for all.

In the end, the heart turns to the Inquisitor, a religious figure who represents the ultimate Inquisitor, God (or Death), for help. The Inquisitor is the only one who can bring an end to the heart's pain and grant it the peace it seeks.

So the desires of the heart eventually find solace in death. Death is the ultimate cure for all desires.

In somewhat contrasting light, Mirza Ghalib relates desires to death:

Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi Ke Har, Ke Har Khwahish Pe Dam Nikle
I have thousands of desires, and each desire to die for
I have lost so many wishes, but I have still a lot more

Death is the ultimate cure for all desires

The idea that death is the ultimate cure for all desires is a common theme in literature and philosophy. It suggests that death is the final and ultimate end to all of our earthly struggles and desires. This is a belief that has been held by many cultures and religions throughout history.

One interpretation of this idea is that death is the ultimate release from suffering. All of our desires, whether they are for pleasure, love, success, or something else entirely, are ultimately driven by a desire to avoid suffering. We seek pleasure to avoid pain, we seek love to avoid loneliness, and we seek success to avoid failure. However, no matter how much we try to satisfy our desires, there will always be some degree of suffering in our lives. Death, therefore, is seen as the ultimate release from this suffering. It is the final cure for all our earthly desires and a way to achieve the ultimate peace.

Another interpretation of this idea is that death is the ultimate equalizer. No matter how rich, powerful, or successful we are in life, we all face the same fate in death. In this sense, death is seen as the ultimate leveler, the great equalizer that puts everyone on an even playing field. It is the one thing that we all have in common, regardless of our differences in life.

While the idea that death is the ultimate cure for all desires may seem bleak or pessimistic, it can also be seen as a reminder to appreciate the time we have on this earth and to make the most of it. Rather than chasing after unattainable desires, we can focus on living our lives in a way that brings us joy and fulfillment, knowing that in the end, death will come for us all. By accepting this reality, we can find peace and meaning in the present moment, rather than constantly striving for something more.

The death that scares the world, gives me pleasure
It is only death that leads you to God
- Kabir (Kabir Jis Marne Te Jag Darai, GGS 1365)

I stumbled upon this beautiful poem by Emily Dickinson. In this poem she writes about the desire of the heart and how it evolves as we go through life:

The Heart asks Pleasure – first –
And then – Excuse from Pain –
And then – those little Anodynes
That deaden suffering –

And then – to go to sleep –
And then – if it should be
The will of its Inquisitor
The liberty to die –

So the desires of the heart eventually find solace in death. Death is the ultimate cure for all desires.

In somewhat contrasting light, Mirza Ghalib relates desires to death:

Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi Ke Har, Ke Har Khwahish Pe Dam Nikle
I have thousands of desires, and each desire to die for
I have lost so many wishes, but I have still a lot more

Death is the ultimate cure for all desires

Death is the final cure for all desires, the ultimate end to all of our earthly struggles and desires.

Death is the Ultimate Release

We seek our initial desire is for happiness through various means, such as pleasure, love, and success. However, as we experience the ups and downs of life, we realize that happiness is fleeting and that sorrow is an inevitable part of the human experience. Therefore, our desires shift from seeking happiness to seeking freedom from sorrows. We seek to avoid pain, suffering, and loss, and strive to live a life that is free from these negative experiences.

Despite our best efforts, however, we cannot completely escape sorrow and suffering. At some point, we realize that death is the ultimate release from these experiences. It is the final cure for all our desires and the ultimate solution to our problems. While this may seem like a bleak or nihilistic view of life, it is actually a reminder of the impermanence of all things and the importance of living in the present moment.

By accepting that death is an inevitable part of life, we can learn to appreciate the time that we have and to focus on what truly matters. We can let go of our attachment to material possessions and external circumstances and focus on cultivating inner peace and contentment. Rather than constantly striving for happiness or freedom from sorrows, we can focus on living a life that is meaningful and fulfilling, knowing that in the end, death will come for us all.

Thus Guru Nanak says: Ponder about true life. Dying while living is the true living.

This morning I was listening to Joy Harjo's collection The American Sunrise and came across this poem, Desire's Dog. We are all dogs yearning for desire, a bone with traces of fat. The bone is supposed to be the dog's but in this case the dog is the bone's.

Sometimes we hear glimmers of hope, of escape, of other passions and hungers. But mostly we sit at the feet of desire for years and disintegrate in the rain as we end. And in the end desire consumes us.

This poem reminded me of Mirza Ghalib's Hazaron Khwahishen Aisi. "There are so many thousands of desires that are devouring me. I try to get rid of them, but I could only eliminate a few." It also reminded me of Guru Nanak's words from So Kyon Visre: "the hunger for the name consumes all sorrows."

In another poem Guru Nanak says,

ਏਕੁ ਸੁਆਨੁ ਦੁਇ ਸੁਆਨੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥
ਭਲਕੇ ਭਉਕਹਿ ਸਦਾ ਬਇਆਲਿ ॥
ਕੂੜੁ ਛੁਰਾ ਮੁਠਾ ਮੁਰਦਾਰੁ ॥
ਧਾਣਕ ਰੂਪਿ ਰਹਾ ਕਰਤਾਰ ॥1॥

In other words, the human mind has the dog of greed and two bitches of desire and avarice with it. They rise early in the morning and continually bark, disturbing the peace. The greedy person engages in deception, cheating both those close to him and strangers, using lies like a knife. He takes what belongs to others, like a hunter consuming carrion. Oh Creator, the mind lives like a wild hunter.

Desire's Dog - Joy Harjo

DESIRE’S DOG

I was desire’s dog.

I ate when I was fed. I did what I was told.

I knew how to sit, stand and roll over on command.

When I was petted, I was made whole.

Even when I dreamed, I dreamed a chain around my neck.

Desire is a bone with traces of fat.

It’s the wag smell of a bitch in heat.

It’s that pinched hit at the end of a beat.

It’s a stick thrown into a rabbit chase.

I lay at the feet of desire for years.

Then I heard this song, calling me.

It was a woman in a red dress,

It was a man with a gun in his hand.

It was a table filled with fruit and flowers.

It was a fox of fire, a bird of stone.

Then, it was gone.

What was left disintegrated by rain and wind.

I had followed desire, to the end.

- Joy Harjo

Mirza Ghalib is one of my favorite poets. And this is one of my favorite poems of his:

Lyrics in English

Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle

Bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle

Daray kyon mera qaatil? kya rahega us ki gardan par?

Voh khoon, jo chashm-e-tar se umr bhar yoon dam-ba-dam nikle

Nikalna khuld se aadam ka soonte aaye hain lekin

Bahot be-aabru hokar tere kooche se hum nikle

Bharam khul jaaye zaalim! teri qaamat ki daraazi ka

Agar is tarahe par pech-o-kham ka pech-o-kham nikle

Magar likhvaaye koi usko khat, to hum se likhvaaye

Hui subaha, aur ghar se kaan par rakh kar qalam nikle

Hui is daur mein mansoob mujh se baada aashaami

Phir aaya voh zamaana, jo jahaan mein jaam-e-jaam nikle

Hui jin se tavaqqa khastagi ki daad paane ki

Voh ham se bhi zyaada khasta e tegh e sitam nikle

Mohabbat mein nahin hai farq jeenay aur marnay ka

Usi ko dekh kar jeetay hain, jis kaafir pe dam nikle

Zara kar jor seene par ki teer-e-pursitam niklejo

Wo nikle to dil nikle, jo dil nikle to dam nikle

Khuda ke waaste parda na kaabe se uthaa zaalim

Kaheen aisa na ho yaan bhi wahi kaafir sanam nikle

Kahaan maikhane ka darwaaza Ghalib aur kahaan vaaiz

Par itna jaantay hain kal voh jaata tha ke ham nikle

Hazaaron khwahishen aisi ke har khwahish pe dam nikle

Bohat niklay mere armaan, lekin phir bhi kam nikle…

Translation

(from: https://poetandpoem.com/translation-analysis-hazaaron-khwaishein-aisi-ki-har-khwaish-pe-dam-nikle-mirza-ghalib)

Thousands of desires, each worth dying for…

many of them I have realized…yet I yearn for more…

Why should my killer (lover) be afraid? No one will hold her responsible

for the blood which will continuously flow through my eyes all my life

We have heard about the dismissal of Adam from Heaven,

With a more humiliation, I am leaving the street on which you live…

Oh tyrant, your true personality will be known to all

if the curls of my hair slip through my turban!

But if someone wants to write her a letter, they can ask me,

every morning I leave my house with my pen on my ear.

In that age, I turned to drinking (alcohol)

and then the time came when my entire world was occupied by alcohol

From whom I expected justice/praise for my weakness

turned out to be more injured with the same cruel sword

When in love, there is little difference between life and death

we live by looking at the infidel who we are willing to die for

Put some pressure on your heart to remove that cruel arrow,

for if the arrow comes out, so will your heart…and your life.

For god’s sake, don’t lift the cover off any secrets you tyrant

the infidel might turn out to be my lover!

The preacher and the bar’s entrance are way apart

yet I saw him entering the bar as I was leaving!

thousands of desires, each worth dying for…

many of them I have realized…yet I yearn for more

Lyrics in Hindi

हज़ारों ख़्वाहिशें ऐसी कि हर ख़्वाहिश पे दम निकले

बहुत निकले मिरे अरमान लेकिन फिर भी कम निकले

डरे क्यूँ मेरा क़ातिल क्या रहेगा उस की गर्दन पर

वो ख़ूँ जो चश्म-ए-तर से उम्र भर यूँ दम-ब-दम निकले

निकलना ख़ुल्द से आदम का सुनते आए हैं लेकिन

बहुत बे-आबरू हो कर तिरे कूचे से हम निकले

भरम खुल जाए ज़ालिम तेरे क़ामत की दराज़ी का

अगर इस तुर्रा-ए-पुर-पेच-ओ-ख़म का पेच-ओ-ख़म निकले

मगर लिखवाए कोई उस को ख़त तो हम से लिखवाए

हुई सुब्ह और घर से कान पर रख कर क़लम निकले

हुई इस दौर में मंसूब मुझ से बादा-आशामी

फिर आया वो ज़माना जो जहाँ में जाम-ए-जम निकले

हुई जिन से तवक़्क़ो' ख़स्तगी की दाद पाने की

वो हम से भी ज़ियादा ख़स्ता-ए-तेग़-ए-सितम निकले

मोहब्बत में नहीं है फ़र्क़ जीने और मरने का

उसी को देख कर जीते हैं जिस काफ़िर पे दम निकले

कहाँ मय-ख़ाने का दरवाज़ा 'ग़ालिब' और कहाँ वाइ'ज़

पर इतना जानते हैं कल वो जाता था कि हम निकले

The Adamantine Perfection of Desire

by Jane Hirshfield

Nothing more strong
than to be helpless before desire.

No reason,
the simplified heart whispers,
the argument over,
only This.

No longer choosing anything but assent.

Its bowl scraped clean to the bottom,
the skull-bone cup no longer horrifies,
but, rimmed in silver, shines.

A spotted dog follows a bitch in heat.
Gray geese flying past us, crying.
The living cannot help but love the world.

"The Adamantine Perfection of Desire" by Jane Hirshfield is a poem that explores the complex and multifaceted nature of desire. Jane Hirshfield, a renowned poet with strong connections to Buddhism, weaves Buddhist themes into her work, and this poem is no exception. While the poem does not explicitly convey a Buddhist perspective, it can be interpreted through the lens of Buddhist philosophy, offering insights into desire and attachment. In this essay, we will explore the Buddhist interpretation of this poem, considering it as a cautionary tale against worldly love and attachment.

The Allure of Desire

The poem begins with the assertion that "Nothing more strong than to be helpless before desire." This line encapsulates the relentless and overpowering nature of desire. In Buddhism, desire (or "tanha") is one of the fundamental causes of suffering, leading to attachment, clinging, and ultimately dissatisfaction. The opening lines of the poem can be seen as a recognition of the seductive power of desire and its potential to ensnare individuals in the cycle of suffering.

Surrendering to Desire

The poem suggests that desire should be accepted without resistance. It speaks of the "simplified heart" that whispers, "only This," encouraging a surrender to the immediacy of desire. This concept aligns with the Buddhist idea of accepting the present moment and acknowledging desires without judgment or attachment. However, it also serves as a warning against allowing desire to consume one's existence.

The Adamantine Nature of Desire

The choice of the word "adamantine" in the poem's title underscores the unyielding and unbreakable quality of desire. In a Buddhist context, this can be interpreted as a cautionary symbol. Desire, when unchecked and unexamined, can become as unyielding as diamond, leading individuals to form strong attachments to the impermanent world. This attachment is at the core of suffering, according to Buddhist teachings.

The Illusion of Beauty

The poem continues to explore the transformation of desire from something that "horrifies" into something that "shines." This evolution can be seen as a commentary on the illusory nature of worldly beauty and pleasure. In Buddhism, attachment to transient, external beauty and pleasures is considered a cause of suffering. The poem suggests that once one fully surrenders to desire, the allure of the external world loses its power.

The Natural World and Love

The final stanza introduces images from the natural world, such as the spotted dog following a bitch in heat and the gray geese flying and crying. These images highlight the interconnectedness of all living beings with the world. In Buddhism, the interconnectedness of all existence is a fundamental concept. The poem's conclusion, "The living cannot help but love the world," can be interpreted as a reminder of the importance of cultivating a compassionate and loving attitude towards all living beings, beyond worldly desires and attachments.

Death is the ultimate cure for all desires

Death is the ultimate cure for all desires

Death is the Ultimate Release

Desire's Dog - Joy Harjo

Lyrics in English

Translation

Lyrics in Hindi

SHIVPREET SINGH

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