Shivpreet Singh
Shivpreet Singh
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Guru Tegh Bahadur 

Jān būjẖ kai bāvre ṯai kāj bigārio
Knowingly you spoil your life

Pāp karaṯ sukcẖio nahī nah garab nivārio
You sin without restraint, you don't eradicate false pride



The full shabad - 

ਤਿਲੰਗ ਮਹਲਾ ੯ ॥
तिलंग महला ९ ॥
Ŧilang mėhlā 9.
Tilang, Ninth Mehl:

ਹਰਿ ਜਸੁ ਰੇ ਮਨਾ ਗਾਇ ਲੈ ਜੋ ਸੰਗੀ ਹੈ ਤੇਰੋ ॥
हरि जसु रे मना गाइ लै जो संगी है तेरो ॥
Har jas re manā gāe lai jo sangī hai ṯero.
Sing the Lord's Praises, O mind; He is your only true companion.

ਅਉਸਰੁ ਬੀਤਿਓ ਜਾਤੁ ਹੈ ਕਹਿਓ ਮਾਨ ਲੈ ਮੇਰੋ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
अउसरु बीतिओ जातु है कहिओ मान लै मेरो ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Aosar bīṯio jāṯ hai kahio mān lai mero. ||1|| rahāo.
Your time is passing away; listen carefully to what I say. ||1||Pause||

ਸੰਪਤਿ ਰਥ ਧਨ ਰਾਜ ਸਿਉ ਅਤਿ ਨੇਹੁ ਲਗਾਇਓ ॥
स्मपति रथ धन राज सिउ अति नेहु लगाइओ ॥
Sampaṯ rath ḏẖan rāj sio aṯ nehu lagāio.
You are so in love with property, chariots, wealth and power.

ਕਾਲ ਫਾਸ ਜਬ ਗਲਿ ਪਰੀ ਸਭ ਭਇਓ ਪਰਾਇਓ ॥੧॥
काल फास जब गलि परी सभ भइओ पराइओ ॥१॥
Kāl fās jab gal parī sabẖ bẖaio parāio. ||1||
When the noose of death tightens around your neck, they will all belong to others. ||1||

ਜਾਨਿ ਬੂਝ ਕੈ ਬਾਵਰੇ ਤੈ ਕਾਜੁ ਬਿਗਾਰਿਓ ॥
जानि बूझ कै बावरे तै काजु बिगारिओ ॥
Jān būjẖ kai bāvre ṯai kāj bigārio.
Know this well, O madman - you have ruined your affairs.

ਪਾਪ ਕਰਤ ਸੁਕਚਿਓ ਨਹੀ ਨਹ ਗਰਬੁ ਨਿਵਾਰਿਓ ॥੨॥
पाप करत सुकचिओ नही नह गरबु निवारिओ ॥२॥
Pāp karaṯ sukcẖio nahī nah garab nivārio. ||2||
You did not restrain yourself from committing sins, and you did not eradicate your ego. ||2||

ਜਿਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਗੁਰ ਉਪਦੇਸਿਆ ਸੋ ਸੁਨੁ ਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥
जिह बिधि गुर उपदेसिआ सो सुनु रे भाई ॥
Jih biḏẖ gur upḏesiā so sun re bẖāī.
So listen to the Teachings imparted by the Guru, O Siblings of Destiny.

ਨਾਨਕ ਕਹਤ ਪੁਕਾਰਿ ਕੈ ਗਹੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਰਨਾਈ ॥੩॥੩॥
नानक कहत पुकारि कै गहु प्रभ सरनाई ॥३॥३॥
Nānak kahaṯ pukār kai gahu parabẖ sarnāī. ||3||3||
Nanak proclaims: hold tight to the Protection and the Sanctuary of God. ||3||3||

Reminds me of 
1. Autobiography in Five Short Chapters by Portia Nelson


Also spelt
Jaan Boojh Kai Baavare

Today I was listening to a lecture by Tony Hoagland and I heard how he was inspired by John Tate's style.  I tried finding John Tate on Amazon I found a $200 book. I know some of the poetry compilations could be expensive, but this was over the top. Maybe the poems were that good; and now I was even more intrigued. It turns out that the John Tate I found was a mathematician. And now it all makes sense.  The stupid world puts a lot more value on Math than poetry. What are the chances?  This echoes with the last poem of John Tate that was found on his typewriter. What Guru Tegh Bahadur says about life so pensively in Ab Main Kahaa Karon Ri Mai: "I have wasted my whole life in poisonous pursuits. Now what should I do O Mother?" is said by John Tate rather funnily and sarcastically.  Both the poems are great meditations on life. All colors of Naam are sweet!

In John Tate's case he seems to believe he hasn't really accomplished much this year; so the poem goes on to make obviously ridiculous claims.  What are the chances we have accomplished anything this year or this life!  

While this is a humorous poem, the reminiscence and reflection on life reminds me of John Milton's poem at the end of his life: On His Blindness 

Here is a picture of the poem that was found on his typewriter:



I sat at my desk and contemplated all that I had accomplished
this year. I had won the hot dog eating contest on Rhode Island.
No, I hadn’t. I was just kidding. I was the arm wrestling champion
in Portland, Maine. False. I caught the largest boa constrictor
in Southern Brazil. In my dreams. I built the largest house
out of matchsticks in all the United States. Wow! I caught
a wolf by its tail. Yumee. I married the Princess of Monaco.
Can you believe it? I fell off of Mount Everest. Ouch! I walked
back up again. It was tiring. Snore. I set a record for sitting
in my chair and snoring longer than anybody. Awake! I set a record
for swimming from one end of my bath to the other in No Count,
Nebraska. Blurb. I read a book written by a dove. Great! I slept
in my chair all day and all night for thirty days. Whew! I ate
a cheeseburger every day for a year. I never want to do that again.
A trout bit me when I was washing the dishes. But I couldn’t catch
him. I flew over my hometown and didn’t recognize anyone. That’s
how long it’s been. A policeman stopped me on the street and said
he was sorry. He was looking for someone who looked just like
me and had the same name. What are the chances?

*This poem was found in the poet’s typewriter after his death.




Aage Aage Dekhiye Hota hai kya - comes from this Mir Taqi Mir ghazal: 

(1) इब्तेदा-ए-इश्क़ है; रोता है क्या?!
      आगे-आगे देखिये होता है क्या?! 
इब्तेदा/Ibtedaa/ابتدا  = Beginning, Start

Ibtedaa-e-Ishq Hai; Rotaa Hai Kyaa?!
Aage-Aage Dekhiye Hota Hai Kyaa?!

It’s (Just) the Beginning of Love; (and You Have) Already Started Crying?! Just Watch What Happens Next!

(2)

नींद अब तेरे मुक़द्दर में नहीं 
रात के पिछले पहेर सोता है क्या?!

Neend Ab Tere Muqaddar Mein Naheen
Raat Ke Pichhle Paher Sotaa Hai Kyaa?!

Sleep Is Not in Your Fate; (And You Are Trying to) Sleep in the Last Quarter of the Night?!

(3)

ये निशाने-इश्क़ हैं; जाते नहीं
दाग़ छाती के अबस  धोता है क्या?!
अबस/Abas/عبث = व्यर्थ में, in Vain, to No Purpose

Ye Nishaan-e-Ishq Hain Jaate Naheen
Daagh Chhaati Ke Abas Dhotaa Hai Kyaa

These are the Scars of Love; They Never Go Away! Trying in Vain to Wash Off the Wounds on the Chest?!

(4)

गिर के उठना, उठ के चलना सीख ले 
पाके मंज़िल इस तरह खोता है क्या?!

Gir Ke Uthnaa; Uth Ke Chalnaa, Seekh Le
Paake Manzil Iss Tarah Khotaa Hai Kyaa?!

Learn to Get up and Walk after the Fall; Would You Let the Destination Slip Away after You Have Almost Reached There?!

Full Ghazal: 


Ibtida-e-ishq hai rota hai kya
Aage Aage dekhiye hota hai kya

Qafile mein subah ke ek shor hai
Yaani ghaafil hum chale sota hai kya

Sabz hoti hi nahi yeh sar zameen
Turkm-e-khwahish dil mein tu bota hai kya

Turkhm - seed; sabz - green

Yeh nishaan-e-ishq hain jaate nahin,
Daagh chhaati ke abas dhota hai kya

Abas - needlessly

Ghairat-e-Yousaf hai yeh waqt-e-aziz,
Mir isko raigaan khota hai kya

Raigaan - waste 

Another English translation


It’s only the beginning of love, why dost thou groan?
O, wait and see what happens as you onward move.

The clamour of the morning caravan gives a clarion call:
“Here we go, you sluggard, high time you woke!”

Never shall it sprout, the valley of my heart,
Why sow the seed of desire in this barren soil?

These are the stains of love, indelible, ingrained,
In vain dost thou labour to wash your breast clean

Dearer than beauteous Yousaf, each hour of life,
Why do you, O Mir, let it slip in vain?

Discussion in Urdu

https://youtube.com/watch?v=XJU_7iDPFCo


Reading a beautiful Ghalib poem comparing life to a horse:

Ghalib on Life:
rau meñ hai raḳhsh-e ʿumr kahāñ dekhiye thame
ne hāth bāg par hai nah pā hai rakāb meñ

The steed of life is in motion, who knows where it will stop
Hands are not on the reins, nor are feet in the stirrup







Here is a poem about living and singing in the Now.

Out of Water
BY MARIE PONSOT

A new embroidery of flowers, canary color,
                        dots the grass already dotty
                        with aster-white and clover.

I warn, “They won’t last, out of water.”
The children pick some anyway.

In or out of  water
children don’t last either.

I watch them as they pick.
Still free of  what’s next
            and what was yesterday
they pick today.

My take:
This poem beautifully compares children to flowers, how they cannot stay out of water, and how they both do what they are meant to do in the moment. Flowers and children sing in their own ways.  During the time they are in water, flowers keep blooming.   Children pick flowers despite being told that the flowers will die unless they are kept in water.  Flowers keep blooming; children keep picking. 
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SHIVPREET SINGH

Singing oneness!
- Shivpreet Singh

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