Shivpreet Singh

Listening to this today today, and working on a translation:

Lyrics

Tere ishq ne dera mere andar keeta

Bhar ke zehar pyala, main taan aape peeta

Jhabde wahundi tabiba, nahi te main mar gayaan

Tere ishq nachaaiyaan, kar ke thaiyaa thaiyaa

Chup gaye ve sooraj, bahar reh gayi laali

Ve main sadqe hova, devein murjey vikhali

Peera main bhul gayaan, tere naal na gaiyaan

Tere ishq nachaaiyaan, kar ke thaiyaa thaiyaa

Ais ishq de kolon mainu hatak na maaye

Laahu jaandey berrey, kehrram mor laya

Meri akal jun bhulli, naal mhaniyaan dey gaiyaan

Tere ishq nachaaiyaan, kar ke thaiyaa thaiyaa

Ais ishq di jhangi vich mor bulenda

Sanu qibla ton kaaba, sohna yaar disenda

Saanu ghayal karke, phir khabar na laaiyaan

Tere ishq nachaaiyaan, kar ke thaiyaa thaiyaa

Bullah Shah, na aounda mainu inayat de buhe

Jisne mainu awaye, chole saave te suhe

Jaan main maari aye, addi mil paya hai vahaiya

Tere ishq nachaaiyaan, kar ke thaiyaa thaiyaa

Translation:

Your love has taken up residence within me,

I drank the poisoned chalice with my own hands.

O wandering healer, if you do not come, I will perish—

Your love has spun me into a frenzied dance.

The sun has slipped away, leaving only its crimson glow.

I would give my life for one more glimpse of you.

My wounds were forgotten, but I did not follow when you called—

Your love has spun me into a frenzied dance.

Do not try to turn me away from this path of love.

Can you halt the boats that drift upon the tides?

Foolish, I cast aside my wisdom and followed the boatman—

Your love has spun me into a frenzied dance.

A peacock cries in the wild grove of passion,

For me, my beloved is both Qibla and Kaaba.

You wounded me and never turned back to see—

Your love has spun me into a frenzied dance.

Bulleh Shah lingers at the door of Inayat,

Who clothed me in robes of green and red.

I leaped, but he caught me before I could fly—

Your love has spun me into a frenzied dance.

Poem -

Counting Notes at Baba Bulleh Shah’s

The singer at Baba Bulleh Shah’s shrine

counts notes in one hand,

sings of love and longing with the other.

It is a delicate balancing act,

like patting your head while rubbing your stomach,

or reading a love letter

while checking the price of wheat.

I wonder if the words—

Tere Ishq nachaaiyaan, kar ke thaiyaa thaiyaa—

are so deeply etched in his heart

that they spill out effortlessly,

the way breath continues

even when we forget to inhale,

or if they are nothing more

than a familiar refrain,

a worn path in the brain,

something to be sung

while the real work of life

is done in the margins.

And at the edge of the night sky,

no stars appear—

or perhaps I cannot count

while desire still flickers.

It is unusual for ghazals to have a central idea, because generally the individual couplets are independent. However, this Mirza Ghalib (like a few others of his), has a central idea. The central theme of this poem is the transformative power of love and longing.

The ghazal explores the tension between the ephemeral and the eternal, the tangible and the intangible. The poet uses powerful metaphors to depict the experience of unrequited love and the profound impact it has on the individual. The journey from sigh to longing, from a drop to a pearl, from acknowledgement to becoming ash, all underscore the transformative nature of deep affection and longing. The poet also uses the symbol of "glance" to highlight the powerful impact of love on the lover, capable of both giving life and causing death. The inevitability of life's suffering and the transient nature of existence are also explored, with death positioned as the ultimate release from this cycle.

The poem beautifully weaves the themes of love, longing, transformation, and mortality into a poignant exploration of human existence.

Aah Ko Chaahiye - Ghazal by Mirza Ghalib

aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak

kaun jiitaa hai tirii zulf ke sar hone tak

daam-e har mauj mein hai halqah-e sad kaam-e nihang

dekhein kyaa guzre hai qatre pah guhar hone tak

aashiqii sabr-talab aur tamannaa betaab

dil kaa kyaa rang karuun khun-e jigar hone tak

ham ne maanaa kih tagaaful na karoge lekin

khaak ho jaaeinge ham tum ko khabar hone tak

partav-e khur se hai shabnam ko fanaa ki taaliim

main bhii huun ek inaayat kii nazar hone tak

yak nazar besh nahiin fursat-e hastii gaafil

garmii-e bazm hai ik raqs-e sharar hone tak

gam-e hastii kaa asad kis se ho juz marg ilaaj

shamma har rang mein jaltii hai sahar hone tak

Translation of Aah Ko Chahiye

A sigh might take a lifetime to reveal its effects,

Until then, who will wait to see you untangle your locks?

A hundred dragon mouths weave waves into a net from a single ocean,

Oh, what an endeavor it is for a drop, until it morphs into a pearl.

Love demands patience, but lust knows only restlessness,

Until my heart bleeds to death, what color should it bear?

I know you won't overlook me, yet,

Until you acknowledge me, I would have transformed into ash.

Each bead of dew knows it can evaporate with the sun's rays,

Similarly, I will endure, until you bestow upon me your glance.

Your glances hold the power to cease my life,

As dancing sparks end a jovial gathering, not until the final dance.

Life is an abyss of suffering, Asad, death can provide the cure,

The candle burns in varied hues, not extinguished until the morning's arrival.

I love Walt Whitman for his personal and evocative poetry. He has written several poems where he directly addresses the reader and shows affection from this. "To You" is one such poem. Through this poem he celebrates the beauty any reader of his poem. I find it beautiful that while it may seem he doesn't know the peculiarity of this reader, he connects with their soul. He still professes his love even though he has not "met" them. This is the kind of unconditional love of the creation and creator that Kabir talks about when he sings Tu Tu Karta Tu Hua (Saying you you I have become you).

The poem begins by making the reader walk out of their dream. Guru Tegh Bahadur says, Sagal Jagat hai jaise supna: What is this life but a dream; it can be over in an instant. What we think are the realities of life, the mundane routines and distractions that often occupy our thoughts, are really temporary. They only blur the lines between what is real and what is imagined.

The person that Walt Whitman wants to love is the real person underneath. As the reader reads through this poem he starts shedding his superficial trappings of everyday existence. Whitman notes that even the most defining aspects of our lives—the features we bear, the joys we experience, the houses we inhabit, the trades we pursue, the manners we adopt, the troubles we face, the follies we commit, and even the crimes we may be guilty of—dissipate when viewed through the lens of his poetic gaze. In doing so, Whitman uncovers the profound truth of Ekonkar — the true soul and body of the reader emerge not from the mundane affairs of life but from the core of their being, beyond the constructs of society.

I think Whitman's declaration that "now I place my hand upon you, that you be my poem" is a pivotal moment in the poem. Here, he bestows upon the reader the highest honor, asking them to be the living embodiment of his art. He whispers to the reader, expressing his affection in intimate terms. He acknowledges the vastness of his love, claiming to have loved many individuals in his lifetime, but none as deeply and profoundly as the reader.

As he realizes his love, his own past a bit. He feels that he has been "dilatory and dumb," wasting time and remaining silent when he should have been actively celebrating and championing the reader. He wishes that he had directed all his energy and creativity toward the reader sooner, forsaking all distractions and focusing solely on extolling their essence. This sense of urgency underscores the depth of Whitman's affection and his unwavering commitment to the reader.

In perhaps the most profound gesture of love, Whitman vows to "leave all and come and make the hymns of you." He promises to forsake everything else, leaving behind the mundane to craft hymns that capture the essence of the reader. What is this essence other than Satnam, Ekonkar? This act of dedication signifies the reader's uniqueness and the reverence with which Whitman holds them. In Whitman's eyes, the reader is not just a person; they are a source of inspiration and a reflection of the grandeur of the universe.

My favorite lines in this poem are the following:

Whoever you are, now I place my hand upon you, that you be my poem, I whisper with my lips close to your ear, I have loved many women and men, but I love none better than you. O I have been dilatory and dumb, I should have made my way straight to you long ago,  I should have blabb'd nothing but you, I should have chanted nothing but you.
I will leave all and come and make the hymns of you ...

By placing his hand upon the reader metaphorically, Whitman symbolically transfers his love and reverence onto them, urging them to be the living expression of his poetry. In this act, Whitman not only cherishes the reader's individuality but also envisions them as the ultimate muse, inspiring his poetic creations. This gesture represents a unique and intimate bond between poet and reader, where the reader becomes the vessel for Whitman's deepest emotions and the living testament to his poetic love. And from there on, he leaves everything else and makes "hymns of you."

This reminds me of Guru Arjan's immortal words: Rasna Japti Tuhi Tuhi - my tongue chants, "Only you!" "Only you!"

To You by Walt Whitman

To You
Walt Whitman

Whoever you are, I fear you are walking the walks of dreams,
I fear these supposed realities are to melt from under your feet and hands
Even now your features, joys, speech, house, trade, manners, troubles, follies, costume, crimes, dissipate away from you,
Your true soul and body appear before me,
They stand forth out of affairs, out of commerce, shops, work, farms, clothes, the house, buying, selling, eating, drinking, suffering, dying.

Whoever you are, now I place my hand upon you, that you be my poem,
I whisper with my lips close to your ear,
I have loved many women and men, but I love none better than you.
O I have been dilatory and dumb,
I should have made my way straight to you long ago,
I should have blabb'd nothing but you, I should have chanted nothing but you.

I will leave all and come and make the hymns of you,
None has understood you, but I understand you,
None has done justice to you, you have not done justice to yourself
None but has found you imperfect, I only find no imperfection in you,
None but would subordinate you, I only am he who will never consent to subordinate you,
I only am he who places over you no master, owner, better, God, beyond what waits intrinsically in yourself.

Painters have painted their swarming groups and the centre-figure of all,
From the head of the centre-figure spreading a nimbus of gold-color'd light,
But I paint myriads of heads, but paint no head without its nimbus of gold-color'd light,
From my hand from the brain of every man and woman it streams, effulgently flowing forever.

O I could sing such grandeurs and glories about you!
You have not known what you are, you have slumber'd upon yourself all your life,
Your eyelids have been the same as closed most of the time,
What you have done returns already in mockeries,
Your thrift, knowledge, prayers, if they do not return in mockeries, what is their return?)

The mockeries are not you,
Underneath them and within them I see you lurk,
I pursue you where none else has pursued you,
Silence, the desk, the flippant expression, the night, the accustom'd routine, if these conceal you from others or from yourself, they do not conceal you from me,
The shaved face, the unsteady eye, the impure complexion, if these balk others they do not balk me,
The pert apparel, the deform'd attitude, drunkenness, greed, premature death, all these I part aside

There is no endowment in man or woman that is not tallied in you,
There is no virtue, no beauty in man or woman, but as good is in you,
No pluck, no endurance in others, but as good is in you,
No pleasure waiting for others, but an equal pleasure waits for you.

As for me, I give nothing to any one except I give the like carefully to you,
I sing the songs of the glory of none, not God, sooner than I sing the songs of the glory of you.

Whoever you are! claim your own at any hazard!
These shows of the East and West are tame compared to you,
These immense meadows, these interminable rivers, you are immense and interminable as they,
These furies, elements, storms, motions of Nature, throes of apparent dissolution, you are he or she who is master or mistress over them,
Master or mistress in your own right over Nature, elements, pain, passion, dissolution.

The hopples fall from your ankles, you find an unfailing sufficiency,
Old or young, male or female, rude, low, rejected by the rest, whatever you are promulges itself,
Through birth, life, death, burial, the means are provided, nothing is scanted,
Through angers, losses, ambition, ignorance, ennui, what you are picks its way.

Five Virtues in Sikhism

According to Gobind Singh Mansukhani's Introduction to Sikhism (1977). there are five virtues which one should develop in order to reach Mukti, or to reunite or merge with God. I believe these are the five virtues of "dharam" as well, where dharam is not religion but righteous living. These five virtues include Sat (truth), Daya (compassion), Santokh (contentment), Nimrata (humility), and Pyaar (love). They are all flowers of the oneness plant.

ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਮਾਇਆ ਮਦ ਮਤਸਰ ਏ ਖੇਲਤ ਸਭਿ ਜੂਐ ਹਾਰੇ ॥
ਸਤੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਦਇਆ ਧਰਮੁ ਸਚੁ ਇਹ ਅਪੁਨੈ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਵਾਰੇ ॥1॥

Shed Lust, Anger, love for Maya, Pride and Jealousy as a addicted gambler loses his possessions in gambling. Bring charity, contentedness, compassion, Dharma and Truth in your house (i.e. mind).

Sat

Sat is the virtue of truthful living, which means practicing "righteousness, honesty, justice, impartiality and fair play."

The Lord's humble servants are True — they practice Truth, and reflect upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad. The True Lord God unites them with Himself, and they keep the True Lord enshrined in their hearts. O Nanak, through the Name, I have obtained salvation and understanding; this alone is my wealth.

— Guru Granth Sahib, ang 600

ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਸਾਚੇ ਸਾਚੁ ਕਮਾਵਹਿ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਵੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
हरि जन साचे साचु कमावहि गुर कै सबदि वीचारी ॥
Har jan sācẖe sācẖ kamāvėh gur kai sabaḏ vīcẖārī.
The Lord's humble servants are True - they practice Truth, and reflect upon the Word of the Guru's Shabad.

ਆਪੇ ਮੇਲਿ ਲਏ ਪ੍ਰਭਿ ਸਾਚੈ ਸਾਚੁ ਰਖਿਆ ਉਰ ਧਾਰੀ ॥
आपे मेलि लए प्रभि साचै साचु रखिआ उर धारी ॥
Āpe mel la▫e parabẖ sācẖai sācẖ rakẖi▫ā ur ḏẖārī.
The True Lord God unites them with Himself, and they keep the True Lord enshrined in their hearts.

Santokh

Santokh, or contentment, is freedom "from ambition, envy, greed and jealousy. Without contentment, it is impossible to acquire peace of mind."[1]

Practice truth, contentment and kindness; this is the most excellent way of life. One who is so blessed by the Formless Lord God renounces selfishness, and becomes the dust of all.

ਸਤੁ ਸੰਤੋਖੁ ਦਇਆ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਏਹ ਕਰਣੀ ਸਾਰ ॥
सतु संतोखु दइआ कमावै एह करणी सार ॥
Saṯ sanṯokẖ ḏa▫i▫ā kamāvai eh karṇī sār.
Practice truth, contentment and kindness; this is the most excellent way of life.

ਆਪੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਸਭ ਹੋਇ ਰੇਣਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਦੇਇ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੁ ॥੩॥
आपु छोडि सभ होइ रेणा जिसु देइ प्रभु निरंकारु ॥३॥
Āp cẖẖod sabẖ ho▫e reṇā jis ḏe▫e parabẖ nirankār. ||3||
One who is so blessed by the Formless Lord God renounces selfishness, and becomes the dust of all. ||3||

Daya

The exercise of Daya, or compassion, involves "considering another's difficulty or sorrow as one's own and helping to relieve it as far as possible. Compassion also includes the overlooking of imperfections and mistakes of others, for to err is human."[1]

Be kind to all beings-this is more meritorious than bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage and the giving of charity.

ਅਠਸਠਿ ਤੀਰਥ ਸਗਲ ਪੁੰਨ ਜੀਅ ਦਇਆ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥
अठसठि तीरथ सगल पुंन जीअ दइआ परवानु ॥
Aṯẖsaṯẖ ṯirath sagal punn jī▫a ḏa▫i▫ā parvān.
Be kind to all beings-this is more meritorious than bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage and the giving of charity.

ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਦੇਵੈ ਦਇਆ ਕਰਿ ਸੋਈ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਸੁਜਾਨੁ ॥
जिस नो देवै दइआ करि सोई पुरखु सुजानु ॥
Jis no ḏevai ḏa▫i▫ā kar so▫ī purakẖ sujān.
That person, upon whom the Lord bestows His Mercy, is a wise person.

Nimrata

Nimrata, translated as "humility", "benevolence" or "humbleness", is the fourth virtue.

ਮਿਠਤੁ ਨੀਵੀ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਗੁਣ ਚੰਗਿਆਈਆ ਤਤੁ ॥ Humility, Nanak Says is the essence, the very root of all virtues

— Guru Granth Sahib, ang 470

The God-conscious being is steeped in humility.

— Guru Granth Sahib, ang 273

Pyaar

Pyaar requires Sikhs to be filled with the love of God.

Let the Fear of God be your feet, and let His Love be your hands; let His Understanding be your eyes.

— Guru Granth Sahib,ang 139

ਭੈ ਕੇ ਚਰਣ ਕਰ ਭਾਵ ਕੇ ਲੋਇਣ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਕਰੇਇ ॥
भै के चरण कर भाव के लोइण सुरति करेइ ॥
Bẖai ke cẖaraṇ kar bẖāv ke lo▫iṇ suraṯ kare▫i.
Let the Fear of God be your feet, and let His Love be your hands; let His Understanding be your eyes.

ਨਾਨਕੁ ਕਹੈ ਸਿਆਣੀਏ ਇਵ ਕੰਤ ਮਿਲਾਵਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
नानकु कहै सिआणीए इव कंत मिलावा होइ ॥२॥
Nānak kahai si▫āṇī▫e iv kanṯ milāvā ho▫e. ||2||
Says Nanak, in this way, O wise soul-bride, you shall be united with your Husband Lord. ||2||

The Five Virtues of Confucius

Confucius taught five virtues a gentleman should practice every day to live a healthy, harmonious life: “To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.”

Ren, ren, is the virtue of benevolence, charity, and humanity;
Yi, yi, of honesty and uprightness;Yì may be broken down into:

zhong, zhong, doing one’s best, conscientiousness, loyalty; and
shù, zhu, reciprocity, altruism, consideration for others, and Confucius’ early version of the Golden Rule, “what you don’t want yourself, don’t do to others.”

Zhi, zhi, knowledge;
Xin, xin, the virtue of faithfulness and integrity; and,
Li, li, correct behavior, or propriety, good manners, politeness, ceremony, worship.

The five virtues of St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent articulated five virtues that directed his life. We are invited to reflect on these virtues. How do they resonate in our life? How do they challenge our daily living? How are they supported in our community? This Lent, let us prayerfully wrestle with and embrace these five virtues.

Simplicity

Simplicity is the virtue St. Vincent loved most. “It is my gospel,” he says. Listen to how St. Vincent describes simplicity:

Jesus, the Lord, expects us to have the simplicity of a dove. This means giving a straightforward opinion about things in the way we honestly see them, without needless reservations. It also means doing things without any double-dealing or manipulation, our intention being focused solely on God. Each of us, then, should take care to behave always in this spirit of simplicity, remembering that God likes to deal with the simple, and that he conceals the secrets of heaven from the wise and prudent of this world and reveals them to little ones. But while Christ recommends the simplicity of a dove he tells us to have the prudence of a serpent as well. What he means is that we should speak and behave with discretion. We ought, therefore, to keep quiet about matters which should not be made known, especially if they are unsuitable or unlawful … In actual practice this virtue is about choosing the right way to do things.

Humility

For St. Vincent, humility is the recognition that all good comes from God. It reminds us that we are not the originator of life. Humility recognizes that we all have gifts, but also limitations and faults. The Beatitudes tell us that the kingdom of God belongs to the poor in spirit. St. Vincent calls us to stand before God humbly in our daily prayer, and have the attitude of a servant.

Meekness

Jesus identified himself as meek and humble of heart. St. Vincent believed this. He won the hearts of those who are poor because his meekness developed as warmth, approachability, openness, deep respect for the person of others. Although he tells us that he was irritable by nature, St. Vincent asked God to change his heart: “Grant me a kindly and benign spirit…”

Mortification

Jesus calls us to follow him even unto death. A radical directive for our lives today, we are called to be willing to stand in God’s grace, even while absorbing the pain and suffering of our neighbor. St. Vincent embraced this challenge and gospel imperative. Consistently, he calls us to be faithful to our duties of serving those who are poor. Even more, he challenges us to prefer them, when they conflict with other more pleasurable things.

Zeal

Vincent loved, with a burning love. “Let us beg God to enkindle in our hearts a desire to serve him…” St. Vincent challenges us to persevere as servants of the sick, suffering, and poor—while remembering that although the Lord asks us to cooperate in his work, it still remains His work. We must strive to live a balanced life, so that we might have the energy that nourishes zeal.

Prayer from St. Vincent de Paul

“Lord Jesus, teach me by your example….Make me, through the vigor of my efforts and the power of your Spirit, set the world around me on fire. I want to give myself to you, body and soul, heart and mind and spirit, so that I may always do what gladdens you. In your mercy, grant me the grace to have you continue your saving work in me and through me.” Amen.

The Long List of Virtues

Acceptance

The act of accepting something or someone

Complements: Contentment, Forgiveness

Transcends: Denial, Rejection

Assertiveness

Disposed to or characterized by bold or confident statements and behavior

Complements: Confidence, Courage

Transcends: Self-doubt, Shyness

Authenticity

True to one’s own personality, spirit, or character

Complements: Honesty, Integrity

Transcends: Low self-esteem

Beauty

The qualities in a person or a thing that give pleasure to the senses or the mind

Complements: Joyfulness, Peace

Transcends: Ugliness

Caring

Feeling or showing concern for other people

Complements: Compassion, Kindness

Transcends: Cruelty, Insensitivity

Cleanliness

The practice of keeping yourself and your surroundings clean

Complements: Orderliness, Purity

Transcends: Dirtiness

Commitment

An agreement or pledge to do something in the future

Complements: Loyalty, Perseverance

Transcends: Lack of Direction

Compassion

Sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it

Complements: Caring, Understanding

Transcends: Grief, Judgment

Confidence

A feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something

Complements: Assertiveness, Courage

Transcends: Self-doubt, Uncertainty

Consideration

The act of thinking carefully about something you will make a decision about

Complements: Caring, Compassion

Transcends: Selfishness

Contentment

The state of being happy and satisfied

Complements: Fulfillment, Joy

Transcends: Dissatisfaction, Restlessness

Cooperation

A situation in which people work together to do something

Complements: Teamwork, Unity

Transcends: Defiance

Courage

Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty

Complements: Boldness, Confidence

Transcends: Fear, Self-doubt

Creativity

The ability to make new things or think of new ideas

Complements: Joy, Purposefulness

Transcends: Ordinary

Detachment

Lack of emotion or of personal interest

Complements: Faith, Freedom

Transcends: Control

Determination

A quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult

Complements: Commitment, Tenaciousness

Transcends: Complacency

Dignity

A way of appearing or behaving that suggests seriousness and self-control

Complements: Honor, Respect

Transcends: Egoism, Selfishness

Encouragement

Something that makes someone more determined, hopeful, or confident

Complements: Support, Caring

Transcends: Self-doubt, Discouragement

Enthusiasm

Strong excitement about something; a strong feeling of active interest in something that you like or enjoy

Complements: Energy, Motivation

Transcends: Boredom, Indifference

Ethical

Following accepted rules of behavior; morally right and good

Complements: Fairness, Respect

Transcends: Immorality

Excellence

Extremely high quality

Complements: Dignity, Honor, Integrity, Respect

Transcends: Mediocrity

Fairness

Treating people in a way that does not favor some over others

Complements: Equality, Justice

Transcends: Grievance, Injustice

Faith

Strong belief or trust in someone or something

Complements: Confidence, Hope, Trust

Transcends: Apprehension, Doubt

Flexibility

Willing to change or to try different things

Complements: Detachment, Understanding

Transcends: Stubbornness

Forgiveness

The act of forgiving someone or something

Complements: Freedom, Peace

Transcends: Anger, Bitterness

Friendliness

Acting like a friend; kind and helpful

Complements: Kindness, Tact

Transcends: Shyness

Generosity

The quality of being kind, understanding, and not selfish; the quality of being generous

Complements: Kindness, Service

Transcends: Stinginess, Self-centered

Gentleness

Having or showing a kind and quiet nature; not harsh or violent

Complements: Patience, Peace

Transcends: Aggression

Graciousness

Very polite in a way that shows respect

Complements: Dignity, Tact

Transcends: Disrespect, Rudeness

Gratitude

A feeling of appreciation or thanks

Complements: Hope, Joy, Peace

Transcends: Disappointment, Pain

Harmonious

Having parts that are related or combined in a pleasing way

Complements: Unity

Transcends: Hostility

Helpfulness

Making it easier to do a job, deal with a problem, etc.; giving help

Complements: Graciousness, Service

Transcends: Negativity

Honesty

The quality of being fair and truthful

Complements: Integrity, Truthfulness

Transcends: Deceitfulness

Honor

Respect that is given to someone who is admired

Complements: Dignity, Respect

Transcends: Shame

Hope

To want something to happen or be true and think that it could happen or be true

Complements: Faith, Joy, Trust

Transcends: Despair, Frustration

Humility

The quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people

Complements: Modesty

Transcends: Arrogance, Pride

Idealism

The attitude of a person who believes that it is possible to live according to very high standards of behavior and honesty

Complements: Confidence, Hope

Transcends: Cynicism, Pessimism

Integrity

Firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values; the quality or state of being complete or undivided

Complements: Honesty, Trust

Transcends: Corruption, Deceitfulness

Imaginative

Having or showing an ability to think of new and interesting ideas; having or showing imagination

Complements: Creativity

Transcends: Ordinary, Rationalism

Joyfulness

Feeling, causing, or showing great happiness; full of joy

Complements: Hope, Peace, Love

Transcends: Discontent, Suffering

Justice

The process or result of using laws to fairly judge and punish crimes and criminals

Complements: Fairness, Integrity

Transcends: Discrimination

Kindness

The quality or state of being kind; a kind act

Complements: Caring, Compassionate

Transcends: Cruelty, Loneliness

Love

A feeling of strong or constant affection for a person

Complements: Caring, Forgiveness, Unity

Transcends: Fear

Loyalty

The quality or state of being loyal

Complements: Honesty, Trust

Transcends: Betrayal

Moderation

The quality or state of being reasonable and avoiding behavior, speech, etc., that is extreme or that goes beyond what is normal or acceptable

Complements: Diligence, Responsibility

Transcends: Obsessions, Overindulgence

Modesty

The quality of not being too proud or confident about yourself or your abilities

Complements: Humility

Transcends: Self-importance

Optimistic

Having or showing hope for the future; expecting good things to happen

Complements: Hope, Joyfulness

Transcends: Pessimism

Orderliness

Arranged or organized in a logical or regular way

Complements: Cleanliness, Purity

Transcends: Chaos

Passionate

Having, showing, or expressing strong emotions or beliefs

Complements: Enthusiasm, Purposefulness

Transcends: Indifference

Patience

The ability to wait for a long time without becoming annoyed or upset

Complements: Determination, Peace

Transcends: Frustration

Peace

A state of tranquility or quiet

Complements: Love, Serenity, Unity

Transcends: Anger, Cruelty

Perseverance

Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition

Complements: Commitment, Determination, Resilience

Transcends: Laziness

Preparedness

The quality or state of being prepared

Complements: Excellence, Orderliness

Transcends: Complacency

Purposefulness

Having a purpose as in something set up as an object or end to be attained

Complements: Creativity, Commitment, Joyfulness

Transcends: Boredom, Indifference

Reliability

The quality or state of being reliable

Complements: Integrity, Loyalty

Transcends: Untrustworthy

Respect

An act of giving particular attention

Complements: Dignity, Reverence

Transcends: Inconsideration

Responsibility

The quality or state of being responsible as in moral, legal, or mental accountability

Complements: Courtesy, Tact, Trust

Transcends: Selfishness

Reverence

Honor or respect that is felt for or shown to (someone or something)

Complements: Respect, Worth

Transcends: Hatred

Self-discipline

Correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement

Complements: Commitment, Determination

Transcends: Chaos, Unruliness

Service

Contribution to the welfare of others

Complements: Compassion, Generosity, Purposefulness

Transcends: Lack of concern, Self-centered

Sincerity

The quality or state of being sincere; honesty of mind

Complements: Authentic

Transcends: Disingenuous

Tact

A keen sense of what to do or say in order to maintain good relations with others or avoid offense

Complements: Graciousness, Responsibility

Transcends: Clumsiness

Temperate

Habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions

Complements: Moderation

Transcends: Excessive

Tenacious

Persistent in maintaining, adhering to, or seeking something valued or desired

Complements: Discipline, Perseverance

Transcends: Indecision

Thankfulness

Conscious of benefit received

Complements: Gratitude, Thoughtfulness

Transcends: Unappreciative

Tolerance

Capacity to endure pain or hardship; sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one’s own

Complements: Patience, Tenacious

Transcends: Narrow-mindedness

Trust

Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something

Complements: Loyalty, Respect

Transcends: Doubt, Skepticism

Truthfulness

Telling or disposed to tell the truth

Complements: Honesty, Faith, Trust

Transcends: Corruption, Deceit

Understanding

An agreement of opinion or feeling; adjustment of differences

Complements: Kindness, Tolerance

Transcends: Egoism

Unity

The quality or state of being made one

Complements: Harmony, Love, Peace

Transcends: Loneliness

Visionary

A thought, concept, or object formed by the imagination

Complements: Imagination, Leadership

Transcends: Lack of Inspiration

Wisdom

Accumulated philosophic or scientific learning; knowledge

Complements: Idealism, Visionary

Transcends: Lack of Intelligence

Wonder

A feeling caused by seeing something that is very surprising, beautiful, amazing, etc.

Complements: Creativity, Imagination

Transcends: Boredom

On November 25th, 1915, Albert Einstein unveiled his general theory of relativity to the Prussian Academy of Sciences, the result of nearly a decade of intense research. This two-page paper would elevate Einstein to worldwide fame and secure his place as one of the greatest physicists in history. A few days before this presentation, Einstein wrote a letter to his 11-year-old son, Hans Albert, who was residing in Vienna with his second son, Eduard 'Tete,' and his estranged wife, Mileva. The letter, which can be found in the book "Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children," features advice from Einstein to his son Hans Albert on love, learning, creativity and passion.

Albert Einstein's letter to his son

My dear Albert,

Yesterday I received your dear letter and was very happy with it. I was already afraid you wouldn’t write to me at all any more. You told me when I was in Zurich, that it is awkward for you when I come to Zurich. Therefore I think it is better if we get together in a different place, where nobody will interfere with our comfort. I will in any case urge that each year we spend a whole month together, so that you see that you have a father who is fond of you and who loves you. You can also learn many good and beautiful things from me, something another cannot as easily offer you. What I have achieved through such a lot of strenuous work shall not only be there for strangers but especially for my own boys. These days I have completed one of the most beautiful works of my life, when you are bigger, I will tell you about it.

I am very pleased that you find joy with the piano. This and carpentry are in my opinion for your age the best pursuits, better even than school. Because those are things which fit a young person such as you very well. Mainly play the things on the piano which please you, even if the teacher does not assign those. That is the way to learn the most, that when you are doing something with such enjoyment that you don’t notice that the time passes. I am sometimes so wrapped up in my work that I forget about the noon meal. . . .

Be with Tete kissed by your

Papa.

Regards to Mama.

Love is central to learning

I often say that if you are not singing at work, you need to work on your singing. You have to love what you do. The most poignant sentence I found in this letter is the following: Mainly play the things on the piano which please you, even if the teacher does not assign those. He taught him the timeless lesson that love is central to learning.

Love is a powerful emotion that can play a significant role in the learning process. When we love something or someone, we are more likely to be motivated to learn about it or them, and to put in the effort to understand and appreciate them more fully. Love also creates a positive and supportive environment for learning, as it fosters a sense of safety and security that allows us to take risks and explore new ideas without fear of failure.

Research has also shown that love can have a direct impact on the way our brains process information and form connections. Studies have found that when we are in a state of love, our brains release oxytocin, a hormone that promotes feelings of trust, attachment and emotional bonding. Oxytocin also increases the activity in the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. This means that when we love something or someone, our brains are more active and better able to process new information and form lasting memories.

Furthermore, when children feel loved and supported by their parents or caregivers, they are more likely to develop a positive self-concept and self-esteem, which are essential for a healthy psychological development and academic success.

In summary, Love plays a fundamental role in learning, it creates a positive and supportive environment, it fosters motivation, it can have a direct impact on the way our brain processes information and forms connections, and it is essential for a healthy psychological development and academic success.

I thought how this can be tested using historical and literary examples.

One example of fatherly love from history is the relationship between Alexander the Great and his father, Philip II of Macedon. Despite Philip having multiple wives and children, he had a strong bond with Alexander and was a dedicated and involved father. Philip recognized Alexander's potential and provided him with the best education, hiring Aristotle to be his personal tutor. He also took Alexander with him on military campaigns and gave him important responsibilities, grooming him to be his successor. Alexander deeply respected and loved his father and was deeply affected by his assassination. He even named one of his cities after him, Alexandria.

An example of fatherly love from literature is Atticus Finch from Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird." Atticus is a single father raising his two children, Jem and Scout, in the 1930s in Alabama. Despite the racism and prejudice of the time, Atticus teaches his children to be fair and just, and to treat everyone with kindness and respect. He also shows them the importance of courage and standing up for what is right. Atticus's love for his children is evident throughout the book and he is willing to put himself in harm's way to protect them.

I touch God in my song

I touch God in my song
as the hill touches the far-away sea
with its waterfall.

The butterfly counts not months but moments,
and has time enough.

Let my love, like sunlight, surround you
and yet give you illumined freedom.

Love remains a secret even when spoken,
for only a lover truly knows that he is loved.

Emancipation from the bondage of the soil
is no freedom for thee.

In love I pay my endless debt to thee
for what thou art.

- Rabindranath Tagore

/ Photo by smerfeo /

Tagore and Karma Yoga: Focusing on Moments

…only a lover truly knows that he is loved.

In this poem’s few short lines, Rabindranath Tagore marries the bhakti path of utter love for God with the heart of karma yoga’s union through service and action.

In traditional Indian metaphysics, the goal is usually understood to be enlightenment and freedom from the karmic tug that traps us in the cycle of earthly embodiment, “emancipation from the bondage of the soil.” But here Tagore challenges the otherworldliness that often engenders.

Even the spiritual idea of liberation can become a selfish goal. For one utterly in love with God, the paying of that “debt” is simply a labor of love. Every effort, every experience, even suffering, is simply an expression of one’s love for God. That is enough right there for the true lover of God. Rather than seeking escape from “the soil,” the world is seen as a panorama that offers endless opportunities to worship and experience the Divine.

This is the great vision of karma yoga.

It is also the attitude that finally allows us to be at rest on our spiritual journey, rather than live as a convict on the run. What some see as the prison yard, becomes instead an exercise yard… or a playground! It is a courageous way of acknowledging that freedom is not escape, it is deep presence.

And we find that we live not in fleeting time, but in the ever expanding present moment.

The butterfly counts not months but moments,
and has time enough.

Rabindranath Tagore

Background on Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore (sometimes rendered in a more modern transliteration as Thakur or Thakura) was one of the great writers of the early 20th century.

Rabindranath Tagore was born to a wealthy Brahmin family in Calcutta (Kolkata) in West Bengal during the British occupation of India.

His mother died when “Rabi” was a young child and his father’s responsibilities often required travel, leaving Rabindranath to be raised by elder siblings and family servants. His family was central to regional political, intellectual, and artistic social circles, however, ensuring that the young Tagore was exposed to great art and learning from an early age.

Tagore began composing poetry by the age of six and showed such a natural gift that he, at the age of sixteen, published a set of poems under a pseudonym that was mistakenly received by critics as a long-lost masterpiece. Only later was it revealed that the author was the adolescent Tagore.

As an older teenager, Tagore was sent to study in England, but soon left school to more actively feed his wide-ranging interests through self-study.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Tagore established an ashram as a place for learning, teaching, and agricultural experimentation.

Tagore was a strong advocate for Indian nationalism in opposition to British imperial rule, while criticizing the most violent expressions of revolution.

During his lifetime, Tagore traveled extensively, meeting the world’s great writers, scientists, political leaders, and social reformers.

Rabindranath Tagore was also an accomplished painter, as well as a musician and prolific composer, with more than 2,000 songs to his credit.

Tagore’s poetry draws from the rich devotional poetic traditions of India, but rendered in a highly fluid, contemporary style. His impact on world poetry and literature is immense, especially writing that explores the modern mind through the mystic’s lens. Countless literary figures of the 20th century cite Tagore as an important influence and source of inspiration. Although his library of poetry is extensive, his most widely read and loved collection is The Gitanjali.

In 1913, he became the first non-European to with the Nobel Prize in Literature.

More on this poem and Rabindranath Tagore from Poetry Chaikhana

I was composing an Iqbal ghazal today and ran across this beautiful ghazal by Siraj Aurangabadi, a sufi poet form Aurangabad form the 18th century. Khabar-e-tahayyur-e-ishq sun is his most famous ghazal. The following note has three translations for this ghazal. I also came across a great rendition of a few verses of this ghazal as a qawwali by Ustad Farid Ayaz and Ustad Abu Muhammad:

Lyrics

ḳhabar-e-tahayyur-e-ishq sun na junūñ rahā na parī rahī

na to tū rahā na to maiñ rahā jo rahī so be-ḳhabarī rahī

shah-e-be-ḳhudī ne atā kiyā mujhe ab libās-e-barahnagī

na ḳhirad kī baḳhiya-garī rahī na junūñ kī parda-darī rahī

chalī samt-e-ġhaib siiñ kyā havā ki chaman zuhūr kā jal gayā

magar ek shāḳh-e-nihāl-e-ġham jise dil kaho so harī rahī

nazar-e-taġhāful-e-yār kā gila kis zabāñ siiñ bayāñ karūñ

ki sharāb-e-sad-qadah aarzū ḳhum-e-dil meñ thī so bharī rahī

vo ajab ghaḌī thī maiñ jis ghaḌī liyā dars nusḳha-e-ishq kā

ki kitāb aql kī taaq par juuñ dharī thī tyuuñ hī dharī rahī

tire josh-e-hairat-e-husn kā asar is qadar siiñ yahāñ huā

ki na ā.īne meñ rahī jilā na parī kuuñ jalvagarī rahī

kiyā ḳhaak ātish-e-ishq ne dil-e-be-navā-e-'sirāj' kuuñ

na ḳhatar rahā na hazar rahā magar ek be-ḳhatarī rahī

Translation and Discussion

By Kashikeya Vats

Khabar-e-tahayyur-e-ishq sunn, na junoon raha na pari rahi

Na toh tu raha na toh mein raha, jo rahi so be-khabari rahi

On learning the amazing saga of love, neither the frenzy (junoon) was left, nor did the sweetheart (pari) remain. I was ‘me’ no more, you were ‘thee’ no more; only a state of oblivion remained.

This she'r reminds me of the lines from Rumi:

I always thought that

I was me — but no, I was you

and never knew it.

The consciousness of self is obstructive and it is only the removal of 'knowledge' and 'thought' (Rumi has used the words ‘thought’ and ‘knew’) that leads to the state of self-unconsciousness where the lover and the beloved become one.

Shah-e-bekhudi ne ataa kia, mujhay ab libas-e-barahanagi

Na khirad ki bakhiyagari rahi, na junoon ki pardadari rahi

The gift of the ‘Lord of Ecstasy’ to me was a garb of nakedness. All that the wisdom had stitched was gone; the veil of madness no longer remained.

At the spiritual level the couplet can be interpreted like this: My beloved, the shah-e-bekhudi has ripped naked my heart and soul, ridding them of the layers of stitching by the misguided intellect, which is nothing more than a veil of madness. The extreme of love endows the heart with divine purity. Reason and intellect have been viewed as hindrances, and the perceived sanity as madness.

Chali simt-e-ghaib se aik hava, ke chaman zahoor ka jal gaya

Magar aik shakh-e-nihal-e-gham, jise dil kahe so hari rahi

A sweeping wind, which came from beyond the visible world, consumed the visible garden with fire; just one branch on the tree of grief, which they call heart, despite the blaze retained its green.

The reference here is to the lost Paradise, and the perennial quest to re-unite with it. The Divine breeze would burn the worldly existence leaving behind the hope for reunion. The worldly existence (chaman) has been likened to a tree of sorrow and suffering, and the Divine breeze as the liberator. Nothing grows on that tree except sadness, caused by the separation from his beloved. Now that entire existence is gone, only the abode of the beloved (heart) has survived.

Nazar-e-taghaful-e-yaar ka, gila kis zuban se bayan karoon

Ke sharab-e-sad-qadaah aarzu, khum-e-dil mein thi so bhari rahi

I am speechless to complain about the indifferent and uncaring glances (nazar-e-taghaful-e-yaar) of my beloved; the wine of desire that filled the heart remained suppressed, concealed.

At the temporal level, these lines would simply suggest that there is a heart overflowing with desires which one is unable to express due to the indifferent looks of the beloved. At the metaphysical level it would suggest that the worldly desires are often out of sync with the Divine commandments.

Woh ajab ghari thi mein jis ghari, liya dars nuskha-e-ishq ka

Ke kitab aql ki taaq main, jyun dhari thi tyun hi dhari rahi

It was at a moment strange that I read a book of love; the book of reason, brushed aside, remained shelved

and sheathed.

Reason (aql-o-khirad), the product of mind is considered a detriment, hindering the spontaneity of heart. A person guided by logic and reason is too calculative to be able to devote to pure love; whereas selfless love is motivated by heart and not mind. For that reason love and brain are just incompatible. Mind is deceitful, untrustworthy, selfish and devious whereas heart is pure, untainted and selfless. As Iqbal said: bekhatar kuud para aatishe-namrood mein ishq/aql thi mehvi-tamasha-e-lab-baam abhi

Tere josh-e-hairat-e-husn ka, asar iss qadar so yahan hua

Ke na aayine main jila rahi, na pari kuun jalva gari rahi

Your bewitching beauty, love, such a spell did cast; the mirror stood bereft of gloss and beauty seemed to freeze.

Bewildered by your beauty (Josh-e-hairat-e-husn), I had such a mark on my heart (yahan is a pointer towards the heart) that the heart (aayina , the mirror of heart) has lost all its shine (the basic quality of a mirror) and angel (pari is used as simile to refer profound beauty) had no beauty left to reveal (‘kuun’means ko).

Kiya khak aatish-e-ishq ne dil-e-benava-e-Siraj ko

Na khatar raha na hazar raha, magar aik be-khatari rahi

The fire of love reduced to ashes Siraj’s voiceless heart; fears and cares got consumed, intrepid courage held the field.

The fire of love (aatish-e-ishq) has burnt the voiceless heart (dil-e-benava) of Siraj to ashes. The heart is so liberated from fears (be-khatari) that there is no feeling of vulnerability or threat left. (As Iqbal has used the word bekhatar: bekhatar kood para aatish-e-namrood mein ishq).

Second Translation

trans: Divana Nakujabadi [Saiyad Nizamuddin Ahmad]

The Tale of Love’s Perplexity (khabar-e tahayyur-e 'ishq)

[1] Hearken to the tale of Love’s [metaphysical] perplexity:

neither the ardour of madness remained,

nor the angelic beloved remained;

Neither did you remain, nor did I remain,

only unawareness remained.

[2] The Shah of no-self-ness has now bestowed upon me

the garment of nakedness;

Neither the stitching of reason remained,

neither the veiling of madness’ ardour remained.

[3] A wind blew from the threshold of the unseen,

and the garden of bliss was consumed.

Yet, but a branch of the tree of sorrow

―known as the heart― green remained.

[4] With which tongue am I to recount the indifference of the beloved?

Desire akin to the wine of a hundred goblets brimmed up

in the vessel of the heart yet, therein remained.

[5] What a marvelous instant it was that I learned of the elixir of Love!

The book of reason placed on the shelf,

on the shelf remained.

[6] The intensity of the perplexity of your beauty,

was so brilliantly revealed, that

neither the mirror’s shine remained,

neither the angelic beloved’s beauty remained.

[7] The fire of love has reduced the mute heart of Siraj to ashes,

neither fright remained,

nor caution remained,

only

fearlessness remained.

Third Translation

Khabar-e-tahayyur-e-ishq sunn, na junoon raha na pari rahi

Na toh tu raha na toh mein raha, jo rahi so be-khabari rahi

Learn oh absorbing love that neither the obsession (for the beloved) is left nor and the object (pari) of love survived. The only thing that is left is a state of self-unconsciousness: where neither you exist nor I exist.

Shah-e-bekhudi ne ataa kia, mujhay ab libas-e-barahanagi

Na khirad ki bakhiyagari rahi, na junoon ki pardadari rahi

My beloved (shah-e-bekhudi is a reference to the beloved. Knowing what little I know about Siraj I am leaning towards God as his object of love rather then a worldly being) has bestowed me with a dress of nakedness (libas-e-barahanagi). Neither the intellect (khirad) can repair it nor does the insanity (junoon) rip it. Meaning what a dress (nakedness) my beloved has conferred upon me! I am now free from the trouble of ripping it or mending it (depending on the mental state I am in). My focus is my beloved not my own appearance or even existence.

Chali simt-e-ghaib se aik hava, ke chaman zahoor ka jal gaya

Magar aik shakh-e-nihal-e-gham, jise dil kahe so hari rahi

A breeze came from the outer space (simt-e-ghaib) and burned the entire garden of existence (zahoor) but a branch of the tree of sorrow (nihal-e-gham) that is called heart remained green. Since in the first line poet is referring to a wind coming from the direction of God (ghaib) that has burned the whole existence (chaman) it can be assumed that tree of sorrow is a symbol of the poets own being. In the burned garden of existence he stood like a sad tree. Nothing grows on that tree except sadness, caused by the separation from his beloved. Now that entire existence is gone, only the abode of the beloved (heart) is survived.

Nazar-e-taghaful-e-yaar ka, gila kis zuban se bayan karoon

Ke sharab-e-sad-qadaah aarzu, khum-e-dil mein thi so bhari rahi

I am speechless (kis zuban). How can I complain the indifferent and uncaring glances (nazar-e-taghaful-e-yaar) of my beloved? After reading, the second line it is clear that he trying to say that I cannot complain about those cold looks or eyes that have granted me so much. I am indebted to those eyes. Why? My heart is brimming with his desire (aarzu) as if a vessel (khum) is filled with hundred goblets of wine (sharaab-e-sad-qadaah).

Woh ajab ghari thi mein jis ghari, liya dars nuskha-e-ishq ka

Ke kitab aql ki taaq main, jyun dhari thi tyun hi dhari rahi

In Urdu poetry, reason (aql-o-khirad) the product of mind is considered a source of selfishness and as it causes a person to make calculated move; as against altruistic emotions that come out of heart. A thoughtful person thinks about the consequences before taking any action. That is why it is assumed that a selfless love is motivated by heart and not mind. For that reason love and brain are just incompatible. Mind is deceitful, untrustworthy, selfish and devious whereas heart is pure, untainted and selfless. As Iqbal said:

bekhatar kuud para aatishe-namrood mein ishq aql thi mehvi-tamasha-e-lab-baam abhi

That is what Siraj is saying that at that strange moment when I started taking lesson in love (dars-e-nuskha-e-ishq) I left my intellect or brain (kitaab-e-aql- book is synonymous with intellect as one needs brain to read or write) in an alcove, where it is lying ever since.

Tere josh-e-hairat-e-husn ka, asar iss qadar so yahan hua

Ke na aayine main jila rahi, na pari kuun jalva gari rahi

Bewildered by your beauty (Josh-e-hairat-e-husn), I had such a mark on my heart (yahan is a pointer towards the heart) that the heart (aayina means heart) has lost all its shine (the basic quality of a mirror) and angel (pari is used as simile to refer profound beauty) had no beauty left to reveal. (â€œsoâ€ means se and â€œkuunâ€ means ko).

Kiya khak-e-aatish-e-ishq ne dil-e-benava-e-Siraj ko

Na khatar raha na hazar raha, magar aik be-khatari rahi

The fire of love (aatish-e-ishq) has burned the voiceless heart (dil-e-benava) of Siraj to the ashes. There is no feeling of vulnerability or threat left. Only freedom from fear (be-khatari) is left. (As Iqbal has used the word bekhatar: bekhatar kood para aatish-e-namrood mein ishq.)

Mahi ve tere bajoN dil deya meharma ve

sada jeuuna kere chaj daa ay

meri loo loo vich meri nas nas wich

teri yaad da tumbaa vajdaa ay

Without you

Without you, my heart's desire

There's no point in living without you

Every vein sings your name

Akhiyan udeek diyan dil vajaa maarda

aja pardesiya vaasta ii pyaar da

My eyes wait for you, my heart calls you

Come back home for the sake of our love

Jado da tu rus giya sade nal dholnaa

bhul gaya kawaaN nu banairay utte bolna

Since you left, I have felt utterly alone

Crows don't sing on the window sill

KaliaN nai meraa ji lagda

bahaaraan aake lang chaliyaan

tu chetti aja dholna

I cannot bear this loneliness

Spring has come and it has gone

But still i wait for you

Hun , je na aaya fir kehre wele aawega?

Panchi murr gharaN nu aa gaye tu vi aaja dholna

tenu akhiyan udeek diyan

If not now, when will you come?

The birds of spring are here again

Why do you not come too?

Arriaa na kar beparwaiaaN ve

rutaaN pyaar karan diyaN aayiaN

//chetti aaja dholna tenu akhiyan udeek diyan

Don't fail me, I beg to you,

In this loving season, come back

Come back, my love, come back My eyes waiting…

PiplaaN te peengaaN payiaaN

ral mil geet de gaundiaN sayiaN

//chetti aaja dholna tenu akhiyan udeek diyan

My friends call celebrate and sing

Sing the songs of love

Won't you come too, my love?..

RawaN tak tak thakh gayi aaN meiN

kaliaN reh reh ak gayi aaN meiN

ik ik pal dil gin ke guzaar da

aaja pardesiya vasta ii pyaar da

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

I watch the streets and roads

I am forlorn, waiting for you

I count each moment

Each minute

Come back, my love

Uth uth jaan namazi masjid menu tatti nu teriyaN tangaN

Hun te aaja ve aaja ve… chheti aaja dholna

The devout go to the mosque to pray

But I just sit watching the way

Now, come back, my love, come love…

Bhul gayiaaN te rus gaye chaa ve

aj pata laga ay vichora ki bala ae

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

Happiness has turned its face away

Joy has been banished from my life

Come love, My eyes wait for you to come…

Sajna ve tere bajoN lagda na jee ve

jithe jaa ke beh gaya uthe tera kii ve

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

lover, I can no longer live

No longer live without you

What do you get by doing this to me?

Poore di hawa chale dil mera dolda

kamb kamb jawa jadoN kaaN kitte bolda

aawaiN te sunawaN meiN vichora kiwe marda

aaja pardesiya vasta ii pyaar da

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

The easterly breeze brings only sorrow

I shudder when I hear the birds sing

If only you could see how I suffer

I beg you, please come back to me

Come My eyes waiting…

Tere waloN puchde ne galiaN de baal ve

gum sum howaN jedoN karde sawaal ve

marda ay taanay menu mausam bahaar da

aaja pardesiya vasta ii pyaar da

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

The street urchins make fun of me

I walk by, lost in though, alone

The seasons taunt my loneliness

Come back, come back, my love

Aaja dholna tenu akhiyan udeek diyan

chetti aaja dholna tenu akhiyan udeek diyan (Chants)

Come love, Come love, My eyes wait for you to come…

Come back, my love, come back My eyes waiting…

Akhiyan udeek diyan dil vajaa maarda

Altered Lyrics

Mahi ve tere bajoN dil deya meharma ve

sada jeuuna kere chaj daa ay

meri loo loo vich meri nas nas wich

teri yaad da tumbaa vajdaa ay

Without you

Without you, my heart's desire

There's no point in living without you

Every nerve and vein sings your name

Akhiyan udeekdiyan dil vajaa maarda

aja pardesiya vaasta ii pyaar da

Aa Ja tainu akhiyaan udeekdiyaan

[should be akhiyaan udeekdiyaan - udeekda is one word, udeekdiyaan is feminine plural for "waiting"]

My eyes wait for you, my heart calls you

Come back home for the sake of our love

Come back, my eyes wait for you

Jado da tu rus giya sade nal dholnaa

bhul gaya kawaaN nu banairay utte bolna

Since you left, I have felt utterly alone

Crows don't sing on the window sill

[Also see Aiwain Bol Na Banere Utte Kaavaan]

Sab galaan karde jeen diyaan

mar mukeyaan da koi ki lagda

bahaaraan aake lang chaliyaan

ik jee bajon nai ji lagdaa

tu chetti aja dholna

KaliaN nai meraa ji lagda

I cannot bear this loneliness

Spring has come and it has gone

But still i wait for you

Hun , je na aaya fir kehre wele aawega?

Panchi murr gharaN nu aa gaye tu vi aaja dholna

tenu akhiyan udeek diyan

If not now, when will you come?

The birds of spring are here again

Why do you not come too?

Arriaa na kar beparwaiaaN ve

rutaaN pyaar karan diyaN aayiaN

//chetti aaja dholna tenu akhiyan udeek diyan

Don't fail me, I beg to you,

In this loving season, come back

Come back, my love, come back My eyes waiting…

PiplaaN te peengaaN payiaaN

ral mil geet de gaundiaN sayiaN

//chetti aaja dholna tenu akhiyan udeek diyan

My friends call celebrate and sing

Sing the songs of love

Won't you come too, my love?..

RawaN tak tak thakh gayi aaN meiN

kaliaN reh reh ak gayi aaN meiN

ik ik pal dil gin ke guzaar da

aaja pardesiya vasta ii pyaar da

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

I watch the streets and roads

I am forlorn, waiting for you

I count each moment

Each minute

Come back, my love

Uth uth jaan namazi masjid menu tatti nu teriyaN tangaN

Hun te aaja ve aaja ve… chheti aaja dholna

The devout go to the mosque to pray

But I just sit watching the way

Now, come back, my love, come love…

Pul gayiaaN te rus gaye chaa ve

aj pata laga ay vichora ki bala ae

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

Happiness has turned its face away

Joy has been banished from my life

Come love, My eyes wait for you to come…

Sajna ve tere bajoN lagda na jee ve

jithe jaa ke beh gaya uthe tera kii ve

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

lover, I can no longer live

No longer live without you

What do you get by doing this to me?

Poore di hawa chale dil mera dolda

kamb kamb jawa jadoN kaaN kitte bolda

aawaiN te sunawaN meiN vichora kiwe marda

aaja pardesiya vasta ii pyaar da

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

The easterly breeze brings only sorrow

I shudder when I hear the birds sing

If only you could see how I suffer

I beg you, please come back to me

Come My eyes waiting…

Tere waloN puchde ne galiaN de baal ve

gum sum howaN jedoN karde sawaal ve

marda ay taanay menu mausam bahaar da

aaja pardesiya vasta ii pyaar da

aaja tenu akhiyan udeek diyan-

The street urchins make fun of me

I walk by, lost in though, alone

The seasons taunt my loneliness

Come back, come back, my love

Aaja dholna tenu akhiyan udeek diyan

chetti aaja dholna tenu akhiyan udeek diyan (Chants)

Come love, Come love, My eyes wait for you to come…

Come back, my love, come back My eyes waiting…

Akhiyan udeek diyan dil vajaa maarda

Abrar Ahmad - Nazm

is ghar meñ yā us ghar meñ

tū kahīñ nahīñ hai

darvāze bajte haiñ

ḳhālī kamre

terī bātoñ kī mahkār se bhar jaate haiñ

dīvāroñ meñ

terī sāñseñ soī haiñ

maiñ jaag rahā huuñ

kānoñ meñ

koī guuñj sī chakrātī phirtī hai

bhūle-bisre gītoñ kī

chāñdnī raat meñ khilte hue

phūloñ kī damak hai, yahīñ kahīñ

tere ḳhvāb

mirī be-sāya zindagī par

bādal kī sūrat jhuke hue haiñ

yaad ke dasht meñ

āñkheñ kāñTe chuntī haiñ

mere haath

tire hāthoñ kī ThanDak meñ

Duube rahte haiñ

āḳhir... terī miTTī se mil jaane tak

kitne pal

kitnī sadiyāñ haiñ

is sarhad se

us sarhad tak

kitnī masāfat aur paḌī hai

un rastoñ meñ

kitnī bārisheñ baras ga.ī haiñ

āñkheñ mirī

terī rātoñ ko taras ga.ī haiñ

I HAD no time to hate, because
The grave would hinder me,
And life was not so ample I
Could finish enmity.

Nor had I time to love; but since
Some industry must be,
The little toil of love, I thought,
Was large enough for me.

Lyrics

Translation:

Poem -

Aah Ko Chaahiye - Ghazal by Mirza Ghalib

Translation of Aah Ko Chahiye

Five Virtues in Sikhism

Sat

Santokh

Daya

Nimrata

Pyaar

The Five Virtues of Confucius

The five virtues of St. Vincent de Paul

Simplicity

Humility

Meekness

Mortification

Zeal

Prayer from St. Vincent de Paul

The Long List of Virtues

Albert Einstein's letter to his son

Love is central to learning

I touch God in my song

Tagore and Karma Yoga: Focusing on Moments

Background on Rabindranath Tagore

Lyrics

Translation and Discussion

Second Translation

Third Translation

Putting in the Seed

Background: An Unusual Emily Dickinson Poem Urging a Young Man to Marry

My Favorite Themes: 1. Oneness

My Favorite Themes: 2. Wedding Guests

My Favorite Themes: 3. Mortality

Comments from Readers

SHIVPREET SINGH

Related Posts

Popular - 30 days

Blog Archive

Message

Twitter