poem interpretations & more
For how long
Do you plan to pretend?
For sooner or later
The mask always slips
The thousand masks
That you wear
Do not help hide
The ugliness from the Creator
For He always sees you
Completely naked
Like the day He created you
A perfect song to go with this poem (please turn on captions to understand the lyrics) :
Image source : https://discover.hubpages.com/health/Tactics-of-a-Narcissistic-Mother
Humans, since the day they are born are wired for attachment. Undo-ing this wiring takes a long time and many instances of separation that trigger the human’s need for this attachment. Many say that the original wound of separation happens when a life manifests from the formless (realm of pure light or unconditional love) into the realm of form, i.e., our world where things are perceived through the mind. Only after letting go of this attachment can a human again experience wholeness, a sense of being perfect, a sense of unconditional love, joy and peace. Here is a beautiful Sufi song, written by the famous Indian poet – Gulzar and sung by the amazing Rekha Bharadwaj. The song depicts loss, craving for the other after the separation and finally Grace descends on the ones who suffer and Grace enlightens them and takes them towards feeling the sense of union with the creator, with the formless – filing them with love, peace and joy. Hoping on this beautiful full moon day (it is a full moon while I write this) you are able to release all the energies that keep you from living your best possible life. Hoping everything that you need to release in order to live a life for your highest good, gets released today.
Lyrics :
Tere ishq mein, haay tere ishq mein
Raakh se ruukhi, koyale se kaali
Raat kate na, hizraan waali
Tere ishq mein, haay tere ishq mein
Teri justaju, karate rahe
Marate rahe, tere ishq mein
Tere ruu-ba-ru, baithe hue
Marate rahe, tere ishq mein
Tere ruu-ba-ru, teri justaju
Tere ishq mein, haay tere ishq mein
Baadal dhune, mausam bune
Sadiyaan ginin, lamhe chune
Lamhe chune, mausam bune
Kuchh garm the, kuchh gungune
Tere ishq mein, baadal dhune
Mausam bune, tere ishq mein
Tere ishq mein, haay haay tere ishq men
Tere ishq mein tanhaaiyaan, tanhaaiyaan tere ishq mein
Hamane bahut, bahalaaiyaan
Tanhaaiyaan, tere ishq mein
Ruuse kabhi, manawaaiyaan
Tanhaaiyaan, tere ishq mein
Mujhe toh kar, koi din gaya
Mujhe chhed kar, koyi shab gayi
Mainne rakh li saari aahatein
Kab aayi thi shab kab gayi
Tere ishq mein, kab din gaya
Shab kab gayi, tere ishq mein
Tere ishq mein, haay haay tere ishq mein
Raakh se ruukhi, dil sufi tha
Hum chal diye, jahaan le chala
Tere ishq mein, ham chal diye
Tere ishq mein, haay tere ishq mein
Translation :
In your love
Drier than ash, darker than coal
This night of separation doesn’t end
In your love, in your love
I craved for you
I died, in your love
Sitting beside you
I died, in your love
Sitting beside you, I desired you
In your love, in your love
The clouds came singing, I knitted many seasons (waiting for you)
I counted centuries, I knitted many past moments from memory (waiting for you)
The clouds came singing, I knitted many seasons (waiting for you)
Some seasons were warm, some lukewarm
In your love, the clouds sang
I knit many seasons in your love
In your love, in your love
In your love there is loneliness, so much loneliness in your love
I have tried amusing myself so many times
So much loneliness in your love
Sometimes when I got angry, I consoled myself
So much loneliness in your love
Knocking me over (with sadness), some days passed me
Teasing me, an evening passed me
I have memorized all of your memories, even the sound of your footsteps
When did the day come (when you came) and when it went away (when you left)
In your love, in your love
More dry than ash, my heart was a Sufi (ascetic)
I started walking wherever it led me (towards you)
In your love, I started walking towards you
In your love, in your love
Old man sits by the street
Watches the world go by
What once seemed very slow
Seems now hard to keep up by
.
This old man, he traveled far
Fought against all odds
Accomplished a lot and felt proud
Birthed a son, just to throw him out
.
Now a widower, he stays alone
Everyday past mistakes he moans
Never treated his family right
In his house, only his might
.
He did it for them, that’s what he said
Each night lonely in his fancy bed
But every now and then
A memory comes through
.
A flash of his son’s smile
A taste of his wife’s food
Never leaves him alone, for good
.
This old man, he sits by the road
Watches the world go by
And his mind goes
If I had a chance to do this again
This time – all of my love
I would spread
Like a friend when left alone
For days on end
Creates a world of their own
In their head
So did the lonely God
Create
This illusion –
of you, and me and the Universe
To keep Him entertained
An Indian artist called ‘Satinder Sartaaj’ has a beautiful Punjabi song dedicated to the great poet Rumi. It has perfect vocals along with wonderful lyrics and dramatic Turkish music. The song is describing how being in this life means being in separation from the Beloved and how all of life leads us to union with the Beloved. Here is the video below along with English captions to translate the lyrics. Listen and be transported to the land of Rumi.
Video :
Punjabi lyrics :
ਬੇਕਰਾਰੀਆਂ ਹੁੰਦੀਆਂ ਕੀਮਤੀ ਜੀ
ਹਾਸਿਲ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਇਤਮਿਨਾਨ ਹੋਵੇ
ਫ਼ਿਦਾ ਸੱਭ ਹੋਂਦੇ, ਤੂੰ ਨਿਸਾਰ ਹੋ ਜਾ
ਉਹਨੂੰ ਪਤਾ ਲੱਗੇ ਤਾਂ ਗੁਮਾਨ ਹੋਵੇਦਿਲਾ, ਹਾਰ ਤੇ ਸਹੀ, ਆਪਾਂ ਵਾਰ ਤੇ ਸਹੀ
ਇੱਥੇ ਹਾਰਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਉਚੀ ਸ਼ਾਨ ਹੋਵੇ
ਐਸੀ ਆਸ਼ਿਕੀ ਕਰੀਂ, Sartaaj ਸ਼ਾਇਰਾ
ਕੋਈ ਹੈਰਾਨ ਹੋਵੇ ਤੇ ਕੁਰਬਾਨ ਹੋਵੇਐਸੀ ਇਸ਼ਕ ਬਜ਼ਾਰ ਦੀ ਰੀਤ ਵੇਖੀ
ਲੱਖਾਂ ਸਾਹ ਆਏ ਤੇ ਰਸੀਦ ਕੋਈ ਨਾ
ਜੀਹਨੇ ਇਸ ਜਹਾਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੈਰ ਪਾਇਆ
ਉਹਦੀ ਗ਼ਮੀ ਕੋਈ, ਉਹਦੀ ਈਦ ਕੋਈ ਨਾਇਸ਼ਕ ਜਿਹੀ ਅਸਾਨ ਕੋਈ ਸ਼ਹਿ ਵੀ ਨਹੀਂ
ਇਸ਼ਕ ਜਿਹਾ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਿਲ ਤੇ ਸ਼ਦੀਦ ਕੋਈ ਨਾ
ਓਏ, ਤੂੰ ਅੰਦਰੋਂ ਹੀ ਲੱਭ, Sartaaj ਸ਼ਾਇਰਾ
ਛੱਡ ਬਾਹਰੋਂ ਮਿਲਣ ਦੀ ਉਮੀਦ ਕੋਈ ਨਾਇਹੋ ਲੁਤਫ਼ ਮੋਹੱਬਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਵੱਖਰੇ ਨੇ
ਜਦੋਂ ਦਰਦ ਹੋਵੇ ਓਦੋਂ ਹੱਸੀਏ ਜੀ
ਇਹੋ ਲੁਤਫ਼ ਮੋਹੱਬਤਾਂ ਦੇ ਵੱਖਰੇ ਨੇ
ਜਦੋਂ ਦਰਦ ਹੋਵੇ ਓਦੋਂ ਹੱਸੀਏ ਜੀ
ਕਦੇ ਹੱਥਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਖੋਲ੍ਹਕੇ ਖੈਰ ਮੰਗੀਏ
ਕਦੇ ਚੀਸਾਂ ‘ਚ ਮੁੱਠੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਕੱਸੀਏ ਜੀਕਦੇ ਪੱਤਿਆਂ ਅੱਗੇ ਗਾਈਏ ਨਜ਼ਮ ਸਾਰੀ
ਕਦੇ ਆਪੇ ਨੂੰ ਵੀ ਨਾ ਦੁੱਖ ਦੱਸੀਏ ਜੀ
ਇਹੀ ਇਸ਼ਕ ਦਾ ਮੂਲ, Sartaaj ਸ਼ਾਇਰਾ
ਮਹਿਰਮ ਜਿਵੇਂ ਆਖੇ…
My English translation for the lyrics :
Restlessness is very precious
It is from this, that one achieves contentment
Everyone gets impressed, but you become devoted
When the beloved sees this, he/she will feel proud of you
Give up your heart
Give up your whole self
Let the losers be deemed winners here (who surrenders is the winner)
Love in such a way, poet Sartaaj
That some gets surprised and others sacrifice themselves (over the love)
Such is the ritual of this love market that
Even after giving the beloved a lakh breaths, there is no acknowledgement
Whoever steps in this land of love, has no permanent happiness or sadness
There is no other refuge like love
There is nothing which is as extremely difficult as love
Keep looking inside yourself Sartaaj
Don’t hope to find this love outside of yourself
The gentleness of love is something fascinating
When it hurts in love, we feel like laughing
Sometimes lovers lift their hands and pray to God
While sometimes they will clench their fist in anger
Sometimes they will sing love poetry to the leaves (of a plant/tree)
While sometimes they will not even admit their own sorrows to themselves
Ask these lovers what did you get in return for this
They will say they can see God in their beloved’s face
It’s because of this devotion
That we see the light in love
Think about where you stand, poet Sartaaj
The town of love seems pretty far for you
Why do you keep your feet in two boats
Either come together or go your separate ways
Be brave and take a side
Either become a spec of dust or become a miracle
Do something in love that makes others jealous
Do something in love that makes others remember you
Autumn is a season with bittersweet energy – the days get shorter, the air gets chilly, humans get slower, animals migrate or start preparing for hibernation, leaves turn colors and they start emptying the trees. It really is a season of letting go. This makes me think of a beautiful song which reminds me of the energy of Autumn.
The song is called ‘Haminastu’ which means ‘If there is Heaven anywhere, it is here, it is here’. I love the texture of this song, with it’s deep and clear musical beginning which has a soulful rubab playing. It’s hauntingly beautiful happy-sad lyrics are sung beautifully by Zeb Bangash, a talented artist. This is one of music director – Amit Trivedi’s masterpieces. Below is the song and its lyrics and translation.
gar firdaus, barooye zameen ast
haminasto, haminasto
meri jaan rooh dil se baabast
haminasto, haminasto.. (Persian)
If there is paradise on this earth somewhere,
here it is, here it is.
Inhabited by my life, my soul and my heart,
this is the place, here it is.
khaamosh darakhton ke saaye
ye khauf hai soya saa
kuch khoya khoya humne bhi
ye chehra hai roya saa (Urdu)
In the shadows if these silent trees
there is a fear that is hidden
Seems like I have lost something
the face is as if it has cried
murjhate gulon ne jhuk ke kaha
hume aadat hai hamin asto…
chalte lamhon ne ruk ke kaha
inaayat hai hamin asto… (Urdu)
Even the dying flowers bowed and said,
we are used to this.. in this place.
Moving moments stopped and said,
it’s kindness/mercy on us.. in this place.
ye veerane, ye sannaate
ye kya bol rahe hain
aate jaate, aate jaate
ho… (Urdu)
these desolate places, these silences,
what are they saying
as they pass?
panchhi saare ud gaye kahin
bas ghonsley hain haminasto
gar jannat hai zameen pe kaheen
yaheen pe hai haminasto, haminasto.. (Urdu)
all the birds have flown away somewhere,
only the nests remain in this place.
if there is heaven on earth somewhere,
here it is.. here it is..
Picture credit : https://qz.com/india/837702/in-photos-kashmirs-stunning-fiery-and-forlorn-autumn-is-missing-its-tourists-this-year/
I see love in the twirling leaves
I see love in the dancing breeze
I see love when you make the sky
your paint palette everyday
Some say that you rule by fear
But when I look, I only find love here
Perhaps they misunderstand
the fear is only an ego illusion
When they look closer they will find
in love, their ego dissolution
Here is my interpretation of Hafiz’s ‘My eyes so soft’ poem:
Don’t
Surrender
Your loneliness so quickly.
Let it cut more
Deep.
Let it ferment and season you
As few human
Or even divine ingredients can.
Something missing in my heart tonight
Has made my eyes so soft,
My voice so
Tender,
My need of God
Absolutely
Clear.
In this poem, Hafiz is trying to tell humans the importance of loneliness. Loneliness is a feeling a human experiences when he/she is away from their soul, their spirituality. They try to fill this void by other people or things or activities or food/drinks, but ultimately everything is temporary and this loneliness returns. Hafiz says, remain lonely for a while, remain in the pain of being lonely. What gives you pain – teaches you, it ferments you – transforms you and shows you a better way to live life. Hafiz says, this loneliness is actually extremely useful for a person as it makes the person ultimately realize that he/she will feel a sense of belonging only and only when they get in touch with their spiritual nature. This will remove every part of their loneliness.
In your devotion, I sing
In your devotion, I dance
Your devotion is all devouring
Taking all parts of me
And making me new
Making me more like you
Let me be in your ecstasy
Always!
White cloud drifted
Beyond a care in the world
Looked down and noticed
A perfect rose
Prettier than a pearl
What can I do for her
He thought
And idea came to him
Let me melt into water
So I can be useful
Saying that he turned grey
And without an ounce of fear
He melted himself away
To be close to his rose dear
Soon he became one with
His beloved
Because he chose
Love over fear
