Artist's impression of Bulleh Shah. Courtsey: WikipediaAn artist’s impression of Bullhe Shah. Courtsey Wikipedia बेक़ैद मैं बेक़ैद, मैं बेक़ैद; ना रोगी, ना वैद ना मैं मोमन, ना मैं फाक़र, ना सैयद, ना सैद चौधीं तबक़ीं सैर असाडा, किते ना हुंदा क़ैद ख़राबात है जात असाडी, ना सोमा, ना ऐब बुल्ल्हेशाह दी ज़ात की पुच्छनै, ना पैदा ना पैद Beqaid Main beqaid main beqaid Na rogi na waid Na main momin na main kafir Na saidi na said Chothin tabqeen sair asada Kitte na hopnda qaid Kharabat hai jaat asadi Na soma na aib Bullah shah di zaat keh puchna ain Na paida na paid (I am not caged Not caged am I Neither the sick nor the healer Neither believer nor non-believer I wander in the seven skies and lands but none can grasp me in their hands I am an intoxicated wanderer beyond vice and virtue Do not ask Bulle’s identity, for he was never born, nor ever existed)
This Sufi from Punjab, whom the maulawis did not allow to be buried in the community graveyard because of his unorthodox beliefs, is today known globally as the greatest Sufi poet of Punjab; the rich and the influential, the very class which had rejected him once, today compete with each other to be buried near his grave at Qasur (near Lahore). He was born in a Sayed family which had a long association with Sufis. His father, a noble soul with spiritual leanings and well respected was given the title of ‘Darvesh’ by the local people. But Bullhe Shah chose to follow the spiritual path shown by a humble ‘low caste’ Arai. His original name was Abdullah Shah but the masses gave him the name Sain Bullhe Shah, Bullhe Shah or just Bulla out of affection. He is believed to have been born 1680 in the village of Uch Gilaniyan, in Bahawalpur region (in present day Pakistan). When Bulla was six months old, his father had to migrate to another village- Pando kee Bhattiyyan in Qasur district. He lived here for the rest of his life and died in 1758. His ancestors are believed to have come from Bukhara (in present day Uzbekistan) and were associated with the Sufi Hazarat Sheikh Ghaus Bahauddin Zakariyya of Multan. The tomb of Bullhe Shah’s father still stands at Pando kee Bhattiyyan where every year an urs is performed where the Kafis of Bulle Shah are sung by the locals. Bullhe Shah was well versed in Islamic theology, Arabic and Persian, however his most popular kafis are in the local language of his region: Punjabi. The simplicity of his mystical compositions made them very popular among the common people in the form of folk songs which continue to ring today in the fields and river valleys of Punjab on either side of the border. The search for the mystical path drew Bullhe to Hazrat Inayat Shah of Lahore who belonged to the Qadiri-Shattari sisila. Hazrat Inayat Shah belonged to the Arai community who were traditionally farmers and gardeners. On being chided and persuaded by his sisters and sister- in- laws to leave the company of an Arai, Bullhe replied: बुल्हे नूं समझावण आइयां बुल्हे नूं समझावण आइयां, भैणा ते भरजाइयां "मन्न लै बुल्ल्हिआ साडा कहणा, छड दे पल्ला राइयां, आल नबी औलादि अली नूं, तूं क्यों लीकां लाइयां?" "जेह्ड़ा सानूं, सैयद आखे, दोज़ख मिले सज़ाइयां, जो कोई सानूं राईं आखे, भिश्तीं पींघां पाइयां" राईं साईं समनीं थाईं, रब दियां बेपरवाहियां, सोह्णियां परे हटाइयां, ते कोझियां लै गल लाइयां जे तूं लोड़े बाग़ बहारां, चाकर हो जा राइयां, बुल्ल्हे शाह दी ज़ात की पुछणैं, शाकिर हो रज़ाइयां Bullay Nu Samjhawan Aaian Bheynaan Tay Bharjaiyaan, Man Lay Bulleya Sada Kena, Chad Day Palla Raaiyan Aal Nabi Ullad Ali, Nu Tu Kyun Lee-kaan Laiyaan. Jeyra Saanoun Syed Saday Dozakh Milay Sazaiyaan. Jo Koi Saanu Raie Aakhe, Bhisti Peenghaan Paian. Jay To Lorain Baagh Baharaan ,Chaakar Ho Ja raiyaan. Bulley Shah Dee Zaat Kee Puchni, Shaakar Ho Razayaan. Interpretation: Bulle’s sisters and sister in-laws came to convince him of the folly of associating with a ‘low caste’ Arai since Bulle belonged to a superior ancestoly of Ali and the Prophet. Bulle replies that those who associate him with high caste will go to hell and those who can perceive him humbelness will rejoice in heaven If you desire nearness to God become a servant of the Arai Don’t ask about my identity for my only identity is that I am a servant of my murshid, and have surrendered to God’s will. Among the Sufis the divine bondage between the murshid and murid is legendary and can be equated to the Divine love between the devotee and God. Once when Bullhe Shah was separated from his murshid -Hazrat Inayat Shah, Bullhe spent days and nights in grief, his soul lost in darkness. When he was finally united with his master he said: Ranjha Ranjha Ranjha ranjha kardi hun main aape Ranjha hoyi Saddo mainoon Dheedo Ranjha, Heer naa akho koyi Ranjha main wich, main Ranjhe wich, ghair khayyal na koyi Main naheen au aap hai, apni aap kare diljoyi Jo kuch saade andar wasse, zaat assadi soyi Jis de naal main neoonh lagaya oho jaisi hoyi Chitti chaadar laa sut kuriye, pehan faqeeran loyi Chitti chaadar daag lagesi, loyii daag na koyi Taqt hazaare lai chal Bulleah, siyaaleen mile na dhoyi Ranjha ranjha kardi hun main aape Ranjha hoyi In my yearning for Ranjha (Beloved) I have become Him Do not call me Heer anymore, call me Ranjha, For, I have become the One that I seek I have merged with Ranjha and Heer no longer exists The individual soul has merged with the Universal and rejoices in this union We are identified with what dwells inside us Take off these clean clothes and don a Fakir’s garb The clean dress can get soiled but a Fakir’s humble garb can never become impure Take me to Takht Hajeera (Ranjha’s village) For there is nothing left for me in Syali (Heer’s village) In seeking Ranjha I have become Him In his Kafis Bullhe called his master by many names: Shah, Sajan, Yaar, Sain, Aarif, Ranjha etc. He would sometimes see God in the form of his master and sometimes his master in the form of God. The spinning wheel was his favourite metaphor and the grieving Heer for her beloved Ranjha were his favourite characters.He had little faith in bulky books and theology of the ‘learned’ maulawis and pundits and he would say: इक अलफ़ पढ़ो छुटकारा ए इक अलफ़ पढ़ो छुटकारा ए इक अलफ़ों दो तीन चार होए, फिर लख करोड़ हज़ार होए, फिर ओथों बाझ शुमार होए, हिक अलफ़ दा नुक़ता न्यारा ए क्यों पढ़ना एं गड्ड किताबां दी, सिर चाना एं पंड अज़ाबां दी, हुण होइउ शकल जलादां दी, अग्गे पैंडा मुश्कल मारा ए बण हाफ़िज़ हिफ़ज़ क़ुरान करें, पढ़-पढ़ के साफ़ ज़बान करें, फिर निअमत वल्ल ध्यान करें, मन फिरदा ज्यों हलकारा ए बुल्लाह बी बोहड़ या बोया सी, ओह बिरछा वड्डा जां होया सी, जद बिरछ ओह फ़ानी होया सी, फिर रह गया बीज अकाश ए इक अलफ़ पढ़ो छुटकारा ए Ik Alif Padho Chhutkara Ai Ik alifon do tan char hoye Phir lakh karor hazar hoye Phir othon bajh shumaar hoye Hik alif da nukta niara he Ik alif parho chutkara he Kiun parhnain gadd kitabaan di Sir chana en pind azabaan di Kiun hoyian shakal jladaan di Agge pinda mushkal bhara he Ik alif parho chutkara he Hun hafiz hifz quran karain Parh parh ke saaf zubaan karain Per nemat wich dhian karain Mann phirda jion halkara he Ik alif parho chutkara he Bullah bhi borh da hoya si Oh birach wada ja hoya si Jad birach oh fani hoya si Phir reh gaya beej akash e Read the first alphabet and be free From the One emerged two and four and then lakhs and crores And the world was filled with infinite forms this unique nukta(a single point) encompasses eternity within itself Read the first alphabet and be free Why do you carry this burden of books on your head They spell nothing but despair All that knowledge makes you look like a tyrant The way ahead is long and difficult Read the first alphabet and be free You memorise the Quran And purifiy only your tongue with it Then you get lost in worldly matters Your mind runs amok in all dirctions Read the first alphabet and be free This world was sown like a Banyan seed It has grown with time and will die in time All that is left will be the seed Alone and One in the cosmos Read the first alphabet and be free In this compostion Bulle Shah by cautioning the disciple not to get lost in the maze of Maya appears to be referring to mystical beliefs that are similar to the Advaita and Nirguna concepts of Hindu philosophy, Bulle Shah believed in Universal religion and considered himself neither a Hindu nor a Muslim: बुल्ल्हिआ, की जाणां मैं कौन? बुल्ल्हिआ, की जाणां मैं कौन? ना मैं मोमिन विच्च मसीतां, ना मैं विच्च कुफ़र दियां रीतां, ना मैं पाक आं विच पलीतां, ना मैं मूसा ना फिरऔन ना मैं विच्च पलीती पाकी, ना विच शादी, ना ग़मना की, ना मैं आबी ना मैं ख़ाकी, ना मैं आतिश ना मैं पौन ना मैं भेत मज़ब दा पाया, ना मैं आदम-हव्वा जाया, ना कुछ अपणा नाम धराया, ना विच बैठण ना विच भौण अव्वल आख़र आप नूं जाणां, ना कोई दूजा आप सिआणा, बुल्ल्हिआ औह खड़ा है कोन? Bulla Ki Jadan Main Kawn Bullhe! ki jaana maen kaun Na maen momin vich maseet aan Na maen vich kufar diyan reet aan Na maen paakaan vich paleet aan Na maen moosa na pharaun. Na vich shaadi na ghamnaaki Na maen vich paleeti paaki Na maen aabi na maen khaki Na maen aatish na maen paun Na maen arabi na lahori Na maen hindi shehar nagauri Na hindu na turak peshawri Na maen rehnda vich nadaun Na maen bheth mazhab da paaya Ne maen aadam havva jaaya Na maen apna naam dharaaya Na vich baitthan na vich bhaun Avval aakhir aap nu jaana Na koi dooja hor pehchaana Maethon hor na koi siyaana Bulla! ooh khadda hai kaun (I know not who I am I am neither a pious Muslim at the mosque Nor a performer of blashphemous rites Neither am I impure among the pure Neither Moses nor Pharoh Neither pure among the impure Neither sad nor gay I am neither water nor clay I am neither fiery nor watery Neither an Arab, nor Lahori Neither Hindi, nor Nagauri I am neither a Hindu, Turk (Muslim), nor Peshawari Nor do I live in Nadaun I am not identified by any faith Nor am I from Adam and Eve’s lineage I am not known by any name I am neither changing nor same In short I know no-one but myself I know no one apart from myself In my selflessness I am unique Then who is this man who calls himself Bullhe? Bullhe Shah was beyond all bondage and did not consider his compositions as his own. He did not write down any of his compositions but left them in the form of oral traditions to float in the common current of folk culture: to be modified, changed and adapted by the masses and to be claimed by them as their own. All is in the Beloved and the Beloved is in All The rest is irrelevant.....unnecessary burden Says Bulla........
(Note: All English translations are by Rupa Abdi)
No comments:
Post a Comment