Bulleh Shah the celebrated sufi poet of Punjab asks the question:
Bulla Ki Jaana Main KaunO Bulla! Who knows who I am?
Bulleh Shah is trying to say that he is more than what he seems - his true essence is his soul. It is interesting the way he answers the question is by telling us what he is not. For instance he starts with "I am not a believer, I am not the pagan." Bulleh Shah is implying that he is just not the believer or the pagan, he is something bigger. He is beyond labels and distinctions. It is a sufi's way of Adi Shankara saying Neti Neti.
In his poem To You Walt Whitman does to "you" what Bulleh Shah is doing to "I" in this song.
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 handsEven now your features, joys, speech, house, trade, manners, troubles, follies, costume, crimes, dissipate away from you,Your true soul and body appear before me,
There is some uncertainty as to who this person is, which is why Whitman says, "Whoever you are." He is not interested in the person with certain features, joys and speech. Similarly to Bulleh Shah, Whitman is interested in the true soul of this person.
There are two alternative deeper meanings to the opening line. The first meaning uses the first person singular meaning - "Who knows who I am". But the way this is written, it can also mean second person or third singular (if you put the comma after Main): Bullah, what do I know who "you" are? It could also mean, "Bullah, what do I know who "he" is? By having a line that can mean any of the three persons, the differences between, you, I and he are blurred. Just like by repeating "you" Kabir loses his "I" in Tu Tu Karta Tu Hua.
This poem also reminds me of I Am Not I by Juan Ramon Jimenez. He implies "I am not I." I am the "one who will remain standing when I die." Again a pointer to the soul!
My Favorite Versions of Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun
1. Rabbi Shergill:
2. Junoon:
Lyrics of Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun in English
Na main momin vich maseetaan
Na main vich kufar diyan reetaan
Na main paakaan vich paleetaan
Na main moosa na firown
Na main vich kufar diyan reetaan
Na main paakaan vich paleetaan
Na main moosa na firown
Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun
Bulla! who knows who I amNa main andar ved kitaabaan
Na vich bhangaan na sharaabaan
Na vich rindaan masat kharaabaan
Na vich jaagan na vich saun
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya! who knows who I am
Na vich shaadi na ghamnaaki
Na main vich paleeti paaki
Na main aabi na main khaki
Na main aatish na main paun
Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun
Bulla! who knows who I amNa main arabi na lahori
Na main hindi shehar nagauri
Na hindu na turak peshawri
Na main rehnda vich nadaun
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya! who knows who I am
Na main bheth mazhab da paaya
Ne main aadam havva jaaya
Na main apna naam dharaaya
Na vich baitthan na vich bhaun
Na main hindi shehar nagauri
Na hindu na turak peshawri
Na main rehnda vich nadaun
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya! who knows who I am
Na main bheth mazhab da paaya
Ne main aadam havva jaaya
Na main apna naam dharaaya
Na vich baitthan na vich bhaun
Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun
Bulla! who knows who I amAvval aakhir aap nu jaana
Na koi dooja hor pehchaana
Maethon hor na koi siyaana
Bulla! ooh khadda hai kaun
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Na koi dooja hor pehchaana
Maethon hor na koi siyaana
Bulla! ooh khadda hai kaun
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bullah Ki Jaana Main Kaun
Transliteration and Translation in English
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya who knows who I am
Bulleya who knows who I am
Na main momin vich maseetaan
Na main vich kufar diyan reetaan
Na main paakaan vich paleetaan
Na main moosa na firown
Na main vich kufar diyan reetaan
Na main paakaan vich paleetaan
Na main moosa na firown
Not a believer inside the mosque, am I
Nor a pagan disciple of false rites
Not the pure amongst the impure
Neither Moses, nor the Pharoh
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya who knows who I am
Not the pure amongst the impure
Neither Moses, nor the Pharoh
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya who knows who I am
Na main andar ved kitaabaan
Na vich bhangaan na sharaabaan
Na vich rindaan masat kharaabaan
Na vich jaagan na vich saun
Not in the holy Vedas, am I
Nor in opium, neither in wine
Not in the drunkard’s intoxicated craze
Neither awake, nor in a sleeping daze
-
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya! who knows who I am
Na vich shaadi na ghamnaaki
Na main vich paleeti paaki
Na main aabi na main khaki
Na main aatish na main paun
In happiness nor in sorrow, am I
Neither clean, nor a filthy mire
Not from water, nor from earth
Neither fire, nor from air, is my birth
-
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya! who knows who I am
Na main arabi na lahori
Na main hindi shehar nagauri
Na hindu na turak peshawri
Na main rehnda vich nadaun
Not an Arab, nor Lahori
Neither Hindi, nor Nagauri
Hindu, Turk, nor Peshawari
Nor do I live in Nadaun
-
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bullah who knows who I am
Na main bheth mazhab da paaya
Ne main aadam havva jaaya
Na main apna naam dharaaya
Na vich baitthan na vich bhaun
Secrets of religion, I have not known
From Adam and Eve, I am not born
I am not the name I assume
Not in stillness, nor on the move
-
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
Bulleya who knows who I am
Avval aakhir aap nu jaana
Na koi dooja hor pehchaana
Maethon hor na koi siyaana
Bulla! ooh khadda hai kaun
I am the first, I am the last
None other, have I ever known
I am the wisest of them all
Bulleh! do I stand alone?
Bulleya Ki jaana main Kaun
O Bulla! Who knows who I am?
Bullah Ki Jaana Main Kaun
O Bulla! Who knows who I am?
Lyrics in Hindi with Hindi and English Translations
बुल्ला की जाणां मैं कौंण
मैं नहीं जानता की मैं कौन हूँ।
Bulla! I know not who I am
बुल्ला की जाणां मैं कौंण
नां मैं मोमन विच मसीतां
ना तो मैं मुस्लिम हूँ और ना ही मुझे मस्जिद में आस्था है।
Nor am I the believer in mosque
नां मैं विच कुफ़र दियाँ रीतां
Nor am I in the rituals of the infidel
ना ही मुझे धार्मिक विश्वास /अविश्वास के तरीकों में विश्वास है।
नॉन मैं पकां विच पलितां
Nor am I the pure in the impure
ना तो मैं शुद्ध (पकां) हूँ और ना ही अशुद्ध(पलितां)
ना मैं अंदर बेद किताबां
ना ही मैं वेद और धार्मिक किताबों में हूँ
Nor am I inherent in the Vedas
ना मैं रेह्न्दा भंग शराबां
मैं शराब और भांग जैसे किसी भी नशे में नहीं हूँ
Nor am I present in intoxicants
ना मैं रेह्न्दा मस्त ख़राबां
Nor am I lost nor the corrupt
मैं खोया हुआ और खराब भी नहीं हूँ
ना मैं शादी ना गमनाकी
Nor am I union nor grief
ना तो मैं ख़ुशी में हूँ और नाही दुःख में
ना मैं विच पलीतां पाकी
ना तो मैं शुद्ध हूँ और ना ही असुद्ध ही
ना मैं आबी ना मैं खाकी
ना तो मैं पानी (आबि) हूँ और ना ही खाकी (जमीन)
ना मैं आतिश ना मैं पौन
ना तो मैं आग (आतिश ) हूँ और ना ही पानी (पौन) हूँ
बुल्ला की जाणां मैं कौंण
मैं नहीं जानता की मैं कौन हूँ।
Bulla! I know not who I am
ना मैं अरबी ना लाहौरी
ना तो मैं अरबी हूँ और ना ही लाहौर से ताल्लुकात रखता हूँ
Nor am I Arabic nor from Lahore
ना मैं हिंदी शहर नागौरी
ना ही मैं नागौरी (नागौर, राजस्थान ) का हूँ
Nor am I the Indian City of Nagaur
ना हिन्दू ना तुर्क पशुरी
ना तो मैं हिन्दू हूँ और ना ही तुर्क, पाशुरी
Nor a Hindu nor a Peshawri turk
ना मैं भेद मजहब दा पाया
मैं मजहब मैं कोई अंतर् नहीं किया है /मैं मजहब को नहीं जाना है
Nor did I create the difference of faith
ना मैं आदम हवा जाया
ना ही मैं आदम और इव का उत्पन्न हूँ
Nor did I create adam-eve
ना कोई अपना नाम धराया
मैं स्वंय को किसी नाम विशेष (पहचान ) मैं बाँधा नहीं है
Nor did I name myself
अव्वल आखर आप नूं जाणा
शुरआत हो या आखिरी हो जाना खुद को है (खुदा के पास )
Beginning or end I know just the self
ना कोई दूजा होर पछाना
किसी दूसरे की पहचान काम नहीं आनी
Do not acknowledge duality
मैं तो ना कोई होर सयाना
मुझसे बुद्धिमान और कोई नहीं हैं
There’s none wiser than I
बुल्ले शाह खड़ा है कौन
बुल्ले शाह कौन है
Who is this Bulla Shah
बुल्ला की जाणां मैं कौंण
मैं नहीं जानता की मैं कौन हूँ।
Bulla! I know not who I am
ना मैं मूसा ना फरोस
ना तो मैं 'मूसा' हूँ और नाही "फरोस" हूँ
Nor am I Moses nor Pharoah
ना मैं आतिश ना मैं पौन
ना तो मैं आग (आतिश ) हूँ और ना ही पानी (पौन) हूँ
Nor am I fire nor wind
ना मैं रेह्न्दा विच नादाँन
मैं नादानों के बीच भी नहीं रहता हूँ
I do not stay in Nadaun (city of innocents)
बुल्ले शाह खड़ा है कौन
बुल्ले शाह कौन है
Who is this Bulla Shah
बुल्ला की जाणां मैं कौंण
मैं नहीं जानता की मैं कौन हूँ।
Bulla! I know not who I am
बुल्ला की जाणां मैं कौंण
मैं नहीं जानता की मैं कौन हूँ।
Bulla! I know not who I am
बुल्ला की जाणां मैं कौंण
मैं नहीं जानता की मैं कौन हूँ।
Bulla! I know not who I am
Singing oneness!
11 Comments
Thank you for this write up. Deeply analyzed and nicely internalised.
ReplyDeleteMay the guru continue to bless you!
DeleteGod work man👍👍👍👍👍
DeleteTake love...
ReplyDeletethank you for the lyrics...
ReplyDelete💙misti
loved it! just grazed the heart!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the effort brother. One of my favourite songs . May the peace in Music prevail along with philosophy
ReplyDeleteThank you
ReplyDeleteVery nice lyrics this song have a special place in my heart ❤️
ReplyDelete💕
DeleteThanks 🙏🙏🙏 very much beautiful translation.
ReplyDelete