Archive for September 2023

Today I started the day watching this beautiful video describing ee cumming's shortest poem. Loneliness, in essence, is but a fleeting departure from oneness. It's a poetic analogy: akin to the way a leaf descends, parting from its larger entity, the tree, only to merge with the earth – a greater whole. The solitude experienced by the leaf during its descent is merely a momentary pause in its intrinsic oneness.

ee cummings' shortest poem

l(a

one

iness

—ee cummings

More on "l(a"

"l(a" is a remarkable and innovative poem written by E. E. Cummings, a celebrated American poet known for his unconventional and experimental approach to poetry. This poem serves as the opening piece in his 1958 collection titled "95 Poems." "l(a" is a prime example of Cummings' unique style and his ability to blend form and content in a way that captivates readers.

The most striking aspect of "l(a" is its visual structure. The poem is presented in a vertical format, with groups of one to five letters stacked one on top of the other. However, when the text is read horizontally, it unveils two different interpretations. The first reading reveals "l(a leaf falls)oneliness," where the word "loneliness" is interrupted by the insertion of the phrase "a leaf falls" between its initial letters "l" and "o." The second reading presents "l(a le af fa ll s) one l iness," with "one l iness" formed by the insertion of "le af fa ll s" between "a l" and "oneliness."

Cummings' biographer, Richard S. Kennedy, has aptly described "l(a" as "the most delicately beautiful literary construct that Cummings ever created." This poem showcases Cummings' mastery of language and his ability to convey profound ideas through minimalist and visually striking means.

The central theme of "l(a" revolves around loneliness, a topic that is symbolically represented by a single falling leaf. In the realm of literature and symbolism, a solitary falling leaf is often associated with solitude and isolation. Cummings cleverly employs the structural fragmentation of the poem's words to visually emphasize the theme of separation, which is the root cause of loneliness. The fragmented word "loneliness" itself becomes a potent symbol, as it highlights the presence of "one" within it, suggesting that even in isolation, there is an inherent oneness or unity.

The isolated letter "l" in the poem can initially be mistaken for the numeral one, creating the effect that the leaf remains one, or "oneliness," whole within itself, even after being detached from the tree. This play on words and visual elements adds depth and complexity to the poem's exploration of loneliness and individuality.

"l(a" is a prime example of Cummings' ability to merge form and content to convey profound emotions and ideas. It reminds readers of other works by Cummings that experiment with typography and structure, such as "i carry your heart with me(i carry it in," and "Buffalo Bill's defunct." These poems, like "l(a," challenge conventional notions of poetry and invite readers to explore the interplay between language and meaning in innovative ways.

From Isolation to Unity - Tuhi Tuhi

E. E. Cummings' poem "l(a" beautifully echoes the theme of seeking oneness through acceptance of separation, akin to profound meditation on "tuhi tuhi" or "you only." Both these poems invite readers to contemplate the journey from isolation to unity. Cummings' poem uses the falling leaf as a metaphor for loneliness and its eventual integration with a larger whole, illustrating the transient nature of solitude. Similarly, the meditation on "tuhi tuhi" emphasizes the singular focus on the Divine, where the seeker strives to dissolve their individual identity and merge completely with the divine essence, achieving a state of spiritual oneness. In both cases, these texts encourage individuals to embrace separation and isolation as steps towards a deeper, more profound connection with the larger, interconnected universe.

Kabir says, When one give up "I", one become you. The letting go is like the fall of the leaf. This is how Kabir becomes one. Tu Tu Karta Tu Hua

Saying you you, I became you
Now everywhere I look, I see you

Our friends might leave us. Our families might leave us. But you stay! Raghunath's support is unending. The leaf falls but finds support in the earth. This is the support of being one. Tek Ek Raghunath. The one support is Raghunath. The support of Raghunath is oneness.

My associates and companions have all deserted me; no one remains with me.
Says Nanak, in this tragedy, the Lord alone is my Support. ||55||

The only loneliness in the world is separation from you. When Guru Gobind Singh is utterly isolated in the jungles of Machhiwara he sings not about the separation from his worldly family, not about losing all his worldly possessions, he writes an ode about missing "you", who he calls "the loving friend", mittar pyare nu:

Guru Arjan's Music in Silence

This beautiful poem by Guru Arjan highlights the spiritual journey and the transcendent experiences of those who have delved deep into their inner selves. The "Glory of God" is equated with the "Sound-current of the Naad," which represents the divine resonance that underlies all creation. The poem suggests that this celestial music can be heard in the silence of meditation and contemplation. As the silent sages and humble beings come together in the "Realm of the Saints," they tap into this divine harmony. Through practices like meditation, faith, and chanting, they become attuned to the inner "Naam," the Name of the Lord, which is associated with a profound inner sound. This inner music not only leads to the dissolution of sins but also represents a form of spiritual enlightenment. Ultimately, it culminates in the merging of the individual soul into the divine Light, where all pain and suffering cease, and only the eternal music of silence remains.

Gun Naad Dhun Anand Bed - Bhai Avtar Singh

Melodic Stream of the Naad

The Glory of God resonates in the melodic stream of the Naad,

Celestial music of boundless bliss, Vedas' wisdom, forever clad.

In speech and silence, sages and humble souls unite,

In the Realm of Saints, a realm so pure and bright.

Spiritual wisdom, meditation, faith, and acts of grace,

Their minds imbibe the Naam's sweet, divine embrace.

Chanting it, sins are shattered, they find their release,

This is the Yoga's art, devotion's path, inner peace.

Intuitive knowing of the Shabad's eternal song,

Certain knowledge of Reality, steady and strong.

Chanting, meditating, in unbroken contemplation,

O Nanak, in the Light, find eternal liberation.

Notes on Gun Naad Dhun Anand Bed Composition in Raag Kalyan

July 15, 2021

I have recorded this several dozen times in the past month and meditated upon the shabad. Now singing and recording this in Bb. Added cello (Suellen Primost) and sax (Jeremy Marais) to it; but perhaps not satisfied with those recordings. I've played a sampled cello myself; perhaps mix it with piano is my current thought. Some synths have been added for rhythm and ambience. I am starting to hear the majesty of the Naad. Also named "Dhun Anand" project based on this. Started using "Mil Sant Mandali" as meditation element.

June 18, 2021

New Composition

21093 - Gun Naad

Raag Kalyaan

C - 60bpm - 6/8 (36 matras)

Lyrics and Translation: Gun Naad Dhun Anand Bed

ਕਲਿਆਨ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥

कलिआन महला ५ ॥

Kaliān mėhlā 5.

Kalyaan, Fifth Mehl:

ਗੁਨ ਨਾਦ ਧੁਨਿ ਅਨੰਦ ਬੇਦ ॥

गुन नाद धुनि अनंद बेद ॥

Gun nāḏ ḏẖun anand beḏ.

The Glory of God is the Sound-current of the Naad, the Celestial Music of Bliss, and the Wisdom of the Vedas.

ਕਥਤ ਸੁਨਤ ਮੁਨਿ ਜਨਾ ਮਿਲਿ ਸੰਤ ਮੰਡਲੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

कथत सुनत मुनि जना मिलि संत मंडली ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

Kathaṯ sunaṯ mun janā mil sanṯ mandlī. ||1|| rahāo.

Speaking and listening, the silent sages and humble beings join together, in the Realm of the Saints. ||1||Pause||

ਗਿਆਨ ਧਿਆਨ ਮਾਨ ਦਾਨ ਮਨ ਰਸਿਕ ਰਸਨ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਤ ਤਹ ਪਾਪ ਖੰਡਲੀ ॥੧॥

गिआन धिआन मान दान मन रसिक रसन नामु जपत तह पाप खंडली ॥१॥

Giān ḏẖiān mān ḏān man rasik rasan nām japaṯ ṯah pāp kẖandlī. ||1||

Spiritual wisdom, meditation, faith and charity are there; their minds savor the Taste of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Chanting it, sins are destroyed. ||1||

ਜੋਗ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਗਿਆਨ ਭੁਗਤਿ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸਬਦ ਤਤ ਬੇਤੇ ਜਪੁ ਤਪੁ ਅਖੰਡਲੀ ॥

जोग जुगति गिआन भुगति सुरति सबद तत बेते जपु तपु अखंडली ॥

Jog jugaṯ giān bẖugaṯ suraṯ sabaḏ ṯaṯ beṯe jap ṯap akẖandlī.

This is the technology of Yoga, spiritual wisdom, devotion, intuitive knowledge of the Shabad, certain knowledge of the Essence of Reality, chanting and unbroken intensive meditation.

ਓਤਿ ਪੋਤਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਕਛੂ ਦੁਖੁ ਨ ਡੰਡਲੀ ॥੨॥੨॥੫॥

ओति पोति मिलि जोति नानक कछू दुखु न डंडली ॥२॥२॥५॥

Oṯ poṯ mil joṯ Nānak kacẖẖū ḏukẖ na dandlī. ||2||2||5||

Through and through, O Nanak, merging into the Light, you shall never again suffer pain and punishment. ||2||2||5||

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.

I am meditating on Guru Arjan's Shabad Rasna Japti Tuhi Tuhi. It is a shabad about complete surrender to oneness. First the shabad; Lyrics, translation and my thoughts are below.

Rasna Japti Tuhi Tuhi - Raag Sarang

Surrendering to My Source, Sustenance and Sanctuary

This shabad by Guru Arjan is about the undying theme of surrender to oneness. While the Guru doesn't specifically talk about merging into the divine, this is a beautiful submersion.

In this version of the poem, the speaker articulates, "My tongue chants 'You alone' 'You alone.'" This repetition of the phrase "tuhi" or "You alone" emphasizes a singular focus on the divine presence, making it the sole object of veneration. All other distractions and attachments fade away. Only you is left. Just oneness. Only divinity.

The divine as not just the creator, but also its constant sustainer and in the end its final sanctuary. At every moment, and in every place, the singer is replete with this oneness. This oneness is closer than all relationships, even the closest ones, like that of a father, a mother, a sibling and a friend. The singer longs for a sense of belonging to truth, Satnam, the true home.

This oneness is also the true wealth. The divine is presented as a repository of treasures, symbolizing spiritual wealth and fulfillment. This ultimately leads to a state of bliss and contentment - "You fulfill all my desires; I am in bliss."

A deep and intimate connection with a divine presence serves as the source, sustainer and sanctuary of life. Oneness becomes the ultimate desire, the consistent bliss.

Rasna Japti Lyrics

Rasnā japṯī ṯūhī ṯūhī.

Māṯ garabẖ ṯum hī priṯpālak mriṯ mandal ik ṯuhī. ||1|| rahāo.

Ŧumėh piṯā ṯum hī phun māṯā ṯumėh mīṯ hiṯ bẖrāṯā.

Ŧum parvār ṯumėh āḏẖārā ṯumėh jīa prānḏāṯā. ||1||

Ŧumėh kẖajīnā ṯumėh jarīnā ṯum hī māṇak lālā.

Ŧumėh pārjāṯ gur ṯe pāe ṯao Nānak bẖae nihālā. ||2||

Rasna Japti Translations

My First Translation

My tongue chants "You only" "You only"

You only are the birthing mother, the sustaining father, the mortal world.

You are my Father, my Mother, my Loving Friend and Sibling.

You are my Family, my Support, the source of my life's breath.

You are my Treasure, my Wealth, my Gems and Jewels.

You fulfill all my wishes, so I am enraptured.

Current Working Translation:

My tongue chants

"You alone" "You alone"

My initial source, my ultimate home

you alone, you alone

You're my Father, my Mother, close friend and brother,

My Family and support, life's breath you alone!

You're my Treasure, my rubies and jewels

my desires, my bliss, you alone, you alone!

Meditation

Shabad Vichaar

Rasna - Tongue

Tuhi - You only

Mrit Mandal - Mortal World

Maat Garabh, Pritpaalak, Mrit Mandal - Trinity of creator, sustainer, emancipator

Paarjaat - One of the 14 gifts extracted from the mythological churning of the ocean by the devas and asuras.

Related Gurbani and Poetry

Everything is you

Rasna Japti Tuhi Tuhi: My tongue remembers only you

Khudaaya - Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak says in this shabad in Farsi, "I just want this one life-giving thing, not the other poisons of the world." The remembrance of oneness is life giving. As long as the singer sings, he lives. As soon as he forgets he dies. This is the only ask of the singer.

Tu Sarvar Tu Hans - Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak says, "You are the lake and you are the swan." We are not separate from the universe or from God. We are interconnected with all of creation and the presence of God within this oneness. You are in so many colors.

Jalas Tuhi Thalas Tuhi ... Tuhi Tuhi Tuhi Tuhi - Guru Gobind Singh

In Akaal Ustat Guru Gobind Singh starts with elements, you are water, you are earth ... and ends with "Tuhi" 16 times in the end. It is said that, just like Guru Nanak couldn't stop saying Tera tera, Guru Gobind Singh couldn't stop saying Tuhi Tuhi.

Khud kuza o khud kuzagar

In his beautiful ghazal "Har lehza ba shakl aan" Shams Mashraqi says You are yourself the clay, the clay flask, potter, and also the wine tippler. You too are the buyer of the flask and the one who breaks it.

Gaahe Sufi Gaahe Zaahid - Bhai Nandlal

Somewhere as a mystic, somewhere you appear as a hermit, at other times you appear as an epicure. You have so many colors - mirroring Guru Nanak's sentiment.

Iota Subscript - Robert Frost

In "Iota Subscript," Robert Frost's speaker humbly acknowledges their own insignificance, choosing to downplay their ego represented by the letter "I." Instead, they embrace the role of a "subscript" to the omnipresent "you." This transformation signifies a shift from self-importance to a more selfless and humble stance. The poem suggests that by diminishing the emphasis on the self, one can connect more deeply with others and the world around them.

You are my support

Tu mera pita tuhai mera maata - Guru Arjan (Raag Maajh)

Deen Dayaal Bharose Tere - Bhagat Kabir

I completely trust oneness. And I am ferried accross with my family.

I am you - you are my wealth

I am also you!

Maati ek anek bhaant kar - Bhagat Kabir
We come from the same light. Divine Light. We all come from the same earth. The divine potter makes different vessels from the same clay.

Mera Ghar Baneya - Guru Arjan
Obtaining the attributes of oneness, we find our true home.

Sabh Main Jot Jot Hai Soi - Guru Nanak
Guru Nanak says in his Aarti: You are in every face, but none is like you. Within everyone's light is your glow.

Tu tu karta Tu Hua - Bhagat Kabir
We do a meditation on you, so we can become you!

To You - Walt Whitman
In this deeply personal Walt Whitman poem, the speaker addresses the reader directly, expressing a profound sense of love for the reader. The poem underscores the reader's intrinsic greatness, highlighting that they are a reflection of the grandeur of the universe. Through this poem Walt Whitman reaches out to every generations of humans who have a penchant for oneness.

Lyrics and Alternative Translation

ਸਾਰਗ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥

सारग महला ५ ॥

Sārag mėhlā 5.

Saarang, Fifth Mehl:

ਰਸਨਾ ਜਪਤੀ ਤੂਹੀ ਤੂਹੀ ॥

रसना जपती तूही तूही ॥

Rasnā japṯī ṯūhī ṯūhī.

My tongue chants Your Name, Your Name.

ਮਾਤ ਗਰਭ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲਕ ਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਮੰਡਲ ਇਕ ਤੁਹੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

मात गरभ तुम ही प्रतिपालक म्रित मंडल इक तुही ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

Māṯ garabẖ ṯum hī parṯipālak miṯar mandal ik ṯuhī. ||1|| rahāo.

In the mother's womb, You sustained me, and in this mortal world, You alone help me. ||1||Pause||

ਤੁਮਹਿ ਪਿਤਾ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਫੁਨਿ ਮਾਤਾ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਮੀਤ ਹਿਤ ਭ੍ਰਾਤਾ ॥

तुमहि पिता तुम ही फुनि माता तुमहि मीत हित भ्राता ॥

Ŧumėh piṯā ṯum hī fun māṯā ṯumėh mīṯ hiṯ bẖarāṯā.

You are my Father, and You are my Mother; You are my Loving Friend and Sibling.

ਤੁਮ ਪਰਵਾਰ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਆਧਾਰਾ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਜੀਅ ਪ੍ਰਾਨਦਾਤਾ ॥੧॥

तुम परवार तुमहि आधारा तुमहि जीअ प्रानदाता ॥१॥

Ŧum parvār ṯumėh āḏẖārā ṯumėh jīa parānḏāṯā. ||1||

You are my Family, and You are my Support. You are the Giver of the Breath of Life. ||1||

ਤੁਮਹਿ ਖਜੀਨਾ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਜਰੀਨਾ ਤੁਮ ਹੀ ਮਾਣਿਕ ਲਾਲਾ ॥

तुमहि खजीना तुमहि जरीना तुम ही माणिक लाला ॥

Ŧumėh kẖajīnā ṯumėh jarīnā ṯum hī māṇik lālā.

You are my Treasure, and You are my Wealth. You are my Gems and Jewels.

ਤੁਮਹਿ ਪਾਰਜਾਤ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਏ ਤਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਏ ਨਿਹਾਲਾ ॥੨॥੩੩॥੫੬॥

तुमहि पारजात गुर ते पाए तउ नानक भए निहाला ॥२॥३३॥५६॥

Ŧumėh pārjāṯ gur ṯe pāe ṯao Nānak bẖae nihālā. ||2||33||56||

You are the wish-fulfilling Elysian Tree. Nanak has found You through the Guru, and now he is enraptured. ||2||33||56||

Mere Shauk Da Nai Aitbar is the Punjabi translation of a Farsi ghazal by Mirza Ghalib that was translated to Punjabi. Punjabi lyrics translated by Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum. I heard today from a historian in Pakistan that it was one of the first songs that made Ghulam Ali popular. The ghazal has been composed in Raag Dhanasri, which seems a raag that Ghulam Ali is one of the few people that has as his favorite. His other famous ghazal, Chupke Chupke is also in the same raag.

Here is the ghazal, its lyrics in punjabi and the original farsi ghazal by Mirza Ghalib. The subject of the ghazal is love; especially being intoxicated in love over following the ways of the world.

Punjabi Translation of Mere Shau Da Nahi

Original lyrics: Mirza Ghalib

Punjabi Translation: Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum

mere shauq da nahiiN aitbaar teN nuuN aa jaa vekh meraa intezaar aa jaa

aiNveN laRan b'haane labhnaa iiN, kii tuu sochanaa iiN sitamgaar aa jaa

bhaaveN hij'r te bhaaveN visaal hove, vakkho vakkh dohaan diiaaN lazttaN neN

mere sohniaa jaa tuu hzaar vaarii, aa jaa piaaria te lakkh vaar aa jaa

eh rivaaz ai masjidaaN maNdiraaN da, othe hastiiaaN te Khud parastiiaaN neN

maiKhaane vicch mastiiaaN ii mastiiaaN neN, hosh kar ban ke hoshiaar aa jaa

tuu saada te tera dil saadaa, teN nuuN aiNveN raqiib kuraah paaia

je tuuN mere janaaze te nahiiN aaia, raah takdaa ii terii m'zaar aa jaa

sukhii vassna je tuuN chauhnaa eN, mere ghaliba ais j'haan andar

aa jaa riNdaaN dii bazam vicch aa beh jaa, aithe baithde neN Khaaksaar aa jaa

Ghalib took great pride in his Farsi poetry as opposed to his

work in Urdu. He has said:

Farsi been ta ba-beeni naqsh-haa'-e- rang rang

ba-guzar az majmoo'-e-Urdu keh be-rang-e-man ast

[Farsi ko dekho ta keh ranga rang naqsh dekho

maire Urdu ke majmoo'e ko chhoRo keh be-rang hai]

Ghalib's Original Ghazal - za man gar-at na-bavad intezaar be'aa

za man gar-at na-bavad intezaar be'aa

bahaana jooe mabaash va sateeza-kaar be'aa

[agar maire intizaar ka yaqeen nahin karta to aa ja

bahaane na banaa aur jaldi aa ja]

be yak do sheva-e-sitam dil nam-me shavad khursand

be marg-e-man keh ba saamaan-e-rozgaar be'aa

[aik do sitam se dil ko tasalli nahiN hoti

meri maut ke liye, jahaan ke saamaan ke saath aa ???????]

bahaana joo'st dar ilzaam mudda'ee shauq-at

yake ba raghm-e-dil-e-naa-umeed vaar be'aa

[teri muhabbat ka daa'va karne vaala (dil) bahaana-joo hai

aik dafa' dil-e-naa-umeedvaar ki hiqaarat (to spite it) meN hi

aa ja]

halaak-e-shevah-e-tamkeen ma-kha(w)aah mastaan raa

'anaan gasastah-tar az baad-e-nau-bahaar be'aa

[yeh na chaah ke tere divaane tere naaz se halaak ho jaa'eN

havaa se zayaadah aazaad (be-lagaam) ho kar aa ja]

za-maa gasasti va ba deegaraan garo basti

be'aa keh 'ehd-e-vafaa neest ustavaar be'aa

[ham se rishta toR kar doosaroN se baaNdh diya hai

aa keh 'ehd-evafaa pakka nahiN hai]

vadaa'-o-vasl judaagaana lazzate daarad

hazaar baar baro, sad hazaar baar be'aa

[vadaa' (goodbye) aur vasl ki lazzat judaa gaana hai

hazaar baar jaa, aur laakh baar aa]

za khoo'-e-tu-st nehaad-e-shakeeb naazuk-tar

be'aa keh dast-o-dil-am me-ravad za-kaar be'aa

[teri khoo se sabr ki tabee'at naazuk tar hai

aa keh mere dast-o-dil kaam se jaane vaale haiN]

hisaar-e'aafiyati gar havas kuni Ghalib

chu maa ba halqa'e'rindaan-e-khaak-saar be'aa

[Ghalib agar tu chaahta hai keh 'aafiat (khairiyyat) ke hisaar

(qil'e) meN rahe

to hamaari tarah rindaan-e-khaaksaar ke halqe meN aa ja].

Translation in English:

Translated by Shivpreet Singh

Come Fast

You appear to doubt the depth of my passion,

Why not witness my fervor firsthand, come fast!

Don't delay with trivial excuses and hesitations,

Such skepticism? Oh, you who hold sway, come fast!

Whether from afar or in close vicinity,

I savor delight in each, individually.

My love, you may leave me a thousand times if you wish,

But my dearest, come a million times, come fast!

In the tradition of mosques and temples,

You will find big figures and egos there

In this realm of wine, only ecstasy reigns,

Show some wisdom, be sober, come fast!

Your purity matches the purity of your heart,

Your unwarranted enmity is unjustified from the start.

Since you didn't attend my final rite,

My grave yearns your presence, come fast!

If you wish to attain bliss,

in this world, O Ghalib

Join the intoxicated souls without delay,

Come sit with the down-to-earth ones, come fast!

[intro video of waves]
I am looking out at the vast ocean in front of my eyes here in Oahu, Hawaii and thinking of how sweet those ...

[blend in pineapple picture - scene 1]

pineapples were that we had at the Dole Plantation. So sweet, succulent and aromatic. This sweetness plays to me to an old Bhai Gopal Singh composition ...

[Quote 1 on screen - Satgur Ki Seva Saphal Hai]

Satgur Ki Seva where Guru Amar Das says "The service of the true guru is fruitful ..." The obvious question is what is service of the Guru, how can it be successful, and what does it cost? We had paid $6 for a pineapple ice cream at Dole's, but the question is what can you offer to the Guru to achieve a fruitful life.

[show quote 2]

Like Guru Nanak asks, what should we offer the guru when we see his palace so we can have his sweet love back?

[show quote 3]

Guru Arjan responds the only thing of value that we can barter to attain the Guru's love is your own heart. You have to sell yourself to imbibe the sweetness of the Guru's love.

[show quote 4 line 1]

Satgur ki seva safal hai, je ko kare chit laye [emphasis on the second line] "The service of the true guru is fruitful, if you put your heart in it."

[show Quote 4 line 2]

Man Chindeya Phal Paavana, Haume Vichoh Jaye - When your ego departs your mind consumes the most desirable fruit. So the price of a sweet and fruitful life is giving up your self ... that is living a life of love.

Shabad video with scenes 1 and 2

[outro waves video]

[purpose of life is to sing video]

Quote 1

Saṯgur kī sevā safal hai

Service of the true guru is fruitful

Quote 2

Fer kė agai rakẖīai jiṯ ḏisai ḏarbār

What should I offer you when I see your palace?

Muhou kė bolaṇ bolīai jiṯ suṇ ḏẖare piār

What words should I speak so you love me back?

- Guru Nanak's Japji, Pauri 4

Quote 3

Man becẖai saṯgur kai pās

The one who sells his mind to Satguru

Ŧis sevak ke kāraj rās

That disciple's affairs are resolved

- Guru Arjan's Sukhmani, Ashtpadi 18.2

Quote 4

Saṯgur kī sevā safal hai je ko kare cẖiṯ lāe

Service to the True Guru is fruitful and rewarding, if one performs it with his mind focused on it.

Man cẖinḏiā fal pāvṇā haumai vicẖahu jāe

The fruits of the mind's desires are obtained, and egotism departs from within.

Latest Message

Last week I was looking out at the vast ocean in front of my eyes here in Oahu, Hawaii and thinking of how sweet those pineapples were that we recently had at the Dole Plantation. So sweet, succulent and aromatic. This sweetness plays to me to an old Bhai Gopal Singh composition ... Satgur Ki Seva where Guru Amar Das says "The service of the true guru is fruitful ..." The obvious question is what is service of the Guru, how can it be successful, and what does it cost? We had paid $6.95 for a pineapple ice cream at Dole's, but the question is what can you offer to the Guru to achieve a fruitful life. What should we offer the guru, says Guru Nanak, when we see his palace so we can have his sweet love back? Guru Arjan responds the only thing of value that we can barter to attain the Guru's love is your own heart. You have to sell yourself to imbibe the sweetness of the Guru's love. Satgur ki seva safal hai, je ko kare chit laye [emphasis on the second line] "The service of the true guru is fruitful, if you put your heart in it." Man Chindeya Phal Paavana, Haume Vichoh Jaye - When your ego departs your mind consumes the most desirable fruit. So the price of a sweet and fruitful life is giving up your self ... that is living a life of love.