I feel that once upon a time…

…I was at one with the rest of the earth, that grass grew green upon me, that the autumn sun fell on me and under its rays the warm scent of youth wafted from every pore of my far-flung evergreen body. As my waters and mountains lay spread out through every land, dumbly soaking up the radiance of a cloudless sky, an elixir of life and joy was inarticulately secreted from the immensity of my being. So it is that my feelings seem to be those of our ancient planet, ever germinent and efflorescent, shuddering with sun-kissed delight. The current of my consciousness streams through each blade of grass, each sucking root, each sappy vein, and breaks out in the waving fields of corn and in the rustling leaves of the palms.

I am impelled to give vent to this sense of having authentic ties of blood and affection with the earth. But I know that most people will not understand me and think of my idea distinctly queer.

A 24 year old Tagore (year 1892), in a letter to his niece, Indira.

na main dharmi nahi adharmi

na main dharmi nahi adharmi na main jati na kami ho

na main kehta na main suntan na main sevak swami ho

na main bandha na main mukta na nirbandh sarvangi ho

na kahu se nyara hua na kahu ka sangi ho

na hum narak lok ko jate na hum sarag sidhare ho

sab hi karam hamara keeya hum karman ten yare ho

ya mat ko ki birla bujhe so satguru ho baithe ho

mat kabir kahu ko thape mat kahu ko mete ho

 - Kabir

na garaj kisi se na vaasta mujhe kaam apne hi kaam se

-jigar muradabadi

na garaj kisi se na vaasta, mujhe kaam apne hi kaam se
tere zikr se, tere fikr se, tere yaad se, tere naam se

ye kitaabe-dil ki hain aayatein, main bataun kya, jo hai nisbatein*
mere sajda-e-dawam** ko tere naksh haye khiram se***
(* sambandh; **hamesha ki pooja; ***kadmon ke nishaan)

jo utha hai dard utha kare, koi khaak us se gila kare
jise zid ho husn ke jikr se jise chid ho ishq ke naam se

vahi chasm-e-hoor* fadak gayi, abhi pi na thi ki behak gayi
kabhi yakbayak jo chalak gayi kisi rind-e-mast ke jaam se
(* apsara ki aankh)

tu hazar ujr* kare magar, humein rashk aur hi hai jigar
tere iztrabe-nigah** se tere ehtiyaate kalaam*** se
(* inkaar; ** nigaah ki bechaini; *** khamoshi)

my favourite is the second one. so much my life these days

khair, i thought i’ll be starting the year with something sufi or spiritual. its another thing, that m already worshipping her these days. so these first two couplets become spiritual automatically. would like to have your comments on this.

i’ll be posting something by baba bulleshah in the coming days. before that, u might get to read from ‘color of magic’.

ye zindagi

nida fazli

ye zindagi
aaj jo tumhaare
badan ki chhoti-badi nason mein
machal rahi hai
tumhaare pairon se chal rahi hai
tumhaari aavaaz mein gale se nikal rahi hai
tumhaare lafzon mein dhal rahi hai
ye zindagi
jaane kitani sadiyon se
yuun hi shaklein
badal rahi hai
badalati shaklon
badalate jismon mein
chalataa-phirataa ye ik sharaaraa
jo is ghadi
naam hai tumhaaraa
isi se saari chahal-pahal hai
isi se roshan hai har nazaaraa
sitaare todo ya ghar basaao
qalam uthaao ya sar jhukaao
tumhaari aankhon ki roshni tak
hai khel saaraa
ye khel hogaa nahin dubaaraa
ye khel hogaa nahin dubaaraa

Vinay

by Surdaas, in raag asavari.

Kari Gopalki sab hoyi  I
Jo apno purusharath manat, ati jhooto hai soyi  II

Sadhan mantr yantr udyam bal, yeh sab darahu dhoi  I
Jo kuch likhi rakhi nandnandan, meti saki nahi koyi  II

Dukh-sukh labh-alabh samujhi tum katahin marat ho roi  I
Soordas swami karunamay, syamcharan mann poyi  II

A dedication to my Gopal, whatever is, it is His. I am an instrument only. May He always be with me.