Kalam Hazrat Sultan Bahu – 4/10

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Jo dil mange hove naaheen,
Hovan rahiaa parere hoo.

Dost na deve dil daa daaroo,
Ishq na vaagaan phere hoo.

Is maidaan muhabbat de wich,
Milde taa tikhere hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton Baahoo,
Jinh rakhiaa qadam agree hoo.

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What the heart desires it does not find;
Far distant remains its fulfillment:

The Friend does not dispense the balm for my heart;
The heart suffers but love does not accede,

While in the arena of love, rages the fire of longing!

I sacrifice myself to anyone, O Bahu, who,
Having once stepped on to the path of love, Always moves ahead.

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Jo dam ghaafil so dam kaafir,
Murshid eh parhhaaiaa hoo.

Suniaa sukhan gaeeaan khul akheen,
Chit maulaa wal laaiaa hoo.

Keetee jaan havaale Rabb de,
Aisaa ishq kamaaiaa hoo.

Maran ton agge mar gae Baahoo,
Taan matalab noon paaiaa hoo.

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My Master taught me a lesson:
“Any moment you are negligent in remembrance of God is a moment spent in denial of God.”

These words opened my eyes to reality,
And I fixed my attention on the Lord.

I then placed my soul in his protection-
Such was the love I cultivated in my heart.

Having thus bequeathed my soul to him,
I died before death – to live in him. Only then did I attain the goal of life, O Bahu!

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Je toon chaahen wahadat Rabb dee,
Mal murshid deeaan taleeaan hoo.

Murshid lutfon kare nazaaraa,
Gul theevan sab kaleeaan hoo.

Inhaan wich hik laalaa hosee,
Gul naazuk kul phaleeaan hoo.

Doheen jahaneen multthe,
jinhaan Sang keetaa do daleeaan hoo.

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If you desire to attain the oneness of God,
Submit yourself at the Master’s feet.

When the Master casts his merciful glance on you,
The buds of mystery will unfold Into the blossoms of revelation.

Among them will be the scarlet poppy*
In whose delicate petals will shine a subtle mystery.

Those divided in their loyalties, half-hearted in their approach
Will be deprived in both the worlds, O Bahu.
*
(The secret poppy is compared to a lover’s heart owing its colour, delicate petals and dark spot in the centre which signifies burning in separation. This dark spot also symbolizes nuqta-i-suvaida, the eye of the heart, the third eye).
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Je Rabb nahaatiaan dhotiaan mildaa,
Mildaa dadooaan machheeaan hoo.

Je Rabb mildaa mon munaaiaan,
Mildaa bhedan sassiaan hoo.

Je Rabb jateeaan sateeaan mildaa,
Mildaa daandaan khasseeaan hoo.

Rabb unhaan noon mildaa Baahoo,
Neetaan jinhaan achheeaan hoo.

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If God could be found by bathing in holy waters,
Frogs and fish would find him.

If God were realized by cutting off your hair,
Sheep and goats, which are shorn for their wool, Would realize him too.

If God were found through nightly vigils,
bats and owls would find him.

If God could be found through calibacy,
Castrated bulls should also discover him.

God is realized by those, O Bahu,
Who are pure of heart, noble of intent.

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Jisne alif mutaaliaa keetaa,
Be daa baab na parhdaa hoo.

Chhorh sifaatee jis laddios zaatee,
Aamee door chaa karda hoo.

Nafs ammaaraa kutrhaa jaane,
Naaz niaaz na dhardaa hoo.

Kiaa parvaah tinhaan noon,
Jinhaan Ghaarhoo laddhaa ghar daa hoo.

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One who has grasped the meaning of Alif,
Need not proceed to read the chapter of bey*

One who has obtained the true Name of God
Will discard the names that simply describe him.

He does not feed and pamper the cruel dog of his ego.

They are free of all care, O Bahu, Who have the Master in their home
To fashion the ornament of their soul.
*
(Bey (Pronounced ‘bay’) is the second letter of the Arabic, Persian and Urdu alphabets. Here it means all knowledge that is other than God’s, who is symbolized by Alif, the first letter. See also the footnote of Bait 28).

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Jain dil ishq khareed na keetaa,
So dil sakht na-bakhtee hoo.

Ustaad azal de sabaq parhhaaiaa,
Hath dittas dil takhtee hoo.

Bar sar aaiaan dam na maareen,
Jaan aave sir sakhtee hoo.

Parhh tauheed ho waasil Baahoo,
Sabaq parhheeve waqtee hoo.

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Ill-starred is the heart That has not struck the bargain of love.

My timeless Teacher has insribed this lesson
On the tablet of my heart:

“Be not vain when you taste success;
make no complaint when times prove hard.

Learn the lesson of oneness and merge in God, O Bahu-
The lesson only a living Master can teach.”

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Jain dil ishq khareed na keetaa,
So dil dard na phuttee hoo.

Us dil theen sang patthar change,
Jis dil ghaflat attee hoo.

Jain dil ishq huzoor na mangiaa,
So dargaahon suttee hoo.

Miliaa dost na unhaan,
Jinhaan Chaurh na keetee trattee hoo.

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The heart that has not struck the bargain of love
Remains bereft of the pain of longing.

A stone is better than the heart
That is stuck in the mire of apathy.

The heart that does not seek God’s loving presence
Will be cast out of his courst.

You cannot find the Friend, O Bahu,
If you have not sacrificed your all for him.

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Jain dil ishq khareed na keeta,
So dil dard na jaane hoo.

Khunse khusre har koee aakhe,
Kaun kahe mardaane hoo.

Galeeaan wich phiran arbele,
Jion danger deevaane hoo.

Mard namard tadaaheen khulsan,
Jad aashiq banhsan gaane hoo.

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Hearts that have not struck the bargain of love
Cannot know the pangs of longing.

They will always be labelled spiritually impotent.
Who will consider them ‘men of God’?

Aimlessly they roam the alleyways of life,
Like cattle dumb and stupid.
When lovers tie the wrist bands of commitment*

Before entering the arena of love,
It will be clear who is a man of God And who a mere pretender.
*
(In some parts of India it is the custom to tie wrist bands on those entering battle).

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Jain denh daa main dar tainde te,
Sajdaa sahee vanj keetaa hoo.

Us denh daa fidaa uthaaheen,
Bayaa darbaar na leetaa hoo.

Sir devan sirr aakhan naheen,
Shauq piaalaa peetaa hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton jinhaan,
Ishq salaamat keetaa hoo.

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Ever since I correctly bowed my head*
At your doorstep, O Lord,

I have dedicated my life to your court –
I have sought no other court since.

Once you have drunk from the cup of love,
You would rather part with your head.

Than the secret of your heart, O Bahu,
I make myself a sacrifice to anyone
Who has preserved God’s love with his life.
*
(By correctly bowing one’s head in prayer, Bahu means meditating according to the instructions of one’s Master).
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Jeenda kee jaanan saar moiaan dee,
So jaane jo mardaa hoo.

Qabraan de wich ann na paanee,
Kharch lorheendaa ghar daa hoo.

Ikk vichhorha maan pio bhaaeeaan,
Biaa azaab qabar daa hoo.

Waah naseebaa usdaa jehrha,
Wich hayaatee mardaa hoo.

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How can the living know the plight of the dead?
He alone knows who himself has died!

The grave provides no food, no drink,
No provisions for the new home.*

To one’s separation from paretns and relatives
There is the added torment of the grave.

How fortunate is he, O Bahu,
Who can die while still alive!
*
(Provisions: We can only have available to us after death what we have earned during our lives through our prayers and our actions – good, as well as bad. In other words, we carry our own provisions into the world beyond).

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Jeevandiaan mar raihanaa hove,
Taan des faqeeraan bahe-e hoo.

Je koee sutte guddarh koorha,
Vaang arooree rahee-e hoo.

Je koee deve gaalaan mehne,
Usnoon jee jee kahee-e hoo.

Gila, ulaahmaan, bhandee,
Khwaaree, Yaar de paaron sahee-e hoo.

Qaadir de hath dor asaadi,
Jion rakkhe tion rahee-e hoo.

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If you wish to learn the art of dying while living,
Go and sit in the company of mystics.

If someone splatters you with dirt,
Be like a dung hill, take it without reproach.

Let them hurl abuse at you – accept it in humility.

Bear complaints, censure, blame, calumny with patience –
For the sake of the Beloved.

Our strings are in the hands of Almighty;
Let us live in submission to his will.

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Charh channaan te kar rushnaaee,
Zikr karende teraa hoo.

Tere jahe chann kaee sai charhde,
Sajanaan bajh haneraa hoo.

Jithe chann asaadaa charhdaa,
Qadar naheen kujh teraa hoo.

Jis de kaaran janam gavaaiaa,
Yaar mile ik pheraa hoo.

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Rise, o moon, and spread your light –
They are all fondly talking of you!

Even if thousands of moons like you were to rise,
Without my Friend I would still be in utter darkeness.

For, where my true Moon rises,
Your light will pale into insignificance.

May my beloved Friend, For whom I have sacrificed my life,
Come before me just once!

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Charh channaan te kar rushnaaee,
Zikr karende taare hoo.

Galeeaan de wich phiran nimaane,
Laalaan de vanjaare hoo.

Shaalaa koee na theeve musaafir,
Kakkh jinhaan ton bhaare hoo.

Taarhee maar udaa na saanoon,
Aape uddanhaare hoo.

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Rise, O moon, And spread your light across the heavens;
The stars remember you in silent prayers,
Their hearts glimmering with hope.

Now like beggers, We roam the alleyways of earthly life,
When once in our own Homeland, We were merchants of rubies.

O, may no one ever have to leave his own home,
For one is not worth a piece of straw In this alien land!

They need not clap their hands To startle us out of this world, O Bahu;
We are already disposed to fly back To our long-lost Home.

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Haafiz parhh parhh karan takabbur,
Mullaan karan vadaaee hoo.

Saavan maah de badalaan vaangoon,
Phiran kitaabaan chaaee hoo.

Jithe wekhan changaa chokhaa,
Parhhn kalaam savaaee hoo.

Doheen jahaaneen mutthe jinhaan,
Khaadhee wech kamaaee hoo.

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The hafiz is proud of his learning,
The priest thrives on self-promotion.

Like monsoon clouds they’re continously on the move
With books under their arms, selling their honour.

Wherever they find a promising household,
They read the scripture in loud, fervent strains For a lucrative commission.

O Bahu! They have put God’s name on sale Just to make a living.
In this world they live spiritually bankrupt;
Stripped of all honor, they go to the one beyond.

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Khaam keeh jaanan saar faqar dee,
Maihram naaheen dil de hoo.

Aab mittee theen paidaa hoe,
Khaamee bhaande gil de hoo.

Qadar keeh jaanan laal jawaahar,
Ho saudaagar bil de hoo.

So eemaan salaamat vaisan,
Bhajj faqeeraan milde hoo.

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The uninitiated have no inkling Of the mystic way of life –
They know not the secrets of the heart.

They are always brittle and frail –
Like unbaked pots of clay.

Or they can be compared to glass merchants
Who know nothing Of the worth of rubies and diamonds.

Only ardent seekers of the company of mystics
Will remain steadfast in their faith.

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Daal dilaan wich dil jo aakhen,
So dil door daleelon hoo.

Dil daa daur agohaan keeje,
Kasrat kanon qaleelon hoo.

Qalb kamaal, jamaalon, jismon,
Jauhar jaah jaleelon hoo.

Qibla qalb munavvar hoiaa,
Khalwat khaas khaleelon hoo.

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A heart among hearts:*
The heart that is sublime beyond comprehension.

When your heart advances in contemplation of God,
It will comprehend how there is unity in diversity.

The heart is the essence of divinity in man;
In form and beauty it is the symbol of perfection.

When I contemplated on my true Firend
In the privacy of my inner self,
The temple of my heart will illumined with his light.
*
(In Sufi parlance, the heart means the eye centre, the third eye, the spiritual heart of our very being)

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Dard andar daa andar saarhe,
Baahar karaan taan ghaayal hoo.

Haal asaadaa keeven jaanan,
Jo duneeaa te maayal hoo.

Baihar samundar ishqe waalaa,
Hardam raihandaa haayal hoo.

Pahunch huzoor aasaan na Baahoo,
Asaan naam tere de saayal hoo.

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The pain in my heart burns me inside.
Were I to bare the wounds of my heart,
The sight would torment the hearts of others!

How can they whose hearts are smitten by this world
Ever understand my condition?

Between you and me, my Lord,
Surges ocean of love.

To reach your presence is no easy task for me!
I beg for your Name-to sail across to you.

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Dardmandaan daa khoon jo peendaa,
Birhon baaz marelaa hoo.

Chhaatee de wich keetos deraa,
Sher baithaa mal belaa hoo.

Haathee mast sandhooree caangoon,
Kardaa pelaa pelaa hoo.

Pele daa visvaas na keeje,
Pele baajh na melaa hoo.

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The pain of separation is a deadly hawk:
It preys on lovers, it drinks their blood.

Like a lion ruling the forest
This hawk has made my heart its own domain.

Like an enraged rogue elephant,
It raises its trunk, it trumpets and it charges.

But do not fear the thrusts of this pain, O Bahu!
Without union with the Beloved is not possible.

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Dardmandaan de dhooen dhukhde,
Dardaa koee na seke hoo.

Ehnaan dhooiaan de taa tikhere,
Maihram hoe taan seke hoo.

Chhik shamsheer kharhaa hai sir te,
Taras pavas taan theke hoo.

Sauhre kurhee-e apne vanjanaa,
Sadaa na raihanaa peke hoo.

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The hearts of lovers burn in the fire of longing-
No one dare sit by its searing flames!

This fire is sorching- Only someone who knows the heart’s inner secrets
Will warm himself by it.

Death stands over your head, with his sword drawn-
May the Master take pity and sheathe death’s blade!*

Every bride must eventually go to her bridegroom’s home-
She cannot stay forever in her parents’ house.**
*
(Only a Master, through his grace, can sheathe the sword of death and bestow immortality).
**
(In India, the bride traditionally moves into the bridegroom’s home on the wedding day. In Bahu’s metaphor, the soul is the bride which must, on her wedding day, accompany death (the bridegroom) from this world, which she has wrongly come to consider as her own home).
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Dardmandaan dee aaheen kolon,
Pathar pahaarh de jharhde hoo.

Dardmandaan dee aaheen ton,
Bhajj naag zameen wich varhde hoo.

Dardmandaan dee aaheen ton,
Asmaanon taare jharhde hoo.

Dardmandaan dee aaheen kolon,
Aashiq mool na darde hoo.

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Faced with the sighs of lovers,
Even mountains crumble to earth.

Faced with the sighs of lovers,
Even deadly snakes flee to their holes.

The sighs of lovers cause the stars
To tumble from the heavens above.

Faced with the sighs of lovers,
Only the lovers remain steadfast.

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English translation: http://www.hazratsultanbahu.com/

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Kalam Hazrat Sultan Bahu – 3/10

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Tark duneeaa dee taaeen hose,
Jad faqeer milesee khaasaa hoo.

Taarik duneeaa taaeen hose,
Jad hath pakarhesee kaasaa hoo.

Dariaa wahadat nosh keetose,
Ajaan vee jee piaasaa hoo.

Raah faqar ratt hanjoo rovan,
Lokaan bhaane haasaa hoo.

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You wil be able to renounce the world,
Only when you find the treasure of devotion.

True renunciation will only occur When you beg for the Lord’s grace,
In the begging bowl of your heart.

Deep have I drunk from the ocean of Oneness,
Yet my soul always thirsts for more.

Only tears of blood can pave the way to God;
O Bahu, none but the ignorant will take this lightly.

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Tad faqeer shataabee banadaa,
Jad jaan ishq wich haare hoo.

Aashiq sheeshaa nafs murabbee,
Jaan jaanaan ton vaare hoo.

Khud nafsee chhad hastee jherhe,
Laah siron sab bhaare hoo.

Moiaan bajh na haasil theendaa,
Sai sai saang utaare hoo.

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A seeker can quickly become a Saint,
When he loses himself in love:

His self becomes subdued and friendly;
His heart becomes refined and transparent,
As he sacrificed his self to the Beloved.

One must, hence, shake off the load of ego-
Of life itself-for without dying in love.

The goal of life cannot be attained!
Countless other means have I tried and failed.

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Tasbeeh pheree dil na phiriaa,
Kee lainaa is pharh ke hoo.

Parhhiaa ilam, adab na sikhiaa,
Kee lainaa tis parhh ke hoo.

Chillaa kattiaa, kujh na khattiaa,
Kee liaa chille varh ke hoo.

Jaag binaan dudh jamde naaheen,
Laal hovan karh karh ke hoo.

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You have been counting your rosary beads,
But your heart hasn’t taken a turn for the better.
What can anyone gain from such a practice?

You acquired knowledge by reading scriptures,
But you didn’t submit yourself to their mandate,
What can anyone gain from such knowledge?

You secluded yourself for forty-day retreats,
But that too did you no good

You may keep boiling milk forever, O Bahu,
But unless it is cultured, it will not yield the essence.

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Tasbee daa toon kasbee hoion,
Dam maaren sang waleeaan hoo.

Dil daa mankaa ik na pheren,
Gal paaen panj veehaan hoo.

Den giaan gal ghotoo aave,
Lain giaan jhat sheehaan hoo.

Patthar chit jinhaan de,
Othe zaaiaa vasanaa meehaan hoo.

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You have become an expert in counting beads;
You conduct yourself with an air of piety.

A hundred-bead rosary circles your neck,
But you have failed to count The one bead of your heart!

When it comes to giving, you feel strangled;
When taking, you grab like a lion.

On the hearts that are hard like stone,
O Bahu, rainfall is a wasted offering.

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Tullaa banh tawakkul waalaa,
Ho mardaanaa taree-e hoo.

Jain dukh teen such hasil hove,
Us theen mool na daree-e hoo.

Inna ma-al-usar yusran aaiaa,
Chit use val dharee-e hoo.

Beparvaah dargaah oh Baahoo,
Ro ro haasil bharee-e hoo.

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Build the ship of faith and bravely sail across,

Do not mind the pain that results in happiness.

Inscribe on the tablet of your heart,
The writ of the holy Qur’an:
“From suffering comes ease and comfort.”

Absolute is the Lord – he is accountable to none.
O Bahu, let us offer him his due,
Through prayer and the tears of penitence.

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Tan main yaar daa shaihar banaaiaa,
Dil wich khaas mahallaa hoo.

Aan alif dil vasson keetee,
Hoee khoob tasallaa hoo.

Sab kujh mainoon piaa suneeve,
Jo bole maasawaa allaah hoo.

Dardmandaan eh ramz pachhaatee,
Bedardaan sir khallaa hoo.

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For my friend I made my body into a city,
Where I built for him a special home in my heart.

When the one Lord took abode in it,
I was blessed with profound peace.

I now hear his Voice echoing in everything,
Even in voices other than his own.*

Only those who suffer the pangs of love,
Can realize this divine secret;
Others will be rebuffed from the Lord’s court.
*
(God’s own voice is the holy Word or Kalma, which is too subtle a sound to be perceived externally. But once that Kalma is realized within, its pervasiveness becomes manifest in everything – even in the grosser sounds of the Creation).

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Torhe tang puraane hovan,
Gujjhe raihan na taazee hoo.

Maar naqaaraa dil wich varhiaa,
Khed giaa ik baazee hoo.

Maar dilaan noon jol ditto jad,
Takke nain niazee hoo.

Unhaan naal kee hoiaa,
Jinhaan Yaar na rakhiaa raazee hoo.

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The saddle may be old, it’s girth worn,
But an Arabian horse will not go unnoticed.*

With the beat of a drum has entered my heart,**
And look! What a wondrous game he has played:

My heart was stirred to its very depth,
When I looked into his gracious eyes.

Ask not the fate of those, O Bahu,
Who could not earn the pleasure of the beloved Friend.
*
(An Arabian horse, in terms of its speed and agility, symbolizes the all-powerful Word or Kalma, of which the Master is a physical manifestation).
**
(Beat of a drum signifies the holy Sound – the Word or Shabd. Whenever the Master manifests himself within a disciple he is invariably accompanied by the Sound).

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Toon taan jaag na jaag faqeeraa,
Larhen ant jagaaiaa hoo.

Akheen meetiaan dil na jaage,
Jaage matlab paaiaa hoo.

Eh nuktaa jad pukhtaa keetaa,
Zaahir aakh sunaaiaa hoo.

Main taan bhullee vaindee Baahoo,
Murshid raah vikhaaiaa hoo.

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You may or may not wake up now, O faqir;
But you will wake up to reality in the end.

Your heart will not awaken,
By merely sitting with eyes closed-
It will awaken when you realize the goal,

When I attained my ultimate objective,
I proclaimed it to the world.

But on my own I would have still been lost, O Bahu,
Were it not for my Master showing me the way.

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Saabat sidaq, te kadam agere,
Taaeen Rabb labheeve hoo.

Loon loon de wich zikr Allaah daa,
Hardam piaa parhheeve hoo.

Zaahir batin ain-ayaanee,
Hoo hoo piaa suneeve hoo.

Naam faqeer tinhaan da Baahoo,
Qabar jinhaan dee jeeve hoo.

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Be steadfast in your faith, bold in your step;
Only then will you find God.

Every pore of your body will repeat the Name of Allah,
With every breath of your life.

Both within yourself and without You
will then hear the reverberating strains of Hu.

Only they may be called faqirs, O Bahu,
Whose very graves breathe Life.

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Saabat ishq tinhaan ne laddhaa,
Trattee chaurh jain keetee hoo.

Na oh soofee, na oh saafee,
Na sajdaa karan maseetee hoo.

Khaalis neel puraane utte,
Na charhdaa rang majeethee hoo.

Qaazee aan sharaa wal Baahoo,
Ishq namaaz na neetee hoo.

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They alone are blessed with true love,
Who have sacrificed their all for their Beloved.

They may not be Sufis nor be Safis;
They may not prostrate themselves in temples.

Those who are dyed deep in the indigo of religion,
Will never accept the crimson of God’s love:

Priests are stuck in rituals, O Bahu;
They have never learned to prostrate themselves in love.

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Jal jalende jangal bhuande,
Hikkaa gall na pakkee hoo.

Challee-e makke hajj guzaaran,
Dil dee daurh na dakkee hoo.

Treehe roze panj namaazaan,
Eh bhee parhh parhh thakkee hoo.

Sabhe muraadaan haasil hoeeaan,
Jaan nazar mehar dee takkee hoo.

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I prayed standing in water;
I roamed the forests in search of God,
But I failed to ascertain that ‘one thing’.

I went on pilgrimage to Mecca,
But I could not stop the wondering of my mind.

I fasted for thiry days,
I spent myself Offering prayers five times a day.

But all I had longed for was fulfilled, O Bahu,
When my Master cast his merciful glance on me.

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Jaan jaa zaat na theeve Baahoo,
Taan kamzaat sadeeve hoo.

Zaatee naal sifaatee naheen,
Taan taan Haqq labheeve hoo.

Andar bhee hoo baahir bhee hoo,
Baahii kith labheeve hoo.

Jainde andar hubb duneeaa dee,
Mool faqeer na theeve hoo.

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A heart that fails To experience the presence of the divine,
Will continue to be poorly evolved, O Bahu!

But when the Essence is freed from its attributes,
The presence of God becomes evident.

Then Hu resounds within and without;
No trace of Bahu can be found- he is lost in Hu!

No one who entertains love of the world,
Can ever become a faqir.

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Jab lag khudee karen khud nafson,
Tab lag Rabb na paaven hoo.

Shart fanaa noon jaanen naaheen,
Naam faqeer rakhaaven hoo.

Moe baajh na sohndee alfee,
Aiven gal wich paaven hoo.

Naam faqeer tadaan hee sohndaa,
Jad jeevandiaan mar javen hoo.

–

As long as you proudly pamper your ego,
You will not realize God.

You call yourself a faqir,
Yet you don’t even know how to dissolve your self in God!

If you don’t kill your self first,
The clock of piety you wear will never suit you.

The name ‘faqir’ will benefit you, O Bahu,
Only when you die while you are still alive.

–

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Jitthe rattee ishq vike uth,
Manaan imaan na dheeve hoo.

Kutab, kitabaan, vird, vazeefe,
Autar chaa kacheeve hoo.

Baajhon murshid kujh na haasil,
Raateen jaag parhheeve hoo.

Maree-e maran theen agge Baahoo,
Taan Rabb haasil theeve hoo.

–

In the court of the Lord, an ounce of love,
Weighs more than tons of religios faith.

Reading of scriptures, worship and rituals,
Are all barren and fruitless practise.

Without a Master nothing will be achieved,
Even if you read your own prayers the whole night long.

Only if you die before your death, O Bahu,
Will you attain God.

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Jad daa murshid kaazaa ditrhaa,
Tad dee beparvaahee hoo.

Kee hoiaa je raateen jaagen,
Murshid jaag na laaee hoo.

Raateen jaagen karen ibaadat,
Nindiaa karen paraaee hoo.

Koorha takht duneeaa daa Baahoo,
Faqar sacchee patshaahee hooo.

–

Ever since my Master gave me,
To drink from his cup of nectar,
I have become carefree-indifferent to the world.

If a Master has not initiated you into God’s mystery,
Keeping awake to pray at night will avail you nothing.

All night you spend in prayer and worship,
All day you indulge in slanderous talk.

The power and authority of the world is false,
O Bahu! True is the sovereignty of the faqir!

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Jis dil ism Allaah daa chamke,
Ishq bhee kardaa halle hoo.

Bhaar kastooree chhupdaa naaheen,
De rakhee-e sai palle hoo.

Ungaleen pichhe denh na chhupdaa,
Dariaa na rahe thalle hoo.

Aseen us wich, oh asaan wich,
Yaaraan yaar savalle hoo.

–

Love flourishes in that heart,
In which glows the Name of God.

The love of God is like the fragrance of musk –
Even a thousand wrappings cannot hold it in;

Or like the sun, which cannot be hid behind one’s fingers,
Or like a river that cannot be stopped in its course.

My Friend is in me, in my Friend am I;
There is no distance left between us.

–

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Jangal de wich sher marelaa,
Baaz pave wich ghar de hoo.

Ishq jehaa sarraaf na koee,
Khot na chhadde zar de hoo.

Aashiq neendar bhukh na kaaee,
Aashiq mool na marde hoo.

Aashiq soee jeende dehrhe,
Rabb agge sir dharde hoo.

–

Like a lion that kills in the forest,
And a hawk that preys in the farmland.

Love destroys all impurites of the heart,
Better than a goldsmith can purify gold.

Lovers are always awake –
They are free from appetites of the flesh,
And they have conquered death.

But only those lovers are truly alive, O Bahu,
Who offer their heads at the altar of God.

–

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Jinhaan shauh alif theen paaiaa,
Phol Quraan na parhhde hoo.

Maaran dam muhabbat waala,
Door hoeo nen parde hoo.

Dozakh bahisht ghulaam tinhaan de,
Chaa keetone barde hoo.

Main qurbaan tinhaan de jehrhe,
Wahadat de wich varhde hoo.

–

Those who have found the Lord,
Through their contemplation on Alif,
Do not read the holy Qur’an.

They live by the love of God,
As the veil of ignorance is lifted from their eyes.

Even heaven and hell wait on them,
Becoming their very slaves.

I sacrifice myself to those, O Bahu,
Who merge themselves in the oneness of God.

–

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Jinhaan ishq haqeeqee paaiaa,
Moohon na alaavan hoo.

Zikar fikar wich raihan hameshaa,
Dam noon qaid lagaavan hoo.

Nafsee, qalbee, roohee, sirree,
Akhfee, khafee, kamaavan hoo

Main qurbaan tinhaan ton,
Jehrhe Hikkas nigaah jivaavan hoo.

–

Those who are blessed with God’s love,
Utter not a word about their condition.

Absorbed in his love, they dedicate Every breath of their lives,
To remembrance and contemplation of him.

Their minds, hearts, bodies and souls,
Are all engaged in the inner mystic practice.

I sacrifice myself to those Masters, O Bahu,
Who, with but one glance, Infuse life into dead hearts.

–

–

–

–

Jo paakee bin ishq maahee,
So paakee jaan paleetee hoo.

Hik butkhaane waasil hoe,
Hik khaalee rahe maseetee hoo.

Ishq dee baazee unhaan laaee,
Jinh sir den dhil na keetee hoo.

Hargiz dost na mildaa,
Jinhaan Trattee chaurh na keetee hoo.

–

Someone who is chaste by does not love the Lord,
Is pollutred in both mind and spirit.

Some achieve union in the idol house [of their hearts],
While others continue to be isolated in the mosque.*

Only those who radily offer their heads,
To the alter of God win the game of love.

Those who have not sacrificed their all for the Friend,
Will never meet him, O Bahu!
*
(In Muslim belief a mosque is the house of God, whereas an idol house is a symbol of heresy because praying to an idol is considered a sin against God. In Sufi literature ‘Idol temple’ is used as a metaphor for the eye centre, the spiritual heart, which contains the radiant image of the Master, the object of inner worship).

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English translation: http://www.hazratsultanbahu.com/

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Kalam Hazrat Sultan Bahu – 2/10

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Baajh huzooree naheen manzooree,
Pae parhhan bang salaataan hoo.
Roze, nafal namaaz, guzaaran,
Pae jaagan saareeaan raataan hoo.
Baajhon qabal huzoor na hove,
Pae kadhan sai zakaataan hoo.
Bajh fanaa Rabb haasil naaheen,
Na taaseer jamaataan hoo.

–

If you don’t have the Master’s presence within,
You will not attain acceptance in God’s court,
Useless is all prayer, futile is all chanting.
You can fast, you can pray the whole night through,
To supplement your daily prayer;
You can also perform numerous acts of charity;
But if your heart is not purified, You will not feel God’s presence within.
If you have not died before your death,
chanting in group prayers will avail you nothing.

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Baahoo baagh bahaaraan khirhiaan,
Nargis naaz sharam daa hoo.
Dil wich kaabaa sahee keetose,
Paakon paak piram daa hoo.
Taalib talab tawaaf tamaamee,
Hubb huzoor haram daa hoo.
Giaa hijaab theeose haajee,
Bakhshish raah karam daa hoo.

–

The garden of my heart has so blossomed,
That it puts the charming narcissus to shame.
Manifested within me is the holy Ka’ba;
Blessed with the purity of love, my heart rejoices.
I circle the inner Ka’ba with fervent love;
In ardent devotion I yearn For the blessing of my Beloved’s presence.
The veil is now lifted, my pilgrimage is complete,
In his mercy, O Bahu, lies the way to remission.

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Baghdaad shareef vanj karaahaan,
Saudaa ne keetose hoo.
Ratti aqal dee de karaahaan,
Bhaar ghamaan daa ghidose hoo.
Bhaujal bhaar manzil chaukheree,
Orhak vanj pahuteose hoo.
Zaat sifaat sahee keetose,
Taan Jamaal laddhose hoo.

–

I went to holy Baghdad to trade my soul,
For a grain of my Master’s wisdom.
I bore a heavy load of sorrows.
My burden was great, my destination far, But I arrived at last!
When I perceived the essence of the Lord,
As distinct from his qualities,
My heart was illuminated With the splendor of his countenance.

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Banh chalaiaa tarf zameen de,
Arshon darsh tikaaiaa hoo.
Ghar theen miliaa des nikaalaa,
Likhiaa jholee paaiaa hoo.
Rauh nee duneeaa, na kar jherhaa,
Saadaa dil ghabraaiaa hoo.
Aseen pardesee watan duraadaa,
Dam dam alam savaaiaa hoo.

–

I was bound and flung down:
Banished from heaven, dumped on earth,
Bound by the dictates of my destiny,
I was exiled into this alien land.
Off with you, sly world, aggravate me no more,
I am already in anguish.
I am a stranger, my home is very far away,
And my situation worsens With every breath I draw here.

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Be-adabaan na saar adab dee,
Gae adab theen vaanje hoo.
Jahrhe hon mittee de bhaande,
Kadeen na theevan kaanje hoo.
Jehrhe mudh qadeem de Kherhe,
Kadeen na honed Raanjhe hoo.
Jain huzoor na mangiaa Baahoo,
Doheen jahaaneen vaanje hoo.

–

The irreverent know not the manners of love;
Bereft of love will they depart from here.
Earthen vessels are inherently coarse-
They can never shine like those of glass!*
Those born as villains Can never become lovers of the Lord.
The heart that does not pine for the divine presence,
Will remain destitute in both worlds, O Bahu.
*
(A lover’s heart is transparent to God’s love, as a glass jar is to light. The heart of an infidel, on the other hand, is like a pitcher of clay that is always dark within, even when placed in sunlight).

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Be-buzurgee vaihan lurhhaaee-e,
Karee-e rajj mukaalaa hoo.
Laa-illaah gal gaihnaa marhiaa,
Mazhab kee lagdaa saalaa hoo.
Il-lillaah ghar mere aaiaa,
Jain aan uthaaiaa paalaa hoo.
Asaan piaalaa Khizron peetaa,
Aab hayaatee waalaa hoo.

–

Throughly blacken the face of priestly wisdom,
And dump it in the sewer.
The kalma has adorned you like a diamond necklace –
Let that accursed religion mind its own business!
The Kalma has manifested itself within me;
The fear of death is now banished from my heart.
It was my Master, O Bahu, who gave me to drink,
From the cup that held the water of life.

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Be te parhh ke faazil hoe,
Alif na parhhiaa kisse hoo.
Jain parhhiaa tis shauh na laddhaa,
Jaan parhhiaa kujh tisse hoo.
Chaudaan tabaq karan rushnaaee,
Annhiaan kujh na disse hoo.
Baajh wisaal Allaah de Baahoo,
Sabh kahaanee qisse hoo.

–

They learned ‘everything’ and became great scholars,
But few learned the lesson of Alif.*
Those who learned ‘everything’ never found the One,
Those who learned the lesson of Oneness Found the essence of ‘everything’
All fourteen realms are lit up with God’s radiance,
But the blind perceive nothing.
If union is not attained with the Lord, O Bahu,
All learning is mere theory – A mere fable that disappears into smoke.
*
(Alif is the first letter of the Arabic, Persian and Urdu alphabets. It is written as a vertical straight line like the numeral ‘one’ (1). Hazrat Bahu uses this similarity to identify alif with the ‘oneness’ of God. He also uses alif as an abbreviation of Ahad, the One).

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Baghdaad shaihar dee kiaa nishaanee,
Uchcheean lammeeaan cheeraan hoo.
Tan man meraa purze purze,
Join darzee deeaan leeraan hoo.
Leeraan dee gal kafanee paa ke,
Ralsan sang faqeeraan hoo.
Shaihar Baghdaad de tukrhe mangsaan,
Karsaan Meeraan Meeraan hoo.

–

The city of Baghdad is graced* With tall, elegant cypresses,
My fond memories of that fair city.
Tear my heart to shreds,
Like waste cloth in a tailor’s shop.
Wearing a cloak made with these shreds,
I will join the beggars in the lanes of Baghdad.
And beg for alms, calling out:
“O Meeran, Meeran, my beloved Master!” **
*
(Baghdad was the home town of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani, founder of the Qadriya line of Masters, of which Hazrat Sultan Bahu was a member. There is no evidence to suggest that Bahu ever visited Baghdad. In this bait he seems to fondly reminisce about the Baghdad of his imagination – out of devotion for the founding Master, Shah Jilani).
**
(Meeran: literally, ‘the exalted one’; a term of endearment and reverence used for Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani).

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Be-Bauhtee main auganhaaree,
Laaj paee gal us de hoo.
Parhh parhh aalim karan takabbur,
Shaitaan jahe uth musde hoo.
Lakkhaan noon bhau dozakh waalaa,
Hik bahishton rusde hoo.
Aashiq de gal chhuree hameshaa,
Yaar de agge kusde hoo.

–

Of all sinners I am indeed the most sinful,
But in my Lord’s protection lies my honour.
In this world the learned are filled with satanic pride,
But they are robbed and maligned in the world beyond.
Millions fear the torment of hell,
But lovers turn their backs even on paradise.*
A lover’s throat is always under the knife, Bahu,
But at the alter of the Friend He rejoices in being a sacrifice.
*
(In muslim belief paradise is a place of carefree happiness and hoy, beauty and abundance; it is also a place where all of one’s wishes are fulfilled).

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Paataa daaman hoiaa puraanaa,
Kickarak seeve darzee hoo.
Haal da maihram koee na miliaa,
Jo miliaa so gharzee hoo.
Baajh murabbee kise na laddhee,
Gujjhee ramz andar dee hoo.
Ose raah wal jaaee-e Baahoo,
Jis theen khalqat dardee hoo.

–

My cloak is now worn out and tattered;
How long will the tailor keep mending it?
I met no one who really knew the inner secret;
They were all lacking, they were all selfish.
None by my gracious Master Resolved the inner mystery.
Let us advance on the very path, O Bahu,
On which the multitude fears to tread.

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Paak paleet na honed torhe,
Raihande wich paleetee hoo.
Wahadat de dariaa uchhalle,
Hik dil sahee na keetee hoo.
Hik butkhaane waasil hoe,
Hik parhh parhh rahe maseetee hoo.
Faazil sutt fazeelat baithe,
Ishq namaaz jaan neetee hoo.

–

The pure are never contaminated,
Even while they live in this polluted world.
A tide of love has surged in the ocean of Unity,
But those who have not prepared themselves Cannot open their hearts to it.
Some merge with the Beloved’s form In the idol house [of their hearts],*
While others pore over scriptures in mosques, Gaining nothing.
Scholars renounce their ‘superior’ learning,
O Bahu, when they learn the prayer of love.
*
(In Muslim belief a mosque is the house of God, whereas an idol house is a symbol of heresy because praying to an idol is considered a sin against God. In Sufi literature ‘Idol temple’ is used as a metaphor for the eye centre, the spiritual heart, which contains the radiant image of the Master, the object of inner worship).

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Parhh parhh aalim karan takabbur,
Hafiz karan vadaaee hoo.
Galiaan de wich phiran nimaane,
Baghal kitaabaan chaaee hoo.
Jithe wekhan changaa chokhaa,
Parhhan kalaam savaaee hoo.
Doheen jahaaneen mutthe jinhaan,
Khaadhee vech kamaaee hoo.

–

The scholar is proud of his learning,
The hafiz thrives on self-promotion.*
With books under their arms,
They go around, selling their honor.
Wherever they find a promising household,
They read the scripture in loud, fervent strains for a lucrative commission.
O Bahu! They have put God’s name on sale Just to make a living,
In this world they live spiritually bankrupt;
Stripped of all honor, they go to the one beyond.
*
(A hafiz is a Muslim, usually a member of the clergy, who has the ability to recite the entire Qur’an from memory; a well-read person; a scholar).

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Parhh parhh ilam mushaikh sadaavan,
Karan ibaadat dohree hoo.
Andar jhuggee paee luteeve,
Tan man khabar na more hoo.
Maulaa waalee sadaa sukhaalee,
Dil ton laah takoree hoo.
Rabb tinhaan noon haasil,
Jinhaan Jag na keetee choree hoo.

–

They think they have acquired great learning;
They call themselves sheikhs.
While they perform much outside worship.
They do not know the manner in which temptation,
Like a thief, enters to ravage their hearts.
The soul that has attached herself to God Is forever at peace –
The smoke screen of illusion is lifted from her eyes.
Only they realize God, O Bahu,
Whose hearts the world has not seduced.

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Parhh parhh ilam mulook rijaavan,
Kiaa hoiaa is parhhiaan hoo.
Hargiz makkhan mool na aave,
Phitte dudh de karhiaan hoo.
Aakh chandooraa hath kee aaiaa,
Es angooree phariaan hoo.
Hik dil khastaa raazee rakkheen,
Laaeen ibaadat varahian hoo.

–

Priests and scholars parade their learning To please the kings –
Of what avail is such erudition?
Reading scriptures is like boiling curdled milk,
In the false hope of obtaining butter.
No more profitable to them is their chanting,
Than is chirping to the mimicking chandoor.*
If you bring inner comfort to a heart in distress,
You will earn the merit of years of worship.
*
(Chandoor or chandol is a mimicking bird. It imitates sounds, including spoken words – obviously without knowing their meaning, in much the same manner as priests recite and quote the words of Saints without realizing their underlying message).

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Parhhiaa ilam te vadhi aghrooree,
Aqal bhee giaa talohaan hoo.
Bhullaa raah hidaayat waala,
Nafaa na keetaa dohaan hoo.
Sir dittiaan je sirr hath aave,
Saudaa haar na tohaan hoo.
Varheen bazaar muhabbat waale,
Raihbar laike soohan hoo.

–

You acquired learning, your pride swelled,
And your mind took a downward course.
You strayed from the path of living guidance –
Neither your learning, nor your pride did you any good.
If you gain the inner secret by selling off your head*
You will not be the loser in the deal.
But when you enter the marketplace of love,
Be sure to have a Guide who knows this inner secret.
*
(Selling off your head means unconditionally surrendering your self or ego to the Lord).

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Parhh parhh ilam hazaar kitaaban,
Aalim hoe bhaare hoo.
Harf ik ishq daa parhh na jaanan,
Bhulle phiran vichaare hoo.
Ishq aqal wich manzil bhaaree,
Saiaan kohaan de paarhe hoo.
JInhaan ishq khareed na keetaa,
Doheen jahaaneen mare hoo.

–

They have read thousands of books,
They have come to be known as great scholars.
But the one word, ‘love’, they could not grasp –
So helplessly they wander in delusion.
Vast is the gulf between love and intellect.
Those who have not purchased love,
In the marketplace of this life, O Bahu,
Will always be losers in this world and the next.

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Panje maihal, panjaan wich chaanan,
Deevaa kit val dharee-e hoo.
Panje maihar, panje patwaaree,
Haasil kit val bharee-e hoo.
Panj imaam te panje qible,
Sajdaah kit val karee-e hoo.
Je sahib sir mange Baahoo,
Hargiz dhill na karee-e hoo.

–

Within me are five great mansions- All five brightly lit;
What need have I of another lamp?
I am no longer accountable To the five lords and tax collectors,
Who barricade the inner path.
Five prayer leaders call the faithful To the five mosques within,
What need have I of another mosque?
IF the Lord calls for your head,
O Bahu, do not hesitate; offer it at once.

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Peer mile te peerh na jaave,
Taan us peer kee dharnaa hoo.
Murshid miliaan rushd na man noon,
Oh murshid kee karnaa hoo.
Jis haadee theen naheen hidaayat,
Oh haadee kee pharhnaa hoo.
Sir dittiaan haqq haasil have,
Mauton mool na darnaa hoo.

–

If a master does not end your pain of separation,
He is not even worth calling a Master.
Who would even need the kind of Master,
Who does not bestow spiritual blessing?
Why even go to the kind of teacher,
Who is incapable of giving proper instruction?
If you can reach God by sacrificing your head,
Be not afraid of that death, O Bahu!

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English translation: http://www.hazratsultanbahu.com

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