Bulleh Shah’s original thought and courage has always inspired me. A few days ago, I was struck by these verses of Bulleh Shah. I have attempted a translation but then its not a good one…
Bulleh-a aashiq hoyiyon Rabb da, Hoai Malamat Lakh
Tenon Kafir Kafir aakhdey, toon aaho aaho aakh
O Bulleh, just love your God and ignore the chidings
When they say you are an infidel, say “yes I am one”
And, then I visited Manzoor’s blog and found these translations. Manzoor writes “….Belief in humanity and love for fellow human beings is the sign of enlightenment and rationality, quoting again Bulleh Shah:
I am free, my mind is free,
I am neither a sick person nor a physician
Neither a believer nor an infidel
Nor a mullah or syed
In the fourteen spheres I walk in freedom
I can be imprisoned nowhere.
(translated by MA Akhyar?)
He complains, “in this country moral and intellectual dwarfs can be hailed as the saviors” and quotes from Shah again…
Crows swoop on hawks,
Sparrows do eagles stalk,
Strange are the times!
(translated by C Duggal)
Find more on Bulleh Shah on Jahan-e-Rumi here and here.
While concluding this post, I cannot help re-produce the following lines :
I know not who I am
I am neither a believer going to the mosque
Nor given to non-believing ways
Neither clean, nor unclean
Neither Moses not Pharaoh
I know not who I am
I am neither among sinners nor among saints
Neither happy, nor unhappy
I belong neither to water not to earth
I am neither fire, not air
I know not who I am
(From All Things Pakistan’s post on rediscovering Bulleh Shah)
Dara Shikoh with a saint [Src: A. Mittal]
Thank you for the lovely poetry of Bulleh Shah. His voice and poetry resembles the great Sufi poets of the ages, who had the same refrain of being free from all worldly encumbrances.
Ya Haqq!
I am truly inspired by the Sufi saints of old..I would liek t have more sites wheere I can read translated into English poetry & literature..
Thank U so very much. May the peace I seek, nourish you with thanks..roy
The discourse and the meaning is very close to what is contained in the book I am That. Freeing the mind is critical – the challenge is the continuous focus
I am Free My mind is free is not my translation translation i came across this in Zamir Niazi book Press In Chains. This verse is probably translated by MA Akhyar for the book and second one is translated by C. Duggal. I am sorry that i failed to mention the sources and shall correct this error.
Manzoor, many thanks!
I have edited the post accordingly and also added the names of translators you provided..
Keep visiting, RR
“Bhulla ke janan main kon”
What a true personality he was. Still he is alive through his words. I like his poetry, not only me but every one.
Thanks for the aaho ahho aakah couplet. Another one of my favourites is:
dharamsal vich dharvi rahinde, thakur dware thug
vich maseet kusatti rahinde, aashik rahin alag
(In temples reside the ruffians, in gurudwaras, the thugs
In mosques reside the liars, the true lovers (of the Divine), stay aloof from all these.)
One of Bulleh Shah Kafi
Behad Ramzaan dasda nee
Meyndaa Dholann maahee
Meem de Ohley wasdaa nee
Meyndaa Dholann maahee
Auliyaa mansoor kahaawey
Ramz anal-haq aap bataaway
Aapey aap noon soolee charhaaway
Te kol khaloke hasdaa nee
Meyndaa Dholann maahee
Behad Ramzaan dasda nee,
Meyndaa Dholann maahee
My dear Beloved discloses (unveils) many mysteries.
He dwells behind Meem
O my dear Beloved
He himself tells the mystery of anal-haq (I am the Truth)
He Himself is responsible for hanging Himself (Mansoor)
Then He Himself stands aside and laughs
Oh my dear Beloved
My dear Beloved discloses(unveils) many mysteries
(Prof Saeed Ahmed)
Moreover in which Bulleh shah book can I find these verses? Please helpme in this regards.
paRh paRh ilm hazaar kitaabaN
qaddi apnay aap nou paRhiya naee
jaaN jaaN waRhday mandir maseedi
qaddi mann apnay wich waRhiya naee
aa-vaiN laRda aye shaitan de naal bandeaa
qaddi nafss apnay naal laRiya naee
[yes, yes, you have read thousands of books
but you have never tried to read your own self
you rush in, into your Mandirs, into your Mosques
but you have never tried to enter your own heart
futile are all your battles with Satan
for you have never tried to fight your own desires]
Thanks
Shahid
Shahid Saheb
Please get this book
Masterworkds of Punjaabi Sufi Poetry”
“Bulleh Shah Within Reach”
“Volume 1”
Muzaffar A. Ghaffar
Ferozsons (Private) Limited
http://www.ferozsons.com.pk/
RR Shahab
AOA
Sending this to you after a lapse of 4 months. I managed to get the Vol 1 and 2 by Muzaffar Ghaffar. Please let me the page number where I can find these verses
“paRh paRh ilm hazaar kitaabaN
qaddi apnay aap nou paRhiya naee
jaaN jaaN waRhday mandir maseedi
qaddi mann apnay wich waRhiya naee
aa-vaiN laRda aye shaitan de naal bandeaa
qaddi nafss apnay naal laRiya naee”
A Bulleh shah couplet
“paRh paRh likh likh laaweyN Dheyr
veyd kitaabaaN chaar chafeyr
girdey chaanan wich anheyr
apney aap dee khabar naa saar
Parh parh masley roz sunaavey
Khaanaa shak shubey da khaweyn
Daseyn hor te hor kamaaweyn
Ander khot baahir suchyaar
You read and write heaps of books
Sacred books are piled up all around you
Surrounded by light, you carry darkness within you
You have no self knowledge at all
You deliever sermons everyday
You eat the food of suspicion and doubt
You preach something and act inversly
Inwardly you are corrupt but outwardly you are pious”
(Translation by Prof Saeed Ahmad)
Saaeen saeed saahib subhaanallah barryaan kaavshaan karde pae ho!! Vaaqe ee darveshaan naal nibhaa rahe ho.
its a great site 2 visit I luv baba bulle shah GOR PAYA KOI HOR BULLA KI JANA ME KAUN Means that in my grave its not me
Great Site, very moving and informative. I never knew that Bulleh Shah wrote such meaningful and true words
Its very very nice website and had very very attractive material specially bhulle shah’s poetry in punjabbi language.indus velly civilsation is also very rich subject and you provided us most wnted informatios.Salt Range is also an important topic for young generation especially…really its wonderful area in computer i mean to say internet.pl alway provide us such type of great informations as i am a man to love history as i had Masters degree in Inian History.
Hafiz Muzaffar Mohsin
03009449527
Macca gaya gal mukdi naahi, chaye soe soe jumay pad aai…..,
Ganga gaya gal mukdi naahi, chaye soe soe gotay khai….,
Bullay shah gal tahiyoe mukdi jadoe mainu dilo gawai…..
Here is another translation attempt for :
Bulleh-a aashiq hoyiyon Rabb da, Hoai Malamat Lakh Tenon Kafir Kafir aakhdey, toon aaho aaho aakh
(Bulleh Shah)
Bulleh lover of G-d, a million blames occur
Your title is apostate, answer yes, yes, so it is. (translation by JH)
Very Very Attractive……Its over Culture and Heritage And Now a Days Very Unique….Keep it up….
[…] I recited Bulleh Shah's poetry this evening, a friend sent a link to another video of Abida Parveen singing Bulleh's mystic […]
Ik laazim baat adab dee aye, saanu baat maloomi sab dee aye, har har vich soorat Rabb dee aye, kitte zaahir kitte chupdi hai o sohna… Behad ramza dasdaa mera dholan mahi….
a site par excellance and bulleh shah s verses intocicating.. thanks col ijaz mirza guledaudi@yahoo.com an old boy of rang mahal mission school matric 1958. lahore
Charday suraj dhalday waikhay, Bujhay diway balday waikhay,Heeray da koi mull na taaray, khotay sikkay chalday waikhay , jinna da na jag tay koi, o v puttar palday waikhay,ohdi rehmet de nal banday pani ottay chalday waikhay, Loki kehnday dal nai galdi, main tay pathar galday waikhay
People should read poetry of Bule Shah and follow it in terms of actions in their daily life.They must ponder upon each verse and word of his poetry and would get an inner healing effect to cure them from superficiality, greed and hatred.
HAZRAT BULLEH SHAHJI SAYS,
” GAL SAMAJH LAI TE ROLA KI
AIH RAM RAHIM TE MOLA KI ”
MY UNDERSTANDING OF THESE FEW AND VERY MEANINGFUL WORDS IS THAT ITS ALL MATTER OF UNDERSTANDING YOUR INNERSELVES AND IF YOU CAN ACHIEVE THAT THEN RELIGION BECOMES IMMETERIAL AS
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE RELIGION IS TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF YOURSELF.
I AM SURE SOMEBODY CAN TRANSLATE IT BETTER, THIS IS MY UNDERSTANDING AS BULLEH SHAHJI ALSO SAID,
” BULLHA SAB MAJAZI POHDIYAN TU HAAL HAQEEQAT DEKH
JO KOI OTHAY PONCHIA JAEY BHOOL SALAM ALAIK”
MEANING THAT WE ARE SEEING OR DOING IS TO FIND THE DESTINATION AND THOSE WHO FIND IT THEN THE ARE NOT BOTHERED ABOUT THE WORLD AS WHAT IT DOES OR WHAT PEOPLE SAY.THIS TAKES YOU A STEP ABOVE THE RELIGION AS YOU HAVE COMPLETED YOUR SEARCH AND HAVE FOUND YOUR INNER SELF.(WHICH ACCORDING TO ALL SUFIS IS THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS LIFE).
can any one plz convey me the complete poem
“gal samjh laie tay rola ki “
bulleh shah!!!!!!!!
Bulleh Shah Oo Oo Oo yaar mere,
eh duniya puche kaun hai tu……
bullah shah baba a great great great great great greattttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt greatttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt sufi shair i like it
i feel great while such.. awesome quotes………………///////////////