King and Minstrel سر سورٺ in English, Shah jo Risalo in English by Elsa Kazi

Sorath-IV King and Minstrel سر سورٺ


 

Chapter-I
1
The minstrel came to Junagarh
and here took out his lyre;
With his entrancing melodies
he did all hearts inspire;
With his bewitching magic-strings
he set whole town on fire-
But palace-servants, princesses,
were struck with anguish dire;
"That Raja's head was bard's desire,
lute spoke in accents clear."






2
The bard at though a living string
played with humility;
The Raja in his palace fine,
to hear him did agree;
He mercifully called him in,
and met him graciously-
Then prince and bard, one harmony,
one single 'self' became!
3
"I travelled many foreign lands,
and have arrived today;
Poor minstrel I, no treasures crave
but for your life I pray-
To win this favour, let me play,
Oh Sir, the time is short.-"
4
"Leaving all other doors, O king
I wandered to your door!
Blest Sorth's husband, see my need
a beggar doth implore,
His empty apron fill once more
and happiness restore!"
5
The king sat on his glistening dais,
the bard below him played;
The faintest note of music sweet
up to the Raja sped-
To private folks that could not come
the minstrel too was led;-
Fine horses were produced, rare gems,
before the bard were spread,
Who said: “no wealth like this, but head
of Raja do I claim!”
6
No jewels can the minstrel please
no wealth, no property-
From riches and from great rewards
His only wish is, near to be
the giver of this wealth.
7
prince said: “I'll gladly sacrifice
My head for thee O Bard,
Although this is a small reward
For all thy music's worth...
8
“Were I to own a hundred heads
And weigh them with thy strings-
Behold the scale, how down it swings
On side of strings divine!
9
“O Friend, my head is only bone:
An empty, empty bone-
If thousand heads my neck would own
I'll cut them all for thee!”
10
The strings, the dagger and the neck
were reconciled all thee-
King said: “nought is so lovely than
your wish to come to me,
My head you craved...most heartily
I do thank God for that...”
11
“But singer, it astounded me,
That while you played your strain.
How could its sweetness you survive
And could alive remain?
Last night, my being all in twain
was by your music cut.”

Chapter-II
12
The flower of Girnar plucked;
The town is plunged in mourn and pain,
Hundreds like Sorath stand and raise
Their lamentations all in vain-
The minstrel, holding lock, receives
The prince's head adorned again-
While virgins chant the sad refrain;
"Last night the Raja passed away."
13
Sorath is dead; and all is peace-
Ruler removed his tents-
There are no singings and no shows,
no tuneful elements.-
And after this, artist presents
The head again to king!
14
Sorath is dead, and all is peace-
Raja pitches his tents;
Music is heard again...the show
goes on with merriments-
Echo sounds song's sweet sentiments...
Behold, the happy king!
Chapter-I
1
In Infinitude I toss,
O guide no bound perceive mine eyes
Tortuous beauty of the Loved,
Has no limit, has no size-
Here intensive longing lies,
There the Loved-ones do not care!
2
Cursed be duality, Beloved,
From 'Self' do shelter me-
O, hold the 'I' near thee,
But thou canst reach 'thyself', O master.
3
But thou canst reach 'thyself' master;
Nothing but Beauty is;
O doubter, couldst thou doubt dismiss,
There's no Idea then left.
4
Beloved, hold the 'I' near thee;
All self concern I've cast from me;
Protector mine, with duality
I wasted far too many days!
5
That is real dualism, when
Non-dualist yourself you call;
Be shorn of separateness, and
'Ego' let not thy soul enthral;
For 'this', doth not exist at all;
And 'that' not known is without 'this'.
6
'That' is not known without 'this', and
From 'this', 'that' doth not separate stand;
"Human my secret is, and I
Am his, that thou must understand"-
This voice did sound from end to end,
By seers, and the knowing ones.
7
No one who loaded is with 'Self';
The other side will see,
For God is one, and Oneness loves;
So spurn duality;
And all thy anxious tears “to be”,
Shed at altar of unity.
8
The servant too has no beginning,
And no end shall see-
Who the Beloved found, shall be
Absorbed for ever there.
9
Everyone knows where he is
I know not where I stand;
Guides and books there many are,
And they are close at hand-
But I, do seek the distant land
Where 'yes' and 'no'are not.
10
'Yes' and 'no', still within reach
Of earthly idea are;
But beyond all vision far
Is the Beauty that I seek.
11
Sometime or other, beauteous forms
Will be overwhelming thee;
But falcon of Reality,
Let not heedlessly escape.
12
The sensuous beauty thrashed me so
As carders cotton beat;
And now my hands are obsolete,
My body's paralyzed.
13
Confound thy senses, and renounce
Thy 'Self'...Him-knowing be;
To recognize the Loved-one, drop
Thy personality;
And then coarse multiplicity
With unity destroyAsa-

Chapter-II
14
The Loved-one bound me-
Threw me into waters deep;
And said: “Now dry do keep,
And getting wet avoid.”
15
One that is into water thrown
From getting wet, how could be free?
Enlightened one, this mystery
How I might solve it, say-
16
“Rely on contemplation, but
Of law neither neglectful be...
Your heart get used to Reality
Which is your Destiny to see;
Be resolute, and verily
You'll be immune from getting wet.”
17
Ah, Reality broke my
Existence, so that I;
Can no more breathe without it,
In its presence high;
My soul suffused doth lie,
Exclusive of all else.
18
Be silent- do not move your lips;
Your eyes do close, your hearing stay...
Drink not your fill, and at your meals
When still half hungry, turn away-
And then a glimpse enjoy you may
Of image that your mind's depth holds.-
19
Would of the august secret
I divulge one whit-
Trees would burn up,-unfit
For growth all earth would be.

Chapter-III
20
Let your eyes an offering be
For Loved-one ere you break your fast;
Sumptuous dishes seventy
You'll get by seeing Loved-ones face.
21
If my eyes at rise for other
Sight than the Beloved care-
From their sockets I will tear
My eyes as morsels for the crows.
22
Facial phenomena lists
Do not try to see with those,
Longing gaping with those eyes
Never Loved-ones features shows-
Only when both eyes you close
The Beloved you will see.
23
Dwell in mine eyes Beloved fair
That I can close them now;
No one may ever see you there
And I nought else shall see.
24
Acquire eyes that able are
to visualize Beloved's face;
Not then at any other gaze
Loved-ones are very sensitive.
25
About dead Elephant amongst
the blind arose parley-
They handled it all over, but
Blind eyes could nought convey-
Decisive word can say-
The 'seers' only can display
The genuine truth of things.
26
The sense of wonder doth not dwell
Within the vulgar mind-
Secret of Love to trace and find
Is no task for the blind.
27
For whom so anxiously we pine,
We ourselves are those;
O doubt, be gone with all your woes
For Loved-ones we have found.
28
Eyes weep and yet rejoice each day
to look and to adore-
The more they see loved-ones, the more
drunk they with love do get.
29
The more I prohibited eyes
to look, the more they longed;
They crossed the sleeping world, to find
loved-one at any price-
They killed me ah...but in this wise
peace for themselves secured.
30
Relationship with the 'visible',
In no case do desire-
Why not you for the real enquire
and set out, seeking that?
31
Hear, and take note, that you yourself
are 'barrier', and what is
Between the union and its bliss
Is nothing but yourself.
32
The love wants that love's secret
alone his own shall be;-
But eyes that flow continuously
and sinking heart;...betray.

Chapter-IV
33
Corrupt ones can corrupt, whose love
Is very weak, indeed
But whom love has consumed, succeed
they can't for he the vile one slew.
34
When praying, think not of yourself,
Or prayers are in vain;
All thinking of yourself restrain
Drop self, and then do pray.-
35
You profess to be a 'faithful'
Holy maxims you recite...
But your heart deceit is hiding
Duality-satanic spite-
Faithful outward, you delight
in idolat 'rise inside.
36
Seek not the form of one that your
'Beloved' you do call,
As conversation not at all
can happen face to face.
37
Converse you hold when cross you are
Can never loved-one reach
Some mischief monger longs to mar
your heart, and spoil your love.
38
For to be cross is not the way;
two stones, can they unite?
'tis love that doth the cosmos sway
through love alone it lives.
39
Each claims to be on right path here;
But I have lost myself-
Desiring and acquiring are
So very, very near-
I set my mind on distant sphere
where 'yes' and 'no' are not.
40
Demerits world decries, loved-one
at so-called merits cross would be
My deeds, I mentioned with my tongue
now all undone in dust I see.
Then I discounted all my deeds,
which once I thought were charity,
An embassage I sent of shame;
Regrets and deep humanity,
But oh...my love made up with me
only when 'I' had disappeared.
41
Whose body is a rosary,
the mind a bead, a harp the heart.
Love-strings are playing there the theme
of unity in every part;
The nerves do chant: "There's none like thee;
the 'One' and only one thou art.-
E'en sleeping beauty they impart,
their very sleep their worship is!


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