Sohni-XXIX
 

Sohni-XXIX
I


1

Currents have their velocity,
rivers their speed possess-
But where there's love, a different rush
its currents do express,
And those that love fathomlessness,
are steeped in depth of thought.-

2

Master the lesson throughly
that law doth teach Sohni-
Then contemplate and meditate
till 'truth' comes near to thee-
But "Reality's Vision" will be
reward of lovers true.

3

So many, many line the banks-
"Sahar! Sahar!" they cry-
Afraid some to risk life, and some
Renouncingly would die.
But Sahar meets, who without sigh
joyfully waters seek.

4

The rivulets are not yet deep;
the depth is far ahead,
O friends, relations are secure
When one at home doth keep
But had you seen my Sahar's face
you would no longer sleep-
Nor stop me,-but take float and leap
into the running stream.

5

If you his features were to see
you could no longer rest;
Nor by your husband's side, would you
so comfortable be-
But earthen-jar, long before me,
you would pick up and plunge.

6

If you had seen with your own eyes,
what I have seen and know-
For that you'd surely sacrifice
your homes and husbands too.

7

Ah! those who do their eyes and face
Adjust to Sahar sweet,
Behold! if e'en without support
They plunge in whirlpool's maze-
They are immune from river's ways
For waters drown them not.

8

In wintry night and rain Sohni
seeks flood with jar of clay-
"Oh let us go and ask Sohni
who knows of love's true way;
Whose thoughts with Sahar always stay
throughout the night and day."

9

From Sahar, Sohni drank with zeal,
life-giving draught of love-
Intoxicated with its taste
she still its charm doth feel-
By pointed arrow, sharp as steel
of cupid, she was sruck.-

10

From "Dum", who chides, she has no fright
her spouse he never was;-
See,-even muddy, gurgling stream
her beauty cannot blight!
For Sahar, she in darkest night
will plunge in eddies wild.

II

11

O sisters, tinkling cattle bells
my every limb have stirred-
The love, by bell-music aroused
one not to strangers tells-
The friend, my main-stay, far he dwells
yet sends his solace sweet.

12

All round the herdsman's bells I hear
the tinkling sattle bells;
When sleeping, echoes of their chime
from far did reach mine ear.
How could I sleep when travelling near
this music rent my heart?

13

Stirred by the bells, how could I sleep
restfully and in peace?
When I a hundred times the day
for Sahar long and weep!
In chains of love Sahar doth keep
my being till I die.

14

On this side of the stream, the strain
of echoes reaching me-
From loving Mehar's bells, old wounds
began to bleed again;
To go to him and soothe my pain
incumbent then became!

III

15

Young buffaloes she seeks, her woes
with them she doth confide;
"My Mehar of the Buffaloes
oh have you met him yet?"

16

She puts her arms, by grief opprest
around their necks and weeps.-
"Coarse grasses that you eat, I'll place
against my aching breast,
And with your voice I shall be blest
and ever happy be."

17

The sun is setting, and the crows
in trees at rest now are;
The call for prayers Sohni hears
and she picks up the jar,
To float across the river far,
and see where Sahar is.

18

She need not ask for slopes, she finds
a slope at any place;
An easy slope and easy ways
are for the fickle minds-
But those whom love to Sahar blinds
need neither slopes nor ease.-

19

The false ones seek for sloping banks,
and only seek for show;
But those who Sahar truly love
where they must enter, know
For those who with love's thirst do glow
whole river is one-step.

IV

20

Blest be dark night, the moolit night
be now so far away,
So that except Mehar's, I may
not see another face.-

21

Go without 'Self', seek no support,
and forget everything,
Sohni, thy love alone thee to
the other side will bring;
"Longing",thy guide, the thundering
river shalt eas'ly cross.

22

A call sounds from the other side,
clearly: "Come!" it doth say.-
The river overflows with waves,
skies overcast and grey-
I know that with whom God doth stay
shall never, never drown.

23

A call sounds from the other side,
clearly "Come!" it doth say-
River in spate, and weak one with
an unbaked jar of clay-
I know, nought yields to water's sway
that upheld is by 'Truth'.-

24

A black full night, and from above
sky, rain in torrents sends-
On one side fear of tracklessness
On other, lion stands-
"If even life in effort ends
I shall keep tryst of love."

26

She's neither here nor there, alone
in midst of roaring stream-
On dry banks only Sahar stands
all else is flooded zone-
Oh seek the waves! mercy is shown
only to drowning ones

27

She took the jar...she plunged so deep
may God the maiden save
Her leg in mouth of dog-fish and
her neck the shark will have-
Her bangles, garments in the mud-
her hair floats on the wave-
The fishes big and small, all round
are crowding, food they crave;
And crocodiles prepare a grave-
poor Sohni will be sliced.

28

A drowning man, by feeble grasses
at the banks will hold,
Look at the wondrous chivalry
the tender straws unfold,
To hold him up, they will make hold,
or else with him will sink.-

29

I knew not that the jar was faked
its colours were the same-
My heart beyond control, I thurst
myself on jar unbaked;
The thing on which my life I staked
in midstream landed me.

30

By help of which the longing eyes
did see Beloved's face;
The jar, how could I sacrifice
as dear as life to me?

31

My heart exhausted is and weak,
no strength my limbs have now;
"O Sahar, thou dost know all this,
O help me, cast thy tow-
I am so ignorant, and thou
my love so great thou art."

32

The jar, the means to reach, did break,
alas, the maiden drowned,
But only then she heard the sound
of Sahar's voice draw nigh.

33

The means on which she had relied,
did thrust her in the flood;
And only after she had died
she heard the herdsman's call.-

V

34

"The jar is broken! let it go
obstructive screen it was mere-
My real being is singing still
soul-music still is here
And still I seek my Sahar dear,
though without 'action' now."

35

My heart, you keep on swimming,
the jar let break and go...
My eyes, I train them every day
more of control to know;
The herdsman led me, and did show
to me friend, the 'straight' path.

36

Suggest no rafts to those who love
nor ask boat-men around;
Sohni that is for Sahar bound
enquiring doth not need.

37

Hundreds were by the river drowned-
but river drowned was by this maid;
The current broke itself instead,
by knocking bluntly'gainst the banks.

38

As long she was alive,-she ne'er
sat down, did never rest
Now she lies underground,...her quest
in silence still goes on.

39

If loved-ones met on judgement day
that would be very near,
But ah! so very far away,
tiding of 'Union' are.

40

Sahar, Sohni and sea
inseparably 'One'-
This ineffable mystery
no one can ever solve.

VI

41

"On what count am I here? O why
bereft of loved ones face?
"You preach: "Deflect from sin", but I
your virtue do deny-
"Moral control I do not need
nor do for music sigh.-
"Keep closed your lips, and from within
yourself oyu'll beautify-
"These that on 'Top' of waters flow
are bubbles that belie.-
"Feed on selflessness, for your love
Mincemeat to be, then try-
"If headlong into dirt you rush
yourself you'll purify-
"Nought does possess more wealth than dust
nothing with dust can vie,-
"Who runs by stirrup of the guide
the other side will spy.-
"Falcon, pick up your greedy self
and fly with it on high.-
"Don't lose sigh of the friends, walking
in veils that mystify.-
"More than Oneness in love, is like
splitting two-lettered tie-
"Those who do long for wine of love
with purest them supply.-"
"These ravings are the vain reply
of tortured, sickly one.-
On what count, am, I here oh! why?
Bereft of loved ones face."

regards