Tum Ek Gorakh Dhandha Ho
(You are an artful enigma!)
Tum Ek Gorakh Dhandha Ho - Detailed here. Following quotes from the post followed by English meanings.
“Tum Ik Gorakh Dhanda Ho” is a philosophically and spiritually rich poem that was written by Naz Khialvi (1947-2010), a Pakistani poet and radio broadcaster. It explores theological debates and paradoxes, such as the problem of evil, free will versus determinism, the validity of different religions, and selective divine intervention. Full of Islamic, biblical, historical, and literary references, “Tum Ik Gorakh Dhanda Ho” is a masterpiece of modern Urdu poetry.
Examining the abundant references in “Tum Ik Gorakh Dhanda Ho”, there are three main categories. The first group includes prophets and key religious figures: Adam, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and Husayn bin Ali are all mentioned. The poem alludes to miracles and incidents from their life stories. The second group consists of prominent Sufi mystics: Mansoor al-Hallaj, Shams Tabrezi, Sarmad Kashani, and Sultan Bahoo. According to tradition, the first three were executed for their heterodox beliefs. Third, the poem references the heroes and heroines of romantic folk tales from Arab, Sindhi, and Punjabi literature: Laila-Majnoon, Heer-Ranjha, Sassi-Punnu, and Sohni-Mahiwal. All of these romances are tragedies, in which the titular couples meet their end in the pursuit of love, much like Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.
At times I searched for You here, at times I traveled to find You there.
Just to catch a glimpse of Your sight, how far I have traveled!Similar wanderers have been wiped away and ruined, but
None have found any trace of You to this day.
You are not, yet You are everywhere.
You are an artful enigma!
You are not, yet You are everywhere.
You are an artful enigma!
With much majesty, You manifest Yourself in each atom.
But my intellect is astonished by how you are, what you are!
You are an artful enigma!
You are an artful enigma!
I looked for You in the temple and mosque; You cannot be found there.
But I have seen You gracing my heart with Your presence!
But I have seen You gracing my heart with Your presence!
You are an artful enigma!
I have not found You despite searching; without searching, You appear somewhere.
And then there is this spectacle that You are wherever I am!You are an artful enigma!
When besides You, there is no second in existence,
Then I do not understand why You veil Yourself!
You are an artful enigma!
In the mosque and temple, Your clever manifestation is present.
Your one face serves as the light of both these two homes!
You are an artful enigma!
The individual who has lost himself in Your affection,
It is that lost person who has actually found something!
He found You in neither the idolhouse nor in the Kaaba.
Rather, he found You in his broken heart.
You have hidden in one place, taking the form of nothingness.
While in another place, You have come in the form of existence.
If You are not, then why deny it?
Even negation reveals Your existence.
That which I am calling my own existence –
If not You, then what else could it be?
If You did not enter into my thoughts,
Then how did I recognize You as God?
You are an artful enigma!
I am astonished by the thought of who You are, what You are.
If I can grasp You, are You an idol? But if not, then You are God?
You are an artful enigma!
How can one who is enclosed in our comprehension be boundless?
How can one we understand then be considered God?
You are an artful enigma!
The philosopher does not find God in his argumentation.
He is untangling the cord but cannot find its end!
You are an artful enigma!
You tell everyone that Your address is “nowhere”,
How surprising it is, though, that You live in a broken heart!
You are an artful enigma!
When there is none except You in existence,
Then what, O God, is all this commotion about?
You are an artful enigma!
You neither hide nor come forth!
Even when showing Yourself, You do not show Yourself!
You do not wipe out quarrels between the temple and mosque [i.e. different religions].
You do not tell us what the actual truth is.
I am surprised at how You have occupied my heart,
Though even the two worlds [i.e. heaven and earth] cannot accommodate You!
Why this shrine and mosque, this church and temple?
Whenever there is disloyalty, You do not tell us!
You are an artful enigma!
My astonishment has dyed my heart a wondrous color!
You have drawn up a confused picture;
I do not understand what this whole affair is!
What is this game You have fabricated since eternity?
Having made the soul a prisoner to the body,
You have then placed it in the custody of death!
Having given the bird of Your plan the opportunity to fly,
You have placed the trap of destiny for it on each side!
Having decorated the two worlds for eons,
You have also established a plan for their destruction!
Though in any case You claim to be without a home,
You have also given the message that “We are nearer…” [Qur’an 50:16]!
This badness, that goodness, this hell, that heaven –
Do explain to me, what is the point of this jumbled mess?
Adam sinned, yet his children were given the punishment!
What kind of standard of equity and justice have You kept?
By giving mankind Your viceregency on Earth,
You have made a mockery of the world!
You made everyone for the sake of recognizing You,
But You have hidden Yourself from everyone’s vision!
You are an artful enigma!
Continuously You make and erase new designs.
Who knows which crime of desire You punish us for!
At times, You turn pebbles into a mine of diamonds!
At times, You even blend diamonds back into the soil!
He [Jesus] who gave life to so many corpses –
Even that Messiah, You cause to adorn crucifixes!
When one [Moses] sits on Mount Sinai with the wish of seeing You,
You set Mount Sinai alight with a lightning bolt of splendor!
You Yourself get Your friend [Abraham] thrown into the fire of Nimrod,
But then You Yourself turn the fire into a bed of roses!
You throw the Moon of Canaan [Joseph] into a well of Canaan;
You extinguish the light from Jacob’s eyes [making him blind].
One time You sell Joseph in the bazaars of Egypt,
But ultimately You make him [like] the king of Egypt!
When one [Mansoor] reaches the height of divine attraction and intoxication,
Sitting in his heart, You give voice to the words “I am the Truth!”
Then You Yourself place charges of blasphemy on him;
You Yourself make Mansoor hang by the noose!
One day he too loses his life
Whomever You give the desire to witness Your sight!
If some Ranjha departs on a search for You,
You torment him in the forests of Jhang!
If some Qais embarks on a quest for You,
You turn him into a madman for some Laila!
If love for You awakens in Sassi’s heart,
You scorch her in the burning Thal Desert!
If Sohni pictures You as Mahiwal,
You drown her in turbulent waves!
But if You desire, You summon Your beloved [Muhammad] to the highest heavens,
And in just one night, You have him complete his ascension to heaven!
You are an artful enigma!
You are Your own veil!
You are an artful enigma!
I realize that what I say seems bad to You,
But still, I have a complaint to You in any case!
You remained quiet, looking from Your Sublime Throne at
Muhammad’s grandson [Husayn] in the heated battle at Karbala!
How he offered his blood as a drink of loyalty,
Even though he had been thirsty for three days!
His enemies were, after all, enemies – but how sad it is
That You did not provide him with even a little bit of water!
The bounty for every cruelty is the inheritance of the oppressor,
But the oppressed is granted neither consolation nor comfort!
As for the person whose head was adorned with a crown yesterday,
Today, I see a beggar’s bowl in the same person’s hands!
If I ask what all this is, You say in response:
“No one can be acquainted with this secret!”
You are an artful enigma!
You are a world of bewilderment!
You are an artful enigma!
You are in each and every place, but I do not know Your whereabouts.
I have heard Your name, but I do not see any trace of You.
You are an artful enigma!
If the heart’s wish gets fulfilled, it glows like a firefly.
But if it gathers in the eyes, it ends up as tears.
If an impure soul gets lost in Him and repeatedly chants His name,
He receives lordships and becomes like Sultan Bahoo!
Some receive not the slightest of injury under the knife,
While, at another time, an arrow pierces Asghar’s throat!
You are an artful enigma!
How carefree You are, too!
A lengthy saga You are, too!
You are an artful enigma!
On the path of inquiry, I see confusion at every footstep.
I see that discord between circumstances and ideas.
I become a picture of distress
Whenever I closely look into the world’s mirror.
On the same earth, there are so many conflicts of nature.
I see one courtyard divided into so many parts.
In one place, it is the season of the smoldering autumn of hardship.
In another place, I see the descending monsoons of mercy.
Somewhere hissing rivers, somewhere silent mountains.
Somewhere jungle, somewhere desert, somewhere rose gardens I see.
This state of division makes me weep tears of blood.
Here I see some rich, some poor.
In the day’s hands, there is only one smoldering sun.
But I see that the night’s maang is adorned with many stars!*
In one place are the withered flowers of truth.
In another place I see the thorns of deceit flourishing.
In one place, I see Shams’s skin being flayed off.
In another place, I see Sarmad’s head coming off.
What is this thing called night, what is dawn?
What is this light, what is this darkness?
After all, I am supposed to be Your deputy.
So then why do You say, “You have naught!”?
You are an artful enigma!
What could someone looking for You see?
You have veiled Yourself in every manner!
You are an artful enigma!
Mosques, temples, and these taverns:
Some people believe in this; some believe in that.
All of them are Your homes, Dear!
Some people believe in this; some believe in that.
One is persuaded of Your existence;
Another is inclined towards denial.
But You alone know the reality.
Some people believe in this; some believe in that.
One considers You part of creation;
Another says You are separate from the rest.
Both are Your intoxicated devotees!
Some people believe in this; some believe in that.
When all are lovers of Your name,
Why are there quarrels between Rahim and Ram [Muslims and Hindus]?
You are an artful enigma!
You are in the temple, the mosque, the heavens, and the earth.
However far one’s reach goes, You are there for him!
You are an artful enigma!
In every possible aspect, You are unique!
You are an artful enigma!
The center of our quest; the world of color and scent:
In every breath, You are manifest. You surround us on all four sides!
In God’s surroundings, there is nothing but Him.
You are very enchanting, You are very beautiful!
Glories of heaven; dignity of the earth:
You are the attainment of the desires of the two worlds.
My eyes have performed ablutions with tears.
Now at least grant me a small taste of Your sight!
Come out from Your veil, face-to-face with my eyes.
For a few moments of union, just two hours of discussion!
Naz would mutter in devotion, in every place and every alley,
“He is one, He is one, He has no partner!”
God is, God is, God is, God is!
*
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