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Recitation
گُرُو نانک ۔ مہندر سنگھ بیدی سحرؔ
۱
ایک جِسمِ ناتواں اِتنی وباؤں کا ہجوم
اک چراغِ صبح اور اِتنی ہواؤں کا ہجوم
منزلیں گُم اور اتنے رہنماؤں کا ہجوم
اعتقادِ خام اور اتنے خداؤں کا ہجوم
کشمکش میں اپنے ہی معبد سے شرماتا ہوا
آدمی پھرتا تھا در در ٹھوکریں کھاتا ہوا
۲
حق کو ہوتی تھی ہر اک میداں میں باطل سے شکست
سر نگوں، سر در گریباں، سر بسر تھے زیر دست
فن تھا اک مطلب، براری لوگ تھے مطلب پرست
اس قدر بگڑا ہوا تھا زندگی کا بند و بست
حامیٔ جور و ستم ہر طرح مالا مال تھا
جس کی لاٹھی تھی اُسی کی بھینس تھی یہ حال تھا
۳
کیا خدا کا خوف کیسا جذبۂ حُبّ وطن
برسرِ پیکار تھے آپس میں شیخ و برہمن
باغباں جو تھے وہ خود تھے محوِ تخریبِ چمن
الغرض بگڑی ہوئی تھی انجمن کی انجمن
مذہبِ اِنسانیت کا پاسباں کوئی نہ تھا
کارواں لاکھوں تھے میرِ کارواں کوئی نہ تھا
۴
روحِ اِنساں نے خدا کے سامنے فریاد کی
جو زمیں پر ہو رہا تھا سب بیاں رُوداد کی
اور کہا حد ہو چکی ہے کفر کی، اِلحاد کی
ایک دُنیا منتظر ہے آپ کے اِرشاد کی
تب یہ فرمایا خدا نے سب کو سمجھاؤں گا میں
آدمی کا روپ دھارن کر کے خُد آؤں گا میں
۵
اِس طرح آخر ہوا نانک کا دنیا میں ظہور
فرشِ تلونڈی پہ اُترا عرش سے ربّ غفور
اُٹھ گیا ظلمات کا ڈیرا بڑھا ہر سمت نور
منبعِ انوار سے پھیلی شعائیں دور دور
نیّرِ تاباں نے عالم میں اُجالا کر دیا
آدمی نے آدمی کا بول بالا کر دیا
गुरु नानक – मोहिन्दर सिंघ बेदी सहर
१
एक जिस्म-ए नातवां इतनी वबाओं का हुजूम
एक चिराग़-ए सुबह और इतनी हवाओं का हुजूम
मनज़िलें गुम और इतने रहनुमाऔं का हुजूम
एतेक़ाद-ए ख़ाम और इतने ख़ुदाऔं का हुजूम
कशमकश में अपने ही माबद से शरमाता हुआ
आदमी फिरता था दर दर ठोकरें खाता हुआ
२
हक़ को होती थी हर एक मैदां में बातिल से शिकस्त
सर निगूं, सर दर-गरेबां, सर बा-सर थे ज़ेर-दस्त
फ़न था एक मत्लब, बरारी लोग थे मत्लब परस्त
इस क़दर बिगढा हुआ था ज़िंदगी का बंद ओ बस्त
हामी-ए जोर ओ सितम हर तरह माला-माल था
जिस की लाठि थी उसी की भैंस थी ये हाल था
३
क्या ख़ुदा का ख़ौफ़ कैसा जज़्बा-ए हुब्ब-ए वतन
बरसर-ए पैकर थे आपस में शैख़ ओ बरहमन
बाग़बां जो थे वो ख़ुद थे महव-ए तख़्रीब-ए चमन
अल्ग़रज़ बिग्ढी हुई थी अंजुमन की अंजुमन
मज़हब-ए इनसानियत का पास्बां कोई ना था
कारवां लाखों थे मीर-ए कारवां कोई ना था
४
रूह-ए इन्साण ने खुदा के सामने फर्याद की
जो zअमिण पर हो रहा था सब बयाण रुड़ाद की
और कहा हड्द हो चुकी है कुफ्र की, इल्हाद की
आयेक दुनिया मुंतज़ीर है आप के इरशाद की
तब ये फ़रमाया खुदा ने सब को सम्झाउण गा मैण
आदमी का रूप धारण कर के खुद आउण गा मैण
5
इस तरहा आख्हिर हुआ नानक का दुनिया में ज़हूर
फर्श-ए तल्वन्डि पे उतरा अर्श से रब्ब-ए घफूर
उठ गया ज़ुलमट का डेरा बऱ्ह हर संत नूवर
मंबा-ए अंवार से फैली शुआएण दूउर दूउर
नय्यर-ए ताबण ने आलम में उजाला कर दिया
आदमी ने आदमी का बोल बाला कर दिया
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohindar singh bedi sahr (1909-1992) has written with much passion about universal love and communal harmony reaching across religious lines to pay tribute to other faiths. Here he pays tribute to nanak.
1
aek jism-e-naatavaaN1 itni vabaaoN2 ka hujoom3
ek chiraaGh-e subah aur itni havaaoN ka hujoom
manzileN gum aur itne rahnumaaoN4 ka hujoom
eteqaad-e-Khaam5 aur itne KhudaaoN ka hujoom
kashmakash6 meN apne hi maabad7 se sharmaata hua
aadmi phirta tha dar dar ThokareN khaata hua 1.frail body 2.epidemic, disease 3.onslaught 4.guides 5.false beliefs 6.struggle 7.worshipped (god)
“Frail body” is probably referring to the body of faith. Faith was frail and weak and under attack by many diseases, like a late-night fluttering lamp under an onslaught of blowing wind. The sight of the goal was lost but there were many (pretending to be) guides. False beliefs and an abundance of gods. Man struggled with his own god and wandered aimlessly from door to door.
2
haq1 ko hoti thi har ek maidaaN meN baatil2 se shikast3
sar niguN4, sar-dar-garebaaN5, sar ba-sar the zer-dast6
fun7 tha ek matlab8, baraari9 log the matlab-parast10
is qadar11 bigRa hua tha zindagi ka band-o-bast12
haami13-e jor-o-sitam14 har tarhe malaa-maal tha
jis ki laaThi thi usi ki bhaiNs thi ye haal tha 1.truth, righteousness 2.falsehood, evil 3.defeat 4.bowed 5.literally “head in collar” meaning ashamed 6.oppressed, exploited 7.talent, skill 8.(hidden/selfish) motive 9.cruel, wild, powerful 10.worshipping self-interest 11.much 12.arrangement 13.supporter, partisan 14.oppression and cruelty
Truth was getting defeated by falsehood in every field. The exploited and the oppressed went about shamed and bowed down. The skilled and talented were selfish and the powerful self-centred. The partisans of oppression were wealthy beyond bounds. Might was considered right.
3
kya Khuda ka Khauf1 kaisa jazba2-e hubb-e-vatan3
barsar4-e paikaar5 the aapas meN shaiKh o barhaman
baaGhbaaN jo the vo Khud the mahv6-e taKhreeb7-e chaman
alGharaz8 bigRi hui thi anjuman ki anjuman
mazhab-e iِnsaaniyat ka paasbaaN9 koi na tha
karvaaN laakhoN the mir10-e karvaaN koi na tha 1.fear 2.sentiment, emotion 3.love of homeland 4.engaged in 5.conflict 6.engrossed in 7.destruction 8.in summary 9.protector, caretaker 10.leader
There was no fear of god, no one cared about the homeland. The shaiKh and brahman were busy fighting each other. Gardeners themselves were engrossed in the destruction of the garden. All said and done, all social norms were crooked. There was none to take care of the (universal) faith of humanity. There were many caravans going in different directions but no (universal) leader.
4
rooh-e insaaN ne Khuda ke saamne faryaad1 ki
jo zamiN par ho raha tha sab bayaaN2 rudaad3 ki
aur kaha hadd ho chuki hai kufr4 ki, ilhaad5 ki
aek duniya muntazir6 hai aap ke irshaad7 ki
tab ye farmaaya Khuda ne sab ko samjhaauN ga maiN
aadmi ka roop8 dhaaran9 kar ke Khud aauN ga maiN 1.appeal, protest 2.describe, relate 3.story 4.evil 5.godlessness 6.waiting 7.command 8.shape 9.assume, put on
Human spirit/soul appealed to god and described all that was going on (in the world) and said that there was no limit to evil and godlessness. The world waits for your command, O, god. Then god replied, that he would solve problems, assume human shape and come himself to teach.
5
is tarha aaKhir hua nanak ka duniya meN zahoor1
farsh-e-talwanDi2 pe utra arsh3 se rabb-e-Ghafoor4
uTh gaya zulmat5 ka Dera baRha har samt6 noor
manba-e-anvaar7 se phaili shuaaeN8 duur duur
nayyar-e-taabaN9 ne aalam meN ujaala kar diya
aadmi ne aadmi ka bol baala kar diya 1.appearance, manifestation 2.land of talwanDi, nanak’s birthplace 3.sky, heaven 4.lord of redemption 5.darkness 6.direction 7.source of light 8.rays (of light) 9.brilliant sun
That is how nanak appeared in this world. The lord of redemption descended from heaven to the land to talwanDi. The domain of darkness was banished and light spread in every direction. From this source of light, rays spread out far and wide. The brilliant sun lit up the world. Humans began to celebrate humans.
mohindar singh bedi sahr (1909-1992) has written with much passion about universal love and communal harmony reaching across religious lines to pay tribute to other faiths. Here he pays tribute to nanak.
1
aek jism-e-naatavaaN1 itni vabaaoN2 ka hujoom3
ek chiraaGh-e subah aur itni havaaoN ka hujoom
manzileN gum aur itne rahnumaaoN4 ka hujoom
eteqaad-e-Khaam5 aur itne KhudaaoN ka hujoom
kashmakash6 meN apne hi maabad7 se sharmaata hua
aadmi phirta tha dar dar ThokareN khaata hua
1.frail body 2.epidemic, disease 3.onslaught 4.guides 5.false beliefs 6.struggle 7.worshipped (god)
“Frail body” is probably referring to the body of faith. Faith was frail and weak and under attack by many diseases, like a late-night fluttering lamp under an onslaught of blowing wind. The sight of the goal was lost but there were many (pretending to be) guides. False beliefs and an abundance of gods. Man struggled with his own god and wandered aimlessly from door to door.
2
haq1 ko hoti thi har ek maidaaN meN baatil2 se shikast3
sar niguN4, sar-dar-garebaaN5, sar ba-sar the zer-dast6
fun7 tha ek matlab8, baraari9 log the matlab-parast10
is qadar11 bigRa hua tha zindagi ka band-o-bast12
haami13-e jor-o-sitam14 har tarhe malaa-maal tha
jis ki laaThi thi usi ki bhaiNs thi ye haal tha
1.truth, righteousness 2.falsehood, evil 3.defeat 4.bowed 5.literally “head in collar” meaning ashamed 6.oppressed, exploited 7.talent, skill 8.(hidden/selfish) motive 9.cruel, wild, powerful 10.worshipping self-interest 11.much 12.arrangement 13.supporter, partisan 14.oppression and cruelty
Truth was getting defeated by falsehood in every field. The exploited and the oppressed went about shamed and bowed down. The skilled and talented were selfish and the powerful self-centred. The partisans of oppression were wealthy beyond bounds. Might was considered right.
3
kya Khuda ka Khauf1 kaisa jazba2-e hubb-e-vatan3
barsar4-e paikaar5 the aapas meN shaiKh o barhaman
baaGhbaaN jo the vo Khud the mahv6-e taKhreeb7-e chaman
alGharaz8 bigRi hui thi anjuman ki anjuman
mazhab-e iِnsaaniyat ka paasbaaN9 koi na tha
karvaaN laakhoN the mir10-e karvaaN koi na tha
1.fear 2.sentiment, emotion 3.love of homeland 4.engaged in 5.conflict 6.engrossed in 7.destruction 8.in summary 9.protector, caretaker 10.leader
There was no fear of god, no one cared about the homeland. The shaiKh and brahman were busy fighting each other. Gardeners themselves were engrossed in the destruction of the garden. All said and done, all social norms were crooked. There was none to take care of the (universal) faith of humanity. There were many caravans going in different directions but no (universal) leader.
4
rooh-e insaaN ne Khuda ke saamne faryaad1 ki
jo zamiN par ho raha tha sab bayaaN2 rudaad3 ki
aur kaha hadd ho chuki hai kufr4 ki, ilhaad5 ki
aek duniya muntazir6 hai aap ke irshaad7 ki
tab ye farmaaya Khuda ne sab ko samjhaauN ga maiN
aadmi ka roop8 dhaaran9 kar ke Khud aauN ga maiN
1.appeal, protest 2.describe, relate 3.story 4.evil 5.godlessness 6.waiting 7.command 8.shape 9.assume, put on
Human spirit/soul appealed to god and described all that was going on (in the world) and said that there was no limit to evil and godlessness. The world waits for your command, O, god. Then god replied, that he would solve problems, assume human shape and come himself to teach.
5
is tarha aaKhir hua nanak ka duniya meN zahoor1
farsh-e-talwanDi2 pe utra arsh3 se rabb-e-Ghafoor4
uTh gaya zulmat5 ka Dera baRha har samt6 noor
manba-e-anvaar7 se phaili shuaaeN8 duur duur
nayyar-e-taabaN9 ne aalam meN ujaala kar diya
aadmi ne aadmi ka bol baala kar diya
1.appearance, manifestation 2.land of talwanDi, nanak’s birthplace 3.sky, heaven 4.lord of redemption 5.darkness 6.direction 7.source of light 8.rays (of light) 9.brilliant sun
That is how nanak appeared in this world. The lord of redemption descended from heaven to the land to talwanDi. The domain of darkness was banished and light spread in every direction. From this source of light, rays spread out far and wide. The brilliant sun lit up the world. Humans began to celebrate humans.
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