ROZ EK SHER

[Manish Modi]

झूटी सारी सरहदें धोका हर तक़सीम

दिल्ली से लाहौर तक कड़वे सारे नीम

~ निदा फ़ाज़ली

جھوٹی  سا ری سرحدیں دھوکہ ہر تقسیم

 دہلی سے لاہور تک کڑوے سارے نیم

ندا فاضلی ~

jhuutii saarii sarhadein dhokaa har taqsiim

Delhi se Lahore tak kadve saare niim

~ Nida Fazli

All boundaries are superficial, each division based on deceit

From Delhi to Lahore, neem is bitter wherever you go

Reflection

What a beautiful couplet! And so reassuring in its rightness.

Boundaries that divide nations and people are manmade. They were drawn for political reasons. Not to help people but to divide them on the lines of race, religion, ethnicity, mother-tongue, etc. To subjugate them. Because people who refuse to hate on demand are dangerous to regimes. 

Rulers want subjects who cannot think for themselves. What better way to rule over people than to divide them in such a manner that they keep fighting with each other perpetually?

Wherever you go, a neem plant tastes bitter. There are good and bad people everywhere. Unfortunately, bad people outnumber and outshout good people. Each nation, each community has its share of bigots and intolerant people. There is no group of humans where everyone is a saint. Or everyone a sinner. These frailties are common to the human race.

When we dislike a nation or a group of people, we only see the bad amongst them. The good amongst them slip under our radar. Similarly, we tend to forget/choose to ignore the bad amongst us.

Yes, some societies are better administered and have better law and order systems than others. Some societies have better education and healthcare than others. Some societies have more wealth than others. But there is no society which is perfect. Each society has its share of sinners.

Those who have a firm conviction in Dharma know that there is no injustice in this world. The law of karma is infinitely fair. Whatever happens to us is a reflection of our own past deeds. So let us not smear any group of people collectively as being good or bad. Guilt by association is only for bigots. The human race is not homogeneous. Each person is independent and should not be subjected to sweeping generalisations. 

Let us embrace all living beings in the true spirit of universal friendship, infinite compassion and imperturbable equanimity, delighting in good qualities wherever we find them. 

–––––––

Urdu couplet by Nida Fazli
Courtesy Nida Fazli

English translation and reflection by Manish Modi

[Manish Modi]

यह इश्क़ नहीं आसां इतना ही समझ लीजे

इक आग का दरिया है और डूब के जाना है

~ जिगर मुरादाबादी 

یہ عشق نہیں آساں اتنا ہی سمجھ لیجے 

اک آگ کا دریا ہے اور ڈوب کے جانا ہے 

~ جگر مرادآبادی 

yeh ishq nahiin aasaan itna hii samajh liije

ik aag ka dariyaa hai aur duub ke jaanaa hai

~ Jigar Muradabadi

Understand only this, that love is never easy

It is a river of fire one has to drown in, to cross it

Reflection

What a marvellous sher! 

Love is demanding and extracts a heavy price. In the best of situations, one has to invest emotions, time and energy, and sacrifice peace of mind. In unfavourable circumstances, love really seems like drowning in a river of fire. 

Love does not encourage window shopping. It demands commitment. It expects its disciples to see things through. Those who run away at the first glimpse of danger are not there for the long haul. They haven’t loved. 

Love can take any form. It could be ishq-e-majaazii {worldly love} or ishq-e-haqiiqii {love of the divine}. 

Ishq-e-majaazii increases the soul’s wandering in samsāra.

Ishq-e-haqiiqii curtails the soul’s wandering and helps it attain apotheosis. 

Whichever form it takes, it requires strength of character. Love is not for the faint-hearted. 

_____

Urdu couplet by Jigar Muradabadi

Courtesy Yogesh Pawar

🙏🏻🇮🇳