Dear Gré and Dr. Gamard,
The transliteration and translation of the last line according to Kadkani’s notes on this ghazal are as follows:
Agar cherâgh* delî dân ke (Foruzânfar: dânk) râh-e khâne kojâst
If you have an illumined heart (like a lamp), you should know the way to the house
Vagar Khodâ Sefatî dân ke (Foruzanfar: dânk) kadkhodât manam
And if you have [acquired] the Divine qualities,** then you should know that I AM your Headman***
· * Kadkani’s reading of this word as “cheragh,” instead of “cheragh-e,” which changes the meaning to “the lamp of the heart,” is thoughtful.
· ** The one who by being annihilated in Truth (God) has gained immortality (eternal life) [in union] with the qualities of God (Kadkani’s comment). He then mentions some sources (including the Fîh-e mâ fîh) which have commented on the following saying (Hadîth) from the Holy Prophet: “Acquire God’s qualities.”
· *** Kadkhodâ is the headman of a village.
Behnaz
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Salaam,
I just learned that in two of the most authoritative Persian dictionaries, Burhân-e QâTi’ and Fargang-e Jahângîrî (both compiled in the 17th century by Iranians in India), one of the meanings of the word “kadkhoda” has been defined as “the owner of the house (kad: the house; khoda: the owner).” This way, the semantic relationship between the two parts of the last line becomes stronger. I humbly suggest the following translation:
If you have an illuminated heart, know the way that leads to the house
And if you have “Godlike attributes” (Arberry), know that I AM the Owner of your house.
Behnaz
This ancient story about the complex relationship between the perishable world and the its Divine Purpose appears in different versions in several spiritual traditions. Here it is presented with Hindu terminology and characters.
Narada was a devoted disciple. Her master Lord Krishna[1] was so pleased with her that one day while they were out walking together, Krishna said, “You may ask me whatever you want and I will grant it.” Since Narada was already quite illumined and wanted nothing for herself, she had to think for a while. Finally, she remembered that for all the breadth and depth of her spiritual experience there was one thing she had never understood.
“Lord, explain to me how you have become the cosmos, from the smallest atom to the greatest star. Tell me how in every being you hide yourself in countless forms, so that people never see that beneath all life there is only One. Show me how you hide yourself as many; tell me the secret of your Maya [illusion].”
The Lord Krishna smiled. The secret of Maya is the final riddle of existence. However, he had to say something for he had given his word. “All right, Narada, but first I am very thirsty; would you please bring me a glass of water?”
Narada set off under the burning tropical sky, towards the nearest village to get the water. The village was further away than it had looked. She grew hot and thirsty himself. She thought she would ask for two glasses of water. At the first house in the village she knocked, and a beautiful young man opened the door. At one glance from him, she forgot why she had come and blurted out, “Will you marry me?”
They married, had many children, and became wealthy, owning many fields and cattle. The years flew by; their children grew up, Narada was a respected matron and village leader. Then one day a terrible flood came, sweeping away everything—houses, cattle, and crops. All of her family was drowned. She lost everything, and at that moment she called out “Help me, Lord.” Immediately she saw Krishna before her, smiling. “Narada, where is my glass of water?” he asked. Then Narada remembered and fell at the feet of
the Lord who had answered her question.
[1] Krishna is one of the earthly incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu .Vishnu (the Preserver),Shiva (the Destroyer), and Brahma (the Creator) who are the three dimensions or attributes of the One God, the Supreme Being called Brahman.
Salaam,
• I was thrilled to find an mp3 of the ghazal. Has anyone a link to a transliteration? I hear 'Didn't I tell you' as 'Na guff ta mat'. Lovely, lovely reading. It's very 'stern' and the pounding of the 'I AM' — manam — is powerful.
Other questions:
• I find Abdulbaki Golpinarli's interpretation, presented by Dr. Gamard, fascinating and completely likely — that Maulana was simultaneously addressing his living disciples and his recently deceased disciple, Sultan Rokn al-din. Also, I find it a challenge to believe that a mystic of Maulana's stature would 'waste a word' and, what Dr. Gamard presented from F-912, seems not dissimilar to descriptions of death from other sources — e.g., the departure of Socrates in Plato's 'Phaedo'.
• In the third couplet, is there a term that substantiates Dr. Lewis's, "scheme and semblance". Would any others take the idea here to be we're pretty absorbed in the externals and Divine Reality — Truth — and Love are to be experienced thru Dhikr or Salah — i.e., that contentment is 'an inside job' and comes from turning to God in quiet contemplation?
• Dr. Gamard, I appreciated your translation of the first and ninth verses. Would you share your entire translation on the Board?
• I enjoyed the suggestion that the first line of the ninth verse might relate to the 'Light verse' in the Qur'an! And, honestly — and I understand this is not an Islamic view — believe Maulana may be referring to inner light, Divine light, that is experienced as the soul departs from the body. The first verses of the Gospel, according to Saint John, it says: "4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." My understanding is that consciousness, or spirit — soul — manifests as light.
• Could 'if' in verse nine be translated as 'since'? I.e., "Since your heart is illumined, you will know the way Home; and since you possess the Lord's qualities [—as in Genesis, made in the image of God—] you will know I AM the Lord of your Home. "
• I'd read somewhere that 'Khoda', etymologically means, 'He Himself comes'. Is that right? And somewhere online it says that the title, I guess you call it, Khodavandgar, used in Shams al din Mohammed Aflaki's, 'Feats...' means God-like one. Could someone break that down, please — like what does 'vandgar' mean?
• I relished the point made by Iljas that the 'haqiqa' of a Murshid-i Kamil's utterances are not grasped by sheer intellect. Also, I suspect, 'you'd have to have been there' — i.e., that the presence of such a Personage infuses his outpourings with clarity impossible, perhaps, for us to grasp without personal experience of his spiritual state or, is it, station.
• Please forgive any faux pas in my post as my background in Islam is truly nil.
• I also found the 'pick up' by Iljas of the use of opposites wonderful. Doesn't Maulana say we ONLY know by opposites — that you can't convey a message writing (with black ink) on black paper. I made a list for myself incorporating that of Iljas — 1. illusion, reality; transient, eternal; death, life. 2. out, in; departure; return; (descent; ascent). 3. external, internal; worldly, other worldly; creation, Creator. 4. wet, dry; sea, desert; in our 'element', out of our 'element; ocean of non-existence; existent drop/(fish); Creator, creature. 5. captured, released; confined, freed; 'grounded', liberated. 6. cold, hot; damped, ignited; apathetic, enthralled. 7. impure, pure; derivative, original; ugly, beautiful. 8. caused, uncaused; disordered, orderly; spatial, beyond space.
• Does anyone know the translator of a version that begins, "Didn't I tell you not to go to that place?" Oh, I Googled the line. It's Shahram Shiva's version. Please, any views on its accuracy? It does acknowledge the 'chief of the village' meaning of 'kadkhoda' that Behnaz kindly supplied from Dr. Kadkani's commentary.
• Khamush! Thanks deeply for any replies to any of these points and questions. Gré
On Monday, May 14, 2012 3:02:50 PM UTC-4, gré wrote:
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