Search This Blog

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Inseperable Form

The Bhai Randhir Singh whom most associate with is the great freedom fighter, a revolutionary, someone who sacrificed decades sitting behind bars engrossed in Naam and Bani. Some see him as the one who inspired Bhagat Singh and countless others, even today. He’s remembered as the premier scholar, the golden bird of the Panth, the athority on practical Gurmat through hsi own experiences explained through Gurbani. He was all this and a lot more.

But to truly understand Bhai Sahib, the best way is to rely on his two volumes of poetry- first hand, direct, untouched, unaltered just the way he witnessed everything. Only through his poetic works one realizes the full force of Bhai sahib’s experiences. There really isn’t anything else out there that can even remotely match up with Joyt Vigass. It’s unfortunate it has very limited mainstream exposure. I too didn't realize this until a few years ago until i read Joyt Vigass and actually understood parts of it.
-----------------------------------
Bhai Randheer Singh Jee wrote this poem on November 2, 1933 for Guru Nanak Dev Jee’s Parkash celebratins. Each time there was a major Smagam coinciding with a historic day he would write a poem and send it out as an invitation. 24 such masterpieces are compiled in the anthology known as 'Darshan Jhalkaa(n){ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਝਲਕਾਂ}

Bhai Sahib uses a wide range of stylistic measures for the different poems. The image of Guru Sahibs and Akhal Purkh is depicted very vividly across all the works in this collection. His poetry is very deep compared to many other Punjabi poets, mostly because the lines embody deep spirituality within them, the way he felt it. Reading his poetry leads one to experiences a source of bliss that no other poem even comes close. Listening to this poetry has a stange calming effect, but if one understands what he wrote it suddenly becomes clear what Bhai Sahib was about.

The Gurmat-based approach to word choice is strikingly unique compared to any other modern poet becuase he embodies only words used in Shri Guru Granth Sahib Jee. There hasn’t been anyone else who’s been able to freely use Gurbani termnology in verse flawlessly with surprising frequency. It's with this recurrent use which shows his clear understanding of GUrbani resulting in the captivating effect it has on the reader.

Bhai Sahib employs the Kabit meter throughout this whole poem, similar in poetic measure to Bhai Gurdass Jee’s Kabit Swayeeai. These are the last 2 of 7 verses from poem 3 titled
'ਟਕਸਾਲ ਵਾਲੇ ਮੋਦੀਆ':

ਨਰਦ ਨਿਹਾਰ ਨਿਸਤਾਰਿਆ ਜਗਤ ਸਾਰਾ,
ਭਗਤਿ ਵਿਥਾਰ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਕਰਤਾਰ ਦੀ।
ਨਾਮ ਪਰਸਿੱਧ ਤੇਰਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰੀ,
ਮੂਰਤ ਪ੍ਰਤਖ ਤੂੰ ਅਲੱਖ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਦੀ।
ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਕਾਲ ਨੂਰ ਤੇਜਸੀ ਜਲਾਲ ਕ੍ਰਾਂਤ,
ਸਾਂਤਕੀ ਕਮਾਲ ਕਣੀ ਜਲਵ ਜੋਤਾਰ ਦੀ।
ਜਲਵ ਜੋਤਾਰ ਝਲਕਾਰ ਦੀ ਅਮਿੱਤ ਗੱਤਿ,
ਮਹਿਮਾ ਅਪਾਰ ਤੇਰੇ ਦਿੱਬ ਦਰਸਾਰ ਦੀ।੬।

ਦਿਬ ਦਰਸਾਰੀ ਦਿਬ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਟ ਨਿਗਾਰੀ ਜਨ,
ਲੱਖਨ ਪਿਖਨ ਤੇਰੀ ਤੱਤ ਜੋਤਿ ਮੂਰਤੀ।
ਮੂਰਤੀ ਅਨੂਪ ਰੂਪ ਬਿਸਮ ਸਰੂਪ ਇਕ,
ਜੋਤਿ ਆਭਾ ਅਨਿਕ ਉਦੋਤ ਤੇਰੀ ਮੂਰਤੀ।
ਅਨਿਕ ਉਦੋਤ ਆਭਾ ਅਛਿਤ ਅਛੋਤ, ਦਸ,
ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ਯ ਇਕ ਜੋਤਿ ਓਤ ਪੋਤ ਤੇਰੀ ਮੂਰਤੀ।
ਅਨੰਗ ਤੇ ਅਭੰਗ ਤੂੰ ਅਭੇਦ ਹਰਿ ਸੰਗ,
ੲਕ ਮਿੱਕ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਅਦੋਤ ਤੇਰੀ ਮੂਰਤੀ।੭।


Although it’s impossible to even attempt to accurately decipher this into English and nothing except the original can do justice to the verse, a rough translation of the two quatrains is given below anyway:

With one glance the Guru liberated humanity, through the Creator’s Name.
Your name is famous savior, your Godly image clearly visible, yet unseen.
The timeless image radiates bright with force, light of peaceful splendor.
The glittering flash sparkles abound, your image radiates with infinite greatness.(6)

Glimpses of your piercing eyes, I see and understand the true light.
Your unequaled image is astonishing, brings luminosity shining.
Immeasurable radiance blossoms forth-complete, 1 is in all 10 forms.
Gorgeous, indestructible, inseparable, one with God is Guru Nanak.(7)

No comments:

Post a Comment