Transliteration and Translation:
Eji Mein waari waari Satgoor ton balihaari, mein saari waari Mursheed ton balihaari
O brother! I dedicate myself entirely to my True Guide; I surrender completely to my Spiritual Teacher.
Eji Amlan-vaale lang lang jaanddhe; Mein rahegayi avagun haari
O brother! Those who have practiced virtue have found salvation, but I remain entangled in the cycles of worldly existence, consumed by my faults.
Eji Oonche oonche tere koovain wagande Mein nivi nivi hogayi nimaanni
O brother! Your sumps are abundant and high in water, while I, in my humility, find myself impoverished.
Eji Ek ek daalipe teen fal lagde Jaaifal long sopaari
O brother! Each branch yields three different fruits: nutmeg, cloves, and betel nuts.
Eji Long te sab Shahji ne chun laayi Jaaifal legaya bepaari
O brother! The Master has chosen cloves, and the merchant has taken nutmeg.
Eji Change change phal te Shahji legayi Baaki rahegayai sepaari
O brother! The Master has chosen the best fruits, leaving behind only betel nuts.
Eji Aisa anokha kaljoog aaya Beta na maane maan di
O brother! Such a unique era has dawned, where a son disrespects his own mother.
Eji Aiso ginan Pir gofte Hasan Shah Swami Raja karo aswaari
O brother! Pir Hasan Shah conveys this unique knowledge; Oh my Imam, hasten the arrival of Ashwari.
Ginan: Mein Waari waari Rendition by Nazia Amin Muhammad
Commentary:
In Ismaili tradition, the act of offering something to the Imam signifies a profound expression of love and devotion from a murid to their Murshid. This offering, or oblation, takes diverse forms—it could be wealth, time, or even one’s life, all dedicated to the cause and protection of faith and devotion to the Imam. Throughout Ismaili history, devoted dais have exemplified this sacrificial spirit, willingly sacrificing their lives for their faith.
The life of a Pir or a Dai was uniquely defined by this complete devotion. They dedicated their entire existence to the service of the Imam and the cause of their faith. This distinction sets them apart from the rest of the world, where individuals are often entangled in worldly affairs. Today, the nature of sacrifice has transformed, but its essence remains unchanged. Present-day obligations call for offerings in the form of knowledge and time. Ismailis are tasked with contributing voluntary services and engaging in charitable endeavors, embodying a constant expression of service to humanity.
The core philosophy guiding the lives of Ismailis, both individually and collectively, is eloquently encapsulated in a quote by Mawlana Hazar Imam: “We are trustees of God’s creation, and we are instructed to seek to leave the world a better place than it was when we came into it… And that ‘better place’, in physical terms, clearly means trying to bring values into environments, buildings, and contexts, which make the quality of life better for future generations than it is today” (Interview by Robert Ivy, Aiglemont, August 31, 2001).
Pir Hasan Shah goes further into the spiritual journey, emphasizing the purification of the soul through constant remembrance of the Lord, diligent adherence to religious duties, and continuous efforts to enhance one’s conduct. The concept of rebirth, metaphorically speaking, denotes the transformative process. Those who practice virtues and abstain from sins can attain the bliss of ma’rifa, a symbolic representation of entering paradise within Sufi mysticism. However, this bliss is not eternal. The mystic can regress if they deviate from the true path or succumb to sin. Spiritual progress and associated ecstatic experiences are contingent upon an individual’s conduct in their material life and their consistent adherence to the exoteric practices and religious obligations outlined in shariah and tariqah.
Pir Hasan Shah employs powerful symbolism to depict varying levels of spiritual progress within the community. The analogy of spices—jaefal, long, and supari—represents different types of momins within the tariqa. Jaefal, with its intense fragrance, symbolizes the chosen ones who have attained the stages of ma’rifa, signifying a spiritual union with their Murshid, the Imam of the time. Cloves, with a lesser fragrance, represent those with weaker iman, easily swayed by worldly attachments and illusions. Their spiritual progress is hindered by worldly desires. While they may succeed in worldly pursuits akin to traders, they remain distant from spiritual progress. It’s crucial to note that Ismaili teachings do not discourage engagement with worldly affairs. Instead, work is viewed as another form of worship when performed in the spirit of service to humanity and balanced with spiritual life. The balance between deen and dunia, however, is essential. If a believer forsakes their spiritual life for worldly pursuits, they align themselves with those Pir Hasan Shah refers to as ‘taken by the trader.’
Betel nuts (supari), with their weak fragrance, symbolize individuals who fall between the chosen ones and the worldly-oriented. They are neither as fortunate as the chosen ones nor as ensnared by greed as the traders. Through dedicated religious practice and constant contemplation, they can achieve spiritual union with the Imam, although they must strive diligently for it.
These categories of believers, as per Ismaili thought, find their place in dawr-e-satr. The first category of murids dwells in a state of paradise, having direct spiritual access to the knowledge of the Imam of the time. They experience the ecstasy and enlightenment associated with ma’rifa. The second category consists of those trapped in a state of spiritual darkness due to illusions and worldly attachments. While they recognize the Imam of the time, they lack access to the spiritual status of the Imam, remaining distant from the spiritual pleasures enjoyed by those in the stage of ma’rifa. The third category comprises individuals who recognize the Imam but require the consistent practice of Shariah and Tariqa rituals to gain spiritual knowledge through the mediation of the Imam.
According to ginanic texts, Kalyug represents the present era, marked by evil, oppression, and tyranny. Humanity is steeped in sin, and the world languishes in darkness. The ginanic prophecies foretell the end of this period of darkness, signified by the Holy Imam’s arrival with ‘ashwari.’ This heralds the dawn of a new era characterized by light, knowledge, and liberation, referred to as ‘dawr-e-kashf.’ ‘Ashwari’ symbolizes the Holy Imam leading the world toward an age of enlightenment, unification, and global civilization. This vision resonates with the well-known hadith of the Prophet Muhammad:
“If only one day of this time (world) remained, Allah would raise up a man from my family who would fill this earth with justice as it has been filled with oppression.” (Sunan Abi Dawud 4283I, Book 38, Hadith 5).
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