The Ginan Gist – By Karim Maherali. Brief note about the raag (tune) by Aly Sunderji.
This is a lengthy Ginan which covers many aspects of our faith – importance and benefits of following the Imam of the time, the nature of the hereafter and the Day of Judgement, the role of the Imam as the intercessor and the assurance of protection and salvation under the Imam’s shelter. It also highlights some of the key principles, attitudes and values within the context of being detached from the world under the guidance of the Imam.
Swaami-ne saachu(n) karine sreviye
| Without music: Shamshu Bandali Haji | With music: Khursheed |
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Transliteration, Translation and Commentary
| Eji Swaami-ne saachu(n) karine sreviye to dukh daalidr jaay sarve dur paap jaayne pavitr thaay jo nirmal kari piyo Noor.. ..1 |
O momins! By considering the Imam to be true, be devoted to him. Then all your sorrows and (spiritual) poverty will disappear. Your sins will vanish and you will be purified, if you drink of the Nur having considered it as being pure.
Comment: the Nur (Light) here can signify Abe-sifa at the ritual level, or it can signify guidance of the Imam through his Farmans, Ginans and Qasidas. In either case what is required is the faith in its purity and its efficacy to transform one physically and spiritually.
| Eji Swaami-nu(n) naam reede thaki na visaariye ane duniya-naa(n) hirsaj vaariye eva chaar paalo ne paanch vaaro, to pavitr vasat savaariye.. ..2 |
O momins! Do not forget the name of the Imam in your heart and shun the greed and allurements of the world. Follow the four and shun the five, then you will adorn yourself with pure things.
Comment: The four refers to the four virtues – faith, truth, patience and remembrance. The five refers to the five evils – lust, anger, greed, pride and attraction for the illusion.
| Eji Najar naa(n) nirmal radeh naa(n) aachha ane trijo kharo visvaas evi karañi-e chaalsho to paamsho amaraapuri vaas.. ..3 |
O momins! Pure eyes and a clean heart; and thirdly staunch faith.If you act in such a manner, you will attain the abode in the eternal city – paradise.
| Eji Man-naa bandhaañ nav baandhiye ane kood kapat na kariye dil maa(n)he je nar nirbhe pura te ganje-aa kenaa(n) na ganjaay.. ..4 |
O momins! Do not be bound by the attachments of the mind (heart), and do not cherish deceit and fraud in your hearts. Whoever has acquired complete courage in this manner, does not fear anyone’s threats.
| Eji Kaam krodh moho trasna ane madh amal je koi vaarshe khamiya-naa khadang jene rade samaaña te thi kaljug haarshe.. ..5 |
O momins! The one who is successful in overcoming lust, anger, attraction for the illusion, and pride; and the one who has the sword of forgiveness in his heart will overcome the influence of time.
| Eji Sansaar saagar tame utrat muko ane moho machh vase jal maa(n)he khara maalam jaahaj maa(n)he, te uvaate kem jay.. ..6 |
O momins! In the ocean of this world, remain afloat (in the ship of the Right Path); for there are greedy and hungry fish submerged. If there is a competent captain on the ship, how can it go astray?
Comment: Remaining afloat implies being under the protection of the Imam from the snares and entrapments of materialism.
| Eji Je jiv namaskaari ne ginan roopi andar jot dilmaa(n) dhare Sami-naa gooñ jene radeh samaaña tene kaljug shu(n) kare.. ..7 |
O momins! The soul which is humble and wise, carries the Light in its heart. One who has guidance and praises of the Imam in his heart, what can the vagaries of time do to him/her.
| Eji Antkaale maaro koñ chhe maata ne koñ chhe pita ane samriye raghuraay kaaya nirmal to thaay jo dharam sakhaavat thaaye.. ..8 |
O momins! At the final moment of your life, who will be your mother and who will be your father? Hence, remember only the Imam. The body will be purified if there is religious charity (Dasond).
| Eji Anat karodna Sami lekha leshe ane leshe te mahaadan maa(n)he kidha kartav poochhshe jaare kaagal leshe Shahe.. ..9 |
O momins! The Lord of the countless crores will take account, and He will take it on the Great Day (the Day of Judgement). When the Imam will take out the Ledger, He will ask about the deeds done.
Comment: I crore = 10,000,000
| Eji Ek laakh ne chovis hajaar Maa(n)he payambar sardaar Nabi Muhammad araj karshe Saheb sooño fariyaad.. ..10 |
O momins! There have been a hundred and twenty four thousand Prophets. The leader of them, Prophet Muhammad will request: O Imam listen to our plea.
Comment: The number 124,000 is a figurative expression indicating that there have always been Prophets sent by Allah universally across space and time to guide mankind.
| Eji Sinter sohoso Hussaini milshe ane baar karod jamaat anat anat-naa tyaa(n) munivar milshe maara Sahebji-ne darbaar.. ..11 |
O momins! Seven hundred thousand Hussainis will meet, and the jamat of twelve crores of the liberated ones. There the believers of the countless (liberated ones) will gather at the court of the Imam.
Comment: The Hussainis mentioned are the followers of Imam Hussain or his progeny. Pir Sadardeen was responsible for the salvation of 12 crores. The countless liberated or to be liberated are under the authority of Pir Hasan Kabirdeen. The verse conveys a sense of a grand and festive gathering of elevated souls.
| Eji Goonegaari tyaa(n) ganj milse uñiyaachaari nu(n) ant na paar kidha kartap poochhse maara Sahebji-ne darbaar.. ..12 |
O momins! There all the sinners will meet, for there is no limit to the ones with without good deeds. In the court of the Imam, He will question the deeds done.
| Eji Adal mol jena aagal kahie te Saheb lese hisaab gupt goonaah tyaa(n) pragat thaayse ane saambhalshe sarve dev.. ..13 |
O momins! The Imam who upholds justice and equity, will take account. The hidden sins will be exposed there and all the spirits will listen.
| Eji Leta deta jeñe aap na raakhiyo ane chhal bhed chhande chaalse lekhu(n) deta je kuda padse tene baandhine narge chalaavshe.. ..14 |
O momins! Those who did not maintain the relationship of giving and taking, and instead engaged themselves in fraud and deceit; and the ones who will be proven to be false during the account-taking, will be tied up and taken to hell.
| Eji Maaru(n) maaru(n) kari ne dhan saanchaviyo ane chaalti vela-e kaa(n)i na aaviyo jivne saath dora dasi sarve chhodine lese jivdo chaalyo thaale haath.. ..15 |
O momins! The one who selfishly hoarded his wealth which did not accompany him at his time of departure, he left all the opulence behind and the soul departed empty handed.
| Eji Te jivno jamvaaro sarve ele gayo ane joog virodhya chaar Pirne vachane jeñe aap na shodhya te padiya ghor andhaar.. ..16 |
O momins! Such a soul’s entire life was wasted and the four ages passed away. Those who did not search within under the guidance of a Pir have fallen into utter darkness.
Comment: The four ages is symbolic of many past lives.
| Eji Te jivno aagal kevo havaal thaase ane koñ lese eni saar maaru(n) maaru(n) karine koñ raakhshe ane koñ karshe eni vaar.. ..17 |
O momins! What will be the condition of such a soul ahead, and who will take care of him? Who will look after him as a dear one, and who will support him?
| Eji Tyaa(n) nahi(n) koi maata ne nahi koi pita ane nahi(n) koi bheñ na bhai aapñi aapñi maa(n) sab koi padshe ane koi kenu(n) nahi thaay.. ..18 |
O momins! There there will be no mother nor father, nor sister nor brother. Everyone will be preoccupied with themselves, and no one will be available for anyone else.
| Eji Pir Sadardin, Pir Hasan Kabirdin kahe Sami liyo jiv gatni saar aakhar vela jaare aavshe taare Saheb thaaye asvaar.. ..19 |
O momins! Pir Sadardin and Pir Hasan Kabirdin entreat: O Imam! Take care of congregation of the souls. When the final moment arrives, the Imam will manifest.
| Eji Swaami umed maari ne aash karta ane joog virodhya chaar uña poora aashvanta Sami sarve langaaiye paar.. ..20 |
O Imam! It is my hope and four ages have passed in this hope. Those who are deficient (in their action), those who are perfect and those who are aspiring; O Imam! Take them all across to the other shore.
| Eji Pir Faajal Shah bando tamaaro ane Noor Shahni vaar umed dharta aasaj poti ne bhetiya tatav didaar.. ..21 |
O Imam! Sayyed Fazal Shah is your servant and it is his time for the Light of the Imam (spiritual enlightenment). He was aspiring and his wishes were fulfilled, and was bestowed with Deedar (Vision).
| Eji Swaami didaar taaro ne bhaagy maaro jo hove vaaro vaar aa dil vichaari ne maangiye, jo karam likhiya nilaad.. ..22 |
O Imam! The Deedar is yours and it is my good fortune, if it happens repeatedly. With such feeling and thought keep asking as if it were destined.
| Eji Chhaa(n)de moksh na paamiye ane bhiraante bhakti na hoy man mela man paak hoiye to didaar Shahka joy.. ..23 |
O momins! Salvation cannot be obtained through fraudulence and there cannot be worship with doubt. When an impure heart is purified, then the Deedar (Vision) is experienced.
| Eji Uñiachaari ne goonehgaari kood kapat je koi chhodshe sarag vaaso te paamshe je aadhin thai haath jodshe.. ..24 |
O momins! The ones who are lowly in their deeds and are sinful, if they shun evil and fraud, will attain the heavens if they adopt humility with hands folded.
| Eji Sami maaro evo chhe jevo chaakarino-re jaañ Sami-naa gooñ lai je rahe tene aape amraapuri thaam.. ..25 |
O momins! My Imam is of such a nature, that he is always caring. The ones who adopt his guidance, to them he grants the abode in the eternal city – paradise.
| Eji Swaami maaro evo chhe je kenu(n) na raakhe bhaar ek vaar Sami-ne aaliye to Sami aale so so vaar.. ..26 |
O momins! My Imam is of such a nature, that he does not keep anybody’s obligation. If you give him once, he returns a hundred, hundred times.
| Eji Sami maaro evo chhe jevo dhan karpine gher pelu(n) laine paachhi aale jem sudaama ni per.. ..27 |
O momins! My Imam is of such a nature, as is wealth in a miser’s house. He first takes and then returns, just as he dealt with Sudama.
Comment: To understand this verse it is important to know the background of the relationship between Sudama and Lord Krishna who was the Imam of the time.
Sudama was a boy from a poor family and as a child was a good friend of Lord Krishna. They used to play together..
Later on, Sudama gets married and has children and is in severe financial hardship. His wife repeatedly asks him to go to Lord Krishna who was the King at that time and to seek his help for old times sake. Finally he agrees to go but what can he take with him as nazrana (gift) as he had not seen his friend for a long time. They had nothing of any value in the house so finally his wife prepares a dish made from the husk of rice probably the cheapest item possible to prepare and ties it in a cloth and sends it with him.
When Sudama reaches the Palace he is overwhelmed by its majesty and splendor. He was about to turn back when Krishna spots him and recognizes him and invites him into his home. Lord Krishna asks Rukhmini his wife to wash Sudama’s feet and asks Sudama what he has brought for him.
Now Sudama is very ashamed at having brought the pauva (rice husk dish) for a King so he tries to hide it. Lord Krishna notices Sudama trying to hide something and grabs it. Lord Krishna opens the cloth and is overjoyed at seeing the pauva and starts to eat it . He takes one bite then the second bite but at the third bite Rukhmini grabs his hand and doesn’t let Lord Krishna eat the third bite.
Well Sudama is quite ashamed to ask for anything else and Krishna keeps asking him to stay a little longer and longer. Finally a few weeks later, Sudama asks for Lord Krishna’s leave. Sudama is kind of worried about what he will tell his wife. He was too ashamed to ask for anything and is returning empty handed. When he reaches his own home, instead of a hut he sees a huge majestic palace-like home of someone very wealthy. He is again confused when his wife comes out to receive him and says this was a gift from Lord Krishna.
| Eji Sami Draupati ni laja raakhi jyaare dukh padiya re shareer pelo paato sambhaariyo ane pachhi puriya chir.. ..28 |
O momins! The Imam maintained the honor of Dhraupati, when she was about to be raped and harassed. At first he remembered the bandage and then he provided her with unlimited clothing.
Comment: Sati (Pious) Dhraupati was a very staunch devotee of Lord Krishna. At one time, Lord Krishna cut his finger and the Sati provided him with a bandage. Later on, when the Sati was about to be harassed by the Korwas, the enemies of the Pandwas, Lord Krishna, through his powers provides her with unlimited clothing. (See the image)
| Eji Sami bahaar jaataa(n) ne gher paaiye Sami jaaher vase ghat maa(n)he je maa(n)ge te aal Sami ne, paachhu(n) ma raakhish kaa(n)y.. ..29 |
O momins! My Imam is in the house of the ones who seek him outside. The Imam is present and residing in the heart. Give the Imam whatever he asks for and do not retain anything behind.
| Eji Sami taaro koñ chhe maata ne koñ chhe pita Sami taaro Noor maa(n)he chhe thaam Noor sakhaavat ek chhe Sami-e bahu dharaavya naam.. ..30 |
O Imam! Who is your mother and who is your father? O Imam! Your abode is in the Light. The generosity of the Light is one, the Imam has adopted many names.
| Eji Chaar joog ne das avtaar Gur bhirma-ji saathe hua tetris karod jeñe dev thaapiya ane sitoter paatr.. ..31 |
O momins! During the four ages and the period of Das Avtar (Ten Manifestations), the Creator Guide (Gur Bhrama) was together with the Imam. Thirty three crores were established along with the seventy seven manifestations.
Comments: The thirty three crores represent the number of souls that attained salvation during the four ages and seventy seven is a figurative expression of the continuous chain of Imamat during the four ages. The four ages being Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dwapur Yuga and Kali Yuga.
| Eji Gur Bhirma-ji kahe tame sooño munivaro Sami-ne srevo man dhradh kari jo ahi(n)ya desho to aagal lesho tame adhira kaa(n)y thaao veer.. ..32 |
O momins! The Gur Bhrama says: Listen O believers, serve and worship the Imam with conviction of the heart. If you give here. you will collect there. Why are you being impatient, O courageous ones.
| Eji Sami tamej Sami ne tame-j Bhirma avar na dujaahi re koi Pir bhañe Sadardin kahe Pir Hasan Kabirdin evo ginan vichaari ne joy.. ..33 |
O Imam! You are the Lord and you are the Creator, and there is none other than you. Pir Sadardin teaches and Pir Hasan Kabirdin says thus having reflected upon the Ginan (Divine Wisdom and Knowledge) and observed.
Comment: Here 2 Pirs are confirming the supreme nature, status and the authority of the Imam
A brief note about the raag (tune) aspect by Aly Sunderji
The ginan Swaamine Saachu(n) Karine Sreviye is set in Raag Mishr Kaafi, Raag Kaafi is traditionally sung in the second prahar of the night (9 PM – 12 AM)the notes used are – Aaroh: SRgMPDnS SnDPMgRS (komal gandhaar and nishaad). Although this is a ginan of instruction and direction, it has an overall feel of both romance and devotion. This ginan is a “Jodilo” ginan, there are several other ginans in this same tune, most commonly known is Moman Mahaadan Aavshe, Ho Ho Karta Hoi Gaya, Roj Kayaamat Dahaado.
In the 1954 Gujarati publication “Mahaan Ismaili Dharmaprachaarak Saiyad Imam Shah ane Bija Sattaadhaari Saiyado Rachit Ginano no Sangrah” by Mukhi Laljibhai Devraj, there are well over 50 jodila ginans, all in this same tune.
Ismailimail 
Kindly correct where you have written 125,000 prophets, it’s 124,000. Need correction in written form too
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