The Ginan Gist – By Karim Maherali. Brief note about the raag (tune) by Aly Sunderji.
This Ginan highlights the importance of attaining the Vision of the Lord (Darshan) without which life is an agony vulnerable to the forces of materialism as symbolized by a fish writhing in pain outside water at the mercy of a fisherman. Mira Sayid Khan who composed this Ginan and who succeeded in attaining the Vision himself, describes the attitudes that are required to attain success in the search for it. These are the cultivation of the thirst for the Darshan through the inner quest, constant supplication for grace and mercy, single-minded and focused remembrance of the name of the Imam and elimination of material attachments thus, need to distinguish selfless love from selfish love, total annihilation of one’s ego, sacrifice of the most cherished items to the Imam and the attitude of total humility and surrender as symbolized by the handmaiden. Finally he affirms that the best mode of existence is that which is wholly dedicated to the love and obedience to the Imam.
Hu(n) re piyaasi piya tere darshanki
| Without music: Aly Sunderji | With music: Taufiq Karmali |
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Transliteration & Translation:
Eji Hu(n) re piyaasi piya tere darshanki
Aash puraavo piya more manki
Hu(n) re piyaasi aash tori
Tu(n) chinta mori kyu(n) naa karo
Khijmat khaas khavaas tori
Rutha saajan kiyu(n) feero ji.. ..1
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I thirst, o Beloved, for a vision of You. Fulfill, o Beloved, the hope of my heart. I thirst in hope of You, so why have You no care for me? You receive most special service, so why, dear Friend, do You turn away in anger?
Eji Soono mere kanth kahya mera kije
Mooj naarisu(n) abola iyu(n) na rahije
Karo karo kanth kahya hamera
Ham dukhi re doheliya
Soorijan man-ni aash puro
To ham sukhi re soheliya ji.. ..2
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Listen, my Consort, and do as I say. Do not remain so aloof from me, your wife. Do, my Consort, do as I say, for I am wretched and sorrowful. Lord, fulfill the hope of my heart, then I shall be glad and joyful.
Eji Jal bin machhali so piya bin kyu(n) raheve
Piyaji-ke kaarñe so jivda deve
Jal bina machhali hui akeli
Dekhe kyu(n) tarfad mare
Tadfad koode kuchhu na chaale
Meher maachhi na kare ji.. ..3
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Look at the fish out of water. How can it live without the Beloved? For the Beloved’s sake it offers its life. Out of water the fish is lonely: see how it twitches in death. But its writhing and leaping are of no avail, and the fisherman shows it no mercy.
Eji Joothi re preet bhamarki kahiye
Piyaji-ka darshan iyu(n) nav laiye
Joothi re preet bhamarki kahiye
Jo kaliyaa(n) kaliyaa(n) ras let hay
Tem kiriya-na hiña gaafal andha
So piya par jiv na det hay ji.. ..4
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False love, one may say, is like the bee’s. The vision of the Beloved is not attained in this way. False love, one may say, is like the bee’s, who takes nectar from one bud after another. Such are those without good deeds, the heedless and blind, who do not sacrifice their lives to the Beloved.
Eji Saachi re preet patangki kahiye
Piya-ji-ka darshan iyu(n) kar laiye
Saachi re preet patangki kahiye
Jo ulat ulat ang det hay
Ek deepak kere kaarñe
So ka(n)i patang jiv det hay ji.. ..5
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True love, one may say, is like the moth’s, for thus is the vision of the Beloved attained. True love, one may say, is like the moth’s, who tumbles down to sacrifice its body. For the sake of a single lamp, many moths sacrifice their lives.
Eji Ham re piya par sab-hi vaariya
Piya mukh dije vasat piyaariya
Eva vaar fer utaar daalo
Kuchhuk bolña man dharo
Daya karine Sami raakho amne
Eva veñ maara chint dharo ji.. ..6
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Let all be sacrificed to my Beloved, for everything that is dear should be offered to Him. Get rid of this delay and prevarication, and decide to say something at least. Be merciful, o Master, and preserve me, and pay attention to these words of mine.
Eji Didaari hove so esa chahaave
Sahebji-ku(n) chhod kar orku(n) na dhiyaave
Didaari hoy so dil baandhe
Din-din adka neh dhare
Ek man ho kar naam leve
Piyuka darshan so kare ji.. ..7
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He who desires the vision should wish not to pay attention to anything other than the Master. He who would have the vision attaches his heart to Him, increasing his love day by day. Through invoking His name in singleness of mind, he achieves the vision of the Beloved.
Eji Yatim daasisu(n) esa na kije
Maara avagooñ hoy so gooñ kari lije
Hu(n) re apraadhañ daasi tori
Tu(n) chinta mori kiyu(n) na karo
Maara avagooñ hoy to gooñ karo Sami
Eva veñ maara chint dharo ji.. ..8
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Do not behave thus to this orphan handmaiden. If I have faults, then make them virtues. Though a sinner, I am Your humble slave. Why do You not care for me? If I have faults, then make them virtues, o Master, and pay attention to these words of mine.
Eji Nahi kuchh hove so daasi kahaave
Apne Sahebji-ku(n) esa bhaave
Nahi kuchh hove so daasi kahaave
Nit uth adka neh dhare
Ek man ho kar naam leve
Iyu(n) kari jaalo deh re ji.. ..9
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It is by becoming nothing that one is called a handmaiden. Thus one pleases the Master. It is by becoming nothing that one is called a handmaiden, ever arising to increase her love. Through invoking His name in singleness of mind, this is how you should destroy bodily attachments.
Eji Ek man thai Sahebji-su(n) rahiye
Hetesu(n) rang esa lahiye
Hek man thai rahiye Sahebji-su(n)
Chaaho ghañero kijiye
Prem upar shish deve
To piya-ka darshan so kare ji.. ..10
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Through becoming single in mind, dwell with the Master. Through love, such joys are attained. Through becoming single in mind, dwell with the Master, and feel intense love. He who sacrifices his head for love attains the vision of the Beloved.
Eji Prem tantav jesa na dekhu(n) koi
Saheb reeze kariye bi sohi
Preme mohiya je moova
Teno bhalo jiviyo sansaar re
Kartav aachha kijiye
To Saheb langaave paar ji.. ..11
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I see no reality to match that of love. Do that which pleases the Master. Those who die in devotion to love live their existence well. If you perform good deeds, the Master will deliver you.
Eji Ham goonehgaar banda bi tera
Saar karo Saheb mori sreva
Saar kidhi Sahebji-e mori
Rang raliya karo saaheliya
Narne parsaade Miraa(n) bhañe Sayyid Khaan
Bhaaga te dukh doheliya ji.. ..12
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I am Your sinful creature. Take notice of me soon, o Master. My Master has noticed me, so rejoice, my friends. Through the grace of the Great One, Mira Sayyid Khan says: all sorrows and miseries have been put to flight.
The translation is taken from Zawahir Moir’s Ismaili Hymns.
A Brief Note on the Raag (Tune) Aspect by Aly Sunderji
The above venti is based in Raag Bhairavi, in my eyes, this is one of the most emotional raags there are, because it has all komal (flat) notes, SrgMPdnSthe technique of touching these komal notes is what creates unexplainable emotions, Bhairavi is traditionally sung at the end of a concert. Traditionally in the Mewati Gharana (the gharana or musical lineage in which I belong) we would start a concert with Raag Bhairav (that is an attribute of Shiv Bhagwan) and end the concert with Bhairavi (that is another name for Parvati) generally speaking, when one hears Raag Bhairavi being sung in a concert, it means that the concert is now coming to an end. Due to the emotions that are evoked with all the komal notes in Bhairavi, it simply is not fair to follow a Bhairavi piece with anything else other than Bhairavi, no matter what raag you hear after, it will always pale to the emotions expressed in Bhairavi.
Ginan Series – By Karim Maherali
Ismailimail 