Ḍholā ādmī baṇ āiā
The beloved came in human form
Two ways into the same verse. Tap a line to find its echo.
You are gazelle and leopard, the rush of the hunt itself.
आपे आहू आपे चीता, आपे मारन धाइआ,
You are lord and bondman; you sell yourself in the market.
आपे साहब आपे बरदा, आपे मुल्ल विकाइआ,
The beloved came in human form.
ढोला आदमी बण आया ।
Now riding an elephant, now wandering with bowl and staff.
कदी हाथी ते असवार होया, कदी ठूठा डांग भुवाइआ,
Ascetic, yogi, pleasure-seeker: the player made his parts.
कदी रावल जोगी भोगी हो के, सांगी सांग बणाइआ,
The beloved came in human form.
ढोला आदमी बण आया ।
What a game the showman played—he danced me like a doll.
बाज़ीगर क्या बाज़ी खेली, मैनूं पुतली वांग नचाइआ,
I dance the beat my beloved taught, its movement and its measure.
मैं उस पड़ताली नचना हां, जिस गत मित यार लखाइआ,
The beloved came in human form.
ढोला आदमी बण आया ।
Abel and Cain were Adam's sons; whose son was Adam?
हाबील काबील आदम दे जाए, आदम किस दा जाइआ,
Bullah was there before them, cradling grandfather on his knee.
बुल्ल्हा उन्हां तों भी अग्गे आहा, दादा गोद खिडाइआ,
The beloved came in human form.
ढोला आदमी बण आया ।
Another reading.
पाठ-भेद
The Lord came in human form.
मौला आदमी बण आया
A diamond found within the clay,
माटी विचों हीरा लद्धा,
and milk amid the dung. Refrain.
गोबर महं दुद्ध पाइआ ।रहाउ।
Camels were tethered, row on row;
सभो ऊठ कतारीं बद्धे
he tended Dhanna's herd.
धन्ने दा वग्ग चराइआ ।
Our feast he will not take,
साडी भाजी लेवे नाहीं
yet Vidur's greens filled him.
बिदर दे साग अघाइआ ।
Here he rides an elephant;
कहूं हाथी असवार होया,
there he bears his bowl of bhang.
कहूं ठूठा भांग भुवाइआ ।
Ascetic, yogi, pleasure-seeker;
कहूं रावल जोगी भोगी
elsewhere, a player in disguise.
कहूं सवांगी सवांग रचाइआ ।
He is gazelle and leopard;
आपे आहू आपे चीता
he rushes to the kill.
आपे मारन धाइआ ।
He is lord and bondman;
आपे साहब आपे बरदा
he sells himself for a price.
आपे मुल्ल विकाइआ ।
What a game the showman played:
बाज़ीगर क्या बाज़ी खेली
he danced me like a doll.
पुतली वांग नचाया ।
I dance that very beat
मैं उस पड़ताली नच्चना हां
whose ways my beloved revealed.
जिस गत मत यार लखाया ।
Abel and Cain were Adam's sons;
हाबील काबील आदम दे जाए
and whose son was Adam?
ते आदम कैं दा जाइआ ?
Bullah was before them all,
बुल्ल्हा सभना थीं अगै आहा
and showed grandfather cradled on his knee.
जिन दादा गोदि दिखाइआ ।
