بُلّھے شاہBULLEH SHAHTHE LIVING VERSE
FROM THE WORDS OF BULLEH SHAH

Gall raule lokān pāī e

People have lost the matter in noise

Two ways into the same verse. Tap a line to find its echo.

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

Heart, speak truth—why fear? Follow where truth leads.

सच्च आख मना क्यों डरना एं, इस सच्च पिच्छे तूं तुरना एं,

Truth builds a lasting home; wondrous is its coming.

सच्च सदा आबादी करना एं, सच्च वसत अचंभा आई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

The priest frightens his patrons with ancestral curses and fear.

बाहमण आण जजमान डराए, पित्तर पीड़ दस्स भरम दुड़ाए,

He names the cure, directs the rites, and sets worship going.

आपे दस्स के जतन कराए, पूजा शुरू कराई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

“Your son is under a curse: bring sugar, rice and cloth.”

पुत्तर तुसां दे उपर पीड़ा, गुड़ चावल मनायो लीड़ा,

“Take the thread, lift the burden”; at once the ritual sip.

जंजू पायो लाहो बीड़ा, चुल्ली तुरत पवाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

“The curse will not go cheaply: cash, pots, a cow.”

पीड़ नहीं ऐवें निकलण लग्गी, रोक रुपईआ भांडे ढग्गी,

“A brown cow, never white”—Bullah, see the tale they weave.

होवे लाखी दुरस्सत ना बग्गी, बुल्ल्हा इह बात बणाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

First they made Mother Chandi for all the world to worship.

पिरथम चंडी मात बणाई, जिस नूं पूजे सरब लोकाई,

They cut the basket, formed the bridal train; the litter swayed along.

पाछी वढ्ढ के जंज चढ़ाई, डोली ठुम ठुम आई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

Forgetting God, they make their images divine and bow before them,

भुल्ल ख़ुदा नूं जाण ख़ुदाई, बुत्तां अग्गे सीस निवाई,

carved by their own hands, without a trace of shame.

जिहड़े घड़ के आप बणाई, शरम रता ना आई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

See Mother Tulsi made and wed to the sacred stone.

वेखो तुलसी मात बणाई, सालगरामी संग परनाई,

Laughing, they lift the litter: new fathers, brothers, sons by marriage.

हस्स हस्स डोली चा चढ़ाई, साला सहुरा बणे जवाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

They marry daughters, sisters, and veil their own affairs.

धीआं भैणां सभ व्याहवण, परदे आपने आप कजावण,

Bulleh Shah, what can they say? Who ever married off his mother?

बुल्ल्हा शाह की आखण आवण, ना मात किसे व्याही ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

God is nearer than the neck's vein; people spin endless quarrels.

शाह रग थीं रब्ब दिसदा नेड़े, लोकां पाए लंमे झेड़े,

Who can end their strife? Their lives run out in running.

वां के झगड़े कौण नबेड़े, भज्ज भज्ज उमर गवाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

Tree and garden are not apart; servant and Lord take woman's form.

बिरछ बाग़ विच नहीं जुदाई, बन्दा रब्ब तीवीं बण आई,

She bloomed in the hush before dawn and swept division away.

पिछले सोते ते खिड़ आई, दुबिधा आण मिटाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

Bullah, he lost himself, then shut himself in lonely vigils.

बुल्ल्हा आपे भुल्ल भुलाइआ ए आपे चिल्लिआं विच दबाइआ ए,

He himself cried out: “No separation lives in me.”

आपे होका दे सुणाइआ ए मुझ में भेत ना काई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

Hot and cold, the body shivers, its face dark with distress.

गरम सरद हो जिस नूं पाला, हरकत कीता चेहरा काला,

They call him well—bring medicine for this!

तिस नूं आखण जी सुखाला, इस दी करो दवाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

Eyes burn, they say it has come; mothers arrive, thinking of linseed.

अक्खियां पक्कियां आखण आईआं, अलसी समझ के आउनी माईआ,

They forget the master himself and seek a shrine for healing.

आपे भुल्ल गईआं हुण साईआं, हुण तीरथ पास सुधाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

The poppy offers opium; the soul seeks the generous Maker.

पोसत आखे मिले अफीम, बन्दा भाले कादर करीम,

No healer with wisdom is seen; your reason has gone astray.

ना कोई दिस्से ज्ञान हकीम, अकल तुसाडी जाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

Every face is the beloved; Bullah, he himself beholds.

जो कोई दिसदा एहो प्यारा, बुल्ल्हा आपे वेखणहारा,

He himself cried Veda and Quran, recalling what the dream forgot.

आपे बेद कुरान पुकारा, जो सुफने वसत भुलाई ए ।

People drown the truth in noise.

गल्ल रौले लोकां पाई ए ।

بلھے شاہ
— 31 —
THE POEM, GIVEN VOICE

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