Chahal Asrar (Forty Secrets), Poem Three

This write up is third among the series of Forty or so articles to be published on this blog where I will try to transliterate as well as translate Chahal Asrar, the forty Poems of Amer Kabir in devotion of GOD, Prophet, Faith, Sprituality and Philosophy.

"Hazrat Ameer Kabeer Mir Syed Ali Hamadani", The majestys' name was Ali, and today is also known as Amer Kabir, Ali Saani, Shah Hamadan et al. His Lineage is traced to fourth Caliph Hazrat Ali paternally and from his mothers side, Syeda Fatimah, with seventeen links, to the Prophet of Islam.

Born in Iran in 1314, he preached obligate monotheism in Central and South Asia including our Kashmir. He died in Khatlan, Tajikistan in 1384. In the year 1372, the saint visited the valley of Kashmir for the first time, and stayed here for six months. In 1379, he returned back to the valley and stayed for two and a half years. His third sojourn to Kashmir in 1383 was brief because of deteriorating health. The saint is credited for bringing Iranian crafts and industries into Kashmir along with 700 followers, which resulted in economic boom in valley vis a vis Arts, Crafts, Textiles, Horticulture, Forestry, Literature as well as Cultural Integration.

In the book "Salare Ajjam" by S A R Hamdani, the author lists 68 Books and 23 other manuscripts written by the saint. Those include Risalah Nooriyah, Risalah Maktubaat, Dur Murifati Surat wa Sirat Insaan, Risalahai Qiyafah, Manazilus Saaliqin, Zakhiratul Muluk, and Kashmirs' own favourite Awraad Fatehah, giving conception of the unity of God, which your will find them reverberating every dawn post "Fajr" prayers across mosques and Chahal Asraar, the collection of forty poems in praise of Allah and Muhammad (SAW), Sprituality, Faith and Philosophy.

According to the legend, many a dozen disciples of saint invited his majesty to their homes for dinner on the same night. It is said that the saint refused to none. In the morning, one of the disciple exclaimed  that the saint visited his home last night and wrote Poetry in glorification of God and Prophet (SAW).

Meantime, the other disciple claimed the same and put forth another poem as an evidence that the Saint visited his home rather. This started a cascade and forty odd followers adduced forth the poems, which they claimed to have been written by the saint the previous night while being on visit to their homes instead.

These Forty poems are the epitome of love for God and Prophet (SAW) and have been assembled togather into what is now known as CHAHAL ASRAAR, literally meaning THE FORTY SECRETS.

Where as new generation of Kashmiris' don't understand Persian which once had an honor of being official languages of Kashmir and the language in which huge cache of literary works in valley have been conducted. As a matter of fact, we even feel discomfort understand our own kashur language as well.

Where as we must recognize it as our duty to do, howsoever minute we could, to bridge the gap between our generations to come with the humongous rich literature out there dying to be explored in light of modern perspectives.

Last but not least, using such platform, we ought to transcend the literature onto web in understandable interface keeping in mind the larger world population in general.

So in this series, With all due respect to  the Saint Hamadani (RA), I humbly wish to transliterate as well as translate all forty poems of Chahal Asrar from Persian to Englishnized  persian and into english.

Before starting, I would like to state that it will be an intellectual dishonesty if I do not give due credit to Dr M.M Masoodi whose book I have taken as reference.

                    POEM NUMBER 3

I.

"ARBABI ZAUK DAR GHAMI TU AARMEEDAH ANDH,

WZ SHADI WA NAYEEM DU AALAM RAMIDAH ANDH"

"PALUDA SIKANJI ASHQAND ZAAN SABAB,

XI ALODGAANI JEFAYI DUNIYA BAREEDA ANDH"

"Those covetous of you find peace in sorrows and joys,
Elation of both worlds are vain for them"

"Those are people knotted in your love,
So are not enticed by earthly dross"

II.

"HURANI KHALD RABA PASHEZI NAMI KHARND,

TA IZ SAFAYI HUSNI TU RAMZI SHANIDA ANDH"

"MURGAANI ISHQ RABA DU KAUN ILTIFAAT NEEST,

TAA DAR FIZAYE SHAUQI TU ROZI PAREEDA ANDH"

"Those heavens' nymphs couldn't become cheaper,
Unless one knows the mysteries of your beauty"

"Those birds of love wouldn't take heed in world affairs,
Unless they fly in skies looking for you"


III.

"AZ ZAYEQI KANKHAE SUR KHIRQI WAJOOD,

BAR TARMI MANA BAR QUDSIYE KASHEEDA ANDH"

"AZ NAZI YARO MEHNATI AGYAAR FARGANDH,

CHU DAR SARA AWQAATI JALALASH RASEEDA ANDH"

"Your adulators have come out of the gloom rife in haven,
And have settled in soaring skies"

"When lovers come under your glowing awnings,
Neither they care for your dainty gestures, nor partake in others miseries"


IV.

"DAR MAJLISI SHAHOOD NISHAST MALOOKI VAR,

ZOKI XI JAMI UNS BASAD JAN KHARIDO ANDH"

"JAAN RA BABADH DADO WA DIL PAYIMALI ISHQ,

JILBABI NAMI WA PARDA DAVA DAREEDA ANDH"

"The devotees have bartered the souls for a chalice of love,
And sedentarily are they like monarchs in your companionship"

"Adulation has claimed and destroyed my life in toto,
The rug of fame and veil of grandiosity are torn into pieces"

V.

"BAR BOYE MEHAR TUST ALIYE RAHEENI GHAM,

KEEN DAVLATI AZL BAGULASH DAR DAMEEDA ANDH"

"Oh beloved! Alaie is indebted for the sombre fragrance of his love for you,
For the wealth of your fragrance and flowers of sorrow came into being from day of creation"

P.S: Thanks to Dad for helping in transliteration.

The blogger works as a teacher at Govt High School Amad, Anantnag. 

You can view other poems of Chahal Asrar Here.