In this profound Saraiki Kafi, the master mystic Khwaja Ghulam Farid articulates the ultimate state of spiritual desolation and “Ishq-e-Haqiqi.” The poet describes a soul so consumed by the fire of longing that worldly honor, physical health, and social norms become meaningless. Through the metaphors of the desert journey and the legendary pain of Sassi, he reveals that the path to the Divine Beloved is a “difficult journey” where no worldly physician or confidant can offer a cure, save for the Beloved’s own vision.
کیا حال سُناواں دل دا
کوئی محرم راز نہ مِلدا
Kya haal sunawa dil da
Koi mehram raaz na milda
What state of my heart should I describe?
For I find no confidant who knows my secret.
مُنہ دھوڑ مٹی سر پائم
سارا ننگ نمود ونجائم
کوئی پچھن نہ ویڑھے آئم
ہتھوں الٹا عالم کھلدا
Munh dhoor matti sir payam
Sara nang namood vanjayam
Koi puchan na wehre ayam
Hathon ulta aalam khulda
With dust on my face and ashes on my head,
I have cast away all my pride and worldly vanity.
No one comes to my courtyard to ask of my well-being;
Instead, the whole world mocks and laughs at me.
گِیا بار برہوں سِر باری
لگی ہو ہو شہر خواری
روندی عُمر گزاری ساری
نہ پائم ڈس منزل دا
Gaya baar birhon sir baari
Laggi ho ho shehar khwari
Rondi umer guzari saari
Na payam das manzil da
The heavy burden of separation has fallen upon my head;
I have become a spectacle of disgrace throughout the city.
I have spent my entire life in constant weeping;
Yet I have found no clue or sign of the destination.
دل یار کیتے کُر لاوے
تڑ پھاوے تے غم کھاوے
ڈکھ پاوے سول نبھاوے
ایہو طور تیڈے بیدل دا
Dil yaar kite kur lawe
Tad phawe te gham khawe
Dukh pawe sol nibhawe
Eho tour tede bedil da
The heart cries out in lament for the Beloved;
It writhes in agony and consumes itself in grief.
It endures pain and bears the thorns of affliction;
Such is the way of one whose heart you have stolen.
کئی سَینہہ طبیب کماوَن
سے پڑیاں جھول پلاوَن
میڈے دلا دا بھید نہ پاوَن
پووے فرق نہیں ہک تِل دا
Kayi sainh tabeeb kumawan
Say puriyan jhol pilawan
Mede dila da bhed na pawan
Powe farq nahi hik til da
Thousands of physicians have practiced their remedies;
Mixing hundreds of medicinal powders for me to drink.
But they cannot grasp the secret of my heart’s disease;
There is not even a grain’s worth of relief for me.
پنوں ہوت نہ کھڑ مکلایا
چھڈ کلہڑی کیچ سدھایا
سوہنے جان پچھان رلایا
کوڑا عذر نبھائم گھل دا
Punnu hot na khar muklaya
Chadd kalhri kech sudhaya
Sohne jaan pichan rulaya
Kora uzar nibhayum ghul da
Punnu did not even stop to bid me farewell;
Leaving me all alone, he departed for Kech.
The Beautiful One made me wander knowingly;
While I remained trapped in the false excuse of sleep.
سُن لیلیٰ دِینہہ پکارے
تیڈا مجنوں زار نزارے
سوہنا یار تُوں ہک وارے
کڈیں چا پردہ محمل دا
Sun Laila deenh pukare
Teda Majnu zaar nazaare
Sohna yaar tu hik waare
Kadeen cha parda mehmil da
Listen to the daily cries, O Laila!
Your Majnu is weeping bitterly in his wretched state.
O Beautiful Beloved, just for once,
Lift the veil of the litter and show Your face.
دل پریم نگر ڈوں تانگھے
جتھاں پینڈے سخت اڑانگے
نہ راہ فرید نہ لانگھے
ہے پندھ بہوں مشکل دا
Dil prem nagar doon tanghe
Jithan painde sakht adange
Na raah Farid na langhe
Hai pandh bahon mushkil da
The heart yearns for the City of Love,
Where the journey is filled with severe hardships.
There is no path, Farid, nor any easy crossing;
This journey is indeed exceedingly difficult.
Vocabulary: Kya Haal Sunawa Dil Da
- Mehram: Confidant; one intimately acquainted with secrets.
- Nang Namood: Social status, honor, and outward appearance.
- Birhon: The pangs of separation.
- Sol: Thorns; symbolic of the pains of love.
- Bedil: One whose heart has been taken away; the lover.
- Puriyan: Small paper packets containing powdered medicine.
- Hik Til: A tiny bit; the size of a sesame seed.
- Muklaya: To bid farewell.
- Ghul: Deep sleep or negligence.
- Mehmil: A camel-litter or carriage.
- Adange: Difficulties or rugged mountain passes.
- Pandh: A long journey.
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