Sunday, September 6, 2015

......my soul belongs elsewhere, of that i am certain.....rumi

Most times life takes one to a place from where one understands things differently.
The constantly changing and transient nature of life is such that many a times things, words, phrases, poetry, philosophy, spirituality, events, take on completely different meanings. I say this because of late I am able to understand meanings where earlier I did not see them. This is one such song, a song I have really liked and sung all my life and only now I felt it so differently, and it's meaning as I understand it from my 'now' perspective.....whatever that means!! Hahahahaha! 





Meri jaan, mujhe jaan na kaho meri jaan
Meri jaan!
Jaan na kaho anjaan mujhe, jaan kahan rahti hai sada 
Anjaane, kya jaanein, jaan ke jaaye kaun bhala
 Sookhe saawan baras gaye, itni baar in aankhon se 
Do boondein na barsein, in bheegi palkon se
 Honth jhukein jab hothon par, saans uljhi ho saanson mein 
Do judwa hothon ki, baat kaho aankhon se.....

How does one translate poetry like this? 
How do I explain the depth of meaning of each word, each line.....

Well, let me try....this is my personal understanding......

My beloved, call me not your life,
oh!my dearest!
    Oh! you ignorant one, don't speak of me as your life, cause where is the permanence of life?
      An ignorant may not understand this, but who would take this path knowingly?
                                          Oh! the many times I have cried with dry eyes,
But my moist eyelids have never allowed even two tear-drops to escape (cause that would be an insult to our love)
With your lips bent upon, to meet mine, and our breaths entangled 
Let not the lips speak of what passes between us, allow our eyes to do the talking.....

  Gulzar, the beautiful poet at his very sensual and soulful best......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulzar