93. Gath kar paniney aastaanai: Sochh Kraal

سۆچھ کرال

The poem is remarkably simple, conveying a singular message throughout. Despite its simplicity, the poet has crafted it with such finesse that it inevitably evokes awe and admiration. Personally, two aspects stand out to me:

1. The consistent articulation of the central message in each stanza.

2. The use of simple language enriched with beautiful imagery.

The manner in which the poem has been composed is reminiscent of the celebrated Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir, who similarly employed simplicity of expression to leave a profound and enduring impact on the hearts and minds of his readers.

کتھ بوز طآلبو مو روز پتھ

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

وتھ سر، دم زان غنیمت 

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

IPA:

/katʰ boz tæːlboː moː roːz pətʰ/

/ɡatʰ kər pənɦ neː ɑːstɑːⁿ naɪ/

/vatʰ sər ǀ d̪əm zɑːn ɣənɪmət/

/ɡatʰ kər pənɦ neː ɑːstɑːⁿ naɪ/

Romanisation:

Kath boz taelibo mo roz path

Gath kar paniney aastaanai.

Vath sar, dam zaan ghanimat

Gath kar panh ne aastaanai

Words:

Taelib: طٲلب : Seeker, Pupil,Student

Gath: گتھ : Circumambulate, Circle around.

Sar: سر : To recognise, to find

Dam: دم : Moment, life's breath.

Translation:

Hear, O seeker, stay not behind,

Circumambulate your own shrine.

Find the path, see the moment kind,

Circumambulate your own shrine.

Commentary:

In Sufi understanding, this opening stanza (and the whole poem) urges the seeker to turn inward from the outer journey. The seeker, is reminded to stay mindful and not be lost in worldly illusion. To circumambulate one’s own shrine is to realise that the true Ka‘bah lies within the heart, where the Divine resides. Through remembrance and utilising the given time, the seeker is urged to discover the spiritual path by looking inwards.

پیرس پننِس سٔتۍ کر بیعت 

ہٲوی تہ بٲوی نشانۓ

سنہ کھۓ کارس، ننی روایت 

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

IPA:

/piras pənnis sitɪː kər biʕat/

/hæːwi tɛ bæːwi nɪʃɑːnɛɪ/

/sənə kʰaiː kɑːras nəni riwɑːjət/

/gatʰ kər pənɦ nəː ɑːstɑːnɛɪ/

Romanisation:

Peeras pannis seeit kar bayat

Haevi te baevi nishaanai

Sankhai kaaras nani riwayat

Gath kar panninay aastaanai.

Words:

Bayat: بیعت : Swear allegiance 

Baevi: بٲوی : Disclose, reveal

Riwayat: روایت : Tradition, narrative

Translation:

Swear allegiance to your guide,

He will reveal the sign inside.

Delve in the aim, its depths will shine,

Circumambulate your own shrine.

Commentary:

In Sufi understanding, this stanza reflects the journey of inner awakening through guidance and reflection. To swear allegiance to your guide is to take bay‘ah, surrendering to a spiritual master who leads the seeker from illusion to truth. The guide reveals the divine sign within the heart, awakening inner vision. By contemplating the true aim, the union with the Beloved, the seeker discovers that the real pilgrimage is inward.

جوۓ جوۓ چھے سمان وؠتھ

وؠتھ منز صدرس واتانۓ

جوئی چھے کُل دریاوس چؠتھ

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

IPA:

/ʤoːjeː ʤoːjeː ʧʰe smɑːn wɛtʰ/

/wɛtʰ mənz sədrəs wɑːtɑːnɛɪ/

/ʤoːi ʧʰe kʊl dɪrjɑːwəs ʧʰɛtʰ/

/gatʰ kər pənɦ nəː ɑːstɑːnɛɪ/

Romanisation:

Joyi joyi chhe samaan weth

Weth manz sadras waatanai

Joyi chhe kul daryāwas cheth

Gath kar panninay aastaanai.

Words:

Joey: جوۓ : Roll, Brook, Stream

Veth: وؠتھ : River

Sadr: صدر : Sea, Ocean

Translation:

Brooks together fashion the river,

The river reaches into the sea ever.

The brook has the whole river sipped, Circumambulate your own shrine.

Commentary:

The stanza reflects on the unity of all existence. Multiplicity (brooks) and totality (river, sea) are inseparable. Every part contains the Whole, and the Whole is present in every part. The spiritual journey is both outward (the river flowing into the sea) and inward (circumambulating one’s own heart), reflecting the Sufi truth: there is nothing but God (Laa ilaha illa Allah), and all forms are mirrors of His Being.

آئینس پننِس ؤچھتہ صورت 

اَتِہ ما کانہہ چُھی بیگانۓ

اَتِہ کھوتہ کتہ چھے زیارت 

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

IPA:

/ɑːiːnas pənnis ʊʧʰtəh surət/

/ətɪh mā kɑːñ ʧʰui beːɡɑːnɛɪ/

/ətɪh kʰoːtəh kətːɪ̃ ʧʰe zɪɑːrət/

/gatʰ kər pənɦ nəː ɑːstɑːnɛɪ/

Romanisation:

Aenas pannis wuchteh surat

Atih mā kanh chhui begaanai

Atih khoteh katti chhey ziyarat

Gath kar panninay aastaanai.

Words:

Begaanai: بیگانۓ : Stranger

Translation:

See your reflection in your own mirror,

No stranger dwells within there.

Which other sanctum could be so fine,

Circumambulate your own shrine.

Commentary:

In Sufi understanding, the stanza shows that the heart is the true mirror reflecting the Divine. Within it there is no stranger, only the One Reality. No outward shrine can surpass this inner sanctum, and the seeker’s journey is inward, to recognise, honour, and circumambulate the heart where the Divine resides.

قُلفس کۄنزِہ ہنز چھے حرکت 

ہۆنرے کونہ چُھکھ واتانۓ

چرخس گردش چھے محنت 

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

IPA:

/ˈqulɸas ˈkunzɨh hɨnz t͡ʃʰeː ˈharkat/

/hoːnɨrɨ ˈkonɨ t͡ʃʰuːkʰ vaːt̪aːnɛɪ/

/t͡ʃarɨxɨs ˈɡardɨʃ t͡ʃʰeː ˈmehnat̪/

/gatʰ kər pənɦ nəː ɑːstɑːnɛɪ/

Romanisation:

Qulfas kunzih hinz chhe harkat,

Honri konih chhukh vaatanai,

Charkhas gardish chhey mehnat,

Gath kar panninay aastaanai.

Words:

Honray: ہۆنرے : Art (From Hunar)

Charkh: چرخ : Wheel

Translation:

The lock awaits the movement of the key,

Why not perfect this craft within thee?

The wheel turns through toil’s design,

Circumambulate your own shrine.

Commentary:

In Sufi understanding, the stanza shows that the heart is the true lock longing for the key of Divine love and knowledge. Spiritual grace exists within, but it requires effort and refinement to unlock. Life and the journey of the soul are like a turning wheel, demanding persistent toil. The seeker’s path is inward, to honour and explore the heart, the true shrine where the Divine resides.

پننِس پانس مو رَچھ ژؠتھ 

وردِش کرتو پہلوانۓ

حالہ کُٹِھ پننِہ چِھ مال دولت 

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

IPA:

/pannɨs paːnas mo rat͡ʃʰ ʦeːtʰ/

/vardɨʃ karˈt̪o pahalwaːnɛɪ/

/haːlah kʊʈɨh ˈpannɨh t͡ʃʰɨ maːl daulat̪/

/gatʰ kər pənɦ nəː ɑːstɑːnɛɪ/

Romanisation:

Pannis paanas mo rachh ʦeyth,

Vardish karto pahalwaanai.

Haalah kuṭih panneh chhi maal daulat,

Gath kar panninay aastaanai.

Words:

Tseth rachhin: ژؠتھ رَچھن : To protect, to save or to intercede in order to save 

Vardish: وردِش : Exercise (From varzish)

Haaleh kutth: حالہ کُٹِھ : It could mean two things:

1. The room of spiritual ecstasy.

2. The constricted room as in یتھ وآوٕ حالے ژونگ کُس زالے of Sheikhul Aalam. Haal is a place that is constricted and thus when winds pass through it, they gain more speed.

Translation:

Do not protect your self in vain,

O wrestler, toil and bear the strain.

Within your constricted room is the gain,

Circumambulate your own shrine.

Commentary:

The verse teaches that the seeker must relinquish attachment to the self, engage in disciplined spiritual practice, and turn inward. The heart full of spiritual ecstasy holds the ultimate treasure, the Divine. (Or alternatively , the turbulent heart holds the ultimate treasure). True devotion is to explore, honour, and circumambulate the inner shrine, where the Real resides.

گٹِہ زال ژانگِہ ہٹِہ کُۓ رتھ 

لولہ گاش وُچھہن جانانۓ

گتھ کٔرۍ پونپُرۍ یارس پتھ 

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

IPA:

/ɡatɨ zaːl ʦaːŋĩ haʈɨ kui rat̪ʰ/

/lolɨ ɡaːʃ vut͡ʃʰhɨn d͡ʒanaːnɛɪ/

/ɡatʰ ker ponpurɨ jaːras patʰ/

/ɡatʰ kar panɨ neː aːstaːnɛɪ/

Romanisation:

Gaṭi zaal tsaangi haṭi kui rath

Lolah gāsh vuchh-han jaanaanai

Gath ker ponpurī yāras path

Gath kar panninay aastaanai.

Words:

Hatikui rath: ہٹِہ کُۓ رتھ : The blood of throat. This phrase is used for highest form of sacrifice one can give i.e., sacrificing ones life like a sacrificial animal.

Translation:

Burn the blood of your throat as the lamp in night,

In love’s pure glow will dawn the Beloved’s sight.

The moth went round in search of its friend divine,

O seeker, circumambulate your own shrine.

Commentary:

Burning ones blood of throat in darkness as lamp represents one’s utter devotion and self-sacrifice; speaking, chanting, or reciting in love for the Divine. Rather than using a physical lamp, inner spiritual illumination is to be relied on. The inner illumination that comes from true divine love helps the seeker perceive God, the “Beloved.” Knowledge, ritual, or intellect alone cannot reveal the Beloved; it is the heart’s fire that uncovers divine reality. The moth symbolizes the lover (the seeker), and the flame is the Beloved. Its repeated circling shows complete absorption and surrender in the pursuit of love, even at the risk of destruction. Self-annihilation in divine love is necessary: the closer the seeker approaches the flame, the more the ego is consumed.

سۆچھ کرال آمُت در ندامت

چِھیوو امہ چانہ نورانۓ

بنہ نۓ سیتی ؤنۍنۓ وؠنَتھ

گتھ کر پنٕہ نے آستانۓ

IPA:

/Soːt͡ʃʰ Kraːl aːmut dar nɨdaːmat/

/t͡ʃʰijoːv amɪh t͡ʃaːnɐh nuːraːnɛɪː/

/ban nai siti vanni nai wɛnat̪ʰ/

/ɡatʰ kar panɨ neː aːstaːnɛɪː/

Romanisation

Sōchh Kraal aamut dar nadāmat

Chivyov amih chanih nooranai

Bun-nai siti vanni nai wenath

Gath kar panninay aastaanai

Words:

Chivyov : چِھیوو : Intoxicated 

Banun or Banith Yun: بنُن یا بنِتھ یُن : To experience pain or suffering.

Wenath: وؠنَتھ : To announce respectfully 

Translation:

Sochh Kraal has fallen into repentance,

Intoxicated by this radiance of yours, intense.

By suffering the process now announces in reverence,

O seeker, circumambulate your own shrine, hence.

Commentary:

The poet conveys the Sufi path from experience. Sochh Kraal out of humility says that he has fallen into the repentance, intoxicated by the Divine’s or guide's radiance. Having himself endured the pain, the poet now announces the truth reverently, guiding the seeker inward to circumambulate his own shrine i.e., the heart where the Beloved resides.

واللہ اعلم