Poetry: Bulleh Nu Samjhavan Aayian (Context, Translation, and Interpretations)

"Bulleya aashiq hoyian Rab da, huyi malaamat lakh;
Tenu kafir kafir akh de, tu aho aho akh."

(Bulleya you became God's devotee, and you were rebuked nonstop;
They call you "kafir" "kafir" (disbeliever), and you retort "yes!" "yes!")

Vocabulary in Context: (in order of appearance)

Syed: a caste of Muslims; descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him); regarded as nobles for their ancestry
Murshid: a spiritual guide
Araiyin: a caste of Muslims; associated with agricultural affairs (farming, gardening, etc.); located primarily in Punjab (Pakistan and India) and Sindh (Pakistan)
Mureed: disciple
Kafir: disbeliever

Born Syed Abdullah Shah Qadri, Sufi philosopher Bulleh Shah became the most prominent voice of the 18th century to openly criticize religious bigotry and societal norms through poetry which he wrote in the Punjabi language. One particularly profound poem denounces the superiority of one caste over another. The story goes that a young Bulleh Shah, who hailed from the Syed caste, set out one day to meet his murshid, Shah Inayat, an ordinary gardener who happened to be an Araiyin. Upon revelation, Bulleh Shah's family heavily dissuaded him from learning in the company of a "lower" caste man.

In his poem, Bulleh Shah recounts this harsh reaction from his family and responds to them. After all, that one meeting of a mureed with his murshid ensued in a life-long journey of eliminating "I" (self, ego) to please "Him" (God) through serving His creation. Simultaneously, religious scholars labeled Bulleh Shah a "kafir," a label which Bulleh Shah gladly accepted. The poem below is a stark reminder that mankind was created equal and that no man is greater or superior than another; no Syed is more "noble" than an Araiyin, and no Araiyin is "lower" than a Syed.

Bulleh nu samjhavan aayian bhenan te bharjaiyan.
Mann le Bulleya sada kehna, chhad de palla Raaiyan.

(Bulleh's sisters and sisters-in-law tried to convince him.
"Please, Bulleya, do as we say and leave the Araiyin's company.")

Aal Nabi aulaad Ali,
Nu tu kyun leekan laiyaan?

("You were born into the Prophet's family, as an heir of Ali,
So why are you ruining your family's reputation like this?")

*Alternative interpretation:
"(Bulleh Shah replies)
Why do you separate the Prophet's and Ali's descendants from the common people?
(why do you wedge a divide between the two?)"

Jera sanu Syed sadey dozakh miley sazaiyan.
Jo koi sanu Raaiyin akhey, bhisti pinghan paiyan.

(Those who address me as Syed, shall be condemned to hell.
Those who address me as Araiyin, shall ride the swings in heaven.)

Raaiyin, Saayin, sabhi thaayin,
Rab diyan be parwaiyan.
Sohniyan parey hataiyan te khojiyan le gall laiyan.

(Araiyin and masters are born everywhere,
God doesn't discriminate.
He neglects the "beautiful" and embraces the "ugly.")

*Interpretation: "Beautiful people don't care for such differences, only the ugly ones do."

Je tu lorein baagh baharan, chaakar ho ja Raaiyan.**
Bulleh Shah di zaat ki puchni, shaakar ho razaiyan.

("If you seek the pleasure of an eternal garden, go and serve the Araiyin".**
Don't question Bulleh Shah's caste, be content with the Lord's creation.)

** This sentence was uttered by Shah Inayat, Bulleh Shah's murshid, which became Bulleh Shah's mission.

Translation & Context: Me