might we become one
either you will drown,
or i betray my nature.
one of us would cease to exist.
i remain at your periphery,
merely to dance
and experience you, for small moments
at the margins of your existence.
along the line
of what makes you
and what makes me.
~ RMS
Whenever you entrust your heart to a thought,
something will be taken from you inwardly.
Whatever you think and acquire, the thief will
enter from that side where you feel safe.
So busy yourself with that which is better, so
that something less may be taken from you.
– Mathnawi II:1505-1507
Translation by William Chittick
“The Sufi Path of Love”
SUNY Press, Albany 1983
(from Sunlight)
The two hang in the dark corner of a closet, faded by long settled ten year old dust. One suit was plum; the other, olive. Both were double-breasted. Black tees nestle inside, never again to see the light of day.
Sometimes, I almost hear the music and smell the Polo cologne. What is love, indeed.
(topic from Sepia Mutiny)
It was a long ride. Father expounded the virtues of the Republican party the whole time - values, tradition, strength. Mother replied affirmatively, but with disinterested and distracted eyes.
Father ensured we voted for his candidate. But, later, I heard mother tell someone that she voted for the woman - the one who once shared her pain.
(topic from Sepia Mutiny)
When a tailor cuts the cloth for a garment piece by piece,
does anyone strike him,
saying, “Why have you torn this choice satin?”
Whenever the builders repair an old building,
don’t they first ruin the old one?
Likewise the carpenter, the blacksmith, and the butcher—
with them too there is destruction before restoration.
The pounding of the myrobalan
becomes the means of restoring the body to health.
Unless you crush the wheat in the mill,
how will there be bread on your table?
– Mathnawi IV:2348-2353
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
“Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance”
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra
(from Sunlight)
He began to panic. He survived the previous night’s storm, but his map disappeared; he was lost. Without the map’s instructions, he would not find the destination he was looking for.
Feelings of freedom emerged. He set down his compass, looked to the rising sun, and began walking. Perhaps, he would create his own map.
When it comes to earning food,
why has the fear of eternal disappointment
not waylaid you?
You’ll say, “Though I face the fear of disappointment,
fear increases when I’m idle.
My hope increases when I work;
when I’m idle, I risk more.”
Why does the fear of loss
restrain you when it comes to faith?
Haven’t you seen how gainfully employed
the prophets and saints are?
Haven’t you seen what mines of treasure
have opened to them
from frequenting the shop of Spirit?
– Mathnawi III: 3096-3101
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
“Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance”
Threshold Books, 1996
(Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra)
(from Sunlight)
The smell of pride and greed and lust
will betray you when you speak
as much as the onions you have eaten.
Many prayers are rejected because of their smell;
the corrupt heart reveals itself in the tongue.
But if your meaning is pure,
God will welcome even your clumsy expression.
– Mathnawi III: 166;169;171
Version by Camille and Kabir Helminski
“Rumi: Jewels of Remembrance”
Threshold Books, 1996
Persian transliteration courtesy of Yahyá Monastra
(from Sunlight)
This painting is amazing:
This is a watercolour (link) of Kesgarh Sahib, one of the five Takhts (”thrones”) of Sikhism, painted by “Jathedar”. His Flickr page can be found here.
RAAG SOOHEE, ASHTAPADEES, FOURTH MEHL, SECOND HOUSE:
ONE UNIVERSAL CREATOR GOD. BY THE GRACE OF THE TRUE GURU:
If only someone would come, and lead me to meet my Darling Beloved; I would sell myself to him. || 1 || I long for the Blessed Vision of the Lord’s Darshan. When the Lord shows Mercy unto me, then I meet the True Guru; I meditate on the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. || 1 || Pause || If You will bless me with happiness, then I will worship and adore You. Even in pain, I will meditate on You. || 2 || Even if You give me hunger, I will still feel satisfied; I am joyful, even in the midst of sorrow. || 3 || I would cut my mind and body apart into pieces, and offer them all to You; I would burn myself in fire. || 4 || I wave the fan over You, and carry water for You; whatever You give me, I take. || 5 || Poor Nanak has fallen at the Lords Door; please, O Lord, unite me with Yourself, by Your Glorious Greatness. || 6 || Taking out my eyes, I place them at Your Feet; after travelling over the entire earth, I have come to understand this. || 7 || If You seat me near You, then I worship and adore You. Even if You beat me and drive me out, I will still meditate on You. || 8 || If people praise me, the praise is Yours. Even if they slander me, I will not leave You. || 9 || If You are on my side, then anyone can say anything. But if I were to forget You, then I would die. || 10 || I am a sacrifice, a sacrifice to my Guru; falling at His Feet, I surrender to the Saintly Guru. || 11 || Poor Nanak has gone insane, longing for the Blessed Vision of the Lords Darshan. || 12 || Even in violent storms and torrential rain, I go out to catch a glimpse of my Guru. || 13 || Even though the oceans and the salty seas are very vast, the GurSikh will cross over it to get to his Guru. || 14 || Just as the mortal dies without water, so does the Sikh die without the Guru. || 15 || Just as the earth looks beautiful when the rain falls, so does the Sikh blossom forth meeting the Guru. || 16 || I long to be the servant of Your servants; I call upon You reverently in prayer. || 17 || Nanak offers this prayer to the Lord, that he may meet the Guru, and find peace. || 18 || You Yourself are the Guru, and You Yourself are the chaylaa, the disciple; through the Guru, I meditate on You. || 19 || Those who serve You, become You. You preserve the honor of Your servants. || 20 || O Lord, Your devotional worship is a treasure over-flowing. One who loves You, is blessed with it. || 21 || That humble being alone receives it, unto whom You bestow it. All other clever tricks are fruitless. || 22 || Remembering, remembering, remembering my Guru in meditation, my sleeping mind is awakened. || 23 || Poor Nanak begs for this one blessing, that he may become the slave of the slaves of the Lord. || 24 || Even if the Guru rebukes me, He still seems very sweet to me. And if He actually forgives me, that is the Gurus greatness. || 25 || That which Gurmukh speaks is certified and approved. Whatever the self-willed manmukh says is not accepted. || 26 || Even in the cold, the frost and the snow, the GurSikh still goes out to see his Guru. || 27 || All day and night, I gaze upon my Guru; I install the Gurus Feet in my eyes. || 28 || I make so many efforts for the sake of the Guru; only that which pleases the Guru is accepted and approved. || 29 || Night and day, I worship the Gurus Feet in adoration; have Mercy upon me, O my Lord and Master. || 30 || The Guru is Nanaks body and soul; meeting the Guru, he is satisfied and satiated. || 31 || Nanaks God is perfectly permeating and all-pervading. Here and there and everywhere, the Lord of the Universe. || 32 || 1 ||
Wednesday, 26th Assu (Samvat 539 Nanakshahi) (Page: 757)
