echoes of the heartbeat / dhaRkanouN ki baazgasht

echoes of the heartbeat
I

karbala minor
had hasan abandoned not
his mandate, perhaps...
perhaps hussainís karbala
abegging still wouldíve been.

karabala major
this iskKarbala contiguous
since eternity where
daughters of Adam and sons of Eve
are in contention

echoes of heartbeat
reverberate this dictum
till the water flows
in the veins of earth
tussle between transients
will abate not

believers we are
of one world, several heavens
--hasan, hussain, yazid
you, me, him, her
in discourse, debate, debacle
victory and defeat
were and are ours
as if ordained
by my Lord on a heavenly tablet
--the spirits of karbala to sustain
forever angst and existential dilemmas

solicitude
again, tell me Lord
there those two over seventy
the teeming millions here
in your world, my world
why this karbala continuous?
II

thunders & lightening
one Lord
we cajoled and carved into camps
and then, we know not
what one said to the other
utterances got complex
misunderstandings and misperceptions
blossomed into trivial nothings
unaffected and unchanged though
remained the universal order

adam and eve remained
busy in reciprocal pleasures
their indulgences
flourishing towns, cities
--countries came and went

unfazed, undeterred and unfulfilled
remained the soul
vainly seeking
purpose, completion, peace

unease
even today
amidst thunders and lightening
(heavenly or man made)
it appears
the gods are at it again
the soul still fermenting


dhaRkanouN ki baazgasht

I

karabala e sagheer
jou na choRrh deita hasan
mansab ko apnay sheíl say
shaayad
milta naa hussain ko
jawaaz e karbala sheíl say

karbala e kabeer
hay yeh karbala-e-jaari
sadaa haiN jahaaN mooqaabla-zan
bint e adam ba-muqaabil ibn e Hawwa

dharkanouN ki baaz-gasht
soonaati hay yeh farmooda
behtaiN rahaiNgay jub tílak
dajla o faraat ñ raavi o sindh
khatím hua hay naa houga kabhi
yeh tasaadum bain e insaani

hain maan-nay walay hum
ik duniya kay, fluck kay
sab hasan o hussain o yazid
fatah o shikast
kalaam, behas, jang maiN
thi hamari, hai hamari

sabít kar diyaa hou jaisay
loh e mahfooz pay rab nay meray
anfaas e karbala say rahaay salaamat
wajood e kash ma kash e nafas e insaani

khalish
phir toou hi bataa aye rab meray
kahaaN woh maazi kay bahatítar
kahaan yeh ehd e haazir kay kaRoRouN
teri meri duniya maiN
kaisa hai yeh karabala e jaari

II

ghunn garaj
ek Khudaa
batt gaya jou firqouN maiN
aur phir najanay
ek nay doosray say kiya kaha
kay baat phailti bigarti
aur oolajhti hee chali gaíi
nazm e duniya chalta raha behr kaif
aadam aur hawwa
mazay lutf e bahimi kay ootha tay rahay
sar shaariyaaN oonki
badalti raheeN bastiouN maiN
bantay rahay mulk, bigartay rahay

rooh-e-insaaN
matlaashi thi jo aafiyat ki
mehroom e baalaydgee hi rahi

baitaabi
ab bhi jub aasmanouN say
ooth tee haiN ghunn garaj ki sadaaiN
lagta hai jaisay
phir koi takrar hai khudaouN maiN
aur rooh e insaan aaj bhee
tishnaa hai, baitaab hai