22 Best Bulleh Shah Poems

Syed Abdullah Shah Qadri; 1680–1757 popularly known as Bulleh Shah, was a Mughal-era Punjabi Islamic philosopher and Sufi poet. His first spiritual teacher was Shah Inayat Qadiri, a Sufi murshid of Lahore. He was a Sayyid/Syed, a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

Famous Bulleh Shah Poems

Ranjha Ranjha Kardi

Ranjha Ranjha Kardi Ni,
Me’N Aapay Ranjha hoi,
Sado ni Me’N no Dhido- Ranjha,
Mano Heer Na Akho Koi,
Ranjha Me’N which Me’N Ranjhay Which,
Mayko’N Hor dhiyan na Koi,
Wakho Loko Heer Slati,
Kithay Aan Khaloi.

English Translation:

Repeating the name of Ranjha
I have become Ranjha myself.
O call me ye all “Dhido-Ranjha,”
let no one call me Heer .
Ranjha is in me, I am in Ranjha,
no other thought exists in my mind.
I am not, He alone is.
He alone is amusing himself.

Bulla Ki Jana Main Kaun

SANT BULLEH SHAH

Bulla ki jaana main kaun
Bulla ki jaana main kaun

Na main moman vich maseetan
Na main vich kufar dian reetan
Na main pakan vich paleetan

Na main andar bed kitaban
Na main rehnda phaang sharaban
Na main rehnda mast kharaban

Na main shadi na ghamnaki
Na main vich paleetan pakeen
Na main aaabi na main khaki

Na main aatish na main paun
Bulla ki jana main kaun

Na main arabi na lahori
Na main hindi shehar Nagaori
Na hindu na turk pashauri

Na main bhet mazhab de paya
Na main aadam hawwa jaya
Na koi apna naam dharaya

Avval aakhar aap nu jana
Na koi dooja hor pacchana
Mai ton na koi hor syana

Bulle shah kharha hai kaun
Bulla ki jaana main kaun

Na main moosa na pharoah
Na main jagan na vich saun
Na main aatish na main paun
Na main rahnda vich Nadaun
Na main baitthan na vich bhaun
Bulle shah kharha hai kaun

Bulla Ki jaana main kaun
Bulla ki jaana main kaun.

Translation-

Bulla! I know not who I am

Nor am I a believer of the mosque,
Nor am I in rituals of the infidel
Nor am I the pure inside the impure.

Nor am I inherent in the vedas,
Nor am I present in intoxicants.
Nor am I lost nor the corrupt.

Nor am I union, nor grief,
Nor am I intrinsic in the pure/impure
Nor am I of water, nor of land.

Nor am I fire nor air.
Bulla! I know not who I am

Nor am I Arabic, nor from Lahore,
Nor am I the Indian city of Nagour.
Nor hindu or a turk from Peshawar.

Nor did I create differences of faith,
Nor did I create Adam and Eve
Nor did I name my self.

Beginning or end, I just know the self,
Do not acknowledge duality.
There’s none wise than I.

Who is this Bulla shah
Bulla! I know not who I am.

Nor am I moses, nor Pharoah
Nor am I fire nor wind.
I do not stay in Nadaun city. (City of innocents)
Bullashah, who is this man standing?

Bulla! I know not who I am
Bulla! I know not who I am.

My Eyes Pour Out Tears

He left me, and himself he departed;
What fault was there in me ?

Neither at night nor in the day do I sleep in peace;
My eyes pour out tears !
Sharper than swords and spears are the arrows of love !
There is no one as cruel as love ;
This malady no physician can cure.
There is no peace, not for a moment,
So intense is the pain of separation !
O Bullah, if the Lord were to shower
His grace, My days would radically change !
He left me, and himself he departed.
What fault was there in me?

You Alone Exist

You alone exist; I do not, O Beloved!
You alone exist, I do not!
Like the shadow of a house in ruins,
I revolve in my own mind.
If I speak, you speak with me:
If I am silent, you are in my mind.
If I sleep, you sleep with me:
If I walk, you are along my path.
Oh Bulleh, the spouse has come to my house:
My life is a sacrifice unto Him.
You alone exist; I do not, O Beloved!

The Arrow Of Love

I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do ?
I can neither live, nor can I die.
Listen ye to my ceaseless outpourings,
I have peace neither by night, nor by day.
I cannot do without my Beloved even for a moment.
I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do ?
The fire of separation is unceasing !
Let someone take care of my love.
How can I be saved without seeing him?
I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do?

I Have Been Pierced By The Arrow Of Love

I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do ?
I can neither live, nor can I die.
Listen ye to my ceaseless outpourings,
I have peace neither by night, nor by day.
I cannot do without my Beloved even for a moment.
I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do ?
The fire of separation is unceasing !
Let someone take care of my love.
How can I be saved without seeing him?
I have been pierced by the arrow of love,
what shall I do ?

There Goes My Love!

There goes my Love!
What do I do, my Lord?

He’s already made a move
His staying back is hard
With his wayfarers all packed
What do I do, my Lord?

My heart is afire
Like half-backed shard
What do I do, my Lord?

My love having gone
I am in midstream hauled
Wwhat do I do, my Lord?

I Long For My Beloved

I long for my beloved.

One speaks, laughing in delight,
Another weeps, sobs, dies.
Tell the beautiful, blossoming springtime,
I long for my beloved.

My ablutions have gone to waste,
His heart is hard.
Might as well burn my jewels and adornments!
I long for my beloved.

I have driven messengers crazy,
Encased myself in sorrow.
Come home, dear one, let me see you.
I long for my beloved.

Says Bulla, when my lord comes home.
I will clasp him, my Ranjha, in a tight embrace!
All sorrows flown across the ocean.
I long for my beloved.

He Who Is Stricken By Love

He who is stricken by Love
Sings and dances out of tune.

He who wears the garb of Love
Gets blessings from above.

Soon as he drinks from this cup
No questions and no answers remain.

He who is stricken by Love
Sings and dances out of tune.

He who has the Beloved in his heart,
He is fulfilled with his Love.
No need he has for formality,
He just enjoys his ecstasy.

He who is stricken by Love
Sings and dances out of tune.

What A Carefree Game He Plays!

He said, ‘Let there be,’ and it happened.
He made the latent turn into the manifest,
Out of the formless He created the form.
What a wondrous game He played!
What a carefree game He plays!

When He disclosed the hidden secret,
He lifted the veil from over His face.
Why does He now hide from me?
The Real permeates everyone.
What a carefree game He plays!

He said, ‘We have honored mankind;
None has been created like you;
You are the crown of all creation.’
What a proclamation with the beat of drum!
What a carefree game He plays!

He himself indulges in these carefree acts;
He himself feels frightened of himself;
He has taken abode in every house;
And the people keep wandering in delusion.
What a carefree game He plays!

He himself aroused longing to become mad in love.
He himself became Laila to steal Majnun’s heart.
Himself He wept, himself consoled himself.
0, what a game of love He plays!
What a carefree game He plays!

Himself the lover, He himself is the Beloved.
Here logic and reason have no part to play.
Bullah rejoices in his union with the Beloved.
Why does He create separation now?
What a carefree game He plays!

Hide Not Behind The Veil, My Love

Hide not behind the veil, my love,
I long to have a glimpse of you.

Without my love, I feel like mad,
People around me laugh at me.
He should come and cheer me up,
This alone remains my plea,

Hide not behind the veil, my love,
I long to have a glimpse of you.

Your slave is being auctioned free
Come my love and rescue me
No longer can I perch elsewhere
I am the Bulbul of your tree

Hide not behind the veil, my love,
I long to have a glimpse of you.

Bulleh! Who is He?
A queer type friend!
He has the Quran in His hand and
And in the same the holy thread

This Love – O Bulleh – Tormenting, Unique

This love – O Bulleh – tormenting, unique
the face of the idol akin to the divine in heaven
can there be divinity without my beloved
even if I have to contest the scriptures
this love is fearless, marches to death in defiance
dances and whirls like a street prostitute,
to win a single smile from the beloved

I Have Learnt A Secre

I have learnt a secret
A secret I’ve learnt

He is the same
From this end to that.
It’s only we
Who fuss like a brat

I have learnt a secret
A secret I’ve learnt

To win over Sass
He comes as Punnun
I am wedded to Innayat
Who cares not for caste.

I have learnt a secret
A secret I’ve learnt

Your Love Has Made Me Dance All Over

Your love has made me dance all over.
Falling in love with you
Was supping a cup of poison.
Come, my healer, it’s my final hour.
Your love has made me dance all over.

Love Springs Eternal

Love springs eternal!
When I learnt the lesson of Love
I dreaded going to the mosque.
Hesitantly, I found a temple
Where they beat a thousand drums.
Love springs eternal! Come!

I am tired of reading holy books,
Fed up with prostrations good.
God is not in Mathura or Mecca.
He who finds Him is enlightened!
Love springs eternal! Come!

Burn the prayer mat, break the beaker!
Quit the rosary, chuck the staff!
Lovers shout at the top of their voices:
Break all rules that tie you down!
Love springs eternal! Come!

Heer and Ranjha are united:
While she searches for him in orchards,
He is in her warm embrace!
She has her love, she is fulfilled!
Love springs eternal! Come!

The Soil Is In Ferment, O Friend

The soil is in ferment, O friend
Behold the diversity.
The soil is the horse, so is the rider
The soil chases the soil, and we hear the clanging of soil
The soil kills the soil, with weapons of the soil.
That soil with more on it, is arrogance
The soil is the garden so is its beauty
The soil admires the soil in all its wondrous forms
After the circle of life is done it returns to the soil
Answer the riddle O Bulleh, and take this burden off my head.’

Sack The Gongman

Sack the gon-gman
My love has come home today

He strike the gong time and again
And shortens my night of dance and song
If he were to listen to me
He would throw away the gong

Sack the gong-man

Here is the unstruck melody
With a master player and a colorful hue
I’ve forgotten, my prayers and fasts
The barman offering cups of brew

Sack the gong-man

Seeing him is an enchanting sight
One forgets all aches of life
Let the night spread out long
And the morn wait a strife

Sack the gong-man

I have indulge in magic a lot
With necromancers and many a seer
Now that he has comeback home
We’ll live together a million years

Sack the gong-man

He has saved me from many a hazard
Bulleh’s bed is cosy and warm
After much wait my turn has come
No happenstance may do us harm

Sack the gong-man

Sack the gong-man
My love has come home today

There Is A Thief In The Folds Of My Arms

There is a thief in the folds of my arms.
Whom shall I tell?

There is a thief in the folds of my arms
He has, of late, escaped on the sky
No wonder there is a stir in the sky
And the world there is a hue and cry.
Whom shall I tell?

The Muslims are afraid of fire
And the Hindus dread the grave
Both of them have their fears
And keep on sharpening their staves.
Whom shall I tell?

Ramdas here and Fateh Muhammad there
This has kept them emitting spleen
Suddenly their quarrel came to an end
When someone else emerged on the scene.
Whom shall I tell?

There was furore in the flushed sky
It reached Lahore, the capital town
It was Shah Inayat who crafted the kite
It’s he who moves it up and down.
Whom shall I tell?

He who believes, he alone has known
Everyone else id floundering
All the wrangling came to an end
When Bulleh came to town.
Whom shall I tell?

Turn Your Face Toward Me

Turn your face toward me, my dear one,
Turn your face toward me!

It is you who inserted the hook in me,
It is you who pulls the cord.
Turn your face toward me!

The call to prayer came from your throne in heaven,
The sound reverberated in Mecca.
Turn your face toward me!

Says Bulla, I will not die,
Though someone else may.
Turn your face toward me!

The Hajjis Go To Mecca

The hajjis go to Mecca.
My beloved Ranjha is my Mecca.
Yes, I am crazy!

I am wedded to Ranjha.
Still my father pushes me.
Yes, I am crazy!

The hajjis go to Mecca
My bridegroom, within me, is my Mecca.
Yes, I am crazy!

Hajjis and ghazis both lie within us,
Thieves and pickpockets too.
Yes, I am crazy!

The Hajjis go to Mecca
But I am going to Takht Hazara.
Yes, I am crazy!

Wherever is your beloved, there lies Kaaba,
Though you search the four books.
Yes, I am crazy!

One Thread Only

One thread, one thread only!
Warp and woof, quill and shuttle,
countless cloths and colors,

a thousand hanks and skeins –
with ten thousand names
ten thousand places.

But there is one thread only.

O Come And Meet This Separation-Tormented One

O come and meet this separation-tormented one!

Had you loved, you too would shriek and wail aloud.
But how could you know the pain of another?

If you want to receive love,
First of all, give your severed head to your lord.

The intoxicated ones have crossed over,
My fate is in your hands.

This river of sorow, this unjust torment,
Has flung me into a ruinous darkness.

I left my parents, forgot my friends,
In devotion to your merciful name.

O come and meet this separation-tormented one!

FAQ: Bulleh Shah Poems

Who was Bulleh Shah?

Bulleh Shah, also known as Syed Abdullah Shah Qadri, was a Punjabi Sufi poet, humanist, and philosopher. He lived from 1680 to 1757 in what is now Pakistan. His poetry is deeply rooted in Sufi traditions and addresses themes of love, mysticism, and humanism.

What are some of Bulleh Shah’s most famous poems?

Some of Bulleh Shah’s most famous poems include:

• “Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun” (Bulla, who knows who I am)
• “Tere Ishq Nachaya” (Your love made me dance)
• “Bulleh Shah Asan Hunna Ki Aakh” (What can we say now, Bulleh Shah)
• “Ranjha Ranjha Kardi Ni Main” (I keep chanting Ranjha)
• “Sikh Mastane De Naal” (Live with the intoxicated ones)

What themes are commonly found in Bulleh Shah’s poetry?

Bulleh Shah’s poetry commonly explores themes such as:

• Mysticism: His work delves into spiritual and mystical experiences.
• Love: Both divine and human love are central themes.
• Humanism: He emphasizes the importance of humanity and equality.
• Self-Realization: His poems often focus on the journey of self-discovery.
• Critique of Orthodoxy: He frequently criticized religious and societal orthodoxies.

What is the significance of “Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun”?

“Bulla Ki Jaana Main Kaun” is one of Bulleh Shah’s most famous poems. It explores the theme of self-identity and the quest for understanding one’s true self. The poem expresses the idea that one’s essence transcends religious, social, and cultural identities.

How does Bulleh Shah address the theme of love in his poems?

In Bulleh Shah’s poetry, love is often depicted as a transformative force that leads to spiritual enlightenment. He writes about love for the divine, which transcends worldly attachments, and also about human love that reflects divine beauty and grace. His poems frequently illustrate love as an intense and consuming experience that brings one closer to God.

Can you provide an example of Bulleh Shah’s critique of religious orthodoxy?

Certainly! In many of his poems, Bulleh Shah critiques the hypocrisy and rigidity of religious leaders and practices. For example, in his poem “Masjid Dha De Mandir Dha De” (Demolish the mosque, demolish the temple), he suggests that breaking physical structures of worship is insignificant compared to breaking the heart, which is the true abode of God.

How has Bulleh Shah’s poetry influenced modern literature and music?

Bulleh Shah’s poetry has had a significant influence on modern literature and music, especially in South Asia. His poems have been adapted into songs by numerous artists, both traditional and contemporary. His themes of love, mysticism, and humanism continue to resonate with audiences today. Many famous singers, like Abida Parveen and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, have performed his poetry.

Are there any translations of Bulleh Shah’s poetry available?

Yes, Bulleh Shah’s poetry has been translated into several languages, including English. These translations aim to capture the essence of his work and make it accessible to a broader audience. However, the depth and nuances of his original Punjabi verse often require a deep understanding of Sufi philosophy and the cultural context.

What is the historical context of Bulleh Shah’s poetry?

Bulleh Shah’s poetry emerged during the Mughal era in the Indian subcontinent, a time of significant religious and cultural change. His work reflects the Sufi tradition’s emphasis on inner spirituality over outward religious conformity. He lived through periods of social and political upheaval, which influenced his critical stance on societal norms and religious orthodoxy.

How can I learn more about Bulleh Shah and his poetry?

To learn more about Bulleh Shah and his poetry, you can:

• Read Translations: Look for translated collections of his poems.
• Listen to Music: Explore musical adaptations of his work by Sufi singers.
• Study Sufism: Understand the broader context of Sufi philosophy and traditions.
• Watch Documentaries: Find documentaries and lectures on his life and poetry.
• Visit Libraries and Online Resources: Utilize academic libraries and online resources dedicated to Sufi literature and Bulleh Shah.