Columnists
Flames of Love
INNI KAUR
Autumn.
Zephyr dances. Flora rustles. Landscape blazes.
Seduction luscious.
Bhai Nand Lal ‘Goya‘, a disciple of the Tenth Sovereign, invades my consciousness. I translate his words ...
My heart is burnt when I separate from my lover.
My life burns for the love of my heart. [1]
That fire has burnt me intensely.
Those who hear of it too get burnt like the Chinar tree. [2]
I did not burn alone in this fire of love.
The entire world has burnt in these sparks. [3]
To burn in the fire of my lover’s separation
is like the positive calcination of an experiment. [4]
Goya compliments that heart
which is burnt awaiting to see the lover’s face. [5]
* * * * *
The Chinar tree flames in Goya’s verse.
It is the Oak tree that flames in mine:
My heart pines for you
I burn waiting for you. [1]
This fire is consuming me
like the fiery Oak tree. [2]
Am I the only one burning in this love?
Is there anyone else burning like me? [3]
To burn in this fire of separation
is bitter-sweet bliss. [4]
I bow to the heart
That burns waiting for you. [5]
* * * * *
If this torment is to awaken me, then I welcome this eternal pain, this eternal
pining. For it is only you whom I seek.
Inni Kaur is the CEO of the Sikh Research Institute. She is also the author of 'Journey with the Gurus’ series; ‘Sakhi-Time with Nani ji’; and ‘Thank You, Vahiguru.’
October 25, 2016
Conversation about this article
1: Navi (USA ), October 26, 2016, 12:05 PM.
Inni ji, thank you for bringing these verses of love to us at this time of the year when nature too is ablaze with splendid color. After the leaves turn ... they fall in quiet surrender. To experience this burning Love within is a divine gift.
2: Ajit Singh Batra (Pennsville, New Jersey, USA), October 26, 2016, 3:46 PM.
Bhai Nand Lal refused to wear a rosary made of wooden beads when he was 12 years old. His father wanted Bhai Sahib to adopt and follow Vishnuism (Hinduism) under the leadership of their family pandit. (Vishnu is a major deity of Hinduism who `takes care` of the universe). Bhai Sahib demanded a rosary which will help him in the realization of God within through Naae. Bhai Sahib, born in 1633 at Ghazni (Afghanistan) returned to Multan and married a Sikh woman and started living a life of Sikhi.