(d. AD 1661; AH 1071)
Sarmad was a mystic and poet who came to India from Iran and was probably of Armenian origin. His exact date of birth, like his real name, is not known. He came to India as a trader, fell in love and wandered like a mystic, finally settling in Delhi.
Sarmad aroused the anger of Aurangzeb (1618–1707), the Mogul emperor of Hindustan, as he became closely associated with Dara Shikoh (1615–59), Aurangzeb’s older brother and rival to the Mogul throne. Because of his open questioning of orthodox ideas – in the tradition of Hallaj – Sarmad was considered a heretic by conservative religious scholars of the time. Aurangzeb, egged on by these scholars and fearful of Sarmad’s influence, had him executed for apostasy in 1661.
Sarmad is best known for his quatrains, although he also wrote many ghazals. His grave is located near the Jama Masjid in Delhi.
O veiled one, reveal Yourself and be,
I am searching endlessly for Thee;
My desire is to seek union with You.
How long shall You hide from me?
*
Sarmad, what havoc on religion you have bestowed.
You’ve sacrificed belief for a pair of beautiful eyes!
Having spent your life on Hadiths and the Qur’an divine,
You went and to that idol worshipper your life consigned!
*
Each one is after this world and hereafter,
I seek freedom from both these imposters.
Make me Yours, that is my only wish.
Tear off Thy veil, reveal the secrets of hereafter!
*
Your alluring ways are seen everywhere.
The message of Your Love is everywhere.
I am Your lover, for this reason alone:
You hide behind the veil and yet are everywhere.
*
O Lord, Thou art merciful, forgive me.
Prove that my cry has reached Thee;
I am a sinner and yet am amazed
At the way Thou shower blessings on me.
*
I am chaste, a Friend is all I need;
No rosary beads nor priestly girdle do I need.
This robe of fake purity is full of deceit.
To elevate my status, this I do not need.
*
O Sheikh, it’s best to drink this wine.
Throw off your august robe, taste the Divine.
Why call this blessing a forbidden crime?
There is truth in it, drink up this wine!
*
Whoever abstains from wine is a fool.
Don’t call him a man; he is not wise.
Wine is another name for a Lover’s pain,
It’s the balm of broken hearts.
*
Each looked at the garden of life with greed.
Some sought flowers, and some thorns and perished;
This life is a hidden mystery indeed.
Learn from it, O wise. Take heed!
*
A man who is lost in lust and greed
Is sick in soul and always in need;
A hungry eye is never sated.
Wherever I looked I saw this creed.
*
Wherever there is the pain of Love there is rest.
He who has not this pain is dead at best.
Be not forgetful of wine and Love
If you want from this world what’s best.
*
If someone gains a little joy from you
That is a big gain and no loss to you;
Be not forgetful of this rare gift.
The river of life is full of sorrow too.
*
God is the Lord of good and bad,
None can deny this undeniable fact.
If you do not believe this then ask why:
Why is Satan so powerful – and so weak, I?
*
He who unveils for you is a friend.
He who spends all on you is a friend.
You ask of Him and he gives freely;
He helps you when in need, he is a friend.
*
Not only the Kaaba or the temple are His;
The world and the heavens are His.
Why should not the world be mad for Him?
Wise is he who is enthralled by Him.
*
Not everyone knows the secret of Love and wine;
Those dead of heart will never learn this truth divine.
The puritan has no clue of God or Love;
The ignorant can never know this wisdom fine!
*
Lover, Love, idol, deceit – what are they?
Who knows of this in Kaaba and temple, pray?
Come into the garden and see the unity in colour;
Ponder the lover, Beloved, rose and thorn.
Congratulations to you on this
Meeting with the Beloved!
Congratulations, O Saqi,
The cup and wine, celebrate!
By the river’s edge a thousand lights
Are lit.
The lover’s lips, the lips of the cup
Let’s celebrate!
O most beautiful on this earth
That my fortune to me denied!
O fairy angel,
Your enchanting ways I celebrate!
Never mind, O Saqi,
That thou hast no wine or cup!
Let your intoxicating
Eyes roam and captivate!
You sit on the throne
Of eternity, since before time.
May you, Sarmad,
This treasure of Love enjoy.