Muslims of India

Khanzada Mirza Khan Abdul Rahim (17 December 1556 – 1 October 1627) was one of Navaratnas in the court of Akbar. He is popularly known as Rahim. His title was Khan-i-Khanan. Besides being an illustrated poet of Hindi, he was a general, administrator, patron, donor, diplomat, polyglots, art lover as well as a scholar. I am presenting here some of his famous dohe possessing everyday life wisdom and meaning.

कहि ‘रहीम’ संपति सगे, बनत बहुत बहु रीति

बिपति – कसौटी जे कसे, सोई सांचे मीत

              The poet Rahim says in this couplet that both properties and friends are acquired with much difficulty and a lot of efforts but true friends are those, who are helpful and beneficial at the time of sorrow and pain and when a person faces hardships in his life.

जाल परे जल जात बहि, तजि मीनन को मोह

‘रहिमन’ मछरी नीर को तऊ न छाँड़ति छोह

              In this Doha, Rahim utilizes a common scene in the country as a metaphor. When the fisherman puts net in water and he pulls up it again, water goes down from holes of the net back to the river, pond or ocean. Water betrays the fish and it does not care of it. On the contrary, a fish dies without water. It cannot live without water. In this Doha, the poet Rahim compares true and false love.  True love is represented by the fish where as the false one is enshrined in the behavior of water.

दोहा – तरुवर फल नहिं खात है, सरवर पियहि न पान।

कहि रहीम पर काज हित, संपति सँचहि सुजान

              Rahim tries to convince the wealthy and well to do persons in this Doha that just as a tree does not eat its fruits and a pond / river / ocean does not drink its water, they should share their earnings and wealth with others. Utilizing wealth for one’s own fulfillment is not ideal one. The society can be happy and prosperous only when a rich cares of the poor.

थोथे बादर क्वार के, ज्यों ‘रहीम’ घहरात

धनी पुरुष निर्धन भये, करैं पाछिली बात

              Rahim says that during the period between rainy and winter seasons, clouds roar but do not rain. Similarly, the persons who have been rich in the past and now have been poor boast of their past fortune but which is of no use. To do a work on its proper time is highly necessary.  

धरती की सी रीत है, सीत घाम औ मेह

जैसी परे सो सहि रहै, त्‍यों रहीम यह देह

              Rahim praises human race in this Doha. He says that as the earth bears all seasons of winter, rain and summer, a man is capable to survive all odd and happy circumstances. A man should be strong and ready to face each aspect of life like the earth.

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