Rahiman tha to prem tha.....

I read a very interesting comment on 'The Times of India' yesterday; someone had written 'Rahiman tha to prem tha, ab hain bin laden...'

Very early in schools while studying Hindi literature you are introduced to the concept of 'dohe' or couplets. These were famous in the era what is now known as 'Bhaktikal' in Hindi literature. It is from around mid 14^th century to 16^th century. These 'dohe' came from those eclectic times

This era in the mid 1500s was dominated by hermits and saints who did not leave their homes to create a new philosophy; instead they intermingled with the masses to raise its voice. This was the time when Hindustan had an emperor in Akbar the Great. This was the time religion was dominant but who followed which religion was so intermingled that religions as we now know now had lost their meaning. These were the time when Tulsidas was changing the concept on how Ram was being worshiped; he had just stolen 'Ramayan' from the Pundits, Brahmins and Scholars and put it into the hand of common man. This was the same time when Sufi music and Qwallies were being sung in every 'dargah' across north India. A 'julaha' weaver had just made two majorreligions irrelevant. If Ram was being glorified in the familiar language of masses in 'Ramcharitramanas', Surdas thought only of Krishna and Meera was madly in love with him. Malik Mohammad Jayasi had just written 'Padmavati'. It is supposed that Akbar himself with his friends used to visit these greats in disguise and once listing to Meerabai he had forgotten who he really was.

But coming back to Rahim, who was he? Where did he come from? While reading those Hindi literature books in school, I always thought that Rahim was a 'sufi-ish' saint. Rahim was a warrior and no less than Khan-i-khanna in Akbar's army and one of his famous courtiers. His father's name was actually more surprising, he was none other than 'Akbar's mentor', who did everything for Akbar what Humayun should have done, 'Bairam Khan'. Even after the fallout between Akbar and Bairam, Akbar never let his family go. Akbar protected him like an elder brother. 'Abdur Rahim' was born around 1556, this was the time when Akbar was 14 and just been around a year since he had ascended to the throne. So Akbar saw him not only grow up but very eagerly followed his rise in his Army.

He was responsible for annexing Ahmadabad. He had lead a lot of successful battles before Akbar entrusted him to the title of 'Khan-i-Khanna. He then stayed on in Ahmadabad for some time to take care of the province.

However, growing up around Akbar with the influences of his views on religion it is no surprise that Rahim came to be known for his 'Krishna Bhakti'. He had great command on Sanskrit, Persian Arabic and Turkish. He translated 'Buburnama' in Persian for Akbar. However he wrote all his work in local languages, 'Awadhi' and 'Brij'. He wrote Rahim-dohavali which is probably his most famous work. His other works, 'Shringar surath', 'Madanastaka' and 'Ras panchadayi'. He was also a celebrated astrologer and wrote a few books on it too.

He never use to look at the person whom he was giving alms to. When 'Tulsidas' asked him why he had such a peculiar way of giving alms. He replied,

देनहार कोई और है, भेजत जो दिन रैन, लोग भरम हम पर करें, तासो नीचे नैन

'dainhar koi aur hai, bhejat jo din rain, log bharam hum par karen, taso neeche nain'

(The giver is someone else, who gives every day, people confuse him with me, that's why I lower my eyes)

Some of his great couplets are:

रहिमन धागा प्रेम का, मत तोड़ो चटकाए, टूटे से फिर न जुड़े, जुड़े तो घांट पड़ जाये

'rahiman dhaga prem ka, mat todo chatkaye, tute se phir na jude, jude to ghant pad jaye'

जे रहीम उत्तम प्रकर्ति, कर करी सकत कुसंग, चन्दन विष व्यापत नहीं, लिप्तत रहत भुजंग

'je rahim uttam prakarti, kar kari sakat kusang, chandan vish vyapat nahin, liptat rahat bhujang'

कहे रहीम सम्पति सगे, बनत बहुत बहु रित, बिपत कसोटी जो कसे, ते ही सचे मीत

'kahe rahim sampati sage, banat bahut bahu rit, bipat kasoti jo kase, te hi sache meet'

चित्रकूट में रमी रहे, रहिमन अवध नरेस, जा विपदा परत है, वो आवत इस देश

'chitrakoot mein rami rahe, rahiman awadh nares, ja vipda parat hai, vo awat is desh'

रहिमन मोहि न सुहाए, अमी पावे मान बनू, बरु विष दी बुलाये, मान सहित मरबो भलो

'rahiman mohi na suhaye, ami pave maan banu, baru vish dei bulaye, maan sahit marbo bhalo'

ओछों का सतसन, रहिमन तजहु अंगार ज्यों, तातो जरे अंग, सिरे पे कारो लागे

'oocho ka satsan, rahiman tajhu angaar jyon, tato jare ang, sire pe karo lage'

होए जा की छांह ढीग, फल रहीं अति दूर, बड़ेहू सो बिनु काजाही, जैसे तार खजूर

'hoye ja ki chanh dheeg, phal raheen ati door, badehoo so binu kajahi, jaise taar khajoor'

सीत हरित, ताम्र हरित नीत, भुवन भरत नहीं चूक, रहिमन ताहे रवि को कहे, जो घटी लाखे उल्लूक

'seet harit, tamr harit neet, bhuvan bharat nahin chook, rahiman tahe ravi ko kahe, jo ghati lakhe ullook'

साधू सराहें साधुता, जाती जोगिता जान, रहिमन सचे सूर को, बेरी करें बखान

'sadhoo sarahen sadhoota, jati jogita jaan, rahiman sache soor ko, bayri karen bakhan'

समय पे फल होत हैं, समय पे झारी जात, सदा रहें नहीं एक सी, का रहीम पछितात

'samay pay phal hot hain, samay pay jhari jaat, sada rahen nahin ek si, ka rahim pachitat'

सबे कहावें लस्कारी, सब लस्कार कांह जाये, रहिमन सलेह जो सहे, सोई जागीर खाए

'sabe kahavein laskari, sab lascar kanh jaye, rahiman sleh jo sahe, soi jageer khaye'