Here is a poem written by my father, HH Shri Bhola Nathji(1902-1992) who was a great Spiritual Luminary of his time and who gave peace and beatitude to countless folk, relieving them of their ills and sorrows.
He called himself the Servant of the Earth, and would say:
"I have no mission except Love in this world,
My mission is Love and my work is Love!"
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The poem depicts God playing hide and seek with his lovers and indeed with the people of the world. Every action of His is to draw the people of the world to Himself so that their lives can find fulfillment. But reaching Him is not an easy task. It is fraught with many a peril, many a storm, many a test. But always there is the Voice of God calling out to man in the innermost depths of his heart, drawing him closer and closer to himself, through sorrows and joys, and finally through Death in which God comes to take away everything, all the wealth and all the glory which man has acquired in life. All that God asks for in return is a place in the heart of man, a place which must always remain reserved for Him and Him alone!
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O COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
O WHAT A JOY IT WILL BE! RUN NOW TOWARDS ME,
AND CATCH ME, CATCH ME, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
I AM THE LORD OF ALL THOSE INTOXICATED IN LOVE
COME AND CATCH HOLD OF ME, CATCH ME, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
SOMETIMES THROUGH FORCE AND SOMETIMES WITH PLAYFULNESS, I COME TO AWAKEN,
I FILL THE HEART WITH PIERCING CARESSES, COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
IF I COME IN PHYSICAL FORM I CAN REMOVE IT, LIKE GLOVES WORN AND TAKEN OFF,
MY PRESENT STATE I CAN TRANSFORM AS I PLEASE, COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
BEHOLD! COMING TOWARDS ME THOU SHALL TURN INTO ME, MYSELF!
CATCH HOLD OF THYSELF IF YOU MUST, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
THEY SAY, " HE HAS FLOWN! HE HAS GONE AWAY!" BUT WHERE WILL I GO?
TURN THY HEADS AND LOOK THIS WAY, HERE I AM, COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE GAMES I PLAY WITH CLEVERNESS
ABOUNDING WITH MIRACLES AND ABSOLUTE FEARLESSNESS
O THOU KINGS AND EMPERORS AND THE LEARNED FOLK OF THE WORLD,
LET ME TELL YOU MYSELF THE SECRET THAT IS HIDDEN FROM ALL
WITH MY OWN MOUTH LET ME PROCLAIM IT BEFORE ALL!
THROUGH EVERY MEANS POSSIBLE, I TAKE AWAY, COMING AS DEATH,
THE WEALTH AND TITLES, THE HONOR AND GLORY OF ALL!
THERE IS ONE HURT, O DEAR FRIENDS, THAT I CAN NEVER ENDURE,
IF THOU GIVE PLACE TO ANYONE ELSE BUT MYSELF IN THY HEARTS!
EVEN THE GREAT AND THE MIGHTY TREMBLE,
WHEN THEY LOOK UPON ME COMING AS A STORM
I AM THE LORD OF ALL THOSE INTOXICATED BY LOVE
CATCH ME, CATCH ME, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!!
TRANSLATION FROM THE URDU POEM, (GHAZAL)
AND SUNG BY ME, PRIYA NATH MEHTA.
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Please view the Gazal by clicking the link -
GOD PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK
He called himself the Servant of the Earth, and would say:
"I have no mission except Love in this world,
My mission is Love and my work is Love!"
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The poem depicts God playing hide and seek with his lovers and indeed with the people of the world. Every action of His is to draw the people of the world to Himself so that their lives can find fulfillment. But reaching Him is not an easy task. It is fraught with many a peril, many a storm, many a test. But always there is the Voice of God calling out to man in the innermost depths of his heart, drawing him closer and closer to himself, through sorrows and joys, and finally through Death in which God comes to take away everything, all the wealth and all the glory which man has acquired in life. All that God asks for in return is a place in the heart of man, a place which must always remain reserved for Him and Him alone!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
O COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
O WHAT A JOY IT WILL BE! RUN NOW TOWARDS ME,
AND CATCH ME, CATCH ME, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
I AM THE LORD OF ALL THOSE INTOXICATED IN LOVE
COME AND CATCH HOLD OF ME, CATCH ME, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
SOMETIMES THROUGH FORCE AND SOMETIMES WITH PLAYFULNESS, I COME TO AWAKEN,
I FILL THE HEART WITH PIERCING CARESSES, COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN
IF I COME IN PHYSICAL FORM I CAN REMOVE IT, LIKE GLOVES WORN AND TAKEN OFF,
MY PRESENT STATE I CAN TRANSFORM AS I PLEASE, COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
BEHOLD! COMING TOWARDS ME THOU SHALL TURN INTO ME, MYSELF!
CATCH HOLD OF THYSELF IF YOU MUST, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
THEY SAY, " HE HAS FLOWN! HE HAS GONE AWAY!" BUT WHERE WILL I GO?
TURN THY HEADS AND LOOK THIS WAY, HERE I AM, COME AND CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THE GAMES I PLAY WITH CLEVERNESS
ABOUNDING WITH MIRACLES AND ABSOLUTE FEARLESSNESS
O THOU KINGS AND EMPERORS AND THE LEARNED FOLK OF THE WORLD,
LET ME TELL YOU MYSELF THE SECRET THAT IS HIDDEN FROM ALL
WITH MY OWN MOUTH LET ME PROCLAIM IT BEFORE ALL!
THROUGH EVERY MEANS POSSIBLE, I TAKE AWAY, COMING AS DEATH,
THE WEALTH AND TITLES, THE HONOR AND GLORY OF ALL!
THERE IS ONE HURT, O DEAR FRIENDS, THAT I CAN NEVER ENDURE,
IF THOU GIVE PLACE TO ANYONE ELSE BUT MYSELF IN THY HEARTS!
EVEN THE GREAT AND THE MIGHTY TREMBLE,
WHEN THEY LOOK UPON ME COMING AS A STORM
I AM THE LORD OF ALL THOSE INTOXICATED BY LOVE
CATCH ME, CATCH ME, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!!
TRANSLATION FROM THE URDU POEM, (GHAZAL)
AND SUNG BY ME, PRIYA NATH MEHTA.
=======================================================================
Please view the Gazal by clicking the link -
GOD PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK
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