Soul Mate

 

This morning I was a bit restless due to some issues going on in India with my parents’ home. Felt rather helpless because I can’t be there right now in person to take care of things within the required timelines and the difficulties in communicating with people who can help. 

As I brooded over “ what should I do” miraculously this song, that I haven’t heard in years, came to my lips!! I have such mysterious experiences from time to time. A very pertinent song from old times just pops up with situations!

The emotional lyrics of this song are penned by Raja Mehndi Ali Khan, sung by Lata Mangeshkar and music composed by Madan Mohan. A man burdened by family problems is being persuaded by his lady love to share his worries with her and assured that she is there for him in good times and bad times.

अगर मुझ से मोहब्बत है मुझे सब अपने ग़म दे दो

इन आँखों का हर इक आँसू मुझे मेरी क़सम दे दो

If you love me then give me all your sorrows. I pledge I am here to take from you every tear that comes to your eyes if you allow me to.

तुम्हारे ग़म को अपना ग़म बना लूँ तो क़रार आए

तुम्हारा दर्द सीने में छुपा लूँ तो क़रार आए

It will give me great relief if I make your sorrows my own and to tuck your pain in my heart.

वो हर शय जो तुम्हें दुख दे मुझे मेरे सनम दे दो

अगर मुझ से मोहब्बत है

Whatever small or big thing that hurts you, give it to me, my beloved, if you truly love me.

शरीक-ए-ज़िंदगी को क्यों शरीक-ए-ग़म नहीं करते

दुखों को बाँट कर क्यों इन दुखों को कम नहीं करते

Why don’t you allow your partner in life to be a partner in sorrows?

Why don’t you share your woes and thereby lessen the burden of these woes on yourself?

तड़प इस दिल की थोड़ी सी मुझे मेरे सनम दे दो

अगर मुझ से मोहब्बत है

Give me a part of the ache from your heart if you truly love me.

इन आँखों में न अब मुझ को कभी आँसू नज़र आए

सदा हँसती रहें आँखें सदा ये होंट मुस्काएँ

I hope that I will not see tears in your eyes anymore 

May these eyes beam with joy always and your lips always sport a smile.

मुझे अपनी सभी आहें सभी दर्द-ओ-अलम दे दो

अगर मुझ से मोहब्बत है

Give me all your sighs, pains and troubles if you truly love me.

It is probably no secret by now for those who read my writings that I am a warkari. A pilgrim on the path of the divine spirit, a devotee of God or trying to be one as best as I can. I am also a student of the Bhagwad Gita and take inspiration from the saints and their literature. Somewhere admixed with these are the interests in Hindi movies, songs and the love for sarees and textiles from India.

My to-go soul mate, friend, parent, confidante, counselor, guide is the Lord Himself. Despite having a remarkably kind and caring family and circle of friends, that’s how isolated I am where seeking personal support is concerned. 

The teachings of Bhagwad Gita have kept me dedicated to fulfil the role of a daughter, wife and mother, as well as a physician. Had it not 

been for accepting the doctrine of Karma Yoga I would probably have chosen the life of an ascetic. But that would have been a mistake considering the strong desires I had as a young woman to have kids and set up home. God knew me better than I did. However, being a householder is not without challenges. You face opinions and disapprovals from family and a whole lot of stressors just to maintain your lifestyle, such as timely taxes, audits, maintenance of assets, health worries of family members, professional ups and downs and many other things. These come to every ordinary person’s life, no matter how rich or poor they are. And to cope with it all we develop our own support systems. For some it is their spouse, for others it is close friends, yet others seek support from their pastors or therapists. Some seek rejuvenation from nature. But definitely we need some source outside of us at some point or other to get through tough times. And then there are some like me who are all bottled up for some reason or another and who can’t turn to fellow humans when their inner systems are stretched thin yet need a sound voice to put them back together. 

This morning when I was getting worked up about the problems in India that are solely resting on my shoulders, neither my spouse, nor kids, nor sister are knowledgeable about suddenly out of the blue these lines came to my lips and I picked the message. 

“If you love me then give me all your sorrows. I pledge I am here to take from you every tear that comes to your eyes if you allow me to.”

अगर मुझ से मोहब्बत है मुझे सब अपने ग़म दे दो

इन आँखों का हर इक आँसू मुझे मेरी क़सम दे दो

At the human level I am frail, vulnerable and lonely from time to time. And despite the lifelong search for God within, and even actual revelations of Him within, there comes a forgetfulness occasionally that just like I live my life for Him, He is there for me too! He was quick to remind me this morning. “ You say you have dedicated your service to me, given your heart to me, then why are you carrying the burden of your problems by yourself? If you truly love me you must be able to trust that I will carry you through the problems. You need not worry. “.

It is a test of our faith when we face troubles as human beings. These are times that sharpen our convictions and give us the confidence to keep going forward bravely, expecting to come out of all perils unscathed and holding our heads high. 

Saree is a silk muslin in baby pink with white motifs in jamdani weave on its pallu, borders and body.