Darshan Jhalkaa - Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh Jee

What a wonderful poem about Siri Guru Gobind Singh jee, by Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee. This is my favourite poem of Bhai Sahib. It talks in detail about the Mukh (face) of Guru Sahib and the description is so vivid that it can't be a product of mere imagination but has sprung from real Darshan of Siri Guru jee.

Bhai Sahib has mentioned that Guru Sahib's Rukhsaar (face) is glowing and red in colour. Around the Red glowing face, is Black beard like dark clouds around moon. On one of Guru Sahib's cheeks, is a beautiful Black til (mole) and it greatly enhances Guru Sahib's beauty. Vaah, what a great choice of words Bhai Sahib has chosen to describe Guru Sahib's beautiful face. Just Amazing!

ਤੇਰੇ ਲਾਲ ਮੁਖਾਲ ਦੁਆਲੇ ਸੋਹੇ ਕਾਲ ਨਾਗ ਜ਼ੁਲਫਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(Around your glowing Rosy face is Black beard that resembles Black Cobra.)

The use of word ਕਾਲ ਨਾਗ (Black Cobra) for Guru Sahib's beard is to show Kataakhya (don't know English word). Lovers are known to describe the beauty of their beloved ones using such words as Eyes like sharp Dagger, killer lips etc. It is because the these characteristics of their beloved one indeed have a killer effect on them. Zuflaala means Zulf i.e. hair.

ਤੇਰੇ ਜ਼ੁਲਫ ਨਾਗ ਦੁਇ ਕਾਲੇ ਦੇ ਵਿਚਰਾਲੇ ਮੁਖ ਸੁਰਖਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
Between your Cobra-like Zulf (beard) is your Surkh (Rosy) Mukh (face).

ਤੇਰੇ ਸੁਰਖ ਰੰਗ ਰੁਖਸਾਲ ਵਿਚਾਲੇ ਖਾਲ ਫਬੇ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(In the middle of your Rosy Cheek is a Beautiful Black Til (mole)).

ਤੇਰੀ ਮੁਸ਼ਕੀ ਕਾਲੇ ਖਾਲ ਦੁਆਲੇ ਖਿੜਿਆ ਬਾਗ਼ ਫੁਲਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(Around your black mole is blossomed garden of hair.)

ਤੇਰੇ ਫੁਲ ਗੁਲਾਬੀ ਚੇਹਰੇ ਦੇ ਚੌਫੇਰੇ ਘਨਾਂ ਘਟਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(Around your face that is like a Rose flower, beard is thick and Black in colour).

ਇਸ ਘਨ-ਘਨ ਸਿਆਮ ਵਿਚਾਲੇ ਲਿਸ਼ਕੇ ਬੀਜਲ ਚੰਦ ਮੁਖਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(Your face, in-between the dark and thick clouds of beard, shines like lightening).

Bhai Sahib's description of Guru Sahib's beauty reminds one of the style of Bhai Nandlal jee who has called Guru Sahib's beautiful face "Pari Rukhsaar" which means face like a fairy.

Subhaan Allah!!

Kulbir Singh

The last lines leading up to the Kalgi of Guru Sahib are extremely beautiful. It is impossible to translate these lines even in Punjabi, let alone English. Below is a humble attempt at translating just the gist of Bhai Sahib's lines. Exact translation is beyond the capability of this humble Daas.

ਇਸ ਨੂਰ ਨੁਰਾਲੇ ਮੁਖ ਸਿਖਰਾਲੇ ਸੀਸ ਨੂਰ ਕੇਸਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(On the top of the Noori (illuminated) Face of Guru Sahib, are Noori Kesh of Guru Sahib)

ਇਸ ਨੂਰੀ ਕੇਸਾਂ ਵਾਲੇ ਸੀਸ ਦੁਆਲੇ ਨੂਰ ਦਮਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(Around the head with Noori Kesh, there is Noori Dumaala)

ਇਸ ਜੋਤਿ ਜਲਾਲੇ ਦਮਕ ਦਮਾਲੇ ਦੁਆਲੇ ਨੂਰ ਨਿਰਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(Around the illuminated beautiful Jalaali Dumaala of Guru Sahib is special and unique mystical Noor (of Jyot).

ਹੈ ਜੋਤਿ ਦਾਮਨੀ ਚਕ੍ਰ ਸੁਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਮਣੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੜਤਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(This Jyot is like lightening and like Sudarshan Chakra and is coming from jyot-mai Mani (jewel) on Dastaar)

ਮਣਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੜਾਲੇ, ਚਕ੍ਰ ਨਾਲੇ ਜਗਮਗ ਜੋਤਿ ਜਿਗਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(on Dastaar is the Jyot-mai Mani and shining Chakra that too is illuminated with Jyot)

ਇਸ ਜਿਗਾ ਜਗਮਗੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਜਮਾਲੋਂ ਜਗੇ ਨਵੀਨ ਜਲਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(This shining beautiful Jyot that is coming from the jewel on Dastaar, it has ever-new Jalaal (beauty, effect).

ਇਸ ਨਵ ਜਲਾਲ ਦੀ ਲਸ਼ਕ ਲਹਿਰ ਦਾ ਅਰਸ਼ਾਂ ਤੋੜ ਉਜਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(The reflection of this Jalaal (of that jewel on the Dastaar) is very bright and it has light extending up to sky).

ਜਦ ਨੀਝ ਲਾਇ ਦੇਖਾਂ ਤਾਂ ਹੈ ਇਹ ਕਲਗੀ ਦਾ ਝਲਕਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(When I look at the source of this light, I realize that this Jyotmai bright light is actually coming from Guru Sahib's Kalgi)

ਇਹ ਬੁਕਾ ਨੂਰ ਜ਼ਹੂਰੀ ਹੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਕਲਗੀਆਂ ਵਾਲਾ ਜੀ।
(This is what lightening Noori Darshan of my Kalgianwale Satguru jee is)

Vaah! Vaah! Vaah! Vaah!

Kulbir Singh

jaan kadd'tee

Vaaheguru ji!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is mind-blowing.

It's amazing how much power Guru Sahib has given to language and poetry. Once, during war, Bhai Nand Laal brought a Sri Sahib before Guru Sahib and begged permission to fight on his behalf, but instead Guru Sahib took his Sri Sahib and gave him instead a pen. The pen is truly a powerful thing, as it is outlet for both shakti and for prem.


This is a poem by Bhai Nand Singh Jee. The Punjabi is a transliteration of the original, which was written in Persian. He also mentions Guru Sahib's mole, the beauty mark on his cheek.

ਚੂੰ ਮਾਹਿ ਦੋ ਹਫ.ਤਾ, ਰੂ-ਨੁਮਾਈ, ਚਿ: ਸ਼ਵਦ ।
ਇਮ-ਸ਼ਬ ਮਹਿ ਮਨ, ਅਗਰ ਬਿਆਈ ਚਿ: ਸ਼ਵਦ ॥
ਈਂ ਜੁਮਲਹ ਜਹਾ, ਅਸੀਰਿ ਜ਼ੁਲਫ਼ਤ ਗਸ਼ਤਹ ।
ਯਕ ਲਹਜ਼ਾ, ਅਗਰ ਗਿਰਾ ਕੁਸ਼ਾਈ, ਚਿ: ਸ਼ਵਦ ॥
ਆਲਮ ਹਮਹ ਗਸ਼ਤਹ ਅਸੂ ਬੇ ਤੋ ਤਾਰੀਕ ।
ਖ਼ੁਰਸ਼ੀਦ ਸਿਫ਼ਤ ਅਗਰ ਬਰਾਈ, ਚਿ: ਸ਼ਵਦ ॥
ਯਕ ਲਹਜ਼ਾ ਬਯਾ, ਓ ਦਰ ਚਸ਼ਮਮ ਬਿ-ਨਸ਼ੀਂ ।
ਦਰ ਦੀਦਹ ਨਿਸ਼ੱਸਤਹ, ਦਿਲ ਰੁਬਾਈ, ਚਿ: ਸ਼ਵਦ ॥
ਈਂ ਹਿੰਦੂਏ ਖ਼ਾਲਤ, ਕਿ ਬਰੂਅਤ ਸ਼ੈਦਾ ਅਸੂ ।
ਬ-ਫ਼ਰੌਸ਼ੀ ਅਗਰ ਬ-ਨਕਦੇ ਖ਼ਦਾਈ, ਚਿ: ਸ਼ਵਦ ॥
ਦਰ ਦੀਦਹ ਤੂਈ, ਮਨ ਮਨ, ਬ-ਹਰ ਕੂਏ ਜੋਯਾਂ ।
ਅਜ਼ ਪਰਦਾ-ਇ ਗ਼ੈਬ, ਰੂ-ਨੁਮਾਈ, ਚਿ: ਸ਼ਵਦ ॥
‘ਗੋਇਆ’ ਅਸੂ ਬ ਹਰ ਤਰਫ ਼ਸੁਰਾਗਤ ਜੋਯਾਂ ।
ਗਰ ਗ਼ੁਮ ਸ਼ਦਹ ਰਾ ਰਾਹ ਨੁਮਾਈ, ਚਿ: ਸ਼ਵਦ ॥


When the full moon appears, what happens!
And if the moon on my sky appears tonight, what happens!
The whole world has been enchanted by your locks,
For a moment, if you loosen the knot what happens!
The world is all dark without you,
Like the Sun, if you bring light, what happens!
O come for a moment, and sit in my eyes,
If you sit in my eyes and gladden my heart, Oh what happens!
This black faced mole, which gave life on your cheek,
If you barter it for the entire universe, Oh what happens!
From the eye of separation, for pity’s sake, if you lift the veil, what happens!
Those lost on your trail, O Goya, are in search of you,
If you show the way to the lost ones, what happens!


It is heavy reading, even the English translation, but anyone can pick up the strong outpouring of love dripping from the words.

I think that Kavita by Bhai Sahib shows that even Punjabi language is second to no other language when it comes to expressing the deepest of love for another.