Ali Mardan Khan’s Persian poem

In praise of Lord Shiva

— Hira Lal Kak

The story goes that Ali Mardan Khan, the Kurdish governor of Kashmir appointed by Shah Jahan, the governor who built Chashmeshahi Garden, the supposed owner of a philosopher stone got from a dead snake woman, was one night strolling around Shalimar Garden when his eyes suddenly fell on Mahadeo peak and saw something, believed he saw Shiva himself. He went on to write a poem on his experience. No one was to later claim that he must have been smoking or drinking Shiva stuff. The story is  interesting not just because of the obvious ‘Muslim Man singing Hindu Hosanna’ thing but because in this particular story and the poem associated with the story, the whole unique Hindu concept of ‘Darshan’ and the concept of God having physical attributes is also adopted.

I have read the story and reference to the poem in a lot of ‘our great culture’ writing on Kashmir. But never was the poem presented in entirety. The usual - someone knows 30% about something, he shares 15%, someone else is happy copying 10%, and in the end you get only 5% but that doesn’t matter because you get a lazy ‘our great culture’ kick even in that 5% and that’s how the matter remains. In my case, OCD causes me all kind of problems. I need to know more even if I don’t understand it. Even if it is all Persian to me.

Here’s the complete poem, in what may or may not pass for Persian, with what may or may not pass for translation:

That night

Huma Aslay Maheshwar Bood

Shabshahay Ki Man Didam

Gazanfar Charam Dar Barbood

Shab Shahay

I saw him at night, I am sure it was Maheshwar

wearing a Lion skin on him, that night

Zee Bhasamsh Jam-e-Bar Tan

Zonarsh maar bar gardan

Ravansh gang bar sar bood

Shab Shahay

His body covered in ash, a snake around the neck

Ganga was flowing down from his hair, that night

Say Chashmash bar jabeen Darad

Zee mehroy roshan tar

Say Karan Dast Bastah bood

Shab Shahay

Three eyes on his face, his face all illuminating

for that reason, my hands paid him respect, that night

B-dastash Aab-e-Kosar

V-bekh Nakusee Nilofar

Hilalash Taaj bar sar bood

Shab Shahay

Water of bounty, a lotus conch in hand

his head was lit by moon, that night

Uma Az Soi-la-Bingar

Zi Sad Khursheed Taban tar

Svarash Kulib-e-nar bood

Shab Shahay

Uma to his left, bright like a thousand suns

their ride was a Bull, that night

Ajab Sanyaas-e-didam

Namo Narayan Guftam

E-Khakay paye bosidham

Shab Shahay

I saw a strange renouncer, my lips uttered - Namoh Narayan

I kissed the dust flying off his feet, that night

Nigahay bar manay Miskeen

Namood Az Chashim Tabaan Tar

Makanash Laamkan tar bood

Shab Shahay

He looked deep into me with his shining eyes

I saw his house in the uninhabitable infinite, that night

Manam Mardaan Ali Khanam

Gulam Shah-e-Shaham

Ajab Israar may Beenam

Shab Shahay

I, Ali Mardan Khan, server of King of Kings

I witnessed something very strange, that night. n