Jin Khoja Tin Paaya

When I used to live in Jammu, during the hot summer days, we used to go to a small park near the old Science College to get some cool breeze at the banks of the ‘Nehar’, (river) that runs along the Jammu-Akhnoor road. Most people would jump in the water and swim to escape the heat and enjoy the coolness of water; I always sat at the bank with only my feet dipped in the water. Friends would ask me to come into the water. “You can’t get the real coolness just by sitting there. Come in the water and see how refreshing it is”, they would say. But I never dared because I did not know how to swim. Nevertheless, my experience was not the same as theirs. 

At that time, I would always remember this beautiful and meaningful Doha, a couplet by Sant Guru Kabeer ji:

जिन खोजा तिन पाया गहरे पानी पैठ 

मैं बौरी ढूंडन गयी, रही किनारे बैठ

Jin khoja Tin paaya, gehare paani paith 

Main bauri dhoondan gayi, rahi kinaare baith  

Those who searched, found (the treasure), but only by diving into the depth of the sea.

I too went, but foolishly stayed only at the shore (could not dare to dive in)

The following sher by Allama Iqbal is like the Urdu version of Kabeer ji’s Hindi Doha.

इल्म के दरिया से निकले गोता ज़न गौहर बदस्त 

वाये महरूमी ! ख़ज़फ़ चैन-ए  लबे साहिल हूँ मैं 

Ilm Ke Darya Se Nikle Gota Zan  Gauhar Badast
Waye Mehroomi! Khazaf Chain-e-Lab-e- Saahil Hun Main

Translation:

From the sea of knowledge, divers came out with pearls in hands.
Alas, O deprivation! A mere pebble collector on the sea shore I am.  (Allama Iqbal)

We need to go in depth of the ‘Gyana’ to explore, to understand and achieve the Truth. Just some Superficial knowledge is not enough.

As the saying goes: Neem Hakeem khatraa-e- jaan” having little knowledge (of medicine) can be dangerous to the life.

Unfortunately, most of us are afraid to dive deep into the Gyana.

We simply go to a religious place of our choice and convince ourselves (and perhaps others) that we are quite a devotee and Gyani. And if this boosts up our ego, then we will surely deviate from our path.

   ‘Rajan Sachdeva’