Sami Sufi Saint of Sindh Bhai Chainrai 1743--1850

 

Bhai Chainrai  ''Sami'' سامي چين راءِ بچو مل (1743--1850)

About the middle of the last century flourished the first major Hindu poet to be typically found in the cultural history of Sindhi literature. He enunciated carefully Vedantic principles in his poetry, which possess so many points in common with Sufism, and employed the shlokas of Sanskrit poetry akin to the Sindhi Doheera (In Sindhi دوهيڙا) Two-Liner formate. He correctly was Bhai Chainrai and adopted the pen-name of "Sami" in honor of his master Sami Menghraj, on account of which the vast body of his writings is collected Sami-Ja-Shloka.

سامي چين راءِ بچو مل

Sami is traditionally regarded as the completed last of the trinity of great Sindhi poets—-the other two being Shah and Sachal. A moment ago as Shah had said about his poems: "What you think are baits are really holy verses", so also Sami claimed: "I am reciting in Sindhi the sayings of the Vedas." In Sami's shlokas, there is a thorough exposition of Vedantic philosophy; but in spite of being primarily religious, didactic, and repetitive, there is a passionate sincerity of feeling in his writing and his style and imagery are so colorful that he can easily claim the status of the great poet. Over here obtain two specimens from the thousands of his shlokas.

• In Sindhi

     Satgur purkh sujan, rakhyo hath-u mathe te;

    Ve-ee nikri man moon, Sami khincha tan.

    Vasya mengh mahir ja, bhariya mena nihan,

    Achi beetha pan, sanamukh muhinja supreen.

Translation of Poetry of Sami :

My true and wise Guru place his hand upon my head;
And all the tussle, Sami wisely says was banished from my conscious mind
Showers of mercy fell, and my eyes were filled like fountains;
The Lover himself approached and placed the face to confront me.

• In Sindhi

     Lekhe vidho lur, Sami chae sansar men.

    Ashiqu charhiya achh te, panjaee kare pur,

    Sanamukh superyan je, lae vetha jhur,

    Jeean gungo khae gur, mushke kushe keenakee.

    (گونگو کائي ڳُڙُ، مُشڪي ڪُشڪي ڪين ڪي)

Translation of Sami's Poetry in English :

Money has created all the commotion, Sami says, in the world.
But lovers have vanquished the five foes and ascended the worthy heaven.
Face to face with the Lover, happy rain-clouds in their kind eyes,
They are like a speechless man, consuming treacle, unable to speak or to smile.