Sri Charitropakhyan Sahib jee Series - Charitar #99

[chatanga1]

Chritar 99: Tale of Ruder Kala

ਚੌਪਈ ॥

Chaupaee

ਪੋਠੋਹਾਰਿ ਨਾਰਿ ਇਕ ਰਹੈ ॥

ਰੁਦ੍ਰ ਕਲਾ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਜਗ ਕਹੈ ॥

In the country of Puthohar, a woman used to live, who was known as Ruder Kala.

ਤਿਹ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਰੋਜ ਖੁਦਾਈ ਆਵੈ ॥

ਧਨ ਡਰ ਪਾਇ ਤਾਹਿ ਲੈ ਜਾਵੈ ॥੧॥

Every day some (Muslim) priests used to come to her and take her wealth away after threatening her.(1)

ਇਕ ਦਿਨ ਇਨ ਕਛੁ ਧਨੁ ਨਹਿ ਦਯੋ ॥

ਕੋਪ ਖਦਾਇਨ ਕੇ ਮਨ ਭਯੋ ॥

Once, when she had been left with no money, the Maulana priests flew into a rage.

ਸਭ ਹੀ ਹਾਥ ਕੁਰਾਨ ਉਠਾਏ ॥

ਮਿਲਿ ਗਿਲਿ ਭਵਨ ਤਵਨ ਕੇ ਆਏ ॥੨॥

They got together and came to her house.(2)

ਹਾਨਤ ਕਹਿਯੋ ਨਬੀ ਕੀ ਕਰੀ ॥

ਯਹ ਸੁਨਿ ਬਚਨ ਨਾਰਿ ਅਤਿ ਡਰੀ ॥

(They said) ‘You have insulted the Prophet Mohammed,’ she was dreaded to hear this.

ਤਿਨ ਕੋ ਸਦਨ ਬੀਚ ਬੈਠਾਯੋ ॥

ਖਾਨ ਮੁਹਬਤ ਸਾਥ ਜਤਾਯੋ ॥੩॥

She invited them and requested them to be seated and, then, sent message to Mohabat Khan (the ruler of the place).(3)

ਤਾ ਕੇ ਤੁਰਤ ਪਯਾਦੇ ਆਏ ॥

ਇਕ ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਮੈ ਬੈਠਾਇ ਛਿਪਾਏ ॥

Then the Turk (Muslim) spies came and she accommodated them secretly in a room there.

ਖਾਨਾ ਭਲੋ ਤਿਨਾਗੇ ਰਾਖ੍ਯੋ ॥

ਆਪੁ ਖਦਾਇਨ ਸੋ ਯੋ ਭਾਖ੍ਯੋ ॥੪॥

They (the raiders) were already there; she had served them the dainty foods. What she said, follows:(4)

ਹਾਨਤ ਮੈ ਨ ਨਬੀ ਕੀ ਕਰੀ ॥

ਮੋ ਤੌ ਕਹੋ ਚੂਕ ਕਾ ਪਰੀ ॥

‘I have not insulted the prophet. Where else could I have gone wrong?

ਤਾ ਕੀ ਜੋ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਮੈ ਕਰੋ ॥

ਅਪਨੇ ਮਾਰਿ ਕਟਾਰੀ ਮਰੋ ॥੫॥

‘If I have insult Him, I will kill myself with a dagger.(5)

ਜੋ ਕਛੁ ਲੈਨੋ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਲੀਜੈ ॥

ਹਾਨਤ ਕੋ ਮੁਹਿ ਦੋਸੁ ਨ ਦੀਜੈ ॥

‘Whatever you want, you take away from me but don’t accuse me for blasphemy.’

ਬਿਹਸਿ ਖੁਦਾਇਨ ਬਚਨ ਉਚਾਰਿਯੋ ॥

ਧਨ ਲਾਲਚ ਹਮ ਚਰਿਤ ਸੁ ਧਾਰਿਯੋ ॥੬॥

Then they said jovially, ‘We had devised this to pillage money out of you.(6)

ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥

Dohira

ਜੋ ਹੌ ਕਛੂ ਮੁਹੰਮਦਹਿ ਮੁਖ ਤੈ ਕਾਢੋ ਗਾਰਿ ॥

‘Had we committed perjury against the prophet,

ਤੋ ਮੈ ਆਪਨ ਆਪ ਹੀ ਮਰੋ ਕਟਾਰੀ ਮਾਰਿ ॥੭॥

We would have killed ourselves with daggers too.(7)

ਚੌਪਈ ॥

Chaupaee

ਤੈ ਨਹਿ ਕਛੂ ਨਬੀ ਕੋ ਕਹਿਯੋ ॥

ਧਨ ਕੇ ਹੇਤ ਤੋਹਿ ਹਮ ਗਹਿਯੋ ॥

‘You have not said anything against the Prophet, we have devised this to squeeze your money.

ਅਧਿਕ ਦਰਬੁ ਅਬ ਹੀ ਮੁਹਿ ਦੀਜੈ ॥

ਨਾਤਰ ਮੀਚ ਮੂੰਡਿ ਪੈ ਲੀਜੈ ॥੮॥

‘Now give us lot of wealth otherwise we will kill you.’(8)

ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥

Dohira

ਹਮ ਬਹੁ ਲੋਗ ਪਿਸੌਰ ਕੇ ਇਨੀ ਤੁਹਮਤਨ ਸਾਥ ॥

‘We have already blamed like this many people in the city of Peshawar,

ਧਨੀ ਕਰੈ ਨਿਧਨੀ ਘਨੇ ਹ੍ਵੈ ਹ੍ਵੈ ਗਏ ਅਨਾਥ ॥੯॥

‘And turned them into paupers.’(9)

ਚੌਪਈ ॥

Chaupaee

ਯੌ ਸੁਨਿ ਬਚਨ ਪਯਾਦਨੁ ਪਾਯੋ ॥

ਵੇਈ ਸਭ ਝੂਠੇ ਠਹਿਰਾਯੋ ॥

The spies, who were listening to all that, labelled them as liars.

ਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਤੇ ਨਿਕਸਿ ਤਿਨੈ ਗਹਿ ਲੀਨੋ ॥

ਸਭਹਿਨ ਕੀ ਮੁਸਕੈ ਕਸਿ ਦੀਨੋ ॥੧੦॥

They took them out of the house and tied them up.(10)

ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥

Dohira

ਲਾਤ ਮੁਸਟ ਕੁਰਰੇ ਘਨੇ ਬਰਸੀ ਪਨ੍ਹੀ ਅਪਾਰ ॥

They were beaten with fists and shoes,

ਦੈ ਮੁਸਕਨ ਕੌ ਲੈ ਚਲੇ ਹੇਰਤੁ ਲੋਕ ਹਜਾਰ ॥੧੧॥

And, tied up, they were taken out in the streets.(11)

ਚੌਪਈ ॥

Chaupaee

ਤਿਨ ਕੋ ਬਾਧਿ ਲੈ ਗਏ ਤਹਾ ॥

ਖਾਨ ਮੁਹਬਤਿ ਬੈਠੋ ਜਹਾ ॥

They dragged them to the place where Mohabat Khan was seated.

ਪਨਹਿਨ ਮਾਰਿ ਨਵਾਬ ਦਿਲਾਈ ॥

ਤੋਬਹ ਤੋਬਹ ਕਰੈ ਖੁਦਾਈ ॥੧੨॥

Through the woman, Khan got them beaten and then they expressed their regrets.(l2)

ਪਨਹਿਨ ਕੇ ਮਾਰਤ ਮਰਿ ਗਏ ॥

ਤਬ ਵੈ ਡਾਰਿ ਨਦੀ ਮੈ ਦਏ ॥

They died through the beatings with the shoes and were thrown into the stream.

ਚੁਪ ਹ੍ਵੈ ਰਹੇ ਤੁਰਕ ਸਭ ਸੋਊ ॥

ਤਬ ਤੇ ਤੁਹਮਤਿ ਦੇਤ ਨ ਕੋਊ ॥੧੩॥

This made all the Muslims to become peaceful and no body was ever set with the blame.(13)

ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥

Dohira

ਤਬ ਤਿਨ ਬਿਪ ਬੁਲਾਇ ਕੈ ਦੀਨੋ ਦਾਨ ਅਪਾਰ ॥

Then she invited the Brahmin Priests and showered with bounty.

ਛਲ ਕੈ ਕੈ ਜੂਤਿਨ ਭਏ ਬੀਸ ਖੁਦਾਈ ਮਾਰ ॥੧੪॥

Through such an Chritar the woman got Muslim priests beaten with shoes.(14)

ਚੌਪਈ ॥

Chaupaee

ਚੁਪ ਤਬ ਤੇ ਹ੍ਵੈ ਰਹੇ ਖੁਦਾਈ ॥

ਕਾਹੂ ਸਾਥ ਨ ਰਾਰਿ ਬਢਾਈ ॥

Since then the Muslim priests attained patience and never indulged in bickering.

ਸੋਈ ਕਰੈ ਜੁ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਕਹੈ ॥

ਤੁਹਮਤਿ ਦੈ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਨ ਗਹੈ ॥੧੫॥

They performed according to the wishes of the Hindus and never blamed any body falsely.(l5)(1)

ਇਤਿ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ਪਖ੍ਯਾਨੇ ਤ੍ਰਿਯਾ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰੇ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੀ ਭੂਪ ਸੰਬਾਦੇ ਨਿੰਨਾਨਵੋ ਚਰਿਤ੍ਰ ਸਮਾਪਤਮ ਸਤੁ ਸੁਭਮ ਸਤੁ ॥੯੯॥੧੮੪੩॥ਅਫਜੂੰ॥

Ninety-ninth Parable of Auspicious Chritars Conversation of the Raja and the Minister, Completed with Benediction. (99)(1843)

 

[chatanga1]

 

[chatanga1]

[dalsingh101]

The last few chariters have taken on 'religious twists' in various ways. 

[dalsingh101]

Notice how this line is not translated:

ਸਭ ਹੀ ਹਾਥ ਕੁਰਾਨ ਉਠਾਏ ॥

 

Never heard of muslims being called ਖੁਦਾਈ  (Khudaee) before. 

I think this shows how some Muslims use accusations of blasphemy against the prophet for nefarious, personal reasons. Notice how the people gloat about having done this to many people previously in Peshawar.

Here, the women was able to expose this through the use of spies, and the subsequent punishment meted out to the extortionists was enough to change the dynamic between Hindus and Muslims. 

I made a point about the chariter a few chariters back ending with a point about punishment and wondered if this was going to be elaborated on subsequently. And here we have a tale about punishment and how it can be used to actually create social harmony between two different communities. 

[chatanga1]

4 hours ago, dalsingh101 said:

I think this shows how some Muslims use accusations of blasphemy against the prophet for nefarious, personal reasons. Notice how the people gloat about having done this to many people previously in Peshawar.

 

Yeah, when I read this I thought to myself thats exactly what has been happening in pakistan for about 30 years. Its extremely interesting that Guru Sahib wrote about this some 300 years.

 

This charitar tells us 3  things -

 

1. How religion and the fear of religious offence can easily be misused in order for personal gain. (Asia Bibi has been a huge issue in Pakistan over the last few years).

2. How the leaders/ruler of a country can be impartial and not take the easy way out by siding with "religious" party in some kind of pretence of upholding religious fervour. I was quite impressed that the Nawab listened to the woman's side and endeavoured to find out the truth.

3. That everybody, no matter of gender or social standing, should have the recourse to a defence. The fact is this was a woman, surrounded and threatened by a gang of Maulvis armed with religious sanction (in their minds) and the Nawab recognised that and gave her his neutrality. A very important lesson.