Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

by Guest Mon Jul 04, 2016 3:15 pm

The Maratha ruler Shivaji's court poet was an Uttar Pradeshi called Bhushan. Bhushan was a native of a village near Kanpur; he met Shivaji when the Maratha leader had come to Agra to confer with Aurangzeb, and subsequently Bhushan became a great supporter of Shivaji. Bhushan subsequently travelled to Shivaji's kingdom and became the court poet of Shivaji; he wrote several panegyrical poems in hindi in honor of Shivaji, the most popular of which is this one:

इन्द्र जिमि जृम्भा पर
बाडव सअंभ पर
रावण सदंभ पर
रघुकुल राज है !

पवन बारिबाह पर
संभु रतिनाह पर
ज्यों सहसबाह पर
राम द्विजराज हैं !

दावा दृमदंड पर
चीता मृगझुन्द पर
भूषण वितुण्ड पर
जैसे मृगराज हैं !

तेज तमअंस पर
कन्ह जिमि कंस पर
त्यों म्लेंच्छ बंस पर
शेर शिवराज हैं

english transliteration:

Indra jimi jambha par,
badav su-ambha par,
ravana sadambha par raghu-kul-raj hai

paun baribaha par,
Sambhu rati-nath par,
jyaun sahasrabahu par ram dwijaraj hai

dava drum-danda par,
cheeta mrig-jhunda par,
bhusan vitunda par jaise mrigraj hai

tej tam ansa par,
kanha jimi kansa par,
tyon malechchha-vansha par Sher Shivaraj hai

The meaning of the last lines of the poem above (from 'tej tam ansa par' to the end of the poem) are:

like a ray of light upon darkness
like Krishna upon Kansa
so upon the barbarians
is King Shivaji, the Tiger

----

Note that Shivaji had a poor opinion of Aurangzeb, but he had a good opinion of Akbar, Jahangir, and Shah Jahan:

http://creative.sulekha.com/shivaji-letter-to-aurangzeb_432973_blog

by Guest Mon Jul 04, 2016 3:30 pm

this is another poem of Bhushan in honor of Shivaji:

सक्र जिमि सैल पर
अर्क तम फैल पर
बिघन की रैल पर
लम्बोदर देखिये

राम दसकंध पर
भीम जरासंध पर
भूषण ज्यो सिंधु पर
कुंभज विसेखिये

हर ज्यो अनंग पर
गरुड ज्यो भूज़ंग पर
कौरवके अंग पर
पारथ ज्यो पेखिये

बाज ज्यो विहंग पर
सिंह ज्यो मतंग पर
म्लेंच्छ चतुरंग पर
सिवराज देखिये

by Guest Mon Jul 04, 2016 4:12 pm

इन्द्र जिमि जृम्भा पर
बाडव सअंभ पर
रावण सदंभ पर
रघुकुल राज है !

Indra jimi jambha par,
badav su-ambha par,
ravana sadambha par raghu-kul-raj hai

------
पवन बारिबाह पर
संभु रतिनाह पर
ज्यों सहसबाह पर
राम द्विजराज हैं !

paun baribaha par,
Sambhu rati-nath par,
jyaun sahasrabahu par ram dwijaraj hai

like winds dispersing storm clouds
like Shiva incinerating Kaamdev
like Parashuram, Lord of Brahmins,
annihilating Sahasrabahu

*sahasrabahu arjuna was also known as sahasraarjuna. ram here means parashuram. dwija here means brahmins. rati-nath means rati's husband who was kaamdev who was burnt into ashes by Shiva. For more on sahasrabahu arjuna, see here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kartavirya_Arjuna

-----
दावा दृमदंड पर
चीता मृगझुन्द पर
भूषण वितुण्ड पर
जैसे मृगराज हैं !

dava drum-danda par,
cheeta mrig-jhunda par,
bhusan vitunda par jaise mrigraj hai

like fire consuming a tree trunk
like a cheetah upon a deer flock
Bhushan says [Shivaji] is like
a lion attacking an elephant

*mrig = deer. mrig-jhunda is flock of deer. mrigraj is king of deers = lion.

-------

तेज तमअंस पर
कन्ह जिमि कंस पर
त्यों म्लेंच्छ बंस पर
शेर शिवराज हैं

tej tam ansa par,
kanha jimi kansa par,
tyon malechchha-vansha par Sher Shivaraj hai

like a ray of light upon darkness
like Krishna upon Kansa
so upon the barbarians
is King Shivaji, the Tiger

by Guest Mon Jul 04, 2016 4:36 pm

इन्द्र जिमि जृम्भा पर
बाडव सअंभ पर
रावण सदंभ पर
रघुकुल राज है !

Indra jimi jambha par,
badav su-ambha par,
ravana sadambha par raghu-kul-raj hai

like Indra upon Jambhasura
????*
like the Lord of Raghukul
upon arrogant Ravana

*found two completely different meanings of the words badav su-ambha par in translations of this poem by others.

by Guest Mon Jul 04, 2016 4:52 pm

some other poems of Bhushan about Shivaji. Wish the translator had given the original hindi also along with the translation. Finally, 'muslim' is surely an inappropriate translation of the word 'mleccha' considering that many men in Shivaji's army, including field commanders, were muslims; the correct translation for the word 'mleccha' would be 'barbarian' denoting an uncivilized and uncultured person. This word is known to occur in Vedic literature at a time when Islam had not yet come into existence.

Verse 31
As soon as Shivaji met the Chaghtai (i.e. Aurangzeb) and saw his harsh disposition
he subdued him, as Krishna had Indra.
Bhushan says, when for no good reason they had allotted Shivaji an inappropriate position at court, Shivaji roared and made the Muslims (mleccha) faint.
Aurangzeb’s noblemen emerged from the bathroom (where, it seems, the emperor had been driven to hide out of fear of Shivaji3)
And tried to appease Shivaji.
It was like an army general trying to coax a powerful, angry, stubborn elephant.

Verse 87
One day Alamgir assembled his troops and set out on a hunting trip “Watch out! Sarja is coming!” People called out and warned him. Aurangzeb misunderstood (the word Sarja) and thought
it was the Bhonsle King Shivaji who was causing terror.
His hunting attendants ran and explained that they only meant “lion” They came and lifted up [the emperor] who had fainted4

Verse 93
They are teachers of emperors, and emperors of soldiers, lion-like in battle.
Bhushan says, they keep trembling in fear of Shivaji’s might.
They don’t find the will in their hearts (to fight him).
Afzal Khan’s5’helplessness, Shaista Khan’s crookedness, and Bahlol Khan’s adversity have set fear in the hearts of the nobility.
The Muslims (mlecchas) have made up their minds to abandon their mansabs. They cross the ocean on the pretense of going to Mecca.
2 More information about Bhushan (and his brother Cintamani Tripathi) can be found in Allison Busch, “Riti and Register.” Forthcoming in Francesca Orsini, ed. Hindi‐Urdu Before the Divide. Delhi: Orient Longman, 2008.
3 The syntax here is a little obscure to me.
4 This verse is an illustration of a “false attribution” (bhrāntāpahnuti‐alankāra). Its power stems from the dual meaning of the word “sarjā[h].” It is both a common title of Shivaji and also, I am told, an Arabic word for “lion.” 5 These are various agents of Aurangzeb who were losing out in skirmishes with Shivaji in the Deccan.
2

Verse 101
In the houses of the enemies the name “Shiva, Shiva,” is chanted day and night It’s as if to save themselves the Turks too recite the name of Hara (Shiva).
Verse 144
Bhushan says, Aurangzeb, who is twice as cruel as Duryodhana, has deceived the world.
Ghazi Shivaji has exhibited prowess even greater than that of the Pandavas.
He mobilized the moral courage of Yuddhisthira, the strength of Bhima, the fortitude of Arjuna, the intelligence of Nakula and the power of Sahadeva.
The five of them snuck out from a wax house in the dark of night--
Shivaji on his own escaped from 100,000 watchmen in broad daylight.6

Verse 163
Seeing her beauty, who doesn't long to possess her?
Her manner is to conquer the world by the power of trickery.
Whomever she approaches she immediately renders penniless7
Bhushan says, spending time in her company brings no reward.
A governorship under the Delhi government is like a clever, desirable prostitute. She does not stay faithful to one man.
But Shivaji is under the sway of a woman called "fame”
The woman who traps everybody else can’t touch him.

Verse 169
Maharaj Shivaraj, out of fear the women folk of the Abbyssinans are seen fleeing to the dense jungles Bhushan says, among the army (?) of Ramnagar rivers of blood flow.
Lion, powerful hero, the wives of your enemies in Bijapur don’t bear even the marks of their bangles. Because of your wrath, the moon-like faces of Muslim women are seen to be marked with Sindur.

Verse 346
Seeing that he is worried about something,
And that his eyes brim with tears,
His wife says, "My lord, why don't you tell me (what is troubling you)?
Bhushan says, it seems you have just come from the darbar
Why do you keep shaking, losing control of yourself?
Your chest is throbbing, you have broken out into a sweat
Your complexion has gone pale, you stare into space, looking neither to the right or left It looks as though the emperor has made you a governor (suba) in the Deccan–
And you have completely withered up due to fear of Shivaji.

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00urduhindilinks/workshop2008/WorkshopBhushanTranslation.pdf

by Guest Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:44 pm

not sure how much of this is history and how much hagiography, but it is interesting never the less:

by Guest Mon Jul 04, 2016 8:57 pm

the above video depicts two poems of Bhushan:

1. "साजि चतुरंग बीर रंग में तुरंग चढी ।

सरजा सिवाजी जंग जीतन चलत हैं ।

भूषन भनत नाद बिहद नगारन कें ।

नदी नद मद गैबरन के रलत हैं ।

ऐल फैल खैल भैल खलक में गैल गैल ।

गजन की ठैल पैल सैल उसलत हैं ।

तारा सो तरनि धूरि धारा में लगत जिमि ।

थारा पर पारा पारावार यों हलत हैं ॥

2. सक्र जिमि सैल पर । अर्क तम-फैल पर । बिघन की रैल पर । लंबोदर देखीये … !

राम दसकंध पर । भीम जरासंध पर । भूषण ज्यो सिंधु पर । कुंभज विसेखिये … !

हर ज्यो अनंग पर । गरुड ज्यो भूज़ंग पर । कौरवके अंग पर । पारथ ज्यो पेखिये … !

बाज ज्यो विहंग पर । सिंह ज्यो मतंग पर । म्लेंच्छ चतुरंग पर । सिवराज देखीये … !

सिवराज देखीये … सिवराज देखीये … सिवराज देखीये … सिवराज देखीये … !

by ashdoc Tue Jul 05, 2016 5:58 am

shivaji's son sambhaji's court poet was also an uttar pradeshi called kavi kalash . he was from the ancient capital of harshavardhan---kanauj .

but kavi kalash only introduced sambhaji to bad habits and did not prove to be a good influence on him .

by Seva Lamberdar Tue Jul 05, 2016 8:28 am

ashdoc wrote:shivaji's son sambhaji's court poet was also an uttar pradeshi called kavi kalash . he was from the ancient capital of harshavardhan---kanauj .

but kavi kalash only introduced sambhaji to bad habits and did not prove to be a good influence on him .

No surprise in that, as being a bad influence on his benefactor (sambhaji), considering he might have acquired the moniker kavi kalash for being a poet with taste for wine; kavi kalash or "pitcher poet" -- "kavi" meaning poet, and "kalash" as a glass or pitcher (perhaps full of wine or alcohol).

by MaxEntropy_Man Tue Jul 05, 2016 10:37 am

Seva Lamberdar wrote:
ashdoc wrote:shivaji's son sambhaji's court poet was also an uttar pradeshi called kavi kalash . he was from the ancient capital of harshavardhan---kanauj .

but kavi kalash only introduced sambhaji to bad habits and did not prove to be a good influence on him .
No surprise in that, as being a bad influence on his benefactor (sambhaji), considering he might have acquired the moniker kavi kalash for being a poet with taste for wine; kavi kalash or "pitcher poet" -- "kavi" meaning poet, and "kalash" as a glass or pitcher (perhaps full of wine or alcohol).

sevaji -- could you tell us the link between kalash and kalashnikov.

by Seva Lamberdar Tue Jul 05, 2016 4:05 pm

MaxEntropy_Man wrote:
Seva Lamberdar wrote:
ashdoc wrote:shivaji's son sambhaji's court poet was also an uttar pradeshi called kavi kalash . he was from the ancient capital of harshavardhan---kanauj .

but kavi kalash only introduced sambhaji to bad habits and did not prove to be a good influence on him .
No surprise in that, as being a bad influence on his benefactor (sambhaji), considering he might have acquired the moniker kavi kalash for being a poet with taste for wine; kavi kalash or "pitcher poet" -- "kavi" meaning poet, and "kalash" as a glass or pitcher (perhaps full of wine or alcohol).

sevaji -- could you tell us the link between kalash and kalashnikov.

no clue professor.

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Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi

Re: Synthesis: The court poet of Maratha ruler Shivaji was an Uttar Pradeshi writing in Hindi