Sunday, December 4, 2011

SUR KEDARO (THE BATTLE GROUND) (KARBALA)

Translated by: Madam Amina Khamisani


Section I
1.
Month of Muharram starts, restless are the two Imams,
God ordains what He pleaseth and knows the reason why.
2.
Month of Muharram returns but not the Imams,
May I see Madina's leaders with will of God!
3.
The princes who left Madina, have not come back,
O brother dyer! Dye my clothes black,
I mourn for those who never did return.
4.
Martyrs tribulations are in fact God's mercy's rain,
Yazid is quite unaware to such divine grace,
To sacrifice themselves was from eternity Imam's fate.
5.
Martyrdom's tribulation, is God's grace,
Only the wise can fathom Karbala's tragedy's death.

Section II
01.
Moon sets, Madina's warriors prepare for war,
with them are drums, axes, spears, swords, falcons,
Ali's sons will fight with hard steel weapons.
2.
In Karbala's plain, they pitched their tents,
with Yazid they fought, coming face to face,
they hesitate not at swords' sharp strokes
3.
Perfect once from Prophet's family,
come to Karbala's plain,
with Egyptian swords they killed and put unbelievers to shame,
Well it is, that Bibi Fatima gave birth to such brave sons.
4.
Brave expert warriors came on Karbala's plain,
The earth trembled, there was commotion in heaven,
no ordinary war was this, but a display of divine love.
5.
God lets His dear once and friends be sacrificed,
trial and tribulations are for the select once,
Eternal and absolute God, He does what He wills,
Some deep secret lies hidden in this.

Section III
01.
Did anyone see these warriors in action?
Elephant's limbs got served, blood began to run,
Brave warriors prefer that position which endangers life.
02.
The armour burnishers are here soon,
arrows on their shoulders, warriors do not remove,
Brave lovers of martyrdoms, remain on their feet.
3.
They strike, they ride the horses, they care for their companions,
The brave constantly fight with steel's weapons.
4.
Brave meet the brave, there is heard din of swords,
charging they hit, bodies on bodies roll,
Heads fall, plain echoes with sounds of moans and cries.
5.
Someone challenges from side, from the other some strikes,
bugles and pipes are heard horns both sides,
Horses and bridegrooms' heads meet in battle ground.
6.
Horses and Bridegrooms have few days to live,
sometimes they in palaces lodge, sometimes in deserts well.
7.
In swinging lapse are brought warrior's frames,
Their wives weep and throw handful of dust on themselves,
They weep and cry aloud, the plain all this commotion resounds.
8.
 "Oh Bridegroom! Come in festive clothes for your nuptials,
Then where spear strikes against spear, come faster there,
There is no danger till martyr's marriage is complete"
9.
"I will not believe my husband fled, he must have been killed,
I will hold my head high if he has wounds on his face,
If he has wounds on his back, I will die of shame"
10.
With there heads held high they cry,
"Friends this brave warrior has honoured us all."
11.
 "T's" well that you die on battlefield, if for you weep,
Taunts are uttered for long, while life is brief.

Section IV
01.
Strong misty wind blew, dust storm came,
As if to sons of Ali night strode on battle's plain.
02.
Yazid, give up your animosity with Ali's sons,
you will not have the felicity which awaits Mir Hussain.
03.
Cruel Koofis acted deceit, jointed Yazid's camp,
They came face to face the gallant one in battle's plain,
To make him a martyr, they had it all arranged.
04.
Koofis wrote a letter in God's name,
"We are your subjects, You are our head,
Come to us that we may select you as our lord."
01.
In Karabala's plain, Koofis prevented them from drinking water,
The Princess then remembered Ali, their noble Father,
Coming out of tents, glancing around, they call Prophet Mohammad for help.
01.
At dawn from Karbala came a bird covered with blood,
reaching the mausoleum of Prophet Mohammad,
It loudly said,
"I have seen the glitter of swords, come Prophet be there help."
 
Section V
1.
No other comrade, nor Hassan in with Hussain,
Far off is their native land, Yazid! Is that why you make quick attacks?
2.
Would that Hassan were here in battle's plain,
Like a moth he would have over his brother sacrificed himself,
Who is there now to prevent enemy attacking Hussain?
3.
Those who come to wage war are not all brave,
They lay down their lives, who with defeat will! Not themselves disgrace.
4.
In war, he who guards himself with an armour,
To keep himself alive is his desire,
Brave is he who without it fights.
5.
Brave warriors! remove all doubts if you intend to win,
Attack with your spear, grapple with the enemy, hold not the slanting shield,
Strike sword against sword, that you may never yield.
6.
Dauntless Hur bravely marches forth,
"I am since long a lover like the moth,
May the Prophet, your grandfather, be pleased,
This venerated head, over you let me sacrifice."
7.
Hur was given this advice since long,
He left enemy's camp and came along,
To Hussain he said, "May I be over you sacrificed doing all I dare,
God does not test a soul more than it can bear."
He too was wounded and as a martyr died.
8.
Peerless brave warrior Hussain, stood with a steel helmet,
His head-gear studded with pearls and diamonds,
It soon became red, stained with flowing blood.
9.
Blood red was his beard, his teeth shone like pomegranate flower,
Like the full moon, his head gear did glitter,
On judgment's day, when all assemble, his mother may well be pleased,
Bravo! To those fearless warriors, who died on that battlefield
10.
His mother wiped from him Karbala's dust,
Ali cleaned from his wounds the drops of blood,
All believers' salvations got, in his blood's exchange.

Section VI
1.
Prince, lover of war! As long as you live,
Throw yourself on spears point, drink essence of steel,
Be the feed of vultures, who since ages have longed for such meat.
2.
Like goats on a meadow, vultures roam on battlefield,
Brave face brave, running to challenge one an other,
Martyrs wives have made indigo's price to rise.
3.
To cast off their heads in war, these warriors hesitate not,
Courageous once laid down their lives in presence of Imams,
"Since they fought in the cause of God."
Hoors in heaven, adorn these martyrs with garlands of flowers.
4.
Paradise became their home where the chosen ones have gone,
United with God, in Him their existence they lost,
God! Favour me with a glimpse of them.
5.
Three types of creatures mourn Hassan and Hussain,
People in their homes, beasts in jungle, angels in heaven,
Birds in sorrow beat their wings for the loved ones have left,
Lord! May you grant victory to princes so brave.
6.
Those whose hearts grieve not for Hassan and Hussain Imam,
Can they be forgiven by the almighty, Lord of all.

Terminolgy:

pleaseth; Pleased (Used for God)
Madina; A City in Saudi Arabia.
Bibi; Noble title for honourable lady.
burnishers; Who make smooth or glossy by or as if by rubbing; polish.
T's; (Linguistics / Phonetics & Phonology) a speech sound represented by this letter, usually a voiceless alveolar stop, as in tame
armour; Armor
honoured; Honored
Mir; A noble title for the most honored human.
Koofis; Inhabitants of Koofa, the city of Iraq.
Karabala; City of Iraq.
Hur; A man who was previously commander of Yazid's brigade, then he converted to the camp of Imam Hussain.
Hoors; Angles of heaven.
Favour; Favor.
Karbala Iraq
Horses and Bridegrooms have few days to live, Sometimes they in palaces lodge, sometimes in deserts well.