Haridas: Tansen's Guru Poem by C. P. Sharma

Haridas: Tansen's Guru



Tansen, among Akbar's Nine Gems
Enriched the Indian music stem
His music with magical topflight
of its own the lamps could light.

One day, listening to his music the emperor said,
'You are the crowning music laureate,
Music of your sort none could create.'

Akbar said,
‘None could you ever surpass.'
You are the musician top brass

The Queen said,
'It takes me back to my days of teens'
Playing with siblings and merry scenes
For Goddess floral garlands seamed.'

Maid sitting there said,
'To me his music reminds
Parting sighs of my sis pensive mind.'

Still another maid in joy's ecstasy cried,
'It makes me feel fresh like morning dew.'

Akbar asked Tansen,
'Who taught you this singing art?
Heavenly touches to your voice impart.'
And further added,
'None could you ever surpass? '

But Tansen retorted,
'Yes there is, my Guru Haridas.
If once you listen to his voice
My poor voice you won't rejoice.
Like a free bird he sings his songs,
He sings only when his soul longs.
At his pleasure he sings his measures,
He sings not to the mundane pleasures.

In his songs Nature sings & glance,
He sings only when peacocks dance.
In groovy ambiance along the river,
Midst of the birds' sharp shrill twitter.'

Unwilling to accept Tansen's blurt
Akbar asked to arrange a concert

But Tansen said,
'Your Majesty, He is a hermit saint,
He won't respond to your plaint
His divine voice you can peep
By going to his cottage in forest deep.'

Agreeing, the emperor disguised
As a commoner went there.

On the way Akbar asked,
'Tansen, a question stares in my mind!
How did you this saint singer find? '

Tansen said, 'I shall let you know this fable later.'

When they reached Haridas's cottage in Vrindavan
He was there in deep trance
Tansen whispered, hide behind the bushes
You might have chance to glance

In reverence, Tansen sat near his feet
And started singing a hymn
That he had learnt from him
Wilful jarring notes up brim

This Guru's contemplation marooned
He said, 'Tansen, you are out of tune,
It's messed up sounds' disharmony
You have lost all sense of harmony
You are out of Music's fold
Have you bartered it for gold? '

Tansen begged,
'Guruji, sing this strain for me again
So as the purity of tune I attain.'

Then Haridas collected his voice
Heavenly music from it flowed

In it the song of the stars emerged
Union of earth and ocean upsurge
Heaven and earth in love submerged
Time and shapes in eternity merged

In it creation's blissful trance
All life and love in it danced
In it lay Nature's inimitable laws
Perfect symphony without flaw

Akabar on hearing,
Opus of the symphonies of soul,
Bliss of existence in him unrolled.

Drunk in blessedness Akbar fell on ground
Tansen in its beauty and sweetness astound

Coming to senses, Akbar fell in Guru's feet
Akbar said that he was there, ‘him to greet'.

While returning to the palace Akbar told:
'You were right, you are brass, and he is gold
He is the sun and you are simply his shadow
I hold you in high esteem but tell why it is so?

Tansen replied,
'Your Majesty, the reason is very simple
I sing to the pleasure of an earthy king
He sings his measures to the King of kings.'

Note: There are many versions of this story. I have tried to narrate one of the versions in verse.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: music
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C. P. Sharma

C. P. Sharma

Bissau, Rajasthan
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