“Bullhe nun parhaya te oh sarangi phar nacheya te ganveya. tenun parhaya te tun ishqiya qisse likhe” (I taught Bullhe Shah and he danced and sang playing violin. I taught you and you wrote love story), were the alleged painful remarks of Hafiz Ghulam Murtaza of Kasur to his student, Waris Shah, when the latter is said to have tried to gain blessings of his beloved teacher on completing his anthology of Heer. However, the next day, after listening to selections like:

eh ruh qalbut da zikr sara naal aql de mel mlaya ae
(Invocation of soul and body complete, have I wisely brought all together)

and

Heer ruh te chaak qalbut jano Balnath eh pir banaya ae
Panjj pir havas eh panjj tere jinhan thhapna tuddh nun laya ae
(Know Heer as soul body Ranjha servant, Balnath is master guide over
Five senses yours are spiritual guides, they stroke you gently into slumber)

the great teacher is said to have been consoled and allegedly blessing with yet another equally powerful remark:

“munjj di rassi wich moti pro chadde ni” (you have created a pearl wreath on straw thread).

Whether or not this alleged encounter between the great teacher and his student ever took place, however, it does reflect on the evident reality of the two undeniably great iconic figures of Punjab and the Punjabi literature. Punjab will always owe her gratitude to both.

Heer of Waris Shah is a powerful and authentic commentary on reality of domestic, social, cultural, religious, traditional and customary norms of Punjab. His anthology of Heer is full of poetic intensity, reflective innovations, linguistic authority, intellectual naiveties, wisdom, daring critique – with full comparisons and contrasts, romanticism, myth and mythology, poetic vision and graceful execution of all aspects of art of poetry to its ultimate perfection. His composition of Heer can match and in many respects surpass the best literature anywhere in the world.

Little is known outside the sub-continent except among the expatriates settled in countries around the world. Little has been done in terms of introducing Waris Shah and his work to the rest of the literary world either.

The stanza from Heer of Wrais Shah presented below, in some manuscripts it is entitled “Reality Dawns on Ranjha”, is a powerful example of power of expression of a desperate cry from the heart of Ranjha (real name Dheedo) when he comes to realize that wedding of his beloved Heer to Saida Khera will go ahead and in no way can be stopped. Although the stanza describes agony of pain at a certain moment of despair of the main character of Heer, universality of its expression is clearly evident.

saak maŕeyaň day khoh len đađhe, unpujjde oh naň bolade neň
nahiň chalda vass lachar ho ke, moe sapp wanguň biss gholdw neň
kadi aakhde mariye aap merye, pae aňdroň bahroň đolde neň
gon maŕeyaň de sabhe rehan wiche, maŕe maŕeyaň te dokh pholde neň
shandar nuň kare na koi jhuŧha, kaňgal jhuŧha ker ŧolde neň
Waris Shah latanide khaŕe maŕe, mare khof de muhuň na bolde neň

Mighty usurp darlings from the weak, weak cannot protest loss or pain
Helpless poor have no recourse, like dead snakes they wiggle in vain
Unsure should kill them or themselves, within and outward uncertain
Qualities of weak stay hidden within, weak share with weak their agony pain
Dares none refute arrogant mighty, weak penniless always wronged they can
Waris Shah trodden are weak have-nots, fear turns them speechless dumb insane

Here Waris Shah is describing bitter realities of real life where cruelty and injustice of the mighty have wronged weak individuals and helpless societies throughout known history of the mankind. The best of the weak and poor - be it their love, beloved, wife or kin – has been snatched forcibly by the unjust mighty. The weak has no recourse. They cannot even complain or protest. Unbearable pain of loss, humiliation and fear of reprisals on protesting against aggression drive them insane and crazy. In such moments of hopelessness and despair, life seems to lose all its meanings for them. Some think of ending injustice by killing the aggressors while others find escape by committing suicide. Their condition is that of a freshly killed snake that wiggles helplessly; seems alive but is lifeless and unable to strike back. End