Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai:
“A poet of Character Building” - II
By Saleem Bhutto Lateefi

In the following verses Shah presents this aspect of human life and advises “not to live with those who came you troubles.”

Sit not beside those who increase your suffering,
Ignore the material gain, avoid such a gathering. 

But Shah Latif prefers such a company in which sufferings are decreased as in the following verse.

Set close to those who lessen your pain,
Build your hut beside them, with them you time spend. 

Shah Latif is against the duality and egoism in man as he says in the following verse.

“Whole world with “I” ego and duality flaunting twists and turns,
knowing not that all this magic show He (God) unfurls,”

Shah Abdul Latif says that the more the learned ones try to read, the more confused they became as there is a collaboration in what they preach and what they practice. Those who have true knowledge are silent, for they spend their lives in contemplation and through which they revere the veil from their hearts and behold the vision of beautiful and this beautiful is revealed to them in various ways. So our great poet emphasis on learning instead of mere reading.

1. The learned one, page after page turns
Their hearts accept not what they learn,
The more patges they turn, the more they sin. 

2. The more leaves you aimlessly turn, the more prove to sin you become,
If he himself abides not, of what use are guides admonitions. 

But on the contrary Shah Abdul Latif suggests us to learn in real sense and know our inner selves. Peruse letter ’Alif’ (Alif stands for Allah, the God) alone, forger rest of pages. Turn not more leaves, brighten your inner self.

For this purpose of real learning and britheing of inner self. Shah Latif shares his own secrets with us as under:

When I perused the lesson “Am I not your God!”
My soul’s original abode I care to know.
Where daily souls true knowledge learn,
Separations wound was healed, destiny’s page was turned. 

Shah Latif like Plato considers this world and a reflection or mirror of eternity. This eternity is the hidden unity of things and living creature as Plato says, “This world is imitation of an imitation” and Shah Latif also sees the heavenly spirit as hidden unity.

1. Unity to dersity led, diversity, unity’s outcome,
Truth is one, but not forget of this,
I severe, existence glamour His reflection. 

2. Himself image of Beloved, Himself perfect being,
Himself the Divine, the disciple and the idea indeed,
Solution of the secrete only our inner being can find. 

3. Echo and sound are one and the same.
Language’s twist and turn understand,
Both were one, hearing has much difference made. 

4. One palace, doors in millions, windows in billion,
I look from one or all, behold! The Lord is there! 

5. Thy countless manifestations, may innumerable ones,
Same spirit resides in all, manifestations change,
Beloved, which of your signs to describe, how to relate!

Shah Latif wants to teach us that the omni-presence of the hidden unity of things and in human being the same care prevail but the people are enable to understand it. When man fails to understand this conception so many difference takes place and ultimately endanger peace. But Shah Abdul Latif advises us to see inside the inner being and find this hidden unity and when finds it, he realizes that our ideals and aspirations, our emotions and feelings, our needs and demands are the same. It means our inner self is the same. Every one of us wants to live and enjoy the beauty of nature, every one of us love his/her dears and nears. Every one of us wants peace and prosperity. So when we realize all this eill came to know their our limitations and responsibilities and will not injustice this conception of peace we find in Shah Latif.

Lord! Fix not arrow in the bow to aim at me,
Yours may strike you, you being within me. 

In such a way Shah makes character building of man by cultivating the qualities of self control, patience, humility, kindness, courtesy, forbearance and knowledge of inner being of himself and other in order to restore  the peace and all this qualities of character Shah has embodied in the youth characters of his poetry. He aspects them to be embodiment of these qualities because they have to play the vital and pivotal role in society. Why Shah A. Latif aspects these qualities in youth because in his opinion bodity desires and base passions keep man away from fulfilling his spiritual need and social responsibilities. So Shah advises man to invoke his inner self. Keep vigilance and exercise strict control, so that the existence became an asset to him, not only to him individually but collectively for the society. The Shah gives a result of such characters.

Virtuous one will perform good deeds, evil deeds wicked ones.
Good deeds suit one, evil deeds the other. 

In five chapters of Sasui Shah Latif teaches us that negligence is the root of pitfalls in human life. He says that a little negligence is mains life makes him miss the an opportunity of success for him and it results the loss an sufferings but again Shah encourage not to lose heart nor does give up hope but with a strong determination and daunthers will, man should renew him efforts meeting may hardships and obstacles in his onward march.

Neither by sleeping nor by sitting, is Lord’s union in right,
Those who search and seek, they alone will fine. 

Between me and my aim are innumerable passes trusts and turns,
Nothing can care in the way of those who struggle and for truth to learn.
Advance each step, no weakness show,
To those who have hate, suffering makes then glow, 

Whether hot or cole, march on, then is no time to rest,
Last darkness fails, you fail to find beloved’s tracks. 

Shah’s philosophy is like “the failures are the pillars of success if one does no give up his struggle.”

Sorrows lead her thought intricate path,
They guided to unite her with her Lord. 

Almost in all tragedies are find hero or heroine in declining state when the story reaches its climax and that fall of character is called catastrophe but Shah Latif is the only poet who encourage his character in such a state as he says.

Oh suffering one! Prepare yourself to go ahead,
Die not in the rocks, still far off is Keth. 

Because Shah believes that fruit of labour is sweet and delicious when achieved after hardships. In his opinion sorrows and worries go hand in hand life. There are the actual beauty of life as he says:

Sorrows adorn joys, without sorrows joy disclaim,
Through such sorrows my love come to me again. 

Shah Latif believes in struggle and activities of life. For him life is endless process of hardwork and struggle. Our great poet believes that deeds speak more than words as he says:

Those who seek, with one day find the loved one,
The seeking ones will surely see Beloved’s region. 

There are eight chapters on water in poets poetry. This shown not only the importance of water but variety of ideas depicted in there chapters. In melody of ’sea farers’ poet depicts ocean, boats and sailor as interlinked with economy, occeanology and struggle and art of mariners and navigation. Poet gives description of ocean with all its pitfalls, hazards and risks but even then the courageous divers bring forth pearls and other precious stuff and talking of the importance of ocean poet says:

Show reverence for the ocean, whose sheets of water always floe,
In its depth many pearls and rubies rest;
One gram of such stuff will bring you untold wealth. 

Those divers were rewarded,
Who from ocean’s depth brought out gems,
Whose worth none can calculate. 

Divers alone know the art of ocean’s search,
Diving into its depth, they found precious gem of worth,
With their own hands, gems of worth, they brought forth. 

Through whirlpools full of dangers they found oceans,
Searching the ocean, peerless gems they brought forth. 

Midest strong currents, large vessels can’t study keep;
There big boats with hardship slowly creep;
Mariners in water anchors drop to balance boats
Fightful reports I have heard from those who ocean explore. 

Wave upon wave, dark whirlpool, difficult shore,
Seems high white tides are in full swing,
Rise oh, indifferent one! For waves a challenge bring. 

Along with the dangers of ocean Shah advises the mariners to keep his boat in perfect condition its ropes-strong and well oiled, its nest, its nails, its helm and in short all its rigging in perfect condition for safety from storm and whirlpools, and other forces of nature. For sure success & sailors Shah once again warns that there is no time for being indifferent and lethargic, one has to be conscious and hardworking all the time.

Helsman! Sleep not till parts dangers are crossed,
Water near the part churn like curd in earthen part.  

(Continued)