ALANKARA
Vadan
Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan

No claim, however great, can be equal to you, my mysterious self;
and yet it may be you would not prove worthy of the smallest profession you made.

Unveil Thy face, Beloved, that I may behold Thy glorious vision.

Expand my heart, Lord, to the width of the sky, that the whole cosmos be reflected in my soul.

Wherever Thou shalst cast Thy glance, Beloved, a new sun will rise there.

Lift my soul, O gentle breeze, and carry it to the abode of the Beloved.

Let my heart reflect Thy light, O Lord, as in a pool of water the sun is reflected.

When I see Thy glorious vision I am moved to ecstasy, Beloved.
Waves rise in my heart and my heart turns into the sea.

O rosebud, thy blooming gives me the impression of my Beloved's  countenance.

Thy invasion, Beloved, through the storm arouses my deepest passion.

I hear, Lord, Thy speechless call in the sublimity of nature.

Light is Thy face and shade is Thy bosom, Beloved.

Love, I do not know whether to call thee my enemy or my friend.
Thou raisest me to the highest Heaven, and thou throwest me deep into the infernal region.
Thou leadest me astray, and it is thou alone who guidest me on the right ath.
From thee, O Love, all virtues I learn, and thou art the source of all my infirmities.
Love, thou art a curse and a bliss at the same time.

My heart, gather thyself together as the rose helds its petals.

Thy favourable glance causeth the sun to rise in my heart, Beloved,
and with the turning of Thy glance the sun sets.

O intoxicating air coming from her dwelling place, thou movest my soul to ecstasy.

I have loved in life and have been loved.
I have drunk the bowl of poison from the hands of Love as nectar,
and have been raised above life's joy and sorrow.
My heart, aflame in love, set afire every heart that came in touch with it.
My heart hath been rent and joined again.
My heart hath been broken and again made whole.
My heart hath been wounded and healed again.
A thousand deaths my heart hath died and, thanks be to Love, it liveth yet.

I went through Hell and saw there love's raging fire,
and I entered Heaven illumined with the light of love.
I wept in love and made all weep with me.
I mourned in love and pierced the hearts of men.
And when my fiery glance fell on the rocks,
the rocks burst forth as volcanos.
The whole world sank in the flood caused by my one tear.
With my deep sigh the earth trembled,
and when I cried aloud the name of my beloved
I shook the throne of God in Heaven.

I bowed my head in humility, and on my knees I begged of Love,
"Disclose to me, I pray thee, o Love, thy secret".
She took me gently by my arms and lifted me above the earth,
and spoke softly in my ear,
"My dear one, thou thyself art love, art lover,
and thyself art the beloved whom thou hast adored".

Let the Heavens be reflected in the earth, Lord,
that the earth may turn into Heaven.

Let Thy word, God, become my life's expression.

Speak to me from within, my Lord, the ears of Thy servant are listening.

My holy pilgrimage, God, is to the sacred dwelling place of Thy  worshipper.

Thou comest on earth, Lord, to save man - in the guise of the godly.

Speak to me, my Lord, through the words of Thy Messenger.

My heart is no longer mine, since Thou hast made it Thy dwelling place, my Lord.

Thou wilt grant my wishes, O Knower of my heart.

O Love, I would give up throne and crown to become a slave at thy mercy.

Let me forget myself, Lord, that I may become conscious of Thy Being.

Nature softly whispers Thy word to my ears.

I see Thine own image, Lord, in Thy creation 

It is with Thy might alone that I can lift up life's responsibilities.

In the image of man, my beloved Lord, I see Thine own countenance.

In the form of man I see the archway to Thy dwelling place.

The heart of man is Thy sacred shrine.

Thy divine compassion radiates in fulness through the heart of the mother.

Through the loving heart of woman manifests Thy divine grace.

Nature sings to me Thy song.

O beloved ideal of my soul, pray, show thyself to me in human guise.

Let me feel Thy embrace, Beloved, on all planes of existence.

My feeling heart is drawn to Thee, Lord, when thou comest in the form of man.

It is Thy divine purity that is manifest in the innocent expression of the child.

Before whomsoever I bow, I bend before Thy throne.

In sympathising with everyone I offer my love to Thee, Beloved.

Teach me, O Lord, the innocence of the child, an angel on earth.

Nature is a bridge to cross to Thy dwelling place.

My heart, as a tree in the forest, stands patiently waiting.

Wide horizon, thou makest my heart wide as thyself.

Thou art my life and Thou art my sustenance, God.

My lips hold the prayer in them as the rosebud holds fragrance in its heart.

Riding on the horse of hope,
Holding in my hand the rein of courage,
Clad in the armour of patience,
And the helmet of endurance on my head,
I started on my journey to the land of Love.

A lance of stern faith in my hand
And the sword of firm conviction buckled on,
With the knapsack of sincerity
And the shield of earnestness,
I advanced on the path of Love. 

My ears closed to the disturbing noise of the world,
My eyes turned from all that was calling me on the way,
My heart beating the rhythm of my ever rising aspiration,
And my blazing soul guiding me on the path,
I made my way through the space.

I went through the thick forests of perpetual desire,
I crossed the running rivers of longing,
I passed through the deserts of silent suffering,
I climbed the steep hills of continual strife.

Feeling ever some presence in the air, I asked,
"Are you there, my Love ?"
And a voice came to my ears saying,
"No, still further am I".

Sublime nature, thy reflection produces in my heart God's glorious vision.

I bend toward thee, O mother earth, in veneration of the Father in Heaven.

Flowers are the footprints of Thy dancing steps.

I look up to Thee with raised head and palms joined in worship, like the rocky mountains.

Space, I find in thee the formless God.

When I am absorbed in Thy glorious vision, Beloved, even my tear-drops turn into stars.

Let me not be detained in the Heavens, Lord,
for I long impatiently to come to Thy dwelling place.

Since my soul has caught Thy light, my glance has become a comet.

Thy divine spark in my heart is as the dewdrop in the rose.
Let me treasure it, Lord, as the shell preserves the pearl.

Let Thy sun shine in my heart.

Like the setting sun I bend my head low at Thy feet in loving surrender.

Lift the barrier, Lord, that divides Thee from me.

Thou wilt guide me aright, Lord, I am a child on life's path.

In the blooming rose I see the charm of Thy lovely countenance.

Let my faith be as firm as mountains, Lord, standing unshaken through wind and storm.

Immensity of space, thou showest to me the majesty of His presence.

Since Thy joyful smile has produced a new light in my heart, I see the sun shine everywhere.

Let my imperfect self advance towards Thy perfect being, Lord, as the crescent rises to fulness.

Silent voice, in the stillness of night I hear thy whisper.

The gently blowing wind kindles the fire of my heart.

When I see in Thy hand an unsheathed sword, Beloved,
blood gushes out of my heart as the rising spring.

Send on humanity, Lord, the shower of Thy mercy and compassion.

My heart melts in Thy light, Beloved, as snow in the sun.

Every stem becomes Thy reed, every leaf becomes Thy finger, Beloved,
when Thou playest Thy flute in the wilderness.

My soul, like a compass, keeps pointing to Thee, while my life is passing through the storm.

Providence, allow me to hold long life's glorious moments, I pray,
for the time that is once past will never return.

Thou teachest me patience, sublime Nature, by thy patient waiting.

In the light I behold Thy beauty, Beloved.
Through the darkness Thy mystery is revealed to my heart.

Let Thy servant, O Lord, be my master.

Though the ever-moving life is my nature, thou art my very being,
O stillness.

The light is Thy divine radiance, Beloved, and the shade is the shadow of Thy beautiful self.

My life speeds towards Thee as the blowing of the wind.

Let Thy divine knowledge spread over my heart as the snow covers the mountain.

It is Thy sweetness, Beloved, which I enjoy in the sweet fragrance of the rose.

My heart has become an ocean, Beloved,since Thou hast poured Thy love into it.

Tree, you bless me with your outstretched hands.

Earth is attracted to earth, water is drawn to water.
My soul yearns to be in Thy bosom, Beloved, in the wide space.

I hear Thy wisper, Beloved, in the morning breeze.

Dig my heart, Beloved, and thou wilt find in its depth the spring of Thy love.

My soul is Thy spirit, Master, now that I exist no more.

It is Thee, Beloved, whom I see in all names and forms.

Thou art closer to me than my self.

Let Thy might strengthen me, Thy light inspire me, Lord,
and Thy love move my soul to the ultimate joy.

My life is running towards Thee, O divine ocean, as the river flows to the  sea.

Rose, in thy petals I see the rosy cheeks of my Beloved.

Make me lose myself, Lord, in Thy vision.

Let every moment of life whisper Thy name to my ears.

Thou blowest the fire of my heart,Beloved, by fanning it with the  fluttering leaves.

Light is Thine eye, Beloved, and shade is its pupil.

Be Thou before me, Lord, when I am awake, and within me when I am asleep.

In my veneration for the aged I worship Thee, O God.

I drink the wine of Thy divine presence and lose myself in intoxication.

Let my soul reflect, Beloved, the beauty of Thy colour and form.

Let my heart bloom in Thy love as the rose.

As invisible as space, as inconceivable as time is Thy being, O Lord.

Teach me, Lord, to tread upon the sea of life.

Even the branches swing in ecstasy when they receive Thy Message.

Sublime nature, let my heart find rest in thy stillness.

In the light Thou art manifest, God, in the shade thou art hidden.

One more cup, Beloved, that I may entirely lose myself.

I see the Beloved's beauty in all colours and in all forms.

Flowers speak to me of Thy loveliness, and tell me how beautiful Thou art.

Fill my heart with Thy divine beauty,
as Thou fillest the space with the splendour of Thy wonderful creation.

Heaven has Thy light and the earth Thy shade.

Gentle breeze, thy touch to me is the caress of the Beloved.

Let me rise towards Thee with the rising of the sun. 

The sun sets, the moon wanes, the spring passes, the year ends.
I asked of Life, "Tell me, how long will you continue to be ?"
"I ?", said Life - "I shall live for ever".

Blowing wind, carry my message, I pray, to the dwelling place of the divine Beloved.

We shall see who will endure to the end,
my persevering adversary or I with my long cherished patience.

The waves of the sea, even as I,
rise with outstretched hands to reach Thee, Lord, and fall at thy feet in ecstasy.

O nature sublime, pregnant with divine spirit,
thou speakest the prayer that riseth from my heart.

Let my heart reflect Thy divine light, Lord, as the moon reflects the light of the sun.

Happiness, certainly thou didst play hide-and-seek with me.
Since I have been in thy pursuit I saw in the world thy shadow cast,
and in paradise I saw thy reflection.
In pleasure I saw a veil over thy beautiful countenance,
in pain I saw the dust lying beneath thy feet.

My intuition, hast thou ever deceived me ? No, never.
It is my reason which so often deludeth me, for it cometh from without.
Thou art rooted within my heart.

Let me be melted in Thy divine ocean as a pearl in wine.

Alone on the sea, alone on land.
In the crowd and in solitude alone I stand.

My considerate self,
seek no pleasure through the pain of another,
life through the death of another,
gain through the loss of another,
nor honour through the humiliation of another.

Let my heart become the spring of Thine infinite life, rising for ever and ever.

I see Thy mystery hidden, Beloved, under the petals of the flower.

My heart, hold closely the oil wich keeps the light burning.

Pain, my life-long comrade, if all went and left me, you would still be there.

With the opening and closing of Thine eyes, Beloved, the sun rises and sets in my heart.

My self,
how wonderful it is to feel that if no one in the world understood me,
still you would understand.

My heart is moved to tears by thy swift moving, O gentle air.

Those wo are given liberty by Him to act freely, are nailed on the earth;
and those who are free to act as they choose on the earth, will be nailed in Heaven.

My sense of shame, did I not uphold thine honour,
standing assaulted by the onslaught from every side ?

The blowing rose brings to me Thy perfume, Beloved, which moves my heart to ecstasy.

Raise me, Lord, let me not be drowned in the sea of mortality.

Speak, Lord, in the stillness of nature, my heart' s ears are open to hear Thy call.

My endurance, thou hast crushed me until I became thy clay,
kneaded to make a body for the divine Spirit to dwell in.

O nature sublime, in thy silence I hear thy mournful cry.

Ever moving sea of life, am I not but a wave rising in thy heart ?

Thanks to the winner of my heart, there is nothing of me left any more.

My thoughtful self,
bear all and do nothing,
hear all and say nothing,
give all and take nothing,
serve all and be nothing.

While I was roaming through the forest, a thorn pricked my bare foot  and cried,
"Ah, you have crushed me !"
I felt sorry and I asked its forgiveness.

A wasp fleeing in the air stung my arm
and cried, "Ah, you have caught me in your sleeve !"
I felt sorry and I asked its forgiveness. 

My foot slipped and I fell in a pool of muddy water.
The water cried, "Ah, you have disturbed me !"
I felt sorry and I asked its forgiveness 

I absently happened to touch a burning fire,
and the fire cried, "Ah, you have extinguished me !"
I felt sorry and I asked its forgiveness.

I asked my gentle self, "Have you received any harm ?"
"Be thankful", said she, "that it was not worse".

I will soar higher than the highest Heaven,
I will dive deeper than the depths of the ocean,
I will reach further than the wide horizon,
I will enter within my innermost being.
You know me but little, O ever-changing life.
I will live in that sphere where death cannot reach.

 I will raise my head high, before you will turn your back to me,
I will close my lips, before you will close the doors of your heart,
I will dry my tears, before you will not respond to my sigh,
I will fly to Heavens, O world of illusion, before you will throw me down  on the earth.