Makhzan Asrar—A Kashmiri Pandit’s Urdu gift

( By: Kanwal Krishan Lidhoo)

It is always a matter of immense joy when upon revisiting the history of an ethnic group that presently assembles everything in its power to somehow assert its identity and lays its hands on the invaluable gems passed as timeless inheritance by its elder members to be cherished and feel proud of. Present generation of Kashmiri Pandits living all over the globe may hardly know about one Pandit Dina Nath Madan Dehalvi who wrote by the pen name “Mouajazz” and completed one of the most brilliant poetic translation of Srimad Bhagvad Gita in Urdu.

The Treasure of Sacred Truths

Makhzan Asrar “also known as the ‘Treasure of Sacred Truths or Secrets” as already said is a poetic translation of Srimad Bhavad Gita in Urdu in its most impeccable form that was published by the author in late 1920s. Pandit Dina Nath Madan Mouajazz was a third generation Kashmiri Pandit living in Delhi and had an illustrious family lineage. His father Pandit Rai Bahadur Janki Nath Madan himself was a great scholar of three languages— Sanskrit, Persian and Urdu. He himself had compiled an unpublished brilliant commentary on Bhagvad Gita considered one of the best in Urdu till date and he also wrote “Brahm Darshan Granth” in Urdu which is considered a reference book on Hindu philosophy. His other son, Pandit Amar Nath Sahir was also an accomplished Urdu poet and writer.

This trio of father and sons so enriched the Urdu language that their works are still cherished by the scholars and intellectuals alike. The prose commentary compiled by the father thus served as a readymade substratum upon which Pandit Dina Nath Madan developed his brilliant poetic work.

Interchanging Sanskrit and Sufi Terminologies

It was probably the first time in the age of the printed word that an exceptional experiment was carried out to blend Sanskrit and Sufi words in the most beautiful manner when profound and sacred truths of Srimad Bhagvad Gita were explored in a Sufi idiom or Islamic terminology and the underlying unity existing between them was explored. Thus, the subtlest and the most sacred truths of Hindu philosophy were explained to an audience and readers who found themselves comfortable in understanding those in a Sufi or Islamic idiom only. It also offered a wonderful and unique opportunity for those to get acquainted with Sanskrit vis-à-vis Sufi terminology to understand the significance of the ultimate truths as propounded in all religions. It thus was a novel experiment, which continues to carry the potential of synergising the efforts of different thought processes for the betterment of the humanity. In a way the conscientious and peace loving members of every religious community will have to revisit these gems of the past.

For the esteemed readers of Kashmir Rechords we have reproduced a list from the book of the above terminologies and it is very satisfying to see the copious application and use of these terms to understand the underlying unity of Sanatan and Islamic Sufi thought processes.