Baba Bulleh Shah's qafi, Bulle Ki Jaana Main Kaun, is his typical view of the world. He sees the common underlying reality that lies beneath the mundane, and rejoices in its all pervasiveness. This concept is similar to the monotheistic, omnipresent concept of God that we come across in Sikhism and the Upanishads.
Here are the lyrics with translation of Baba Bulleh Shah’s qafi – Bulla ki jaana main kaun. Although the original qafi has verses in different order, this is Rabbi Shergill’s version. He has rearranged some verses although he missed none.
Bulla ki Jaana Main Kaun…!
Bulla, ki jaana main kaun "Bulla, who knows who I am!"
Bulla, ki jaana main kaun "Bulla, who knows who I am!"
Na main moman vich maseetan I am neither a believer (moman) in a mosque (maseet)
Na main vich kufar dian reetan I do not believe in false (kufar) ceremonies and rites (reetan)
Na main pakan vich paleetan I am not making purity (pak) impure (paleet)
Na main andar bed kitaban I am not inside any secrets (bed, from Veda) in holy books (kitaaban)
Na main rehnda bhang sharaban I do not achieve him by getting drunk (bhang) in wine (sharaab)
Na main rehnda mast kharaban I do not see him when intoxicated (mast) by some drug
Na main shadi na ghamnaki I am not in joy (shadi) nor in sorrow (ghamnaki)
Na main vich paleetan pakeen Neither in clean (pak) nor unclean (paleet)
Na main aabi na main khaki I am not water (aabi), I am not earth (khaki)
Na main aatish na paun I am not fire (aatish) or air (paun, pawan)
Bulla ki jaana main kaun "Bulla, who knows who I am!"
Na main arabi na Lahori I am not an arab, I am not from
Na main hindi shehar Nagaori I am neither Indian (Hindi here refers to Indian, from
Na hindu na turk pashauri I am neither neither Hindu nor Turk (Baba Bulleh Shah was born in Islamic family of Turks)
Na main bhet mazhab de paya I did not understand the secret (bhet) of religion (mazhab) that are preached
Na main aadam hawwa jaya I did not bore (jaya) Adam (adam) or Eve (Hawwa)
Na koi apna naam dharaya I did not keep a name or affiliate myself; neither did I ask people to follow that name
Avval-aakhar aap nu jana He is the first (Avval) and last (aakhar) and with no religion
Na koi dooja hor pacchana I do not recognize any other (referring to the saints and prophets)
Maithon na koi hor syana And no one is more wise or intelligent than me
Bulle Shah Kharha hai kaun Baba Bulle Shah asks himself "Who is this standing Bulleh Shah, who is asking me who am I?"
Bulla ki jaana main kaun Bulleh Shah, I do not know who I am.
Na main moosa na phraun I am not a saint like Moses (moosa), nor am I a king like Pharaoh (phraun)
Na main jaagan na vich saun I am not in wakefulness or sleep
Na main aatish na paun I am not fire (aatish) or air (paun, pawan)
Na main rehnda vich Nadaun Nor do I live in Nadaun.
Na main baithen na vich paun I am not in stillness (baithen), not in movement (paun, here the wind or pawan or paun is used to explain movement, like wind blows)
Bulle Shah Kharha hai kaun "Who is this standing Bulleh Shah, who is asking me who am I?"
Bulla, ki jaana main kaun "Bulla, who knows who I am!"
Bulla, ki jaana main kaun "Bulla, who knows who I am!"
