ZAFARNAMA ظفرنامہ ਜ਼ਫ਼ਰਨਾਮਾ - EPISTLE OF VICTORY (Verse 1-13 Praise of God)

Dr. Arsh Khaira is fluent in Dari (Afghan Farsi) and has been studying the language in great detail since 2006. He holds a PhD in Ethnomusicology from the University of Alberta where his research focused on the relationship between Sikhism and Islam as well as the deep connections between East and West Punjab.

www.ArshKhaira.com

The Zafarnama is a letter written in classical Persian (Farsi) by the 10th King of the Sikhs "Shah-e-Shahenshah, Bhadshah Darvesh, Sache Pateshah, Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj" to the Moghal King "Aurangzeb" in 1705 after the "Battle of Chamkaur."

At the Battle of Chamkaur, 42 Sikhs including the King Guru Gobind Singh Ji and his 4 sons fought against tens of thousands of Moghal soldiers. Aurangzeb had given the King of the Sikhs his written oath on a Quran that Guru Gobind Singh Ji would have safe passage out of the area, but instead the 42 Sikhs were sieged upon by Moghal forces.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji was able to escape and penned this letter to Aurangzeb in the aftermath. This battle has been alluded to as a symbolism to the Battle of Karbala as it was here at Chamkaur that Guru Gobind Singh Ji lost his two older sons in battle, Baba Ajit Singh, and Baba Jujhar Singh. Subsequently after the attack his two younger sons, Baba Zorowar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh were captured and bricked alive.

In this letter Guru Gobind Singh Ji begins with a supplication to God, and the moves to address the breaking of Aurangzeb's Quranic oath. The primary couplet of this piece is:

"Chun kar az hameh heelate dar guzasht,
Halal ast burdan bi-shamsher dast."

Now that all other means of rectifying the situation have failed,
It is permissible (halal) in the eyes of God for me to take my sword in hand.

The meaning of this couplet is essentially that because Aurangzeb broke his Quranic oath, it then becomes not only righteous but "just" for Guru Gobind Singh Ji to engage in warfare with the Moghals. This prophecy was fulfilled within less than a hundred years as the Sikhs established a Kingdom that encompassed all of the Punjab (both in present day India and Pakistan), Kashmir, the North West Frontier Province, the Khyber Pass and Kabul through engagement in offensive war and territorial expansion.

My rendition of this piece contains the first component of the letter which is the supplication to God as well as the primary couplet above.

KAMAAL-E KARAAMAT KAA-YAM KAREEM
RAZA BAKSH RAZAK RAHAAKUN RAHIM
The Lord is perfection personified. He is eternal and manifests
Himself through His miracles. He is generous in granting His
bounties. He is merciful and delivers us from this world.

AMAAN BAKSH BAKSHINDEH-O DASTGIR
KHATAA BAKSH ROZI DEH-O DILPAZIR
He grants peace and security and is always merciful in forgiving
us for our sins. He holds our hand and guides us. He is provider
of our sustenance and charms everyone.

SHAHANSHAH-E KHUBI DEHH-O RAH-NAMUN
KI BE-GOON BE-CHOON CHOON BE-NAMUN
He is the king of kings who is guiding us all the time. He
showers his benevolence on all. He is without colour,
incomparable and formless.

NA SAZ-O NA BAZ-O NA FAUJ-O NA FARSH
KHUDAVAND BAKSHINDEH-E AISH-O ARSH
He possesses no material things nor has He an army. He is
merciful and grants all the pleasures of the heavens.

JAHAN PAAK ZEER AST ZAHIR ZAHOOR
ATAA MI-DEHAD HAM CHU HAAZAR HUZUR
The Pure one is above everything in this universe. His glory is
all pervasive. He bestows us with gifts. He is present
everywhere.

ATAA BAKSH O PAAK PARVARDIGAR
RAHIM AST ROZI DEHAD HAR DIYAAR
The merciful Lord grants us all the gifts and meets the needs of
every one throughout the world.

KI SAHIB DI-YAAR AST AAZAM AZIM
KI HUSAN AL-JAMAL AST RAAZAK RAHIM
He is Lord of the universe. He is merciful and provides
sustenance to all. His charm and grandeur cannot be matched by
anyone.

KI SAHIB SHA-OOR AST AAJIZ NAWAAZ
GARIB AL-PRAST-O GANIM AL-GADAAZ
The Lord is intelligence personified. He protects the poor and
the helpless and destroys the wicked.

SHARI-AT PRAST-O FAZILAT M-AAB
HAKIKAT SHANAS-O NABI AL-KITAB
The Virtuous One gives justice to all. Nothing is hidden from
Him. He is the inspiration of Koran.

KI DAANISH PUYOH AST SAHIB SHA-OOR
HAKIKAT SHANAAS AST ZAHIR ZAHOOR
The all-knowing Lord seeks the learned. He is aware of all
happenings. He is present everywhere.

SHANASINDEH-EH ILM-O AALAM KHUDA-E
KASHAA-INDEH-E KAR-E AALAM KUSHA-E
He has the knowledge of everything in this universe. All cosmos
is moving as per His command

GUZAARIND-EH-E KAR-E AALAM KABIR
SHANAAS-IND-EH ILM-O AALAM AMIR
The great Lord is regulating everything in the world about which
He has complete knowledge.

MARAA AITBAAR BAR EEN KASM-E NEEST
KE EIZAD GAVAH AST YAZDAN YAKEEST
Aurangzeb! I have no trust in your oaths anymore. (You have
written that) God is one and that He is witness (between us).