A beautiful similarity -Sufism and Hinduism

 

I had heard of a popular Sufi poem by Bulleh Shah (that was also sung as a Sufi Qawwali), and for some reason I could not stop noticing a common cord between it and a story connected with the Hindu God Ganesh (in hinduism).

First, this is the Sufi song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XnIT1XhMe0&list=RD4XnIT1XhMe0&start_radio=1

whose poetry lines which I am talking about are as follows:

"padh padh ilm kitaaban wala 

naam rakhayo qaazi

makke jakar hajj par aaya

naam rakhayo haaji

far shamsheer mujahidin waali

naam rakhayo gaazi

ho, bulleh shah ne kuch nai kita

yaar nu kita raazi...."

 Also, the above lines (in Hindi) are:

"पढ़ पढ़ इल्म किताबों वाला

 नाम रखायो क़ाज़ी

मक्के जा कर हज पढ़ आयो 

नाम रखायो हाजी

फर शमशीर मुजाहिदन वाली

 नाम रखायो ग़ाज़ी

हो बुलेह शाह ने कुछ नहीं किता 

यार नूं किता राज़ी"

So, this poem essentially talks about that while all others went outside and travelled the world such as qaazi (the one who gathered knowledge from studies), haaji (the one who made the pilgrimage to Mecca), and gaazi (the one who fought battles with his sword and claimed victory), Bulleh shah did not do any of these three things, but all he did was devote himself and make the Beloved raazi by following him and worshipping him and loving him deeply....

        Now, in Hinduism, there is a very popular story that is connected to Ganesh (one of the sons of Lord Shiva and Parvati). The full story can be heard here in English: (159) Ganesha and Kartikeya Race Story in English | Indian Mythological Stories | Pebbles Stories - YouTube

The summary of the story is that Ganesh and his brother Kartikeya had a competition and one of the sages suggested that in order to claim victory both should circle the whole earth/universe 3 times and whoever does that first and faster will be the winner. Hence, Kartikeya set out for the journey on his peacock, and we are shown that Ganesh (who has a mouse as his vehicle) stands quietly and watches his brother hurriedly go. He then turns towards Shiva and Parvati and starts the tawaf (making rounds) and completes 3 rounds while all watch in awe. He then claims that since for him his parents (who are God) are the whole world and the universe and contain the whole earth /universe/everything, he has completed the competition. After some time, we see Kartikeya arriving and understanding the cleverness of Ganesh. Both Shiva and Parvati are overjoyed at the wisdom and deep devotion of Ganesh. 

So, the juxtaposition of both (poetry themes and the Hindu story) does have common cord. In the second case, while other person went away and travelled whole of earth and farther, all Ganesh did was make his Beloved (here God who were also his parents) raazi or worship them and devote himself to them...

Interestingly, I got reminded of a small anecdote.  More than a decade ago, I was once talking to my mother and joked to her how I turned into Kartikeya as I travelled away from her while my other sister remained near to her like Ganesh, but in reality, I was her Ganesh...Well, life goes on as its all but a play of destiny.....