Sansaar se bhaage phirte ho (Ye, the renouncers of the world!)---Sahir

About the Poet: "Sahir" Ludhianvi (real name Abdul Hayee) (1921-1977) was born in Ludhiana, Punjab in a wealthy landlord family. However his mother's desertion of his father meant that Sahir had to live in extreme poverty throughout his childhood. He moved to Bombay in his youth where he composed songs for Indian movies, many of which became classics and spread his fame as a lyricist par excellence far and wide. A member of the Progressive Writers' Association, Sahir, much like his contemporary Faiz, looks at both the romantic as well as depressing aspects of his scoiety, but it is for his tender love poetry that he is best known. The novelist, Amrita Pritam was one of Sahir's most ardent admirers and freely admitted to his influence both on her private as well as literary life.

"Sansaar se bhaage phirte ho" was written by Sahir as a song for the movie, Chitralekha, in 1963. Sung by Lata Mangeshkar, the song was widely popular. It reflects Sahir's contempt for ascetecism and his inherent atheism.

Sansaar se bhaage phirte ho (O ye, renouncers of the world!)
Bhagwaan ko tum kya paaoge (How do you seek to reach God?)

Is lok ko bhi apna na sake (You never could enjoy this world)
Us lok me bhi pacchtaaoge! (And you are going to repent it in the hereafter too)

Ye paap hai kya, ye punya hai kya? (What is sin and what's virtue?)
Reeton par dharm ki muhren hain (But the sanctions of religion on deeds!)

Har yug mein badalte dharmon ko (How will you follow the (sanctions of a) religion?)
Kaise adarsh banaoge? (That takes on a new shape in every age?)

Ye bhog bhi ek tapasya hai (Even this materialism is a form of worship!)
Tum tyaag ke maare kya jaano? (How would you folks, crazy after renunciation, know that?)

Apmaan rachyita ka hoga (Wouldnt you insult the creator,)
Rachna ko agar thukraaoge! (by renouncing his creation?)

Hum kahte hain yeh jag apna hai (We say this world is true)
Tum kahte ho jhoota sapna hai (You say, "Nay! It's but an illusion!")

Hum janm bitaakar jaayenge (We'll die happy and content)
Tum janm ganwaakar jaaoge (And you, unhappy at having wasted this life)


The full video of the song can be found here