Dil Ne Kaha Chupke Se, Ye Kya Hua Chupke Se

Kyon Naye Lag Rahe Hain Ye Dharti Gagan
Maina Poochha To Boli Ye Pagli Pawan
Pyaar Hua Chupke Se, Ye Kya Hua Chupke Se

दिल ने कहा चुपके से, ये क्या हुआ चुपके से

क्यों नये लग रहें है ये धरती गगन
मैंने पूछा तो बोली ये पगली पवन
प्यार हुआ चुपके से, ये क्या हुआ चुपके से

The heart asked quietly, "what happened quietly?"

Why are the earth and the clouds looking new?
When I asked, the wind said
Love has set in quietly. O what has happened quietly?

Many a time, two people unexpectedly develop mutual fondness "just like that!" Such love is not engineered or planned. It catches you by surprise (प्यार हुआ चुपके से). Awareness of nascent love is sweet.

Love transports us to a state of bliss. The world looks vibrant and colorful. The earth, the clouds, the trees, the rivers, the oceans and the mountains — they all look fresh and full of life. A physical beloved is not necessary to enjoy such an experience. Through love for oneself and the Universe at large, the same feelings are generated.

Titliyon Se Ye Suna, Titliyon Se Ye Suna
Maine Kissa Baagh Ka, Baagh Mein Thi Ek Kali
Sharmeeli Anchhui, Ek Din Manchala Bhanvra Aa Gaya
Khil Uthi Vo Kali Paaya Roop Naya
Poochhti Thi Kali Ki Mujhe Kya Hua
Phool Hanse Chupke Se, Pyaar Hua Chupke Se

तितलियों से ये सुना, तितलियों से ये सुना
मैंने किस्सा बाग का, बाग में थी एक कली
शर्मीली अनछुई, एक दिन मनचला, हो, भँवरा आ गया
खिल उठी वो कली पाया रूप नया
पूछती थी कली के मुझे क्या हुआ
फूल हँस चुपके से, प्यार हुआ चुपके से

From the butterflies I heard; from the butterflies, I heard
a story of the garden. In the garden, there was a bud,
shy and untouched. One day, a playful bumble bee came along.
The bud bloomed. She got a new look.
The bud asked around, "What happened to me?"
The flowers smiled quietly. Love had set in quietly.

The first story was narrated by the butterflies. The setting is a blooming garden where buds, flowers, butterflies and bees have become human-like characters. It is a fantasy world found in story books for children.

A shy and untouched bud (एक कली, शर्मीली अनछुई) refers to a delicate and pristine young woman who has not experienced love yet. When a woman falls in love, she glows! Her eyes sparkle and her expressions are full of joy. The metaphor of a blooming bud (खिल उठी वो कली पाया रूप नया) captures the transformation very well.

The blooming bud enquires with flowers (others who have fallen in love before) about her new state of mind (पूछती थी कली के मुझे क्या हुआ). The flowers had nothing to say. They merely smiled knowingly (फूल हँस चुपके से, प्यार हुआ चुपके से).

Maine Baadal Se Kabhi, Ho Maine Baadal Se Kabhi
Ye Kahaani Thi Suni, Parvaton Ki Ek Nadi, Milne Saagar Se Chali
Jhoomti Ghoomti, Ho Naachti Dolti
Kho Gayi Apne Saagar Mein Jaake Nadi
Dekhle Pyaar Ki Aisi Jaadugari
Chaand Khila Chupke Se, Pyaar Hua Chupke Se

मैंने बादल से कभी, ओ मैंने बादल से कभी
ये कहानी थी सुनी, पर्वतों की एक नदी, मिलने सागर से चली
झूमती घूमती, हो, नाचती डोलती
खो गयी अपने सागर में जाके नदी
देखने प्यार की ऐसी जादूगरी
चाँद खिला चुपके से, प्यार हुआ चुपके से

Sometime, from a cloud; sometime, from a cloud
I had heard this story: A river from the mountains went to meet the ocean
Reveling and swirling, dancing and swaying,
The river lost herself by merging into her ocean.
Behold the magic of love!
The moon emerged quietly (by surprise). Love set in quietly (by surprise).

The second story is narrated by a cloud. A mighty river flows joyfully to meet the ocean! Who but a cloud can see the entire expanse of a river? It reminds me of Meghadūta ("The Cloud Messenger"), a poem by Kalidasa. I haven't read the poem but its setting is interesting. A demigod from North India is exiled for an year in Central India. He misses his wife, so he convinces a passing cloud to carry his message to her. He accomplishes this by describing many beautiful sights the cloud shall encounter along the way. Many of these sights are along the banks of the river Ganges.

There is a spiritual angle to the story of the river and the ocean. The phrase खो गयी अपने सागर में जाके नदी translates into 'the river lost herself by merging with the ocean'. The river merges into something far larger than herserlf. This suggests submission of ego for a union with one's divine beloved. The river does it after a playful journey (झूमती घूमती, हो, नाचती डोलती). Note that the union of the river with the ocean is choiceless. It is her destiny. This reflects the belief in many spiritual systems that all of us are on our way to realize oneness; it is in our destinies.

The last line (चाँद खिला चुपके से) reminds me of occasions when the moon quietly peers through small openings in the clouds. Many times, the moon is there but I don't notice it. Whenever I do, fond memories from the past make me smile :)