Drinking From Love's Cup: Surrender and Sacrifice in the Vars of Bhai Gurdas Bhalla(AAR Religion in Translation)

Bhai Gurdas Bhalla (d. 1636 CE) is widely considered the most important non-canonical poet in Sikh history, having shaped the theology and ethics of the tradition for centuries. His poems, which offer an authoritative illustration of Sikh life in the early seventeenth century, defined Sikh identity during a tumultuous period of upheaval. In Drinking from Love's Cup, Rahuldeep Gill brings together for the first time a collection of the revered poet's early work, masterfully translated into English, alongside the original Punjabi text.The magic of Gurdas's poetry, says Gill, is the fusion of Islamicate narrative with Indian heroic literature to speak about death, martyrdom, and the spirit's absolution in love. Gill challenges the traditional scholarship surrounding the dates of Gurdas's writing, suggesting that Gurdas wrote his poetry to console the Sikh community when it was in mourning over the execution of the fifth of the Sikh founders, Guru Arjan (d.1606), by agents of the Mughal Empire. Gurdas in his verses immortalized the fifth Guru's role as a martyr and encouraged the faithful to stay involved in the community, resist hegemony, and reinforce Sikh beliefs during the sectarian upheaval. Rhythmic, elegant, and lucid, the poems weave Sikh scripture into the lyrical fabric of Sikh spirituality. Gill brings a contemporary flair to Gurdas's moving stanzas and in his commentary unearths fresh insights about his life and context.

Table of Contents:
Acknowledgments Note to the Reader Part 1: Introduction Part 2: English Translations with Commentary Var 4 Hardship's Promise of Victory Var 5 Royal Road, Path of the Pious Var 6 Falling at Feet, We Conquer Var 12 Slay Me for the Sikhs Var 15 Refuge of the True Guru Var 16 The Fruit of Joy in the Gurmukhs Congregation Var 17 They Waste This Precious Life Var 21 The Guru's Congregation, God's Court Var 23 Saints Seek Sikhs' Feet Var 24 Protector of the Poor Var 25 Heads of Emperors Burn Var 26 Bearing Burdens with Love's Cup Var 30 Truth and Falsehood Part 3: Explanation of Translated Terms References Index

About the Author :
Rahuldeep Singh Gill is Associate Professor of Religion at California Lutheran University. He lives in Los Angeles with his family.

Review :
"Gill s book still stands out as a departure from the traditional studies of Bhai Gurdas. It is written in an engaging style. It is likely to generate lively debate among Sikh scholars. I strongly recommend it to specialists and lay readers alike."--Journal of the American Academy of Religion "Rahuldeep Singh Gill has written a very important book. By providing new translations of the major compositions of Bhai Gurdas, a pivotal figure in Sikh history, and complementing these with powerful and convincing interpretations of their message in the full context of the time in which they were written, Gill gives us new insights into the evolution of the Sikh community and its faith. His work will change Sikh Studies." --Nirvikar Singh, Professor of Economics and Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies, University of California, Santa Cruz "Gill's exquisite translations and lucid commentary bring to life the work of Bhai Gurdas - a writer often considered second only to the Gurus in the formation of Sikh tradition. Challenging current scholarship while elucidating Gurdas's beautifully precise yet allusive language, Drinking from Love's Cup is an essential read not only for those interested in Sikhism, but also for anyone drawn to the poetry of redemptive suffering and divine justice." --Anna Bigelow, author of Sharing the Sacred: Practicing Pluralism in Muslim North India (Oxford, 2010) "The heroic, spiritual, and romantic ingredients of Love's Cup offer a taste of the rich poetic legacy of the Sikh tradition. Here Gill brings attention to Bhai Gurdas, a vital poet and theologian, whose hand recorded the Sikh sacred text, and yet who remains woefully neglected in the academy. This accessible and provocative introduction to the life and works of Bhai Gurdas is sure to inspire exciting debates and discussions." --Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh, Crawford Family Professor of Religious Studies, Colby College "Drinking from Love s Cup by Rahuldeep Singh Gill is therefore particularly welcomed both for its challenge to many of the existing understandings of Bhai Gurdas, and for its attractive presentation through carefully annotated translations of fourteen of the forty vars...Gill s translations can profitably be read as stand-alones which should help contemporary readers of English engage directly with a major early Sikh poet whose original significance has too often become obscured."--Reading Religion