āda guru shamasa munnavara jāna te to farīyā bahu juga pramāna

(Garbī 1)

O Austere Ones (munivar)!

Know that Shams is the primordial Guru;

Indeed, he has roamed through many an age (yuga).

[One day] he went to a village called Analvād

Where countless numbers of Hindus lived.

The village was full of shrines and temples

Dedicated to their dear [goddess] Mātā Bhavānī.

It was Navrātrī ¹, and everyone was dancing the garbī ²

To such a place Guru Shams went.

It was the first night of the month āso śuddha ³;

Everyone had come together to dance the first garbī.

Thirty-six pandits were telling tales of lore (kathā).

With five hundred actors enacting them as drama.

The Guru went and stood beside them;

He listened to the entire recital of the Hindus.

They danced fervently and sang with intensity;

They dearly worshipped their stone idols.

All this aroused anger in Pir Shams;

He went and joined the dancers in their dance.

Then the Guru began to sing his songs of wisdom (ginān);

The ignorant Hindus [were startled] and listened to them.

Pir Shams