Studying the soul

"Treasure at home", by Bulleh Shah

You study hard to become a learned scholar
Yet you never bother to learn about your own soul

You are quick to enter the temple and mosque
Yet you never bother to enter your own heart

You fight with satan every day
Yet you never bother to fight your own cravings

Bulleh Shah, you are obsessed with attaining what's far from your reach
Yet you never bother to reach for the treasure that's sitting right at homе

The journey of understanding one’s own soul is a central theme in Bulleh Shah’s poetry, where he challenges conventional wisdom and urges deep self-exploration. He dismisses external rituals and dogma, instead calling for an inward turn—toward the heart, where true knowledge resides. His verses often repeat the question *Bullah, ki jaana main kaun?* ("Bullah, who knows who I am?"), reflecting the mystery of the self and the struggle to grasp one's essence. For Bulleh Shah, self-awareness is inseparable from divine love; to know the soul is to dissolve the ego and recognize unity with the divine. His poetry serves as both a guide and a mirror, urging us to strip away illusions and embrace the raw, unfiltered truth of our being.

For a beautiful rendition of the above poem, we recommend watching the below performance.