I laughed and cried over Love's Last Madness. I have long admired the poems of Darshan Singh even though only a limited number had been translated into English. Now, the Lerner and Bedi translation brings 86 of his wonderful ghazals to us in English for the first time. As in the poetry of Hafiz and Rumi, image after startling image evokes the moods and struggles of a serious mystic traveler.

While reading, I sharply felt Darshan's sense of urgency as he struggles into awakening consciousness. He says:

"If only I'd awaken, I'd perceive what this life means;
My existence now, an obsessive confusion of dreams." (4:4)

I sighed with him as he sees the world falling short of expectation. Darshan's perceptive criticisms do not spare the social institutions, both religious and philosophical, from which he turns his face. For example:

"I, too, walked the path explored by the rationalists:
The wayfarers were half asleep, their guides wandering lost." (8:3)

I shared his empathy with despairing humanity, entangled in delusion:

"Every hour is grief, each breath a sigh for the times -
Am I really living or paying for some crime?" (21:1)

I thrilled with him as he glimpses the faces of those who may guide him into reality:

"They were clothed in poverty, as humble as the dust,
But waiting at their door I saw the sovereigns of the age." (7:1)

I agonized with him as he suffers the transforming blows and testing of his guides. For this subject Darshan often uses imagery of worldly love:

"How unexpected is your visit - and to ask of my condition!
What new ingenious torture prompts you, my dear?" (83:4)

I took heart as Darshan hints at the great turning points of the mystic's immense journey. One such landmark is the transcendence of mind:

"Every mote I saw scintillating with your beauty
In a world where intellect stands bewildered." (18:4)

Another landmark is the transcendence of selfhood or ego. I could share his apprehension at the prospect of loss of self, and I vicariously exulted with him in his freedom from it:

"Of self I lost awareness, so life's secret was revealed,
A boon of my oblivion, not the fruit of my wits." (60:7)

Through Darshan's poetry I saw through an intimate window into the mind and heart of a man of our own time who deeply immersed himself in the spiritual quest. This is the record of "the anguished vigil of a love gone wild...." (22:5)

Having great respect for the works of the renowned mystic Urdu poet Darshan Singh, this newly translated collection was purchased with anticipation. Thankfully, I was not disappointed. The book is high quality, with artistic formatting. And the verses of Darshan Singh? Goodness--such beauty! They move me to tears on each re-reading. It is said that translation from Urdu to English is fraught with problems and a true rendering basically impossible. Even with that as an accepted fact, any lover of mystic poetry will be enthralled by this collection.

I have read this "gutka" /sacred book many times.

The author has provided a line by line translation of the standard 5 "paaths" / sacred recitations of the sikh religion.

In doing so , he has enabled a method for the present and future generations to enjoy and understand gurbani at their own level , and lead a happy joyous life.

I feel this is the best bet for beginners or people who know english , to understand gurbani for the first time