Iqbal’s poem “A Mountain and a Squirrel” from Bang-e-Dra, Part One

Allama Muhammad Iqbal · Bang-e-Dra, Part One

Background

Written for children, this poem appears in the first part of “Bang-e-Dra”, which carries verse up to 1905³. In the Kulliyat, its title is marked “adapted from Emerson”. This means the idea was taken from a poem by the American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson¹². In the conversation between the mountain and the squirrel, the lesson is that nature has gifted every creature with some skill.

The poem

A mountain was saying to a squirrel one dayIf you have any shame, go and drown yourself in water

Such a tiny creature, and so proud! Well, well! This intellect, this understanding, this wisdom! Well, well!

It is God’s will that the lowly have become important! Those without sense have become so well-mannered!

What is your worth before my grandeur?The earth is low before my pomp and splendour

What I have, you can never get. Where is the mountain, and where is the poor little creature!

Hearing this, the squirrel said: mind your tongue a little. These are immature words. Throw them out of your heart!

What does it matter if I am not big like you? After all, you too are small like me.

God’s power is shown in every single thingSome are big, some small; this is His wisdom

He made you big in the worldHe taught me to climb the tree

You have no strength to take even a stepIt is mere bigness! What other merit is in you?

If you are big, show me a skill like mineJust crack this betel nut and show me

Nothing in the world is uselessNothing is bad in nature’s workshop

Difficult words

• Doob marey: to drown (in shame), meaning to be deeply ashamed; here, a taunt
• Ghuroor: pride, arrogance
• Shaoor: understanding, intellect
• Khuda ki shan: an exclamation of surprise, meaning see what times have come
• Nacheez: lowly, insignificant
• Batameez: sensible, well-mannered
• Bisat: standing, strength
• Past: low
• Aan baan: pomp and splendour
• Munh sambhal: mind your tongue, speak carefully
• Kachchi baatein: baseless and foolish talk
• Hikmat: wisdom, the purpose hidden in an act
• Nari barai: mere bigness and nothing else
• Chhaliya: betel nut
• Nikammi: useless
• Qudrat ke karkhane: the world, the universe