Abdul Rahim Khan-I-Khana

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Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana (1556-1627) (Devanagari:अब्दुल रहीम खान-ए-खाना, Urdu/Persian: عبدالرحيم خانخان) , also known as Rahimdas (रहीमदास) was a poet and the son of Akbar’s trusted caretaker, Bairam Khan. After Bairam Khan was murdered, his wife became the second wife of Akbar, which made Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khan his stepson. He had a high place among Akbar's Navratnas. Although a Muslim by birth, he was a devotee of Lord Krishna. He is well known for his strange manner of giving alms to the poor. He never looked at the person he was giving alms to, keeping his gaze downwards in all humility. When Tulsidas heard about Rahim's strange method of giving alms, he promptly wrote a couplet and sent it to Rahim:

Aisi deni den jyu, kit seekhe ho sain
Jyon jyon kar oonchyo karo, tyon tyon niche nain

"O brother, where have you learnt this strange method of giving alms? Such that the higher your hands are raised to give alms, the lower is your gaze?"

Realizing that Tulsidas was well 'Aware' of the 'Truth' behind creation, and was merely giving him an opportunity to say a few lines in reply, he wrote to Tulsidas in all humility:

Denhar koi aur hai, bhejat jo din rain
Log bharam hum par kare, taaso niche nain

"The 'One' who actually gives is someone else (meaning God), He continuously provides (the alms) day and night However, as the world (mistakenly) gives me credit for the alms, I prefer to keep looking down. "

His two sons were killed by Jehangir(son of Akbar) and their bodies left to rot at the khooni darwaja because Rahim was not in favour of Jehangir's accession to the throne at Akbar's death.

[edit] Some couplets of Rahim

Rahiman badan ko dekh ke, laghu na dije daar
Jahan kaam aye sui, kya kare talwar

"Says Rahim, when you are introduced to an important/rich person, do not ignore or forget your poor friends. For if, for example, you need a needle to successfully complete a job, of what use is a sword!"

Rahiman dhaga prem ka, mat todo chatkai
Toote se phir na jude, jude gaanth pad jaye

"Says Rahim, don't allow the (delicate) thread of love (between individuals) to snap. Once it snaps, it cannot be rejoined and if you do rejoin it, there is a knot in it.

Rahiman ya tan soop hai leejeeaye jagat pachhor
harikan ko udijan dey garuay rakhee batoor

“Says, Rahim, this mind (body) is like a sieve (windrowing machine), sort out your friends through it. Let the light (bad) ones and go (fly in the wind) and carefully keep the heavy (good) ones.”

Kheera sar te kaatye, maliyat laun lagye
Rahiman karue mukh ko chahiyat eehi sazaye

"To cure a bitter cucumber,we cut its head off and rub in salt. Says Rahim to cure a bitter mouth we should apply the same remedy"

Je Rahim uttam prakrati, ka kareet sakat kusung
Chandan vish vyapat nahi, lipte rahat bhujung

"Says Rahim, How will evil corrupt, he who has an excellent character? After all does the sandelwood become poisonous by having snakes lie around it's trunk?"

Kahee Rahim sampati sage, banat bahu bahu reet
Bipati kasoti je kase, te hi saanche meet

"Says Rahim, people will find many many ways to be related to fortune. But only he is a true friend, who stands by you in misfortune"

Rahim ve nar mar chuke, je kahu mangan chaee
Unte pahel ve muee, jin mukh niksat nahi

""Says Rahim, he who has to beg is no longer a man. But those who refuse were never men to begin with.""

[edit] Major works

Apart from writing various dohas, Rahim translated Babar's memoirs from Turkish language to Persian language. His command over Sanskrit was very good^[1]. He wrote two books on Astrology, Kheta Kautukama and Dwawishd Yogavali.