Verse 28 - Ranjha's brothers beg him not to leave

Ranjha's seven brothers block his path and beg him not to leave. This particular verse is a testament to Waris Shah's genius for in just a few lines he presents a dynamic that is all too familiar in Punjabi clans or joint families. Ranjha, the youngest brother, is constantly mocked as a wastrel and a dandy by his sisters-in-law, even when there is some mutual, illicit attraction that is never acted upon. His brothers conspire with the Qazis and the village council to rob him of his fair share of their late father's land. Yet his brothers and their wives genuinely love him and are devastated at the thought of his leaving home. While some of this may be dismissed as an attempt to preserve the honor of the clan, anyone who is familiar with Punjabi families will recognize the complexity of the relationships that exist within them. Jealousy, rivalry, love, mockery all coexist and the notion of the youngest brother, who is not exactly adept at taking care of himself leaving home elicits genuine feelings of concerns that are expressed poignantly by the poet. There is another interesting element of Punjabi clan culture that emerges in this verse. Wile Ranjha's brothers are complicit in seizing his land, they are very willing to blame their wives for Ranjha's despair and ask him to forgive his sisters-in-law for their faults! Thus they neatly try to sidestep responsibility for their own actions and blame their women for the discord.