For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

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Recitation

اپنی  نظر  اُٹھائے  کیوں  ۔  سید  عاشق  حسین  سیمابؔ  (وارثیؔ) اکبرآبادی

۱

جِس  کو  نہ  تابِ  ضبط  ہو،  بارِ  وفا  اُٹھائے  کیوں

وصل  میں  اِنتظار  کیا،  ہِجر  میں  ہائے  ہائے  کیوں

۲

کیوں  ہو  اِدھر  اُدھر  تباہ،  ٹھوکریں  سب  کی  کھائے  کیوں

تیرا  خرابِ  آرزُو،  تیری  گلی  سے  جائے  کیوں

۳

کیوں  نہ  ازل  میں  ہو  گئے،  ضبط  و  وفا  کے  فیصلے

حُسن  اگر  ہو  مطمئن،  عشق  کو  آزمائے  کیوں

۴

سارا  جہاں  ہے  تیرا  گھر،  چاہیے  وسعتِ  نظر

سعی  کرے  کوئی  اگر،  تیرا  پتہ  نہ  پائے  کیوں

۵

بسکہ  زمینِ  کوئے  دوست،  کعبۂ  اہلِ  عشق  ہے

جس  کو  مذاقِ  عِجز  ہو،  خاک  سے  سر  اُٹھائے  کیوں

۶

سوزِ  وفا  کی  معرفت،  شمع  کو  ہو  اگر  نصیب

اپنی  ہی  لَو  میں  خود  جلے،  دوسروں  کو  جلائے  کیوں

۷

مجھ  کو  ہے  تیرا  انتظار،  اِس  لیے  ہوں  میں  بے  قرار

گر  نہ  ہو  تجھ  پہ  اعتبار،  صبر  پھر  آ  نہ  جائے  کیوں

۸

حشر  سُنا  نہیں  ہے  کیا،  میری  شبِ  فراق  کا

جس  کا  ہے  سب  کو  اِنتظار  اب  وہ  قیامت  آئے  کیوں

۹

وحشتِ  دل  ہوئی  فزوں  چارہ  گروں  کو  ہے  جُنُوں

مدّ  نظر  جو  تھا  سُکُوں،  اُس  کی  گلی  سے  لائے  کیوں

۱۰

جس  کو  یقین  ہو  کہ  تُو،  جلوہ  نُما  ہے  چار  سُو

وہ  تری  جلوہ  گاہ  میں  اپنی  نظر  اُٹھائے  کیوں

۱۱

غم  تھا  اگر  نہ  سازگار،  موت  نہ  تھی  جو  خوشگوار

آدمی  بن  کے  وارثیؔ،  بزمِ  جہاں  میں  آئے  کیوں

अपनी नज़र उठाए क्यूं – सय्यद आशिक़ हुसैन सीमाब (वारिसी) अक्बराबादी

१

जिस को न ताब-ए ज़ब्त हो, बार-ए वफ़ा उठाए क्यूं

वस्ल में इंतेज़ार क्या, हिज्र में हाए-हाए क्यूं

२

क्यूं हो इधर उधर तबाह, ठोकरें सब की खाए क्यूं

तेरा ख़राब-ए आर्ज़ू, तेरी गली से जाए क्यूं

३

क्यूं न अज़ल में हो गये, ज़ब्त ओ वफ़ा के फ़ैसले

हुस्न अगर हो मुतम’इन, इश्क़ को आज़्माए क्यूं

४

सारा जहाँ है तेरा घर, चाहिए वुस’अत-ए नज़र

स’ई करे कोई अगर, तेरा पता न पाए क्यूं

५

बस्के ज़मीन-ए कू-ए दोस्त, का’बा-ए अहल-ए इश्क़ है

जिस को मज़ाक़-ए इज्ज़ हो, ख़ाक से सर उठाए क्यूं

६

सोज़-ए वफ़ा की मा’रेफ़त, शम’अ को हो अगर नसीब

अपनी ही लौ में ख़ुद जले, दूसरों को जलाए क्यूं

७

मुझ को है तेरा इंतेज़ार, इस लिये हूँ मैं बेक़रार

गर न हो तुझ पे ऐतेबार, सब्र फिर आ न जाए क्यूं

८

हश्र सुना नहीं है क्या, मेरी शब-ए फ़िराक़ का

जिस का है सब को इंतेज़ार, अब वो क़यामत आए क्यूं

९

वहशत-ए दिल हुई फ़ुज़ूँ, चारागरों को है जुनूँ

मद्द-ए नज़र जो था सुकूँ, उस की गली से लाए क्यूं

१०

जिस को यक़ीन हो के तू, जल्वा नुमा है चार सू

वो तेरी जल्वा-गाह में, अपनी नज़र उठाए क्यूं

११

ग़म था अगर न साज़गार, मौत न थी जो ख़ुशगवार

आदमी बन के वारसी, बज़्म-ए जहाँ में आए क्यूं

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic urdu translation of the whole qur’aan. His secular credentials are impeccable. He along with his contemporary hasrat mohani, participated in the freedom struggle and composed a collection of devotional poems to krishn, which was published as a book called ‘krishn geet’. In this Ghazal he uses the taKhallus vaarisi. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.

syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu.  A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh.  He also did a poetic urdu translation of the whole qur’aan.  His secular credentials are impeccable.  He along with his contemporary hasrat mohani, participated in the freedom struggle and composed a collection of devotional poems to krishn, which was published as a book called ‘krishn geet’.  In this Ghazal he uses the taKhallus vaarisi.  This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.

1.capacity, ability 2.restraint, self-control 3.burden of 4.fidelity, loyalty 5.union (with the beloved/god) 6.waiting, anticipation, restlessness 7.separation (from the beloved/god)

If you don’t have the capacity of self control, why undertake to bear the heavy burden of love; the path of love requires the ability to bear pain stoically.  The path of love requires such complete surrender that you become one with the beloved; the awareness of self vanishes completely; if there is even the slightest awareness of intezaar left, then your surrender is not perfect – thus in the path of love ‘vasl meN intezaar kyaa’.  At the same time, stoicism requires that there be no mourning in firaaq.  Thus, hijr meN haa’e haa’e kyuN.  Insincere or weak commitment to the spiritual path is not acceptable.

1.destroyed, distressed 2.get kicked, suffer insults, wander aimlessly 3.ruined 4.yearning, longing

Why would the lover/seeker – aashiq/saalik, who is already ruined and obsessed with yearning for you, leave your street and wander here and there, suffering insults.  Here ‘your street’ can be the beloved or the divine, in either case the lover/seeker does not feel like going anywhere else.  He is totally devoted.

1.eternity, the time before creation 2.forebearance 3.loyalty, fidelity 4.decisions, judgments 5.beauty, beloved 6.satisfied, content, secure 7.test, try, put to the proof

The poet raises a question about being tested in this life. If the outcome of patience and loyalty were decided at the dawn of time (through pre-ordained fate), why does the (divine) beauty still test the love/fidelity of the seeker?

1.entire world/universe 2.breadth, expanse 3.vision 4.effort, striving 5.address, trace, whereabouts

This emphasizes the omnipresence of the divine. The entire universe is the beloved’s home. Therefore, the primary requirement for finding god is an expansive vision, which moves beyond narrow religious or worldly limitations.  The glory of god is reflected in all creation.

1.because, since 2.lane/street, path 3.friend, beloved, god 4.people of love 5.taste, skill 6.humility, utter surrender 7.dust, earth

Because the dust of the beloved’s lane is venerated like the kaa’ba by people of love (true lovers of the divine), why would those who have the skill of/taste for complete surrender, ever raise their heads from the dust – symbolizing the profound comfort and spiritual ecstasy found in complete surrender.

1.burning, ardor 2.loyalty, love 3.spiritual knowledge, gnosis 4.candle, lamp 5.granted, fated 6.flame (of a lamp or candle) 7.others

The traditional metaphor for lover and beloved is the sham’a-parvaana candle-moth, with the moth being the lover.  But here this tradition is modified.  The candle with its gnostic/mystic knowledge of the fire of love is consumed in its own fire; it does not burn others (moth).

1.waiting, expectation 2.restless, agitated 3.if 4.trust, belief, faith 5.patience, acceptance

I have trust in you, i.e., I believe that you will come; that there will be union.  That is why I am waiting restlessly/impatiently.  If I did not have such trust, then why would I not settle in acceptance/patience.  Said Ghalib …

1.cataclysmic outcome 2.night of 3.separation 4.waiting, anticipation 5.day of judgment

Have you not heard of the cataclysmic result of my night of separation … the implication is that something akin to ‘hashr‘ – the tumult of doomsday happened at the end of his long night of separation.  With what happened then, why should anyone wait for qayaamat.  The implication is that qayaamat has already taken place because of his night of separation.

1.madness/wildness 2.increasing, excessive 3.healers 4.obsession 5.focus of sight, objective, goal 6.peace, tranquility, calm

The lover’s state is one of increasing madness of the heart. The healers appear mad/obsessed with curing him.  So they dragged him out of the street of the beloved to administer remedies.  The lover protests – if their aim was for me to be tranquil and calm, why did they pull me out of her lane!

1.certainty, firm belief 2.manifesting, displaying 3.all four directions, everywhere 4.place of manifestation 5.glance, gaze, eyes

He who is certain that you are manifest all around, why would be raise his eyes to look at the place of your manifestation.  The implication is that if god is everywhere why would any true devotee focus on the mosque or temple.

1.sorrow, grief, pain 2.agreeable, compatible, favorable 3.death 4.pleasant, palatable 5.the other pen-name taKhallus that seemab sometimes used 6.assembly 7.world

If earthly sorrow was unbearable, and death was unpleasant, why did one choose to enter the worldly assembly as a human being?  This asserts that Gham is a necessary condition of life.  Said Ghalib …

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