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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/joshm-gavaara-tere-liye-audio.mp3

Recitation

گوارا  ترے  لیے  ۔  جوشؔ  ملیح  آبادی

۱

آ،  فصلِ  گُل  ہے  غرقِ  تمنّا  ترے  لیے

ڈوبا  ہوا  ہے  رنگ  میں  صحرا  ترے  لیے

۲

ساحل  پہ  سروِ  ناز  کو  دے  زحمتِ  خرام

بل  کھا  رہا  ہے  خاک  پہ  دریا  ترے  لیے

۳

ایفائے  عہد  کر،  کہ  ہے  مُدّت  سے  بے  قرار

روحِ  وفائے  وعدۂ  فردا  ترے  لیے

۴

شانوں  پہ  اب  تو  کاکُل  شب  رنگ  کھول  دے

بکھری  ہوئی  ہے  زلفِ  تمنّا  ترے  لیے

۵

اُٹھ  چشمِ  جاودانۂ  ساغر  فروش  اُٹھ

مچلی  ہوئی  ہے  لرزشِ  صہبا  ترے  لیے

۶

اے  آفتابِ  جلوۂ  جاناں  بلند  ہو

کھویا  ہوا  ہے  مطلع  دنیا  ترے  لیے

۷

موج  شمیمِ  سنبل  و  ریحاں  کے  درمیاں

وا  ہے  مصاحبت  کا  دریچا  ترے  لیے

۸

آ  اور  داد  دے  کہ  بہ  ایں  چشمِ  حق  نگر

کھائے  ہوئے  ہوں  زیست  کا  دھوکا  ترے  لیے

۹

سبزے  کا  فرش،  ابر  کا  خیمہ،  گلوں  کا  عطر

گلشن  میں  اہتمام  ہے  کیا  کیا  ترے  لیے

۱۰

تغیانِ  گُل  شباب  پہ  بلبل  خروش  میں

اک  حشر  سا  ہے  باغ  میں  برپا  ترے  لیے

۱۱

جوشؔ  اور  ننگِ  خدمتِ  سلطان  و  پاسِ  ہوش

یہ  بھی  کیے  ہوئے  ہے  گوارا  ترے  لیے

गवारा तेरे लिये – जोश मलीह आबादी

१

आ, फ़स्ल-ए गुल है ग़र्क़-ए तमन्ना तेरे लिये

डूबा हुआ है रंग में सहरा तेरे लिये

२

साहिल पे सर्व-ए नाज़ को दे ज़हमत-ए ख़राम

बल खा रहा है ख़ाक पे दर्या तेरे लिये

३

ईफ़ा-ए अहद कर, के है मुद्दत से बे-क़रार

रूह-ए वफ़ा-ए वादा-ए फ़र्दा तेरे लिये

४

शानौं पे अब तो काकुल-ए शब-रंग खोल दे

बिखरी हुई है ज़ुल्फ़-ए तमन्ना तेरे लिये

५

उठ चश्म-ए जावेदाना-ए साग़र फ़रौश उठ

मचली हुई है लर्ज़िश-ए सहबा तेरे लिये

६

अए आफ़्ताब-ए जलवा-ए जानां बलंद हो

खोया हुआ है मत्ला-ए दुनिया तेरे लिये

७

मौज-ए शमीम-ए सुंबुल ओ रेहां के दर्मियां

वा है मुसाहिबत का दरीचा तेरे लिये

८

आ, और दाद दे के ब-ईं चश्म-ए हक़-निगर

खाए हुए हुं ज़ीस्त का धोका तेरे लिये

९

सब्ज़े का फ़र्श, अब्र का ख़ैमा, गुलों का इत्र

गुलशन में इह्तेमाम है क्या-क्या तेरे लिये

१०

तुग़्यान-ए गुल शबाब पे, बुलबुल ख़रौश में

एक हश्र सा है बाग़ में बरपा तेरे लिये

११

जोश और नंग-ए ख़िदमत-ए सुल्तान ओ पास-ए होश

ये भी किए हुए है गवारा तेरे लियेTop of Form

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. josh writes in lavish praise of the beloved’s beauty and anticipation of her arrival. The final she’r had an insult to royalty, even though it did not actually name osman ali KhaaN, in whose court josh was serving at the time. He had to tender a written apology to save his job.

josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution.  He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy.  His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing.  josh writes in lavish praise of the beloved’s beauty and anticipation of her arrival.  The final she’r had an insult to royalty, even though it did not actually name osman ali KhaaN, in whose court josh was serving at the time.  He had to tender a written apology to save his job.

1.season of flowers, spring 2.drown 3.desire 4.submerged 5.desert

This addressed to the ‘beloved’ but the ‘beloved’ could easily be a symbol for his own love of suKhan-poetry.  He is looking for inspiration to compose because all the surroundings are prepared, eagerly waiting for the beloved.  Thus, spring is drowning in desire for the beloved.  Even the desert, normally a stretch of sand, is submerged in colors for her.

1.shore 2.cypress 3.elegance 4.botheration, trouble 5.gentle gait, graceful walk 6.twisting and turning, restless 7.sand 8.sea

The cypress is a tall and slender tree.  It sways gently in the breeze.  Its slender stature and gentle sway is often used as a metaphor for the beloved’s figure and grace.  Thus, he says to the beloved, take the trouble to come and walk gracefully by the shore.  The sea is restless and beating its head on the sand waiting for you.  Thus, the waves of the sea become a metaphor for restlessness.

1.fulfill, faithful 2.promise 3.long time 4.eager, restless 5.spirit 6.fidelity 7.promise 8.future, tomorrow

The beloved is notorious for making promises of coming the next day, but never does.  Thus, he implores – fulfill your promise, the spirit of fidelity (truthfulness) of the promise of tomorrow has been restless for long.

1.shoulder 2.curls 3.colour of the night, dark 4.spread 5.hair 6.desire

As a phrase, ‘zulf bikharna’ can be a sign of distress.  Thus, ‘tamanna ki zulf bikhri hui hai’ means the desire (personified) is distressed and sorrowful.  It is a nice juxtaposition that to cure the bikhre hue zulf, he is asking the beloved to spread her curls on her shoulders.  Of course, this implies unveiling and taking her head cover off.

1.eye 2.eternal, enduring 3.offering cup (of wine) 4.eager 5.trembling 6.flask of wine

The shaa’er implores the beloved to raise her eyes.  Her eyes are an enduring offer of a cup of wine i.e., lovers get intoxicated looking into her eyes, they don’t need conventional wine.  The flask trembles in anticipation that the intoxicating eye of the beloved will offer cups of wine to her admirers.

1.sun 2.glory 3.beloved 4.rise 5.horizon

Oh, sun of the glory of the beloved, rise high, the horizon of the world is lost/aimless without you.

1.wave, gust 2.breeze 3.fragrant plant 4.basil (also fragrant) 5.between, among 6.wide open 7.companionship 8.window

Between the waves of fragrances of jasmine and basil, the window of companionship is wide open waiting for you.

1.appreciation 2.inspite of 3.eye 4.truth seeing, discerning 5.life, existence

Without the beloved the poet/lover does not have a real life, but he keeps living in an illusion and deceives himself that one day she will come.  He does this inspite of his truth discerning eye/perception.  He pleads come and show appreciation for this.

1.greenery 2.floor, carpet 3.clouds 4.tent, shelter 5.fragrance 6.garden 7.preparations

A carpet of greenery, a tent/covering of clouds, and fragrance of roses; O, how many different preparations there are in the garden for you.

1.flood, abundance 2.roses 3.youthful vigour 4.full throated song 5.tumult, enthusiasm 6.happening, taking place

The flood of roses at its peak vigour, the bulbul in full-throated song; O what a tumult is going on in the garden for you.

1.pen-name of the poet 2.shame, insult, disgrace 3.service 4.king 5.mindful, consider 6.sobriety 7.tolerate, bear

josh and bear the disgrace of serving the sultan and being mindful of sobriety/awareness (conventionally, he should be in a trance considering the beauty of the beloved).  These too have I endured for you.  josh recited this at a private gathering while he was still in the service of osman ali KhaaN, the nizam of hyderabad.  Someone reported it to the court and he was about to be terminated.  He had to tender a written apology, based on which he was retained in service.  Later, he wrote another rebellious nazm and was banished from the domain of the nizam.

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