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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/dGhd-Khat-aaya-javaab-meN-audio.mp3

Recitation

خط  آیا  جواب  میں  ۔  داغؔ  دہلوی

۱

اُن  کو  کہاں  ہے  صبر  و  تحمّل  عِتاب  میں

دم  بھر  کے  بعد  اور  خط  آیا  جواب  میں

۲

کیوں  فِکر  اس  قدر  ہے  رقیبوں  کے  باب  میں

اُن  کے  گنہ  بھی  ڈال  دو  میرے  حِساب  میں

۳

دیکھا  دل  اُن  کا  غیر  نے  سینے  پہ  رکھ  کے  ہاتھ

وہ  کاش  دیکھتے  نہ  مجھے  اِضطراب  میں

۴

صوفی  کو  اِجتناب  ہے  واعظ  کو  اِحتراض

کیا  زہر  گُھل  گیا  ہے  الہٰی  شراب  میں

۵

یا  رب  نہ  پوچھ  عرصۂ  محشر  میں  رازِ  دل

کرتا  ہوں  میں  حِجاب  کی  باتیں  حِجاب  میں

۶

عاشق  تو  کب  دبیں  گے  فرِشتوں  سے  بعدِ  مرگ

تکرار  ہو  نہ  جائے  سوال  و  جواب  میں

۷

دل  دے  کے  مفت  مول  لیا  پھر  ہزار  بار

اپنے  دھوئیں  بکھر  گئے  عہدِ  شباب  میں

۸

اُس  نے  بغیر  خط  کے  پڑھے  لِکھ  دیا  جواب

یہ  بات  بھی  ہے  لکھنے  کے  قابِل  کتاب  میں

۹

تِربِھر  ہوئے  ہیں  کیسے  وہ  برسے  ہیں  کس  قدر

لگتی  لگاتی  بات  جو  کہہ  دی  عِتاب  میں

۱۰

آؤ  نہ  اتنی  دیر  ہمیں  تم  کریں  کلام

روزِ  جزا  ابھی  ہے  توقّف  حِساب  میں

۱۱

میں  دیکھتا  ہوں  دیکھتے  ہی  وصل،  ہجر  بھی

تعبیر  مُجھ  کو  خواب  کی  ملتی  ہے  خواب  میں

۱۲

پوچھے  تو  کوئی  حضرتِ  واعظ  سے  اتنی  بات

ایسے  ہی  تھے  جناب  بھی  عہدِ  شباب  میں

۱۳

آنکھ  اپنی  بند  ہوتے  ہی  پردے  سے  اُٹھ  گئے

دیکھا  تھا  ہم  نے  خاک  جہانِ  خراب  میں

۱۴

تم  مجھ  پہ  جور  کر  کے  پشیمان  بھی  نہیں

میں  تم  سے  دل  لگا  کے  پڑا  کس  عذاب  میں

۱۵

کچھ  ہوش  ہو  تو  داغؔ  کو  سمجھائیں  نیک  و  بد

ڈوبا  ہوا  ہے  نشۂ  جام  شراب  میں

ख़त आया जवाब में – दाग़ देहलवी

१

२

३

४

५

६

७

८

९

१०

११

१२

१३

१४

१५

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905), grandson of bahadur shah zafar (by marriage of his mother to zafar’s son). After 1857, he had to move to rampur and later to hyderabad, where he died. His Ghazal are more earthy and romantic than sufiyaana or philosophical. He was a disciple of zauq, whose rivalry with/jealousy of Ghalib is well known. But daaGh had good relations with Ghalib and composed several Ghazal in the zamiin of Ghalib, using many of the same phrases. This is one of them.

daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905), grandson of bahadur shah zafar (by marriage of his mother to zafar’s son). After 1857, he had to move to rampur and later to hyderabad, where he died.  His Ghazal are more earthy and romantic than sufiyaana or philosophical.  He was a disciple of zauq, whose rivalry with/jealousy of Ghalib is well known.  But daaGh had good relations with Ghalib and composed several Ghazal in the zamiin of Ghalib, using many of the same phrases.  This is one of them.

1.patience 2.toleration, capacity to bear 3.calamitous anger 4.even for a moment 5.answer, reply

The poet/lover has sent a letter via messenger to the beloved.  But does she have the patience or control over her calamitous anger.  Of course not!  Within a minute she dashes off a reply to his letter.  The implication is that it was an angry response.

1.concern 2.so much 3.rivals 4.theme, in the subject of 5.sin 6.account

The beloved is showing much concern about the fate of the rival.  The poet/lover is miffed.  Why do you show so much concern about the rival, just write all of his sins too in my account.  Thus, by taking on all his sins, the poet hopes that the beloved will not be so obsessed with thoughts of the rival.

1.rival 2.I wish 3.restlessness, longing

The beloved has cast a longing glance at the poet/lover.  The rival who is next to her sees her concerned look and checks out her heart for palpitations.  That of course, causes the poet/lover a lot of angst due to jealousy.  Although her longing glance is very satisfying/rewarding to the poet/lover he wishes that she had not done so.  He is willing to forego the pleasure of her longing glance to avoid giving the rival the chance/excuse to place his heart on her chest to feel her heartbeat.

1.mystic 2.abstinence, avoidance 3.preacher 4.objection 5.god

The mystic abstains, the preacher objects.  O god, is there poison dissolved in wine – is that why the mystic avoids and preacher objects.

1.lord 2.time, duration 3.day of judgement 4.secret 5.hidden

O lord, do not ask me about the secrets of my heart during the day of judgement.  I like to keep hidden matters hidden.

1.suppressed 2.death 3.argument 4.question and answer

Were lovers ever suppressed by angels after death.  I fear that an argument might break out during question and answer.  It is implied that the question and answer will be about the deeds of the lover and they might get offended and annoyed.

1.without charge 2.acquire 3.thousand times 4.smoke, passion 5.spread, scattered 6.duration, time 7.youth

The poet/lover gave away his heart to the beloved without her asking for it, but later he had to pay the price a thousand times (in pain and suffering).  His passion got wasted blown away like smoke during his youth.

1.without 2.reply 3.deserving of, worthwhile

The beloved sent her usual angry reply (that he has seen many times before) without even reading his letter.  This too, is well worth writing about in the book (of his life).

1.upset, angry 2.rained (like calamities raining down) 3.how much 4.sensitive, touching a raw nerve 5.torment, agony

O how angry she has gotten, how much has she rained on me like calamities coming down from the sky, when I said something sensitive about her tormenting me.

1.conversation 2.day of judgment 3.delay, suspended, postponed 4.reckoning

itni der means while we have time …thus, while we have this time, why don’t you and I talk to each other.  There is a long time left before we are called to reckon our deeds on the day of judgment.  The implication is that conventional fear of the day of judgment inhibits us from enjoying ourselves while we have the time to do so.  The poet is calling us to shed those inhibitions.

1.union (with the beloved) 2.separation 3.interpretation, fulfillment 4.dream

The poet preceives and as soon as he sees/experiences union, he also sees separation.  Separation is the taabiir of his Khwaab i.e., even union was a dream and he knows that the dream will end in full realization that he is a state of hijr-separation.

1.mister 2.preacher 3.honourable 4.times, era, age 5.youth

Let someone ask mister preacher this much; was his honour like this during his time of youth … presumably, the preacher is now in his advanced years and is admonishing the youth to stay away from enjoying themselves.  The poet wants someone to remind him of his hypocricy … engaging in joyful activities during his own youth, while forbidding it for the current generation.

1.dust, nothing of value 2.ruined world

aaNkh band hona implies death and parde uThna means new truths revealed.  All we have seen in this ruined world is Khaak – nothing of real value, only illusion.  As soon as we die, it is as if veils have been lifted off and we can see the truth.  This of course, is not what rationalists think.

1.force, oppression 2.remorseful 3.calamity

You (O beloved) do not show any regret even after being so cruel to me.  I, on the other hand, have only had calamities befall me after giving you my heart.

1.senses, sobriety 2.pen-name, taKhallus 3.explain 4.good and bad 5.drowned 6.intoxication 7.cup

If he comes to his senses, we will explain to daaGh the difference between good and bad; right now he seems to be drowned in the intoxication of the wine-cup.

The post Khat aaya javaab meN-daaGh dehlavi appeared first on UrduShahkar.