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

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Recitation

مِنّت  کشِ  درماں  نہ  ہوا  ۔  شیش  چندر  سکسینہ  طالبؔ  دہلوی

۱

جذبۂ  شوق  کِسی  رنگ  میں  پِنہاں  نہ  ہوا

شعلۂ  عشق  چراغِ  تہہِ  داماں  نہ  ہوا

۲

کتنا  خود  دار  تھا  شرمندۂ  اِحساں  نہ  ہوا

آہ  وہ  درد  جو  مِنّت  کشِ  درماں  نہ  ہوا

۳

یوں  تو  کیا  کچھ  نہ  ہوا  آدمی  اِنساں  نہ  ہوا

کِسی  صورت  کِسی  پہلو  کِسی  عنواں  نہ  ہوا

۴

ذرّہ،  ذرّہ  ہی  رہا  مہرِ  درخشاں  نہ  ہوا

قطرہ  قطرہ  ہی  رہا  موجۂ  طوفاں  نہ  ہوا

۵

کبھی  مل  بیٹھتے  آپس  میں  یہ  اِمکاں  ہوا

تُجھ  سے  اِتنا  بھی  ارے  گردشِ  دوراں  نہ  ہوا

۶

عشق  سے  حسن  کی  رسوائی  کا  ساماں  نہ  ہوا

جذبۂ  دل،  کسی  صورت  سے  نُمایاں  نہ  ہوا

۷

پاس  تھا  حُسن  کی  عِصمت  کا  وفاداروں  کو

جوشِ  وحشت  میں  کبھی  چاک  گریباں  نہ  ہوا

۸

یوں  تو  کِھلنے  کو  کِھلے  پھول  بہاروں  میں  بہت

غنچۂ  دل  مرا  لیکن  گُلِ  خنداں  نہ  ہوا

۹

اِنہیں  آپس  میں  بہ  ہر  طور  نہ  ٹکرانا  تھا

مصحفِ  رخ  کے  مقابل  کبھی  قرآں  نہ  ہوا

۱۰

لوگ  دنیا  کو  دَنی  کہتے  ہیں،  سچ  کہتے  ہیں

میں  زمانے  کی  روِش  پر  کبھی  حیراں  نہ  ہوا

۱۱

وقت  بدلا  تو  زمانے  نے  نگاہیں  پھیریں

کس  مپرسی  کے  سِوا  کوئی  بھی  پرساں  نہ  ہوا

۱۲

میرے  ہر  حال  میں  شامِل  رہی  رحمت  تیری

میں  کِسی  حال  میں  مایوس  و  پریشاں  نہ  ہوا

۱۳

معرفت  اُس  کو  خدا  کی  بھلا  کیسے  ہوگی

اپنی  ہی  ذات  کا  جس  شخص  کو  عرفاں  نہ  ہوا

۱۴

اب  بھی  موجود  ہیں  اصنامِ  خیالی  دل  میں

کعبۂ  دل  کبھی  بھولے  سے  مُسلماں  نہ  ہوا

۱۵

کیا  نوازے  گی  اُسے  بھی  تری  رحمت  یا  رب

جو  کبھی  اپنے  گناہوں  پہ  پشیماں  نہ  ہوا

۱۶

پی  لیے  آنکھ  میں  آئے  ہوئے  آنسو  طالبؔ

جذبۂ  عشق  مرا  جذبۂ  ارزاں  نہ  ہوا

मिन्नत-कश-ए दर्मां न हुआ – शीश चंद्र सक्सेना तालिब देहलवी

१

जज़्बा-ए शौक़ किसी रंग में पिन्हां न हुआ

शोला-ए इश्क़ चिराग़-ए तह-ए दामां न हुआ

२

कितना ख़ुद्दार था शर्मिंदा-ए एहसां न हुआ

आह वो दर्द जो मिन्नत-कश-ए दर्मां न हुआ

३

यूं तो क्या कुछ न हुआ आदमी इन्सां न हुआ

किसी सूरत किसी पहलू किसी उन्वां न हुआ

४

ज़र्रा, ज़र्रा ही रहा महर-ए दरख़्शां न हुआ

क़तरा क़तरा ही रहा मौजा-ए तूफ़ां न हुआ

५

कभी मिल बैठते आपस में ये इम्काँ न हुआ

तुझ से इतना भी अरे गर्दिश-ए दौराँ न हुआ

६

इश्क़ से हुस्न की रुस्वाई का सामां न हुआ

जज़्बा-ए दिल, किसी सूरत से नुमायां न हुआ

७

पास था हुस्न की इस्मत का वफ़ादारों को

जोश-ए वहशत में कभी चाक गरेबां न हुआ

८

यूं तो खिलने को खिले फूल बहारों में बहुत

ग़ुंचा-ए दिल मेरा लेकिन गुल-ए ख़ंदां न हुआ

९

इन्हें आपस में ब हर तौर न टकराना था

मुस्हिफ़-ए रुख़ के मुक़ाबिल कभी क़ुर’आं न हुआ

१०

लोग दुनिया को दनी कहते हैं, सच कहते हैं

मैं ज़माने की रविश पर कभी हैरां न हुआ

११

वक़्त बदला तो ज़माने ने निगाहें फेरीं

कस-मपुर्सी के सिवा कोई भी पुर्सां न हुआ

१२

मेरे हर हाल में शामिल रही रहमत तेरी

मैं किसी हाल में मायूस-ओ-परेशां न हुआ

१३

मा’रेफ़त उस को ख़ुदा की भला कैसे होगी

अपनी ही ज़ात का जिस शख़्स को इर्फ़ां न हुआ

१४

अब भी मौजूद हैं अस्नाम-ए ख़याली दिल में

का’बा-ए दिल कभी भूले से मुसलमां न हुआ

१५

क्या नवाज़ेगी उसे भी तेरी रहमत या रब

जो कभी अपने गुनाहों पे पशेमां न हुआ

१६

पी लिये आंख में आए हुए आंसू तालिब

जज़्बा-ए इश्क़ मेरा जज़्बा-ए अर्ज़ां न हुआ

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. taalib dehlavi-shiish chandr saxena (1910-1975), born and raised in ambaala. High school, 1925. After some interruption, BA (1935) from Hindu College, dehli. Started composing in 1927; shaagird of munshi maharaaj barq dehlavi. He may have been independently wealthy. He writes about frequent mushaa’era held at his house. He collected and compiled the works of munshi maharaj barq dehlavi, ramprakash sahir hoshiarpuri and chandrbhan kaifi dehlavi, which might otherwise have been lost. In addition, he compiled a collection called ‘hamaare husain’, elegies composed by non-muslim shu’ara as tributes to husain and karbala. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, although it has a slightly different qaafiya.

taalib dehlavi-shiish chandr saxena (1910-1975), born and raised in ambaala.  High school, 1925.  After some interruption, BA (1935) from Hindu College, dehli.  Started composing in 1927; shaagird of munshi maharaaj barq dehlavi.  He may have been independently wealthy.  He writes about frequent mushaa’era held at his house.  He collected and compiled the works of munshi maharaj barq dehlavi, ramprakash sahir hoshiarpuri and chandrbhan kaifi dehlavi, which might otherwise have been lost.  In addition, he compiled a collection called ‘hamaare husain’, elegies composed by non-muslim shu’ara as tributes to husain and karbala.  This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, although it has a slightly different qaafiya.

1.feelings, passion 2.longing, desire 3.any condition 4.hidden, concealed 5.flame 6.lamp under the hem of the garment i.e., something that is kept concealed

It is conventional for the lover to keep his love hidden in order not to malign the reputation of the beloved.  But here, the poet says that his passion and longing were so intense that they couldn’t be concealed. The fire of his love was not like a hidden lamp under a garment; it was a visible, undeniable flame.

1.self-respecting, proud 2.ashamed, indebted 3.favour, obligation 4.pain 5.obliged, indebted 6.cure, remedy

The poet expresses admiration for his pain. This pain was so self-respecting that it didn’t accept any favours or cures. It chose to suffer proudly rather than becoming dependent on a remedy – or more likely, the pain was incurable, it did not respond to any consolation.  Said Ghalib …

1.generally speaking 2.what all 3.human being (biologically) 4.human being (morally, with humanity) 5.way, manner 6.aspect 7.title, theme

The poet laments that in the world, while a lot has happened and people exist physically as ‘aadmi’, they have failed to become true ‘insaaN’ with compassion and humanity. It hasn’t happened in any way, from any angle, or for any reason.  Said Ghalib …

1.particle, atom 2.sun 3.shining, brilliant 3.drop 5.wave 6.storm

In a sufiyaana interpretation this she’r speaks to the spiritual longing and a critique of the self. The zarra (atom/particle) and qatra (drop) represent the individual human soul. The mahr-e-daraKhshaaN (shining sun) and mauja-e-toofaaN (storm wave) represent the divine, the ultimate reality, or God.  The couplet laments the failure of the individual soul to merge with the divine.  Ghalib too expresses this desire to merge …

1.together 2.possibility 3.the turn of time, the turn of fate, trials and tribulations of life

The poet addresses his fate – you could not create the possibility that the lover and beloved could sit together even once.  O turn of fate, you could not even do this much!

1.love, lover 2.beauty, beloved 3.disgrace, dishonor 4.cause, reason 5.passion, emotion 6.way, condition 7.visible, manifest

In the poetic tradition of love the lover hides his passion/pain in order not to disgrace the beloved.  That is what happened here.  The lover could not bear to be the cause of the beloved’s disgrace.  The passion of his heart did not get expressed under any condition.

1.regard, respect 2.beauty, beloved 3.honor, chastity, dignity 4.the loyal ones 5.passion 6.madness, frenzy 7.torn, ripped 8.shirt front, collar

Lovers, in a frenzy of passion, tear their clothes and wander the wilderness like in the legend of laila-majnuN.  But it did not happen here – the lover did not rip his shirt front in passionate frenzy because he, a vafa-daar, had regard for the honour/dignity of the beloved.

1.generally speaking 2.to blossom 3.spring 4.bud 5.rose, flower 6.blooming/laughing

Spring is supposed to be a season of flowering and also of love … for the lover to get access to the beloved.  Generally speaking many flowers bloomed and brought joy during the spring season. However, his own heart, which was like a bud, never fully blossomed into a laughing, cheerful flower i.e., he did not achieve union with the beloved.

1.in any way, by any means 2.encounter, collide 3.(holy) book (a common metaphor for a beautiful face) 4.face 5.against, in front of

In poetic tradition the beauty/purity/brilliance of the beloved’s face is often symbolized as a holy/divine page/book.  Here the poet goes one step beyond.  He compares it to the qur’aan.  The qur’aan never confronted, came before this brilliant face.  Perhaps he means that it is fortunate that they never collided, otherwise it would have been difficult to choose/decide which was more brilliant.  Perhaps this is not set up as a competition, but saying that the beloved’s face was so pure and bright that the lover did not need to comptemplate the qur’aan.  Her face was enough for him.

1.lowly, base 2.the world 3.the way/customs 4.surprised

The poet agrees with the common belief that the world is a base and lowly place. He adds that because of this belief, he has never been surprised by the ways and customs of the world. He has come to expect its faults.

1.changed 2.world 3.eyes, gaze 4.turned away, looked away 5.no one asking about, no one caring for, friendlessness 6.except for 7.one who inquires about well being

The poet says that when his luck or time changed, the world turned its back on him. In his state of helplessness, no one came to ask about his well-being, except for friendlessness i.e., friendlessness was his only friend.

1.every 2.condition, situation 3.included, part of 4.mercy, grace 5.disappointed, hopeless 6.distressed, worried

The poet expresses his unwavering faith in a higher power. He says that in every situation of his life, God’s mercy was with him. Because of this divine presence, he never felt hopeless or troubled.

1.knowledge, spiritual awareness 2.self, being 3.person 4.recognition, gnosis (spiritual knowledge of self)

This couplet is about the path to knowing god. The poet argues that a person who has not achieved self-awareness or doesn’t know themselves, how can they ever hope to truly know god?

1.present 2.idols, plural of sanam 3.imagination

This she’r is more a play on words than anything else.  Imaginary idols (perhaps old love affairs or entirely imaginary beloved or materialist attachments) still reside in the heart.  The heart is considered to the the k’aaba – the sanctuary of faith.  k’aaba used to have idols; but when the people of makkah accepted islam and gave up idol worship, these idols were removed.  That is the defining feature of becoming mulim.  The poet confesses that his heart, which should be a sacred space like the k’aaba, is still filled with ‘idols of imagination’ (worldly desires, false beliefs). Because of this, his heart has never truly become a space of pure devotion, or ‘musalmaaN’.

1.bless, favour 2.kindness, forgiveness 3.lord 4.sins 5.regretful, remorseful

The poet questions god’s mercy. He asks if god’s grace will also be bestowed upon a person who never feels regret or remorse for their sins. It’s a profound question about the nature of divine forgiveness and the importance of repentance.  See the delightful collection of gunah ka hisaab under muntaKhab ash’aar on the Theme Index page.

1.aaNsu piina-an expression meaning bear with fortitude, stoicism 2.pen-name, taKhallus 3.passion 4.cheap/common

O taalib, you remained stoic, kept control of your emotions.  You did not let your passion of love for the beloved become cheap and availabe/visible to all.

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