UrduShahkar

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/rchms-haqiiqat-aashna-maaloom-hoti-hai-audio.mp3

Recitation

حقیقت  آشنا  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے  ۔  محمّد  صادق  رازؔ  چاند  پوری

۱

مری  فطرت  حقیقت  آشنا  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

نظر  پڑتی  ہے  جس  شے  پر  خدا  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۲

سراپا  سوز  لیکن  جاں  فزا  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

صدائے  سازِ  دل  حق  کی  صدا  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۳

بہت  خوش  ظرف  و  خوش  بیں  ہے  فضائے  وادیٔ  غربت

بظاہر  ہمدم‌  و  درد  آشنا  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۴

یہ  کیسی  زندگی  ہے  اے  اسیرِ  دامِ  خوش  فہمی

جفائے  باغباں  بھی  اب  وفا  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۵

میں  اس  منزل  میں  ہوں  اب  گام  فرسا  اے  زہے  قسمت

نگاہِ  راہزن  بھی  رہنما  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۶

یہ  رنگِ  شعر  گوئی  رازؔ  یہ  طرزِ  غزل  خوانی

تری  فطرت  حقیقت  آشنا  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

हक़ीक़त-आश्ना मा’लूम होती है – मोहम्मद सादेक़ राज़ चांद पूरी

१

मेरी फ़ितरत हक़ीक़त-आश्ना मा’लूम होती है

नज़र पढती है जिस शय पर ख़ुदा मा’लूम होती है

२

सरापा सोज़ लेकिन जाँ-फ़िज़ा मा’लूम होती है

सदा-ए साज़-ए दिल हक़ की सदा मा’लूम होती है

३

बहुत ख़ुश-ज़र्फ़-ओ-ख़ुश-बीं है फ़ज़ा-ए वादी-ए ग़ुर्बत

ब-ज़ाहिर हमदम-ओ-दर्द-आश्ना मा’लूम होती है

४

ये कैसी ज़िंदगी है अए असीर-ए दाम-ए ख़ुश-फ़हमी

जफ़ा-ए बाग़बाँ भी अब वफ़ा मा’लूम होती है

५

मैं उस मंज़िल में हूँ अब गाम-फ़र्सा अए ज़हे-क़िस्मत

निगाह-ए राहज़न भी रहनुमा मा’लूम होती है

६

ये रंग-ए शे’र-गोई राज़ ये तर्ज़-ए ग़ज़ल-ख़्वानी

तेरी फ़ितरत हक़ीक़त-आश्ना मा’लूम होती है

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed saadiq raaz chaandpuri (1892-1969). Received traditional education in urdu and faarsi in local maktab/madrasa. Continued his education in English and urdu in muradabad high school. He started composing early, but took it up seriously only after he got steady employment in a clerical/administrative position with the government. He was shaagird of seemab akbarabadi. In addition to Ghazal, rubaaii and nazm he wrote critiques, biographies and short stories. This Ghazal in linked to other ham-radeef Ghazaliyaat on the Refrain Index page.

mohammed saadiq raaz chaandpuri (1892-1969).  Received traditional education in urdu and faarsi in local maktab/madrasa.  Continued his education in English and urdu in muradabad high school.  He started composing early, but took it up seriously only after he got steady employment in a clerical/administrative position with the government.  He was shaagird of seemab akbarabadi.  In addition to Ghazal, rubaaii and nazm he wrote critiques, biographies and short stories.  This Ghazal in linked to other ham-radeef Ghazaliyaat on the Refrain Index page.

1.nature, disposition, character 2.able to discern truth 3.gaze 4.thing

This is a statement that the divine is manifest in everything around us.  Thus, the poet claims that his nature is such that it can discern the truth.  Wherever he turns his gaze he sees god, reflecting the presence of the divine in everything in the cosmos.  Compare this with josh malihabadi who views this tendency as entirely subjective …

ye duniya zah’n ki baaziigari maa’loom hoti hai

1.head to toe, embodiment 2.fire, passion, pain 3.life enhancing, invigorating 4.sound, call 5.musical instrument, music 6.truth

It is the embodiment of pain, but it still is life-giving; the sound of my heart appears to be the sound of truth i.e., conscience, the divine voice in his heart.

1.good capacity for patience, elegance, grace 2.good to look at, cheerful 3.atmosphere, ambience 4.valley, domain 5.poverty 6.apparently 7.friend, sharing 8.familiar with pain

Sometimes ba-zaahir is used to mean apparently implying that this is only apparent on the surface but the reality is different.  I don’t think it is used in that sense here.  It is used to mean – even from the surface.  Thus, the domain of poverty has ambience of good nature and cheer; even from the surface it can be seen that it knows what pain is and is friendly and helpful.

1.captive 2.web, net, trap 3.self-deception 4.cruelty 5.gardener 6.fidelity

Perhaps baaGhbaaN can be taken to mean the beloved but there are other possibilities – political leadership or orthodoxy or god himself.  (a)god – the baaGhbaaN has put us in the baaGh-this world.  We deceive ourselves into thinking that this is a gift – vafaa – fulfilling of a promise but in fact it is torture because of separation from the divine soul.  (b)beloved – in urdu poetic convention even the torture and indifference of the beloved is considered to be a gift to be treasured.  Perhaps this is a sarcastically called Khush-fahmi – self-deception.  A similar interpretation can be placed using the other options.

1.stage along the journey (of life) 2.feet erased/worn out from walking 3.excellent, wonderful 4.luck, fate 5.gaze 6.robber 7.guide

Here zah’e-qismat is used in the sarcastic sense.  Thus, look at my luck, I am at a stage of life that my feet are so worn out, that I am so tired, that the gaze of robber looks like that of the guide i.e., I am so tired that I am willing to be deceived.

1.style, way of 2.reading verse 3.style 4.Ghazal recitation 5.nature, character 6.truth discerning, realistic

There are two meaning of haqiiqat-aashna leading to two slightly different readings of the she’r.  Interpreted as ‘truth-discerning’ it gives the she’r a lofty, sufiyaana status.  Interpreted as ‘realistic’, it gives the shaa’er a down-to-earth character.  Thus, your style of composing verse, your way to reciting Ghazal, O raaz, it appears that your nature is haqiiqat-aashna, with its two interpretations.

The post haqiiqat-aashna maa’loom hoti hai-mohammed saadiq raaz chandpuri appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/joshm-apni-maleka-e-suKhan-se-17-24-audio.mp3

Recitation

اپنی  ملکۂ  سخن  سے ۔۱۷۔۲۴۔ جوشؔ  ملیح  آبادی

۱۷

نغمے  پلے  ہیں  دولتِ  گفتار  سے  تری

پایا  ہے  نطق  چشمِ  سخن  بار  سے  تری

طاقت  ہے  دل  میں  نرگسِ  بیمار  سے  تری

کیا  کیا  ملا  ہے  جوشؔ  کو  سرکار  سے  تری

بانکے  خیال  ہیں  خَمِ  گردن  لئے  ہوۓ

ہر  شعر  کی  کلائی  ہے  کنگن  لئے  ہوۓ

۱۸

اے  لیلیِ  نہفتہ  و  اے  حُسنِ  شرمگیں

تجھ  پر  نثار  دولتِ  دنیا  متاعِ  دیں

منسوب  مجھ  سے  ہے  جو  بہ  اندازِ  دل  نشیں

تیری  وہ  شاعری  ہے  مری  شاعری  نہیں

آوازہ  چرخ  پر  جو  ہے  اِس  دردمند  کا

گویا  وہ  عکس  ہے  تیرے  قدّ  بلند  کا

۱۹

میرے  بیاں  میں  یہ  جو  وفورِ  سرور  ہے

طاقِ  سخن  وری  میں  جو  یہ  شمعِ  طور  ہے

یہ  جو  میرے  چراغ  کی  ضو  دور  دور  ہے

سرکار  کی  ہی  موجِ  تبسُّم  کا  نور  ہے

شعروں  میں  کروٹیں  یہ  نہیں  سوز  و  ساز  کی

لہریں  ہیں  یہ  حضور  کی  زلفِ  دراز  کی

۲۰

مجھ  رِندِ  حسن  کار  کی  مے  خواریاں  نہ  پوچھ

اس  خوابِ  جاں  فروز  کی  بیداریاں  نہ  پوچھ

کرتی  ہے  کیوں  شراب  خِرد  باریاں  نہ  پوچھ

بے  ہوشیوں  میں  کیوں  ہیں  یہ  ہشیاریاں  نہ  پوچھ

پیتا  ہوں  وہ  جو  زُلف  کی  رنگیں  گھٹاؤں  میں

کھنچتی  ہے  اِن  کُھلی  ہوی  پلکوں  کی  چھاؤں  میں

۲۱

ہشیار  اِس  لئے  ہوں  کہ  مے  خوار  ہوں  ترا

صیّادِ  شعر  ہوں  کہ  گرفتار  ہوں  ترا

لہجہ  ملیح  ہے  کہ  نمک  خوار  ہوں  ترا

صحت  زبان  میں  ہے  کہ  بیمار  ہوں  ترا

تیرے  کرم  سے  شعر  و  ادب  کا  اِمام  ہوں

شاہوں  پہ  خندہ  زن  ہوں  کہ  تیرا  غلام  ہوں

۲۲

میں  وہ  ہوں  جس  کے  غم  نے  ترے  دل  میں  راہ  کی

اک  عمر  جس  کے  عشق  میں  خود  تو  نے  آہ  کی

سویا  ہے  شوق  سیج  پہ  تیری  نگاہ  کی

راتیں  کٹی  ہیں  ساۓ  میں  چشمِ  سیاہ  کی

کیونکر  نہ  شاخِِ  گُل  کی  لچک  ہو  بیان  میں

تیری  کمر  کا  لوچ  ہے  میری  زبان  میں

۲۳

ترشے  ہوے  لبوں  کے  بہکتے  خطاب  سے

زرتار  کاکلوں  کے  مہکتے  سحاب  سے

سرشار  انکھڑیوں  کے  دہکتے  شباب  سے

موجِِ  نفس  کے  عطر  سے  مکھڑے  کی  آب  سے

بارہ  برس  تپا  کے  زمانہ  سہاگ  کا

سینچا  ہے  تو  نے  باغ  مرے  دل  کی  آگ  کا

۲۴

گرمی  سے  جس  کی  برف  کا  دیوتا  ڈرے  وہ  آگ

شعلوں  میں  اوس  کو  جو  مبدّل  کرے  وہ  آگ

لو  سے  جو  زمہریر  کا  دامن  بھرے  وہ  آگ

حد  ہے  جو  نام  نارِ  سقر  پر  دھرے  وہ  آگ

جِس  کی  لپٹ  گلے  میں  جلاتی  ہے  راگ  کو

پالا  ہے  قلبِ  ناز  میں  تو  نے  وہ  آگ  کو

अपनी मलका-ए सुख़न से -१७-२४- जोश मलीहाबादी

१७

नग़्मे पले हैं दौलत-ए गुफ़्तार से तेरी

पाया है नुत्क़ चश्म-ए सुख़न बार से तेरी

ताक़त है दिल में नर्गिस-ए बीमार से तेरी

क्या क्या मिला है जोश को सरकार से तेरी

बांके ख़याल हैं ख़म-ए गर्दन लिए हुए

हर शेर की कलाई है कंगन लिए हुए

१८

अए लैली-ए नहफ़्ता ओ अए हुस्न-ए शर्मगीं

तुझ पर निसार दौलत-ए दुनिया मता-ए दीं

मन्सूब मुझ से है जो ब अंदाज़-ए दिल नशीं

तेरी वो शाएरी है, मेरी शाएरी नहीं

आवाज़ा चर्ख़ पर है जो इस दर्दमंद का

गोया वो अक्स है तेरे क़द्द-ए बलन्द का

१९

मेरे बयां से ये जो वफ़ूर-ए सुरूर है

ताक़-ए सुख़न वरी में जो ये शमा-ए तूर है

ये जो मेरे चिराग़ की ज़ौ दूर दूर है

सरकार की ही मौज-ए तबस्सुम का नूर है

शेरों में करवटें ये नहीं सोज़ ओ साज़ की

लहरें हैं ये हुज़ूर की ज़ुल्फ़-ए दराज़ की

२०

मुझ रिन्द-ए हुस्न कार की मै ख़्वारियां न पूछ

इस ख़्वाब-ए जां फ़रोज़ कि बेदारियां न पूछ

करती है क्यों शराब ख़िरदबारियां न पूछ

बेहोशियों में क्यों हैं ये हुशियारियां न पूछ

पीता हूं वो जो ज़ुल्फ़ की रंगीं घटाओं में

खिंचती है इन घनी हुई पलकौं की छाऊँ में

२१

हुशिआर इस लिए हूँ के मैख़्वार हूँ तेरा

सय्याद-ए शेर हूं के गिरफ़्तार हूँ तेरा

लहजा मलीह है के नमक ख़्वार हूँ तेरा

सेहत ज़बान में है के बीमार हूँ तेरा

तेरे करम से शेर ओ अदब का इमाम हूँ

शाहों पे ख़न्दा ज़न हूँ के तेरा ग़ुलाम हूँ

२२

मैं वो हूँ जिसके ग़म ने तेरे दिल में राह की

एक उम्र जिसके इश्क़ में ख़ुद तू ने आह की

सोया है शौक़ सेज पे तेरी निगाह की

रातें कटी हैं साए में चश्म-ए सियाह की

क्यूंकर न शाख़-ए गुल की लचक हो बयान में

तेरी कमर का लोच है मेरी ज़बान में

२३

तरशे हुए लबों के बहकते ख़िताब से

ज़रतार काकुलौं के महकते सहाब से

सरशार अंखड़ियों के दहकते शबाब से

मौज-ए नफ़स के इत्र से मुखड़े की आब से

बारा बरस बिता के ज़माना सोहाग का

सींचा है तू ने बाग़ मेरे दिल के आग का

२४

गर्मी से जिस की बर्फ़ का देवता डरे वो आग

शोलौं में ओस को जो मुबददिल करे वो आग

लौ से जो ज़महरीर का दामन भरे वो आग

हद है जो नाम नार-ए सक़र पर धरे वो आग

जिस की लपट गले में जलाती है राग को

पाल है क़ल्ब-ए नाज़ में तू ने उस आग को

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. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this musaddas, josh is ostensibly addressing the “queen of his verse – urdu” and lavishes great praise on her. In the process he has equal if not more (certainly well deserved) praise for his own verse rather than just urdu.

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.  He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn.  His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’.  In this musaddas, josh is ostensibly addressing the “queen of his verse – urdu” and lavishes great praise on her. In the process he has equal if not more (certainly well deserved) praise for his own verse rather than just urdu.

1.wealth of conversation 2.voice 3.eye dripping with verse 4.half-closed eye, intoxication 5.spirited, lively 6.curve of the neck i.e.neck bent in humility

My songs have been nurtured by the strength of your words. Your verse-scattering looks grant me voice. My heart gets strength from your intoxicating glance. O, look at what Josh has received from your bounty. My spirited thoughts are tinged with just the right humility, with their heads bowed. Every verse wearing a beautiful bracelet on its wrist.

1.Laila, damsel 2.hidden 3.coy beauty 4.sacrifice, forsake 5.worldly possessions 6.wealth of faith 7.associated 8.with heart pleasing style 9.sound, cry 10.wheel, sky 11.pain feeling, poor wretch 12.as if 13.reflection 14.tall stature

O, beautiful Laila, shy and secluded for you I forsake all worldly wealth and rewards of the hereafter. That which is associated with me/credited to me in this heart warming style, is your versification, not mine. The cry of this wretch reaches heavens only because it is a reflection of your high stature.

1.speech, recitation 2.excess of happiness 3.alcove 4.poetry recitation 5.divine light 6.light 7.wave/onslaught of smiles 8.brilliance 9.layers 10.melancholy — song and music 11.waves, layers 12.long hair

My verse which overflows with pleasure, and shines lik divine light in the alcove of recitation, and my light shining far and wide is nothing but the brilliance of Her Majesty’s (urdu is ‘maleka’ – queen) smile. The layers of rhyme and rhythm in my verse are nothing but layers of your long, curly tresses.

1.reveler, imbiber (of wine) 2.beauty creating, artist 3.wine drinking 4.life giving dream/drunken-ness 5.wakefulness, knowing 6.knowledge showering 7.drunken-ness, senseless 8.cleverness, sensible 9.hair, tresses 10.clouds 11.filtered 12.dense 13.eyelashes

Do not ask about the wine drinking of this creative artist. Do not ask about this awareness enhancing drunken-ness. Do not ask how wine (of love or wine of versificiation) increases wisdom. Do not ask how senselessness makes for sensible verse. That which I drink in the shadow of your tresses is filtered through your own thick eyelashes.

1.wine drinker 2.hunter/captor of verse 3.captive 4.accent 5.savoury 6.’eaten your salt’-beholden to you 7.health, strength 8.sick, love-sick, lover 9.benevolence 10.poetry and prose 11.leader 12.sneer, laugh at

My senses are sharp for I am drunk senseless with your wine. I can capture verse because I am your captive. My accent is savoury, because I have ‘eaten your salt’. My tongue gets its strength from being sick with love of you. Because of your benevolence, I am a leader in she’r o adab. I can sneer at the powerful because I am your slave. Note the beautiful play on words – the juxtaposition of opposites and likes as in hoshiyar and behosh; captor and captive; savoury accent and namak Khwar; sehat and beemar; Khanda zan and Ghulam. And of course there is ‘maleeh lahja’ and ‘malihabadi’.

1.way, place, home 2.sigh 3.desire, ambition 4.bridal bed 5.vision 6.dark, beautiful eyes 7.flower laden bough 8.suppleness, curve 9.recitation, verse 10.curve, wave, suppleness

I am the one whose desire made a home in your heart..All life long it was you who loved me too. On your vision did my desire make a bridal bed. My nights have been spent in the shadow of your beautiful, dark eyes. Why should there not be a lilt in my verse after all my tongue has the suppleness of your waist.

1.carved, shaped 2.drunken 3.recitation 4.golden thread 5.forelocks, tresses 6.fragrant 7.cloud 8.satiated, drunk 9.glowing 10.youth 11.wave of breath 12.fragrance 13.brilliance 14.irrigate, nurture

With beautifully shaped lips and intoxicating speech, with gold threaded locks of your fragrant hair, with the glowing youthfulness of your satiated eyes, with fragrant breath and brilliant visage, twelve long years you kept me waiting. Thus did you nurture the garden of heart’s desire. The twelve year wait is probably a reference to the onset of puberty. That is how long Josh had to wait for his beloved. Alternatively, his autobiography mentions that he was forbidden by his very strict father from writing verse during his boyhood. His father even burnt his papers in a fit of anger. It was much later that he relented and allowed him to write.

1.flames 2.dew 3.change 4.flame, fire 5.intense cold 6.apron 7.limit, excess 8.hell fire 9.to lay – naam dharna – call names, deprecate 10.fold, embrace 11.proud heart

The fire which frightens the god of ice, which converts flames into cool mist, which fills the lap of intense cold with flame, which sneers even at the heat of hell, the embrace of which lights up a melody in my throat, you have nurtured that fire/passion in my loving heart.

The post apni maleka-e suKhan se-17-24-josh malihabadi appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/joshm-apni-maleka-e-suKhan-se-01-08-audio.mp3

Recitation

اپنی  ملکۂ  سخن  سے  ۔  ۱۔۸۔  جوشؔ  ملیح  آبادی

۱

اے  شمع  جوشؔ  و  مشعلِ  ایوانِ  آرزو

اے  مہرِ  ناز  و  ماہِ  شبستانِ  آرزو

اے  جانِ  درد  مندی  و  ایمانِ  آرزو

اے  شمع  طور  و  یوسف  کنعانِ  آرزو

ذرّے  کو  آفتاب  تو  کانٹے  کو  پھول  کر

اے  روحِ  شعر  سجدۂ  شاعر  قبول  کر

۲ِ

دریا  کا  موڑ  نغمۂ  شیریں  کا  زیر  و  بم

چادر  شبِ  نجوم  کی  شبنم  کا  رختِ  نم

تتلی  کا  نازِ  رقص،  غزالہ  کا  حسنِ  رم

موتی  کی  آب،  گل  کی  مہک،  ماہِ  نو  کا  خم

ان  سب  کے  امتزاج  سے  پیدا  ہوی  ہے  تو

کتنے  حسیں  اُفق  سے  ہویدا  ہوی  ہے  تو

۳

ہوتا  ہے  مہ  وشوں  کا  وہ  عالم  ترے  حضور

جیسے  چراغِِِ  مردہ،  سرِ  بزمِ  شمعِ  طور

آ  کر  تری  جناب  میں  اے  کارسازِ  نور

پلکوں  میں  منہ  چھپاتے  ہیں  جھینپے  ہوئے  غرور

آتی  ہے  اِک  لہر  سی  چہروں  پر  آہ  کی

آنکھوں  میں  چھوٹ  جاتی  ہیں  نبضیں  نگاہ  کی

۴

رفتار  ہے  کہ  چاندنی  راتوں  میں  موجِِِ  گنگ

یا  بھیرویں  کی  پچھلے  پہر  قلب  میں  اُمنگ

یہ  کاکلوں  کی  تاب  ہے  یا  عارضوں  کا  رنگ

جِس  طرح  جھٹپٹے  میں  شب  و  روز  کی  ترنگ

رُوۓ  مُبیں  نہ  گیسوۓ  سُنبُل  قوام  ہے

وہ  برہمن  کی  صبح،  یہ  ساقی  کی  شام  ہے

۵

آواز  میں  یہ  رس  یہ  لطافت  یہ  اِضطرار

جیسے  سُبُک  مہین  رواں،  ریشمی  پھوار

لہجے  میں  یہ  کھٹک  ہے  کہ  ہے  نیشتر  کی  دھار

اور  گِر  رہا  ہے  دھار  سے  شبنم  کا  آبشار

چہکی  جو  تُو  چمن  میں،  ہوائیں  مہک  گیئں

گل  برگِ  تر  سے  اوس  کی  بُوندیں  ٹپک  گیئں

۶

جادو  ہے  تیری  صوت  کا  گُل  پر  ہزار  پر

جیسے  نسیمِ  صبح  کی  رَو  جوۓ  بار  پر

ناخُن  کسی  نگار  کا  چاندی  کے  تار  پر

مضرابِ  عکس  قوسِ  رگِ  آبشار  پر

موجیں  صبا  کی  باغ  پہ  صہبا  چِھڑک  گیئں

جنبش  ہوی  لبوں  کو  تو  کلیاں  چِٹک  گیئں

۷

چشمِ  سیاہ  میں  وہ  تلاطم  ہے  نُور  کا

جیسے  شرابِ  ناب  میں  جوہر  سُرُور  کا

یا  چہچہوں  کے  وقت  تَموّج  طیُور  کا

باندھے  ہوئے  نشانہ  کوئی  جیسے  دور  کا

ہر  موج  رنگ  قامتِ  گُل  ریز  رم  میں  ہے

گویا  شرابِ  تند  بلوریں  قلم  میں  ہے

۸

تجھ  سے  نظر  ملاے  یہ  کِس  کی  بھلا  مجال

تیرے  قدم  کا  نقش  حسینوں  کا  خدّ  و  خال

اللہ  رے  تیرے  حسن  ملک  سوز  کا  جلال

جب  دیکھتی  ہیں  خلد  سے  حوریں  ترا  جمال

پرتو  سے  تیرے  چہرہ  پرویں  سرشت  کے

گھبرا  کے  بند  کرتی  ہیں  غرفے  بہشت  کے

अपनी मलका-ए सुख़न से – १-८ – जोश मलीहाबादी

१

अए शमा-ए जोश ओ मश’अल-ए ऐवान-ए आर्ज़ू

अए महर-ए नाज़ ओ माह-ए शबिस्तान-ए आर्ज़ू

अए जान-ए दर्दमन्दी ओ इमान-ए आर्ज़ू

अए शमा-ए तूर ओ यूसुफ़-ए कन’आन-ए आर्ज़ू

ज़र्रे को आफ़्ताब तो कांटे को फूल कर

अए रूह-ए शेर सिज्दा-ए शा’एर क़ुबूल कर

२

दरया का मोड़ नग़मा-ए शीरीं का ज़ेर ओ बम

चादर शब-ए नुजूम की शबनम का रख़त-ए नम

तितली का नाज़-ए रक़्स ग़ज़ाला का हुस्न-ए रम

मोती कि आब, गुल की महक, माह-ए नौ का ख़म

इन सब के इम्तेज़ाज से पैदा हुई है तू

कितने हसीं उफ़क़ से हुवैदा हुई है तू

३

होता है महवशों का वो आलम तेरे हुज़ूर

जैसे चिराग़-ए मुर्दा, सर-ए बज़्म-ए शमा’-ए तूर

आकर तेरी जनाब में अए कारसाज़-ए नूर

पलकौं में मुंह छुपाते हैं छीने हुए ग़ुरूर

आती है ऐक लहर सी चेहरों पर आह की

आँखों में छूट जाती हैं नब्ज़ें निगाह की

४

रफ़्तार है के चांदनी रातों में मौज-ए गंग

या भैरवीं कि पिछले पहर क़ल्ब में उमंग

ये काकुलौं की तब है ये आरिज़ों का रंग

जिस तरह झट पटे में शब ओ रोज़ की तरंग

रू-ए मुबीं, न गेसू-ए सुम्बल क़वाम है

वो बरहमन कि सुबह, ये साक़ी की शाम है

५

आवाज़ में ये रस ये लताफ़त ये इज़्तेरार

जैसे सुबुक, महीन, रवां, रेशमी फुवार

लहजे में ये खटक है के है नश्तर की धार

और गिर रहा है धार से शबनम का आबशार

चहकी जो तू चमन में हवाएं महक गईं

गुल बर्ग-ए तर से ओस की बूंदें टपक गईं

६

जादू है तेरी सूत का गुल पर, हज़ार पर

जैसे नसीम-ए सुबह की रौ जू-ए बार पर

नाख़ुन किसी निगार का चांदी के तार पर

मिज़राब अक्स-ए क़ौस-ए रग-ए आबशार पर

मौजें सब की बाग़ पे सहबा छिड़क गईं

जुम्बिश हुई लबों को तो कलियाँ चिटक गईं

७

चश्म-ए सियाह में वो तलातुम है नूर का

जैसे शराब-ए नाब में जौहर सुरूर का

या चहचहौं के वक़्त तमवुज्ज तुयूर का

बांधे हुए निशाना कोई जैसे दूर का

हर मौज-ए क़ामत-ए गुल रेज़ रम में है

गोया शराब-ए तुन्द बिल्लोरीं क़लम में है

८

तुझ से नज़र मिलाए ये किस की भला मजाल

तेरे क़दम का नक़्श हसीनों का ख़द ओ ख़ाल

अल्लाह रे तेरे हुस्न-ए मालक सोज़ का जलाल

जब देखती हैं ख़ुल्द से हूरें तेरा जमाल

परतौ से तेरे चेहरा-ए परवीं सरशत के

घबरा के बंद करती हैं ग़ुरफ़े बेहिश्त के

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. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this musaddas, josh is ostensibly addressing the “queen of his verse – urdu” and lavishes great praise on her. In the process he has equal if not more (certainly well deserved) praise for his own verse rather than just urdu.

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.  He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn.  His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’.  In this musaddas, josh is ostensibly addressing the “queen of his verse – urdu” and lavishes great praise on her. In the process he has equal if not more (certainly well deserved) praise for his own verse rather than just urdu.

1.lamp of passion, candle of josh 2.torch (light) 3.halls of desire 4.sun/brilliance of style/pride 5.moon of the bedchamber (of desire) 6.life/essence of sympathy/love 7.faith, truth 8.divine light of mount toor 9.Joseph of the tribe of Canaan (considered to be a very good looking man – epitome of beauty) 10.particle 11.sun, brilliant 12.spirit of poetry 13.homage 14.accept

O, lamp of passion, O, torch of desire; O, brilliance of style, moon of desire. O, embodiment of love, the very faith of desire. O, divine light (the divine brilliance that manifested itself on mount toor), O, epitome of beauty (Joseph-yuusuf). Make this particle shine like the sun, change this prickly thorn to a rose. O, spirit of verse, accept the homage of this poet. The ‘this’ to be changed is his own verse. Thanks to the benevolence of the language, josh’s verse is going to shine like the bright sun!  It is also worth dwelling on the first phrase of the first misra – sham’a-e josh – it can mean that urdu is the shama’ of the poet josh and he is the parvaana willing to lay down its life for the love of his beloved.

1.sweet song 2.high and low 3.starry night 4.damp dress/sheet 5.style of dance 6.deer 7.beauty of prancing/dancing 8.luster of pearl 9.fragrance of rose 10.new/crescent moon 11.curve 12.combination 13.horizon, sky 14.emerge, materialize

Like the beautiful curve of the river, like the notes of a sweet song, like the sheet of a starry night, the damp cover of dew on earth. Like the flight of the butterfly, the prancing dance of the gazelle. Like the luster of pearls, the fragrance of roses, the curve of the new moon. You were born of the combination of these beauties. What a beautiful horizon on which you manifested yourself. The ‘you’ being urdu.

1.revelers drinking wine 2.condition, state 3.presence 4.extinguished lamp 5.at the head, in front of 6.assembly, gathering 7.lamp of Mt.Toor, divine light 8.presence 9.architect/builder of brilliance 10.vanity 11.sigh 12.pulse 13.sight

In your presence the imbibers of wine are but like an extinguished lamp before divine brilliance. When they come before you, O maker of brilliance, they lower their eyes in shame because of stolen glory. A wave of sorrowful sighs overcomes them. Excess of shame robs them of the power to look you in the eye. In this stanza, ‘wine’ is urdu itself. Imbibers of wine – ‘mahvash’ are poets. They are mere extinguished lamps before the divine brilliance of urdu. Their glory, their pride rightfully belongs to urdu but they have stolen it. So they are shamefaced in the presence of urdu. Note the beautiful imagery that Josh uses … ‘palkauN meN muNh chhupaana’ … lowering eyes is like trying to hide your face behind eyelashes!!!!!

1.speed, gait 2.waves of the Ganges 3.morning raag 4.late night/early morning (just before dawn) 5.heart 6.upwelling, desire 7.forelocks, curls 8.brilliance 9.face, brow 10.twilight, alternating light and dark 11.night and day 12.music 13.clear face 14.tresses, hair 15.having the fragrant nature of sumbal

Your gait, like the ripples of the Ganges in moonlight, like the outpouring of bhairaviiN in the early dawn. Like the brilliance of the brow peaking through dark curls. As if day and night singing alternately at twilight. Neither a clear brow nor dark fragrant locks but at times like the Brahmin’s shining dawn (the dawn of banaras is legendary for its beauty), at times like the saaqi’s dusky evening (celebrated because of the beginning of serving wine). Thus, it is neither the beloved’s shining brow nor her dark tresses but the brilliant dawn of banaras and festivities of the tavern at dusk.

5

1.pleasure 2.insistence, emphasis 3.soft 4.fine 5.flowing 6.silken 7.mist 8.accent 9.pain, cut 10.dagger, spear 11.sharp edge 12.waterfall, drip 13.chirp, warble, twitter 14.fragrance 15.moist/fresh rose petal

The lilt, the pleasure and the power of your voice, like a soft silken flow of fine mist. Your accent like the sharp edge of a dagger, yet like soothing mist dripping from the edge (a combination of pain and pleasure). When you sing in the garden, the breeze becomes fragrant and sweet nectar drips from rose petals. It is often said that even those who do not fully comprehend the meaning of urdu verse, still enjoy its enunciation and musicality.

1.sound, voice 2.morning breeze 3.flow 4.flowing river 5.beauty, creator of beauty/music i.e.musician/poet 6.plectrum used to pluck strings for music 7.reflection 8.rainbow 9.vein/string water drops in the waterfall 10.dawn, morning breeze 11.wine 12.sprinkle 13.movement 14.buds blooming – in urdu poetry ‘chiTakna’ is not just a flower blooming but as the delicate petal unfolds, it is supposed to make an equally delicate sound.

The magic of your voice bestowed on the rose, and on thousands of others; like the morning breeze flowing over the river. Like the fingers of the artist on a silver string plucking the colourful strings of the rainbow to make music. Waves of the morning breeze sprinkling wine over the garden. The movement of your lips like the gentle sound of opening petals. Consider the delicacy of the imagery. A rainbow is formed by a string of drops in the waterfall. The plectrum is plucking the colours of the rainbow to make music. Note the juxtaposition of colour and sound and the seven colours of the rainbow as seven strings, notes … but each set formed by one string of drops of the waterfall.

1.dark (beautiful) eyes 2.tumult 3.light 4.clear/pure wine 5.qualities 6.joy 7.warbling, birdsong 8.waves 9.birds 10.wave 11.stature, form 12.scattering flower petals 13.run, flow 14.as if 15.strong wine 16.crystalline, beautiful

Dark eyes sparkling like a riot of bright rays, like the pleasure dissolved in fine wine, or like waves of chirping birds descending, or like someone looking far into the beautiful horizon. Every colourful, petal scattering wave is in a joyful flow/run like strong wine flowing from a crystalline pen. Most pens have ink. This poet’s pen has wine that writes and conveys/gives pleasure.

1.daring, courage 2.(foot)prints 3.cheek/chin and mole (considered to be a beauty spot) 4.beauty that sets angels on fire 5.grandeur 6.heaven 7.face, beauty 8.reflection, image 9.face beautiful like (constellation) pleiades 10.nature, disposition 11.windows 12.heaven

Who is it that can dare look you in the eye. Even your footprints rival the beauty spot on the chin of beauties. By god, the grandeur of your beauty sets angels afire and when hoories in heaven look at your beauty and at the reflection of your starlike face, they hastily close the windows of heaven in a jealous fit.

The post apni maleka-e suKhan se-01-08-josh malihabadi appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/joshm-apni-maleka-e-suKhan-se-09-16-audio.mp3

Recitation

اپنی  ملکۂ  سخن  سے ۔ ۹۔۱۶ ۔ جوشؔ  ملیح  آبادی

۹

چہرے  کو  رنگ  و  نور  کا  طوفاں  کئے  ہوئے

شمع  و  شراب  و  شعر  کا  عنواں  کئے  ہوئے

ہر  نقشِ  پا  کو  تاجِ  گلستاں  کئے  ہوئے

سَو  طور  اِک  نگاہ  میں  پنہاں  کئے  ہوئے

آتی  ہے  جب  چمن  میں  تو  اِس  طرز  و  طور  سے

گل  دیکھتے  ہیں  باغ  میں  بُلبُل  کو  غور  سے

۱۰

میرے  بیاں  میں  سحر  بیانی  تجھی  سے  ہے

روۓ  سخن  پہ  خونِ  جوانی  تجھی  سے  ہے

لفظوں  میں  رقص  و  رنگ  و  روانی  تجھی  سے  ہے

فقرِ  گدا  میں  فرّ  کیانی  تجھی  سے  ہے

فِدوی  کے  اِس  عروج  پہ  کرتی  ہے  غور  کیا

تیری  ہی  جُوتیوں  کا  تصدُّق  ہے  اور  کیا

۱۱

اے  کِردگارِ  معنی  و  خلّاقِ  شعرِ  تر

اے  جانِ  ذوق  و  محسنہ  لیلیِ  ہُنر

کُھل  جاۓ  گر  یہ  بات  کہ  اُردو  زبان  پر

تیری  نگاہِ  ناز  کا  اِحساں  ہے  کِس  قدر

چاروں  طرف  سے  نارۂ  صلّ  علیٰ  اُٹھے

تیرے  مُجسمّوں  سے  زمیں  جگمگا  اُٹھے

۱۲

میرے  ہنر  میں  صَرف  ہوی  ہے  تیری  نظر

خیمہ  ہے  میرے  نام  کا  بالاۓ  بحر  و  بر

شہرت  کی  بزم  تجھ  سے  مُنوّر  نہیں  مگر

فرقِ  گدا  پہ  تاج  ہے،  سلطاں  برہنہ  سر

پروانے  کو  وہ  کون  ہے  جو  مانتا  نہیں

اور  شمع  کس  طرف  ہے  کوئی  جانتا  نہیں

۱۳

دل  تیری  بزمِ  ناز  میں  جب  سے  ہے  باریاب

ہر  خار  ایک  گُل  ہے  تو  ہر  ذرّہ  آفتاب

اِک  لشکرِ  نشاط  ہے  ہر  غم  کے  ہم  رکاب

زیرِ  نگیں  ہے  عالمِ  تمکین  و  اِضطراب

بادِ  مُراد  و  چشمکِ  طوفاں  لئے  ہوئے

ہوں  بُوئے  زُلف  و  جنبشِ  مِژگاں  لئے  ہوئے

۱۴

تیرے  لبوں  سے  چشمۂ  حیواں  مرا  کلام

تیری  لٹوں  سے  موجۂ  طوفاں  مرا  کلام

تیری  نظر  سے  طور  بداماں  مرا  کلام

تیرے  سخن  سے  نغمہ  یزداں  مرا  کلام

تو  ہے  پیامِ  عالمِ  بالا  مرے  لئے

اک  وحی  ذی  حیات  ہے  گویا  مرے  لئے

۱۵

اے  ماہِ  شعر  پرور  و  مہرِ  سخن  وری

اے  آب  و  رنگِ  حافظ  و  اے  حُسنِ  انوری

تو  نے  ہی  ثبت  کی  ہے  بصد  نازِ  داوری

میرے  سخن  کی  پشت  پہ  مُہرِ  پیمبری

تیری  شمیمِ  زُلف  کی  دولت  لئے  ہوئے

میرا  نفس  ہے  بوئے  رِسالت  لئے  ہوئے

۱۶

دُرہائے  آبدار  و  شررہائے  دل  نشیں

شب ہائے  تلخ  و  ترش  و  سحر  ہائے  شکریں

عقلِ  نشاط  خیز  و  جنونِ  غم  آفریں

دولت  وہ  کون  ہے  جو  مری  جیب  میں  نہیں

ٹکرائی  جب  بھی  مجھ  سے  خجِل  سروری  ہوئی

یوں  ہے  ترے  فیقر  کی  جھولی  بھری  ہوئی

अपनी मलका-ए सुख़न से -९-१६- जोश मलीहाबादी

९

चेहरे को रंग ओ नूर का तूफ़ाँ किये हुए

शमा ओ शराब ओ शेर का उन्वां किये हुए

हर नक़श-ए पा को ताज-ए गुलिस्तां किये हुए

सौ तूर एक निगाह में पिन्हां किये हुए

आती है तो चमन में जब इस तर्ज़ ओ तौर से

गुल देखते हैं बाग़ में बुल्बुल को ग़ौर से

१०

मेरे बयां में सहर बयानी तुझी से है

रू-ए सुख़न पे ख़ून-ए जवानी तुझी से है

लफ़्ज़ों में रक़्स ओ रंग ओ रवानी तुझी से है

फ़क़्र गदा में फ़र्र-ए कयानी तुझी से है

फ़िदवी के इस उरूज पे करती है ग़ौर क्या

तेरी ही जूतियों का तसद्दुक़ है, और क्या

११

अए किरदेगार-ए मानी ओ ख़लाक़-ए शेर-ए तर

अए जान-ए ज़ौक़ ओ मोहसिना-ए लैली-ए हुनर

खुल जाए गर ये बात के उर्दू ज़बान पर

तेरी निगाह-ए नाज़ का एहसां है किस क़दर

चारों तरफ़ से नारा-ए सल्ले अला उठे

तेरे मुजसममों से ज़मीं जगमगा उठे

१२

मेरे हुनर में सर्फ़ हुई है तेरी नज़र

ख़ैमा है मेरे नाम का बाल-ए बहर ओ बर

शोहरत की बज़्म तुझ से मुनव्वर नहीं मगर

फ़र्क़-ए गदा पे ताज है, सुल्तां बरहना सर

परवाने को वो कौन है जो मानता नहीं

और शमा किस तरफ़ है कोई जानता नहीं

१३

दिल तेरी बज़्म-ए नाज़ में जब से है बारयाब

हर ख़ार एक गुल है तो हर ज़र्रा आफ़ताब

एक लश्कर-ए निशात है हर ग़म के हम रकाब

ज़ेर-ए नगीं है आलम-ए तमकीन ओ इज़्तेराब

बाद-ए मुराद ओ चश्मक-ए तूफ़ाँ लिए हुए

हूं बू-ए ज़ुल्फ़ ओ जुम्बिश-ए मिज़्श्गां लिए हुए

१४

तेरे लबों से चश्मा-ए हैवां मेरा कलाम

तेरी लटों से मौजा-ए तूफ़ाँ मेरा कलाम

तेरी नज़र से तूर ब दामां मेरा कलाम

तेरे सुख़न से नग़मा-ए यज़दां मेरा कलाम

तू है पयाम-ए आलम-ए बाल मेरे लिए

एक वही-ए ज़ी हयात है गया मेरे लिए

१५

अए माह-ए शेर परवर ओ महर-ए सुख़न वरी

अए आब ओ रंग-ए हाफ़िज़ ओ हुस्न-ए अनवरी

तू ने ही सब्त की है ब सद नाज़-ए दावरी

मेरे सुख़न कि पुश्त पे मोहर-ए पैअम्बरी

तेरी शमीम-ए ज़ुल्फ़ की दौलत लिए हुए

मेरा नफ़स है बू-ए रिसालत लिए हुए

१६

दुर हा-ए आबदार ओ शरर हा-ए दिल नशीं

शब हा-तल्ख़ ओ तुर्श ओ सहर हा-ए शक्करीं

अक़्ल-ए निशात ख़ेज़ ओ जूनून-ए ग़म आफ़रीं

दौलत वो कौन है जो मेरी जेब में नहीं

टकराई जब भी मुझ से ख़जिल सरवरी हुई

यूं है तेरे फ़क़ीर की झोली भरी हुई

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. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this musaddas, josh is ostensibly addressing the “queen of his verse – urdu” and lavishes great praise on her. In the process he has equal if not more (certainly well deserved) praise for his own verse rather than just urdu.

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.  He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn.  His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’.  In this musaddas, josh is ostensibly addressing the “queen of his verse – urdu” and lavishes great praise on her. In the process he has equal if not more (certainly well deserved) praise for his own verse rather than just urdu.

1.subject, title 2.foot print 3.light on Mt.Toor, divine light 4.look, eyes 5.hidden 6.style and likeness 7.carefully

Your face shining in a storm of color and light tells the story of lamp, wine and verse. Lamp can be a metaphor for light/knowledge or for love/beloved – thus the story of love, wine and verse. Even the print of your feet are like a crown of the garden. The divine light (hundred times as bright) of Toor lurks in your eyes. Moses went to the top of Mt.Toor and saw a brilliance – a manifestation of god, a divine light. urdu carries that light in its words. When you come into the garden in this style jealous flowers look carefully at the bulbul. In urdu poetry the bulbul and the rose are considered lover and beloved. Flowers/roses are jealous of the beauty of urdu when she come down into the garden.

1.talk, composition, poetry 2.enchanting poetics 3.face/looks of poetry 4.words 5.dance 6.flow 7.poverty of the beggar 8.grandeur of royalty 9.one who is willing to be sacrificed (for you) 10.climax, greatness 11.looking carefully at 12.alms

My poetry has enchantment only because of you. My words have youthful vigour only because of you. My colourful words dance and flow only because of you. Even the poverty of this beggar shines like royal grandeur only because of you. Why are you surprised at the success of this slave. It is but the generosity that I received at your feet.

1.creator of meaning 2.architect 3.(moist) living/life giving verse 4.life of tasteful choice 5.patron, benefactor 6.Laila of talent 7.eye of kindness 8.benevolence 9.how much 10.cry, shout 11.praise be to god 12.statues

O, creator of meaning (god of urdu), maker of living verse, O, embodiment of refined taste, benefactor of Talent, if it ever be known that on urdu language, how much your kind eye has been benevolent, then a cry would rise all around, praising you. Your idols will shine (and will be worshipped) all over this earth.

1.talent 2.spent 3.station, place 4.at the head of 5.land and water i.e.earth 6.fame 7.assembly 8.lit up, shining 9.head of the beggar 10.bare head i.e.without cap or crown 11.moth-lover-the poet 12.lamp-beloved-urdu

It is your vision that has gone into my talent. My station is at the head of all creation (I am famous) because of it. Your presence does not shine in the assembly of Fame, but the head of this beggar has a crown and the king bareheaded (because of you). Who does not acknowldege this lover of yours even if they don’t know who the beloved is. The thoughts here go along with the earlier verse where Josh suggests that all credit belongs to urdu and the poets who steal that glory are shamefaced in its presence.

1.assembly of benevolence 2.admitted to 3.thorn 4.particle (of dust) 5.sun 6.army of pleasure 7.same stirrup i.e.riding with 8.under the jewel, under my ring (ring/seal represents signature giving approval), under my control 9.world 10.dignity, pleasure 11.restlessness, sorrow 12.breeze of desire 13.lightning of storm 14.fragrance of hair 15.fluttering of eyelashes

Ever since I have been admitted into you benevolence, every thorn turns into a flower, every particle shines like the sun. A host of pleasures accompany every sorrow. The world of pleasures and sorrows is under my thumb. Controlling the winds of desire and the lightning strike of sorrow, I bring the fragrance of your hair and the flutter of your eyelashes.

1.spring of life 2.verse 3.hair, tresses 4.stormy waves 5.sight, vision 6.Toor where Moses saw divine light 7.carrying in apron 8.words 9.song of god 10.message 11.high world, heavens 12.revelation 13.life giving 14.as if

Because of your sweet lips, my verse is like a spring of life. Your tresses make my poetry powerful like a stormy wave. Your vision makes my poetry shine like divine light. Your words turn my verse into the song of god. You are the message of heavens for me as if it were a life-giving revelation.

1.moon of sustainer of poetry 2.sun of writer of verse 3.brilliance and colour 4.Farsi poet 5.beauty of Anvar (another Farsi poet) 6.engraved 7.with a hundred 8.royal style 9.back 10.stamp/seal of prophethood/prophecy/foretelling/farsightedness 11.fragrance of hair 12.wealth 13.breath 14.prophetic fragrance

O moon-like sustainer and sun-like creator of verse, O brilliance of Hafiz and beauty of Anvar, you have engraved with great royal style the stamp of prophecy (farsighted) on my verse. With the wealth of the aroma of your tresses, my breath carries the sweet fragrance of prophecy.

1.dur=pearl, dur’haa=pearls 2.lustrous 3.sparks 4.heart pleasing 5.nights 6.hard 7.bitter 8.mornings 9.sweet 10.pleasure creating 11.(mad) passion 12.sorrow giving 13.shamed 14.royalty, power 15.beggar

Lustrous pearls and heart warming sparks, hard, bitter nights and sweet mornings, pleasing thoughts and sorrowful longing what wealth is it that I do not possess. Power has been shamed whenever it has confronted me. It is thus that your beggar’s sack has been full.

The post apni maleka-e suKhan se-09-16-josh malihabadi appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/jm-tishnagi-maaloom-hoti-hai-audio.mp3

Recitation

تشنگی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے  ۔  جوؔش  ملیح  آبادی

۱

‎یہاں  جس  شے  کو  جو  سمجھو،  وہی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۲

‎نِکلتے  ہیں  کبھی  تو  چاندنی  سے  دُھوپ  کے  لشکر!

‎کبھی  خود  دُھوپ،  نِکھری  چاندنی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۳

‎کبھی  کانٹوں  کی  نوکوں  پر،  لبِ  گُلرنگ  کی  نرمی

‎کبھی،  پُھولوں  کی  خوشبُو  میں  انی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۴

‎وہ  آہِ  صُبح  گاہی،  جس  سے  تارے  کانپ  اُٹھتے  ہیں

‎ذرا  سا  رُخ  بدل  کر،  راگنی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۵

‎نہ  سوچیں  تو،  نہایت  لُطف  آتا  ہے  تَعَلّی  میں

‎جو  سوچیں،  تو  بڑی  ناپُختگی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۶

‎جو  سچ  پُوچھو  تو،  وہ  اِک  ضرب  ہے  عاداتِ  ذہنی  پر

‎وہ  شے،  جو  نوعِ  اِنساں  کو  بُری  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۷

‎کبھی  جِن  کارناموں  پر  جوانی  فخر  کرتی  تھی

‎اب  اُن  کی  یاد  سے،  شرمندگی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۸

‎بَلا  کا  ناز  تھا  کل  جن  مسائل  کی  صلابَت  پر

‎اب  اُن  کی  نیو،  یکسر  کھوکلی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۹

‎کبھی  پُرہول  بن  جاتا  ہے  جب  راتوں  کا  سنّاٹا!

‎سُریلے  تار  کی  جھنکار  سی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۱۰

‎اُسی  نسبت  سے  آرائش  پہ  ہم  مجبُور  ہوتے  ہیں

‎خُود  اپنی  ذات  میں  جتنی  کجی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۱۱

‎پیئے  بیٹھا  ہُوں  جوؔش!  علم  و  نظر  کے  سینکڑوں  قُلزم

‎ارے،  پھر  بھی،  بَلا  کی  تشنگی  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

तिश्नगी मालूम होती है – जोश मलीहाबादी

१

२

३

४

५

६

७

८

९

१०

११

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. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. This Ghazal is linked to other Ghazal of the same radeef on the Refrain Index page.

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.  He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn.  His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii about the beauty of dawn can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’.  This Ghazal is linked to other Ghazal of the same radeef on the Refrain Index page.

1.mind 2.wager, trickery 3.thing 4.understand, perceive

The world appears to be a trick of the mind — a mental performance. Whatever you perceive something to be, it becomes just that.  We see what we like to see; we hear what we want to hear. It suggests subjective biases in our observation of reality and how perception shapes our experience.

1.armies, rays 2.washed, freshened

A commentary on, many examples of, the biases of our perception continues – sometimes rays of sunlight emerge from moonlight, and sometimes the sunlight itself looks like refined moonlight.

1.thorns 2.points, sharp end 3.lips 4.rose coloured 5.fragrance 6.sharp point

At times, the softness of rose-tinted lips seems to rest on the tips of thorns; at other times, the fragrance of flowers carries a sting. Beauty and pain are inseparable, and tenderness can be found amidst harshness, and vice versa.

1.sigh 2.of dawn 3.tremble 4.face, perspective, angle 5.change 6.musical melody

That sigh of dawn, which makes the stars tremble (because they are about to disappear in the sunlight), with a slight shift of perspective/angle becomes a melody. It shows how the same emotion – depending on context – can evoke fear or beauty. Pain turns into art.

1.think, reflect 2.great, much 3.pleasure 4.sense of superiority 5.immaturity

When we don’t think; fall unthinkingly into the trap of a sense of superiority or pride, we can get great pleasure; but once we begin to reflect, it feels immature.

1.blow, strike 2.habits 3.mental 4.thing 5.human species, humanity

Mental/cultural habits/beliefs aadaat-e zahni are either inherited or cultivated.  We get used to them.  But if you look at the truth behind these beliefs/habits there may not be much rationality.  Thus, if you ask the truth, our mental habits/beliefs receive a blow whenever we contemplate anything that appears to be unpleasant to human nature.  Truth is discomforting because it challenges our conditioned ways of thinking.

1.deeds 2.youth 3.pride 4.shame, embarrassment

The deeds once proudly celebrated in youth now bring embarrassment in memory.

1.great 2.pride 3.problems, mysteries 4.weight, profundity 5.foundation 6.total 7.hollow

The poet once took pride in the weight and solidity of certain issues; now their very foundations seem hollow. Time reveals the superficiality of what once felt profound.

1.fearsom, haunting 2.silence 3.melodious 4.(musical) string 5.resonance

When the silence of night turns haunting and fearful, then somewhere in the darkness of the night you might hear the resonance of a melodious string.  The perception of fear and darkness is changed into melody and joy.

1.relationship, proportion 2.adornment 3.forced 4.self 5.person 6.crookedness, flaws

We are forced to resort to adornment and embellishment in proportion to the flaws we sense within our own selves. The poet points to vanity as compensation for inner flaws.

1.pen-name 2.knowledge 3.insight, perception 4.oceans 5.great, much 6.thirst

Despite having drunk deeply from the oceans of knowledge and insight,  O josh, the thirst remains unbearable.  There is a lot more to know.

The post tishnagi maa’loom hoti hai-josh malihabadi appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/mjaKhal-Ghubaar-e-kaarvaaN-maaloom-hoti-hai-audio.mp3

Recitation

غبارِ  کارواں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے  ۔  مرزا  جعفر  علی  خاں  اثرؔ  لکھنوی

۱

حیات  اِک  موجِ  بحرِ  بے  کراں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

جبھی  تو  نامُکمّل  داستاں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۲

ادھر  پیمانے  چھلکیں  اور  اُدھر  ساغر  ستاروں  کے

ابھی  تو  رات  اے  ساقی  جواں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۳

یہ  کیسا  تفرقہ  ڈالا  نگاہِ  فتنہ  ساماں  نے

تمنّا  سے  تمنّا  بدگماں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۴

بہار  آئی  اور  ایسی  رنگ  میں  ڈوبی  ہوئی  آئی

کہ  موجِِ  بوئے  گُل  بھی  پرفشاں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۵

معاذ  اللہ  وہ  محرومیوں  کی  یاس  انگیزی

محبت  جب  متاعِ  رائگاں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۶

کچھ  اس  سے  کر  لے  اندازہ  مرے  حالِ  پریشاں  کا

کہ  پُرسِش  تیری  پُرسِش  بھی  گراں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۷

فنا  کہتے  ہیں  جس  کو  وہ  نگاہِ  ذوق  پیما  میں

صدائے  بازگشتِ  کُن  فکاں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۸

بھری  برسات  میں  ہمدم  یہ  لہراتی  ہوئی  بجلی

مری  آنکھوں  میں  شاخِِ  آشیاں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۹

لگا  لایا  ہے  تو  مجکو  کہاں  اے  عشقِ  شوریدہ

کہ  منزل  بھی  غبارِ  کارواں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۱۰

گیا  وہ  بھی  جو  تھا  اِک  مشغلہ  شبہائے  ہجراں  کا

کہ  دل  پر  بند  اب  راہِ  فغاں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

۱۱

اثرؔ  سے  دُور  دَورِ  شادمانی  ہے  کہ  سعی  اُس  کی

ابھی  وابستۂ  سود  و  زیاں  معلوم  ہوتی  ہے

ग़ुबार-ए कारवाँ मालूम होती है – मिर्ज़ा जाफ़र अली ख़ाँ असर लखनवी

१

२

३

४

५

६

७

८

९

१०

११

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza jaafar ali KhaaN asar lakhnavi (1885-1967). Classical education at home until the age of 11, then formal schooling and college to BA. Indulged in MA and LLB but did not finish. Served in the British government as Deputy Collector (1909), Executive Officer and Collector until 1940. Resigned from service. Several collections of his Ghazal and nazm including descriptions of nature in kashmir where he served in the cabinet and also as acting prime minister (until 1945) to the maharaja. He also did a versified translation of the bhagwad-giita. This Ghazal is linked to ham-radeef Ghazaliyaat on the Refrain Index page.

mirza jaafar ali KhaaN asar lakhnavi (1885-1967).  Classical education at home until the age of 11, then formal schooling and college to BA.  Indulged in MA and LLB but did not finish.  Served in the British government as Deputy Collector (1909), Executive Officer and Collector until 1940.  Resigned from service.  Several collections of his Ghazal and nazm including descriptions of nature in kashmir where he served in the cabinet and also as acting prime minister (until 1945) to the maharaja.  He also did a versified translation of the bhagwad-giita.  This Ghazal is linked to ham-radeef Ghazaliyaat on the Refrain Index page.

1.life 2.wave 3.ocean 4.boundless 5.incomplete 6.story

The universe is like a boundless ocean.  Life seems like a wave in this boundless ocean; it keeps going towards the unknown; that’s why the story of life always feels incomplete.  Because of its unending, uncertain nature, our personal narrative never feels fully written or resolved.

1.goblets 2.spill, overflow 3.cups 4.young

This is probably just a description of a joyous night at the tavern without any deep meaning associated with it.  The idhar and udhar are probably the earth and the sky.  Here on earth, in the tavern, overflowing cups of wine are being served.  Mirroring this revelry cups of starlight overflow up there and the night is still young.

1.difference, conflict 2.glance 3.mischief creating 4.desire 5.suspicious

It is almost certain that the ‘nigaah-e fitna-saamaaN‘ is the glance of the beloved.  It has created a difference/conflict between desire and yearning.  This will take a little going out on the limb to unravel.  In urdu poetic tradition the poet prides himself on being a ‘true’ lover differentiating between ishq and havas.  Thus, rivals have havas.  But here the beloved has cast such a mischievous glance that it has created a doubt/badgumaani in the heart of the lover.  He is beginning to doubt the purity of his own love.  Is it mixed with any component of lust?

1.wave, gust 2.fragrance 3.rose 4.wings fluttering, flying

Spring arrived, so drenched in color; that even the waves of the fragrance of the rose seem to have the ability to fly on their own wings.

1.god forbid 2.deprivation 3.increasing yearning 4.possession, wealth 5.useless, fruitless

The lover has been deprived of any reciprocity or good grace from the beloved.  This has increased the intensity of his yearning, so much so that (god forbid) even love feels like a wasted possession – a uselss/fruitless endeavour.

1.estimate, guess 2.condition, state 3.distress 4.inquiry/asking about well being 5.burdensome

Just see what state my distress has reduced me to; the emotional pain is so intense that (perhaps he is on his last breath) that even if you (beloved) inquire after my well being it feels burdensome.

1.annihilation, non-being 2.glance, gaze 3.taking the measure of taste/desire 4.sound 5.returning, echo 6.come into being, be (as in god said let there be … )

Here nigaah-e zauq-paimaa is the discerning eye; the eye that can take the measure of desire/happiness.  sadaa-e baazgasht is the returning sound, the echo of something – of what?  Of the sound of creation – kun-fakaaN (kun-fayakun) – as when god commanded things to come into being.  Thus, to the discerning eye, annihiliation (of the self/ego) sounds like the returning sound of creation i.e., fanaa leads to merger with the divine spirit and a new immortal life.

1.companion, friend 2.swinging, swaying, dancing 3.lightning 4.branch 5.nest

In urdu poetic tradition the poet often portrays himself as a bird … sometimes as caged.  Such is the case here.  Also, bhari barsaat – steady rainfall – is a sign of spring.  That is the time the bird would most intensely miss its home, aashiyaaN, and its freedom.  In this rain, lightning flashes across the sky and makes forks like a branch.  To the captive bird even the pattern of lightning strikes looks like a branch on which he used to have his nest.  It is also noteworthy that traditionally lightning and nest are oppressor and oppressed with lightning strikes burning up the nest.  But here the forlorn bird is so homesick that even lightning feels like a refuge.  Consider this she’r of sikandar ali vajd-

kaTe haiN din balaa’oN ke sahaare jin asiiroN ke

1.maddening, full of frenzy, tempestuous 2.destination 3.dust 4.travel party

The travel party has left, leaving the poet/lover/seeker behind.  All he can see in the far distance is the dust of the caravan.  The frenzy of love has brought him to a place where the destination is fogged by the dust of the caravan i.e., his is a never-ending search.

1.pastime 2.nights 3.separation (from the beloved) 4.blocked, forbidden 5.path 6.lament

During the long nights of separation the distraught lover used to lament and wail all night long.  That probably gave him a modicum of relief.  But now even that path is closed.  It is not stated why this is so … either the heart has gone so numb that he no longer gets any relief from lamentation or the beloved has forbidden it.

1.pen-name, taKhallus 2.times, period, age 3.joy, celebration 4.effort, striving 5.associated with 6.gain and loss

The lover/seeker is supposed to strive towards his goal in the spirit of pure effort without any ulterior motive of gain or loss.  But it seems that the time of celebration/joy still seems distant from the poet asar.  This is probably because his desire is still not pure, it is adulterated with selfish motives.

The post Ghubaar-e kaarvaaN maa’loom hoti hai-jafar ali KhaaN asar lakhnavi appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/saahsa-apni-nazar-uThaae-kyuN-audio.mp3

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 …

The post apni nazar uThaa’e kyuN-seemab akbarabadi appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/saahsa-maavaraae-aadmiyyat-hai-audio.mp3

Recitation

ماورائے  آدمیّت  ہے  ۔  سید  عاشق  حسین  سیمابؔ  اکبرآبادی

۱

حرم  اور  دیر  کے  کتبے  وہ  دیکھے  جس  کو  فرصت  ہے

یہاں  حدّ  نظر  تک  صرف  عنوانِ  محبت  ہے

۲

پرستارِ  محبت  کی  محبت  ہی  شریعت  ہے

کسی  کو  یاد  کرکے  آہ  کر  لینا  عبادت  ہے

۳

رئیسِ  لامکاں  ہوں،  بے  نیازی  میری  فطرت  ہے

مذاقِ  آرزو  تو  بر  بِنائے  آدمیّت  ہے

۴

ہو  اِک  معمول  تم  بھی  میرے  کردارِ  محبت  کا

مجھے  تم  سے  نہیں،  اپنی  محبت  سے  محبت  ہے

۵

بھڑک  کر  حُسنِ  خاکستر  بنا  دے  ساری  دنیا  کو

جو  بھُولے  سے  کبھی  کہہ  دوں،  مجھے  کس  سے  محبت  ہے

۶

جہاں  دل  ہے،  وہاں  وہ  ہیں،  جہاں  وہ  ہیں  وہاں  سب  کچھ

مگر  پہلے  مقامِ  دل  سمجھنے  کی  ضرورت  ہے

۷

یہ  قوّت  بھی  شریکِ  حُسن  ہوجاتی  تو  کیا  ہوتا

کر  اس  کی  قدر  دیوانے،  تصوّر  بھی  غنیمت  ہے

۸

میں  جسم  و  روح  کو  کُچلا  ہوا  محسوس  کرتا  ہوں

الٰہی  بارِ  غم  سینے  پہ  ہے  یا  سنگِ  تُربت  ہے

۹

جو  تُو  چاہے  وہ  ہو  جائے،  نہ  لے  تقدیر  کا  پردہ

خطِ  قسمت  ہمارا  تیرے  منشائے  عبارت  ہے

۱۰

بگڑنا  آدمی  کا  اور  بننا،  پھر  بگڑ  جانا

یہ  کس  کے  ہاتھ  میں  نبضِ  مزاجِ  آدمیّت  ہے

۱۱

بہت  مشکل  ہے  قیدِ  زندگی  میں  مطمئن  ہونا

چمن  بھی  اِک  مصیبت  تھا،  قفس  بھی  اِک  مصیبت  ہے

۱۲

کہاں  تُو  اور  کہاں  میں  منزلِ  ہستی  میں  اے  منعم

کہ  تُو  ٹھوکر  ہے  دولت  کی،  مِری  ٹھوکر  میں  دولت  ہے

۱۳

مِری  دیوانگی  پر  ہوش  والے  بحث  فرمائیں

مگر  پہلے  اُنھیں  دیوانہ  بننے  کی  ضرورت  ہے

۱۴

اٹھایا  تھا  کبھی  بارِ  امانت  ظرفِ  انساں  نے

اسی  سے  پوچھیے  اب  سر  اٹھانے  کی  بھی  مہلت  ہے؟

۱۵

حریمِ  حُسن  میں  کیا  بن  کے  سنگِ  آئینہ  بیٹھوں

میں  پروانہ  ہوں،  مجھ  کو  رقص  کرنے  کی  اِجازت  ہے

۱۶

وہ  سجدہ  کیا،  رہے  احساس  جس  میں  سر  اُٹھانے  کا

عبادت  اور  بقیدِ  ہوش،  توہینِ  عبادت  ہے

۱۷

نہ  چھیڑ  اے  تنگیِ  صحنِ  چمن،  پھر  لَوٹ  جاؤں  گا

تصوّر  کی  نگاہوں  میں  ابھی  صحرا  سلامت  ہے

۱۸

شگفتِ  دل  کی  مہلت  عمر  بھر  مجھ  کو  نہ  دی  غم  نے

کلی  کو  رات  بھر  میں  پھول  بن  جانے  کی  فرصت  ہے

۱۹

مقامِ  عشق  کو  ہر  آدمی  سیمابؔ  کیا  سمجھے

یہ  ہے  اِک  مرتبہ  جو  ماورائے  آدمیّت  ہے

मावरा-ए आदमीय्यत है – सय्यद आशिक़ हुसैन सीमाब अक्बराबादी

१

२

३

४

५

६

७

८

९

१०

११

१२

१३

१४

१५

१६

१७

१८

१९

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’.

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’.

1.sanctuary, mosque 2.temple 3.inscriptions, epigraphs 4.leisure, time 5.limits of sight 6.only, exclusively 7.theme

Those who have leisure (time to waste) may read inscription/quotations/scripts in the temple or mosque.  Here (for me) as far the eye can see, all I can see is the theme of love.  Thus, inscriptions/writings are superficial statements while the inner spirit of love stretches from horizon to horizon.  An alternative interpretation is that katb’e is also used for epitaphs on gravestones.  There could be an implication that ritualistic places of worship are dead with tombstones on them; love reigns supreme.

1.devotee, worshipper 2.religious law, code of behaviour 3.sigh 4.worship

For a lover, love itself is religion, and sighing in someone’s memory is worship.  The sufi zikr in remembrance of god is worship.  Here ‘sigh’ is not one of despair but sorrow because of separation from the divine beloved.

1.master, lord 2.beyond place, placelessness 3.free of need, indifference 4.nature, character 5.taste for 6.desire 7.on foundations of 8.humanness

The poet/seeker is a sufi.  He is given up all material desires and longs for union with the divine.  beniyaazi being beyond need has become his nature.  He also the master of la-makaaN – beyond the confinements of space, not tied to a location.  The taste for longing is built on the foundation of human limitation; but the poet claims a higher station beyond place and need.

1.routine, habit 2.character, conduct

Here tum is meant to be the divine.  Love of the divine, offering prayers becomes a routine; a ritual.  The poet/sufi is beyond rituals; he loves love; love itself is divine.

1.flare 2.beauty 3.ashes 4.in forgetfulness, carelessly

In conventions of love, the lover keeps the object of his love secret.  If he were to ever, in forgetfullness, or carelessly reveal who he loves, then that love would flare up and turn the whole world into ashes.  This has a reference to moosa/Moses going up mount tuur and insisting on seeing some evidence of god.  A flash of lightning turns mount tuur to ashes and moosa faints.  In the first misra the ‘thing’ which is going to flare up … bhaRak kar … and turn the whole world to ashes is the divine power itself.  In sufi tradition kitmaaN – concealment is prime because unmediated vision of divine glory is undeserved and destructive.  Revealing that secret can cause more destruction than just the burning of mount tuur; it can turn the whole world to ashes.

1.station, status, prestige 2.necessity

The divine is within the heart.  In the first misra ‘vo’ refers to the divine; and where the divine is, there is everything.  First it is necessary to understand the station/status of the heart – the seat of love – before you comprehend the divine within the heart.

1.strength, power 2.partner 3.beauty 4.value, respect 5.imagination 6.sufficient, enough

Imagination/perception – conceiving in the mind has great power.  It is sufficient (to get you to your goal).  Just imagine what could happen if your imagination were to partner with (divine) beauty.  The implication is that you will be able to comprehend it in all its glory.  Thus, it is sheer madness not to value/make full use of your imagination; so, O madman, do not underestimate the qadr-value of tasavvur-imagination.

1.body 2.spirit 3.crushed 4.feel 5.my god 6.burden, weight 7.sorrow 8.gravestone

The poet/sufi seeks union with the divine spirit.  The sorrow of separation is so intense that he feels crushed in body and soul.  This life is like exile/death to him.  Union with the divine will give him eternal life.  So, the burden of the sorrow of separation feels like the weight of a gravestone on his chest.

1.fate 2.veil, curtain 3.line, writing 4.will, intention 5.writing

There are two radically different interpretations possible.  In the more conventional interpretation tuu and tere are meant to be god.  Thus, whatever you (god) want will happen; no need hide behind the veil of fate.  The written line of our fate is but the writing of your will.  In the more radical interpretation tuu and tera are the human being.  Thus, whatever you wish you yourself can do; no need to make excuses and hide behind the curtain of fate.  The line written in your fate is the writing of your own will.

1.destroyed, ruined, spoiled 2.pulse 3.temperament, condition 4.human’ness,humanity

There is somone or something that has control of the pulse of the human condition.  The result is that life gets ruined, rebuilt and ruined again.  Who is it that controls the pulse of the human condition.  The poet leaves us with the question.  Is it the privileged and the powerful or is it the divine.

1.difficult 2.confinement 3.satisfied 4.garden 5.adversity, misfortune 6.cage

In urdu poetic tradition the poet often describes himself as a bird either free to fly in the garden/world or sorrowful an caged.  But to the poet/sufi both conditions seem to be like a burden.  It is very difficult to be satisfied with the confines of life either free or caged.  Real freedom is in union with the divine beloved.

1.stage/condition of life 2.well endowed, rich 3.kick, reject, disdain 4.wealth

The poet/sufi compares the stage of his own life with that of a well-provided wealthy person.  It is possible that the word daulat is the second misra is being used to convey different meanings.  The first time it is used to mean the wealth of love/devotion, and the second is used to mean worldly/material wealth.  Thus the mun’im is one who is rejected by the treasure of love/devotion and the poet/sufi is the one who has rejected material wealth.

1.reason, sobriety 2.argue 3.declare, perform 4.necessary

The sane/reasoning people can offer agruements about my madness, but first they have to experience/taste madness to understand it i.e., reason cannot explain the frenzy/trance of love.

1.burden 2.trust, responsibility 3.capacity 4.time, leisure

It is said/believed that after creating the universe god offered an opportunity to all his creatures to take responsibility for all creation.  None except humans stepped up.  Thus, at one time human beings had the capacity/willingness to bear the responsibility of all creation.  It is implied that now they have lost it because they have been too busy acquiring material wealth.  Humanity once bore that trust, but now struggles even to raise its head – can they still endure?

1.sanctuary 2.beauty, beloved 3.mirror of polished stone 4.moth 5.dance 6.permission

The beloved is in her private rooms looking at a mirror … a mirror of polished stone.  Even though the poet/lover would dearly love to see the beloved in that pose, why would he want to be like a cold/unfeeling mirror.  He is more a like moth that is attracted to the flame and dances around it at the risk of getting burned to death.

1.prostration, worship 2.feeling, awareness 3.worship 4.confined by, limited by 5.awareness 6.insult

True worship demands full submission, perhaps so engrossed in worship that you loose awareness of everything around you.  What kind of a prostration is it in which you can think of raising your head again.  Worship that is limited by awareness of the self in prostration dishonors worship.

1.tease 2.narrowness, confines 3.courtyard 4.garden 5.return 6.imagination, memory 7.eyes 8.desert, wilderness 9.remaining, safe, prospering

The poet/seeker has been wandering the desert seeking love/truth.  Memories of the vastness of the desert/wilderness are etched into his mind’s eye.  He has just come to the garden and finds the yard narrow and confining.  He warns the garden – stop teasing me, for in imagination the open desert still thrives, and I might return there.

1.lossom 2.time, permission 3.life-long 4.sorrow, pain 5.bud 6.leisure, permission

The poet/sufi wishes all his life to blossom-to be re-united with the divine spirit.  But he is denied that pleasure during his lifetime.  He is not allowed to blossom in this life and spends it in pain/longing/grief.  He compares this with the situation of a bud which can become a flower overnight.  He is registering a protest.

1.station of love 2.pen-name, taKhallus 3.understand, know 4.rank, status 5.beyond 6.human capacity

O seemab, how can any ordinary individual understand the station of love.  This is a rank that is beyond human capacity (to understand through reason).

The post maavara-e aadmiyyat hai-seemab akbarabadi appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/daaGh-hamaari-zabaaN-ki-hai-audio.mp3

Recitation

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/daaGh-hamaari-zabaaN-ki-hai-shumona-roy-biswas.mp3

shumona roy biswas

ہماری  زباں  کی  ہے  ۔  داغؔ  دہلوی

۱

کعبے  کی  ہے  ہوس  کبھی  کوئے  بتاں  کی  ہے

مجھ  کو  خبر  نہیں  مری  مِٹّی  کہاں  کی  ہے

۲

سُن  کے  مرا  فسانہ  اُنہیں  لُطف  آ  گیا

سُنتا  ہوں  اب  کہ  روز  طلب  قِصّہ  خواں  کی  ہے

۳

پیغام  بر  کی  بات  پر  آپس  میں  رنج  کیا

میری  زبان  کی  ہے  نہ  تمہاری  زباں  کی  ہے

۴

کچھ  تازگی  ہو  لذّتِ  آزار  کے  لیے

ہر  دم  مجھے  تلاش  نئے  آسماں  کی  ہے

۵

جاں  بر  بھی  ہو  گئے  ہیں  بہت  مجھ  سے  نیم  جاں

کیا  غم  ہے  اے  طبیب  جو  پوری  وہاں  کی  ہے

۶

حسرت  برس  رہی  ہے  ہمارے  مزار  پر

کہتے  ہیں  سب  یہ  قبر  کسی  نوجواں  کی  ہے

۷

وقت  خرام  ناز  دکھا  دو  جُدا  جُدا

یہ  چال  حشر  کی  یہ  روِش  آسماں  کی  ہے

۸

فرصت  کہاں  کہ  ہم  سے  کسی  وقت  تُو  ملے

دن  غیر  کا  ہے  رات  ترے  پاسباں  کی  ہے

۹

قاصد  کی  گفتگو  سے  تَسلّی  ہو  کس  طرح

چھپتی  نہیں  وہ  بات  جو  تیری  زباں  کی  ہے

۱۰

جورِ  رقیب  و  ظلمِ  فلک  کا  نہیں  خیال

تشویش  ایک  خاطرِ  نامہرباں  کی  ہے

۱۱

سن  کر  مرا  فسانۂ  غم  اس  نے  یہ  کہا

ہو  جائے  جھوٹ  سچ  یہی  خوبی  بیاں  کی  ہے

۱۲

دامن  سنبھال  باندھ  کمر  آستیں  چڑھا

خنجر  نکال  دل  میں  اگر  اِمتحاں  کی  ہے

۱۳

ہر  ہر  نفس  میں  دل  سے  نکلنے  لگا  غبار

کیا  جانے  گردِ  راہ  یہ  کس  کارواں  کی  ہے

۱۴

کیونکر  نہ  آتے  خلد  سے  آدم  زمین  پر

موزوں  وہیں  وہ  خوب  ہے  جو  سُنتے  جہاں  کی  ہے

۱۵

تقدیر  سے  یہ  پوچھ  رہا  ہوں  کہ  عشق  میں

تدبیر  کوئی  بھی  ستمِ  ناگہاں  کی  ہے

۱۶

اُردو  ہے  جس  کا  نام  ہمیں  جانتے  ہیں  داغؔ

ہندوستاں  میں  دھوم  ہماری  زباں  کی  ہے

हमारी ज़बां कि है – दाग़ देहलवी

१

काबे की है हवस कभी कू-ए बुताँ की है

मुझ को ख़बर नहीं मेरी मिट्टी कहाँ की है

२

सुन के मेरा फ़साना उन्हें लुत्फ़ आ गया

सुनता हूँ अब के रोज़ तलब क़िस्सा-ख़्वाँ की है

३

पैग़ाम-बर की बात पर आपस में रंज क्या

मेरी ज़बां की है न तुम्हारी ज़बाँ की है

४

कुछ ताज़गी हो लज़्ज़त-ए आज़ार के लिए

हर दम मुझे तलाश नए आसमाँ की है

५

जाँ-बर भी हो गए हैं बहुत मुझ से नीम-जाँ

क्या ग़म है ऐ तबीब जो पूरी वहाँ की है

६

हस्रत बरस रही है हमारे मज़ार पर

कहते हैं सब ये क़ब्र किसी नौजवाँ की है

७

वक़्त-ए ख़िराम-ए नाज़ दिखा दो जुदा जुदा

ये चाल हश्र की ये रविश आसमाँ की है

८

फ़ुर्सत कहाँ के हम से किसी वक़्त तू मिले

दिन ग़ैर का है रात तेरे पास्बाँ की है

९

क़ासिद की गुफ़्तुगू से तसल्ली हो किस तरह

छुपती नहीं वो बात जो तेरी ज़बाँ की है

१०

जौर-ए रक़ीब ओ ज़ुल्म-ए फ़लक का नहीं ख़याल

तशवीश एक ख़ातेर-ए ना-मेहरबाँ की है

११

सुन कर मेरा फ़साना-ए ग़म उस ने ये कहा

हो जाए झूट सच यही ख़ूबी बयाँ की है

१२

दामन संभाल बाँध कमर आस्तीं चढ़ा

ख़ंजर निकाल दिल में अगर इम्तेहाँ की है

१३

हर हर नफ़स में दिल से निकलने लगा ग़ुबार

क्या जाने गर्द-ए राह ये किस कारवाँ की है

१४

क्यूँके न आते ख़ुल्द से आदम ज़मीन पर

मौज़ूँ वहीं वो ख़ूब है जो सुनते जहाँ की है

१५

तक़्दीर से ये पूछ रहा हूँ के इश्क़ में

तदबीर कोई भी सितम-ए ना-गहाँ की है

१६

उर्दू है जिस का नाम हमीं जानते हैं दाग़

हिन्दोस्ताँ में धूम हमारी ज़बाँ की है

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905) grew up in laal qila and was a shaagird of zauq. Towards the end of his life he lived and died in hyderabad. His Ghazal, simpler in language and straightforward in thought content have great musicality lend themselves to singing.

daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905) grew up in laal qila and was a shaagird of zauq.  Towards the end of his life he lived and died in hyderabad.  His Ghazal, simpler in language and straightforward in thought content have great musicality lend themselves to singing.

1.strong desire 2.street of the beloved

miTTi kahaaN ki hai uses a phrase to imply ‘this is where I am from/where I belong’.  Thus, the poet/lover is torn between the kaaba (observant/orthodox practice) and the street of the beloved (the ways of lust and pleasure, or perhaps the way of liberal thought).  He is not sure where he belongs.

1.story 2.pleasure 3.demand 4.story-teller

Someone relayed the story of the poet/lover to the beloved and she enjoyed it so much that now it seems that she demands a story-teller every night to hear more of his story.

1.messenger 2.mutual, between us 3.ill feeling

Why get miffed at hearing from the messenger.  This is only a secondhand message, it is neither my direct word nor yours.

1.freshness, newness, change 2.pleasure of pain 3.moment 4.search, desire

I seek a change for relief from pain.  I constantly search for a new sky.  Here sky is used as fate … the sky is always cruel on the poet/lover.  It is conventional to value and enjoy pain.  So, the poet is seeking new kinds of pain, hence a new sky every moment.

1.generating/giving new life 2.half-alive 3.healer 4.completely, fully

It is not clear what the poet means by vahaaN – from over there.  Very possibly he is referring to the tavern.  Drinking wine has given a new life to many half-dead people.  What is the problem, O healer, if it is all from there (tavern).

1.used in the sense of ‘pity’ 2.tomb, grave

Pity rains down on my grave.  Everyone says this is a grave of a young one … implying that the poet/lover died young (and he is still writing xxxxx!).

1.proud gait/saunter 2.separately 3.doomsday, tumult 4.way, style

The beloved is taking a walk in the garden.  The style of her graceful gait creates a tumult like doomsday, among her many admirers.  The rotation of the sky, its gait, also causes similar problems for poets/lovers.  Can somebody show me that her gait is different from that of the sky.  Of course not.  They both bring problems.

1.leisure, time 2.other, rival 3.guardian

Where is the time that you can meet me.  You spend your days with the rival and your guardian watches over you at night.

1.messenger 2.consolation

How can I be consoled by the words of the messenger.  It cannot hide the real meaning (sarcasm/cruelty/rejection) of your words.

1.cruelty of the rival 2.oppression of the skies/heavens 3.worry 4.unkind

I do not think about the cruelty of the rival, the injustice of my fate.  I worry about the unkindness of your heart.

1.story of pain/love 2.goodness, qualities, excellence

The poet/lover relays the story of his love.  The beloved does not believe him and congratulates him on the quality of his speech which makes falsehood appear as truth i.e. she claims that he does not really love her.

1.hem of the skirt 2.gird you loins 3.roll up your sleeves 4.dagger 5.test

Gather up your skirt, gird your loins, roll up your sleeve and pull out the dagger, if you want to test my fealty i.e. the poet/lover is willing to die at the hands of the beloved to prove his love.

1.breath 2.dust 3.dust 4.path

The poet/lover has been left behind by caravan after caravan and all he has done is sit by the wayside and breathe the dust from the departing caravans.  All this dust is stored inside and comes out with every breath.  He cannot even tell which caravan it is from.

1.heaven 2.suitable, appropriate 3.good, better

It is thought that aadam/Adam came to earth from heaven.  ‘jahaaN ki hai’ is used here to mean wherever it is from.  Thus, we hear that ‘it’ suits/fits better only there, where ‘it’ is from. ‘it’ applies to anything, but here it is used for Adam.  This implies that Adam was from earth to begin with, and that is where he/humanity fits best.  This also uses the story that Adam was made from clay … perhaps clay of the earth.

1.fate 2.scheme, plan 3.cruelty 4.sudden, unexpected, unpredictable

The beloved is cruel to the poet/lover in unpredictable ways.  He is totally lost and does not know what to do.  He asks his fate, if there is a scheme/plan he can use to deal with this.  Here ‘this’ can apply to the cruelty of the beloved or to the vicissitude. trials and tribulations of life.

1.pen-name of the poet 2.language

That which is called urdu, only I know, O, daaGh.  There is much fame and pomp of our language in hindostan.

The post hamaari zabaaN ki hai – daaGh dehlavi appeared first on UrduShahkar.

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

https://urdushahkar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/kgm-aaj-ki-raat-audio.mp3

Recitation

آج  کی  رات  ۔  کرشن  گوپال  مغمومؔ

۱

جس  طرح  صبح  بہاراں  کی  گلابی  کِرنیں

سہنِ  گلزار  میں  کُچھ  اور  نِکھر  جاتی  ہیں

جیسے  شبنم  کی  تراوش  سے  چمن  میں  کلیاں

پہلی  کرنوں  کے  تبسُّم  سے  سنور  جاتی  ہے

جیسے  اک  لمحے  کو  جنگل  میں  زرافشاں  کرنیں

گنگناتے  ہوئے  پانی  میں  اُتر  جاتی  ہیں

یوں  تیری  یاد  سے  ہے  نور  فشاں  آج  کی  رات

۲

گھنٹیاں  بجتی  ہوئی  جیسے  کِسی  مندِر  میں

دلِ  حق  کیش  میں  طوفان  اُٹھا  دیتی  ہیں

جیسے  ساون  کی  گھٹاؤں  سے  ٹپکتی  بوندیں

دلِ  مینوش  میں  اِک  دھوم  مچا  دیتی  ہیں

جس  طرح  کوئیلیں  طوفانِ  نواسنجی  سے

کِسی  مہجور  کو  تحریکِ  نوا  دیتی  ہیں

یوں  مرے  ساز  پہ  ہے  نغمہ  رواں  آج  کی  رات

۳

جیسے  لب  تشنہ  کسی  رِند  پہ  میخانے  میں

اِلتفاتِ  نگہِ  ساقیِ  مستانہ  ہو

دیکھ  کر  جیسے  کسی  بزم  میں  شمعِِ  روشن

سر  بکف  ذوقِ  فنا  میں  کوئی  پروانہ  ہو

جیسے  محبوب  کی  صرف  ایک  جھلک  کی  خاطر

پھاڑ  کر  اپنا  گریباں  کوئی  دیوانہ  ہو

یوں  تیرا  شوق  ہے  سرمست  و  جواں  آج  کی  رات

۴

یک  بیک  جیسے  لَق  و  دَق  کسی  ویرانے  میں

ذرّہ  ذرّہ  مہِ  کامل  سے  درخشاں  ہو  جائے

جس  طرح  کُلہِ  کہسار  کی  برفِ  شفّاف

صبح  کی  پہلی  شعاؤں  سے  گل  افشاں  ہو  جائے

جیسے  ہر  موجہِ  آبی  میں  ہو  بجلی  کی  لپک

جیسے  گنگا  کے  کناروں  پہ  چراغاں  ہو  جائے

یوں  شبستاں  ہے  مرا  رنگ  فشاں  آج  کی  رات

आज की रात – कृष्ण गोपाल मग़्मूम

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Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. krishn gopal baava maGhmum (1916-xxxx), aTak district (now in pakistan). His father was a scholar of urdu and faarsi and grandfather (tulsidas) was also an urdu shaa’er. Ill-treatment by his stepmother drove him to seclusion and reading. All the books at home including religious texts were in urdu. He read up all of them and learnt to write too. Interest in shaa’eri started from childhood. In college he was class fellow of jagan nath azad and through him became a disciple of tilok chand mahroom. Continued education incluing Public Service Commission exam. Worked for the government of panjab and later haryana, retiring in 1974. At least 10 collections of his shaa’eri including Ghazal, rubaaii and nazm. This nazm is linked to the collection ‘aaj ki raat‘ on the Refrain Index page. This is probably, like the others in the collection, a celebration of the night of an important mushaa’era to which the shaa’er was invited.

krishn gopal baava maGhmum (1916-xxxx), aTak district (now in pakistan).  His father was a scholar of urdu and faarsi and grandfather (tulsidas) was also an urdu shaa’er.  Ill-treatment by his stepmother drove him to seclusion and reading.  All the books at home including religious texts were in urdu.  He read up all of them and learnt to write too.  Interest in shaa’eri started from childhood.  In college he was class fellow of jagan nath azad and through him became a disciple of tilok chand mahroom.  Continued education incluing Public Service Commission exam.  Worked for the government of panjab and later haryana, retiring in 1974.  At least 10 collections of his shaa’eri including Ghazal, rubaaii and nazm.  This nazm is linked to the collection ‘aaj ki raat‘ on the Refrain Index page.  This is probably, like the others in the collection, a celebration of the night of an important mushaa’era to which the shaa’er was invited.

1.spring morning 2.light rays 3.courtyard of the garden 4.washed, freshened 5.dew 6.dripping 7.smile 8.embellished 9.moment 10.glittering, shining 11.light-spreading, radiant

We have to start with the last misra … yuN teri yaad se hai noor fashaaN aaj ki raat … the night is radiant with the beloved’s memory like this … how … like the golden rays of a spring morning freshening up even more in the garden courtyard; like buds washed with dew are embellished by the smile/sparkle of the first rays of sunlight; like for a fleeting moment, the sparkling rays of sunlight descend into the murmering waters of the jungle stream … that is how memories of the beloved make the night radiant.

1.seeker of truth/the divine spirit 2.spring 3.clouds 4.dripping 5.drops 6.wine-drinker 7.cuckoo 8.melodious singing 9.exiled, rejected 10.proposal, invitation, inspiration 11.voice, sound 12.musical instrument, music 13.flowing Ghazal

Again, we start with the last misra … yuN mere saaz pe hai naGhma-saraa aaj ki raat … the night is singing/reciting Ghazal to the tune set by the poet’s saaz like this … how … like a storm of devotion rising in the heart of the seeker of the divine spirit upon hearing temple bells; like a tumult rising in the heart of a wine-drinker upon feeling the first drops of spring clouds; like the melodious song of the cuckoo inspiring the migrant to sing of home … that is how the night is reciting/singing Ghazal to the music of the poet.

1.thirsty lips 2.wine-lover, reveler 3.tavern 4.kindness, courtesy 5.glance 6.cupbearer 7.intoxicating 8.gathering 9.candle, lamp 10.lit, shining 11.head in hand, ready to die 12.desire, passion 13.annihilation 14.moth 15.beloved 16.only 17.glimpse 18.for the sake of 19.collar, shirt-front 20.wish, desire 21.intoxicating 22.youthful, vigorous

Tonight the desire/longing for the beloved is intoxicating and vigorous like … the intoxicating glance of kindness of the saaqi towards the thirsty wine-lover; like the moth willing to die, circling its beloved candle-flame in a gathering; like a lover going mad and tearing his collar for a single glance of the beloved … that is how the desire/longing for the beloved is intoxicating and vigorous.

1.suddenly, all at once 2.barren desert 3.desolation 4.every particle grain (of sand) 5.full moon 6.brilliant, glittering 7.peak 8.mountain 9.clean, clear 10.rays (of light) 11.flower scattering, colourful 12.wave 13.watery 14.lightning 15.leap 16.illuminated 17.night-chamber 18.colour spreading

How does the poet’s seclusion chamber glow colourfully this night … as if in a desert every grain of sand suddenly begins to sparkle in the moonlight; like the pure snow on the mountain peak begins to reflect colours with the first rays of the morning; as if on the banks of the Ganges, lightning leaps in the rippling waves of water  … that is how the poet’s realm spreads colour tonight.

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