For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab. The “Introduction” tab offers a background of the whole series of posts that constitute a patchy reconstruction of the ramayan.
Recitation
The ramayan has fascinated minds in India and worldwide for millennia, for the beauty of its literary composition, for its fascinating story content as well as for faith and reverence. It is not surprising then that the Ramayan has been translated not only into all major languages, but also into unexpected ones like Polish, Norwegian and Swedish. What is surprising is that there are more than twice as many poetic translations/trans-compositions of the ramayan in urdu as there are of the qur’aan and that the ramayan was translated into urdu even before the qur’aan was.
A book “urdu meN hindu dharm” (Hindu Religion in Urdu), Ajai Malviya, written in Urdu, catalogues in detail urdu translations of the vedas (66), ramayan (103), mahabharat (38), bhagwad gita (83), puranas (44), manu smriti (4), biography of vashisht (14) and miscellaneous other religious compositions (472) spanning about 200 years of publications.
Why has this significant piece of literature been relegated to a neglected and ignored heap of disdain? This needs to be corrected. The sheer number and the high poetic and linguistic quality of this literature surprised me as I worked to string together representative parts of urdu nazm/poems of ramayan by different poets, like pearls strung in a necklace, into a near complete story.
A close reading of urdu ramayan translations offers some fascinating lessons about mingling of cultures in India, the origins and “ownership” of Urdu language, the power of the pen across languages and cultures and the universality of basic human emotions. One is struck deeply by the acceptance and seamless adoption of multiple religious traditions as indicated by the observation that many ramayan renderings (even some by hindu poets) start with “bismillah ir-rahman ir-rahim” and a “hamd” (an ode and/or expression of gratitude to god). Since god, like language, has no religion, these odes/hamd/vandana are entirely secular/universal.
It is highly contentious to say that urdu is a muslim language (as if a language has religion) or even to say that urdu is a language of muslims. There are large numbers of muslims (Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) who do not know/speak urdu. One of the important reasons that East Pakistan separated and declared baNgladesh was that it did not want urdu to be imposed on it in preference to its own language, beNgali.
Of the 100 or so translations/re-compositions of the ramayan in urdu more than 80 were written/composed by hindu writers/poets. In most, if not all cases the poets were orthodox, believing, practicing hindus. Why were they writing the ramayan in urdu? I speculate that there must have been a large section of literate hindu population who considered Urdu their primary language, not because of political favours but because it was naturally their language. Some of the poets who re-composed tulsidas’ ramcharitmanas suggest that because it was written in “bhaaka or bhaasha” and not easily available to everyone. Therefore, they translated/re-composed it in urdu, perhaps implying that this is more comprehensible than “bhaaka/bhaasha”. Apparently by the 1800s neither avadhi nor braj bhaasha were considered a common language. To show the role urdu played in devotional traditions of north Indian hindus, I paraphrase from a book by bishweshwar parshad munavvar, himself a poet and son of dwaarka parshad ufaq (another poet of renown, who composed a full urdu ramayan). He writes that, because of the effort of munshi jagannath Khushtar (1809-1864) and munshi shankar dayal farhat (1843-1904) in translating hindu religious texts into urdu, the teachings of the ramayan saved the hindu religion from further decline. Before we run away with the image of an alien force coming down to “save” hinduism, it might be useful put this quote in perspective. We have to make an effort to understand that what he might have meant is that there was a substantial community of hindus to whom religious texts were not comprehensible because they were written either in sanskrit or avadhi while their primary language of learning was urdu. Thus, these translations made religious texts available to them.
Surely these poets, most of whom were believing and observant hindus must have had an audience/readership of similarly devout believers, who revered the composition itself and must have had the linguistic finesse to enjoy its literary excellence. It draws a picture of a large section of literate hindu population who considered urdu their primary language, not because of political favours but because it was naturally their language. We do not have any data taken by ‘pollsters’ to show that this was the case. But we can make some speculative estimates by numbers of publications and the content of those publications. I am unable to compile a scholarly accounting of such magazines and the numerous contributions of urdu writers. Suffice it to present to you names of some daily, weekly or monthly publications, “sanaatan dharm pracharak”, “tej”, “aarya veer”, “veer India”, “arya Gazette”, “bande maataram”, “jain sansaar”, “sher-e hind”, “raajput Gazette” and even “agarwal hiteshi” that were published in urdu, some as late as the 1940s. All had editors and contributors who were hindu (at least by name).
The compositions and publications of urdu ramayan cover roughly 1825-1980. These poets also wrote secular/romantic Ghazal, nazm as well as other devotional pieces to krishn, lakshmi and many others. The question needs to be asked, but remains unanswered because of lack of documentary evidence, whether these poets, steeped in urdu poetic culture, also recited parts of the ramayan in the mushaa’era that they participated in. What was the composition of the audience? They also composed bhajans in urdu. Were these bhajans sung in religious gatherings. We know that bhajans composed by syed ibrahim ras Khan (1548-1628) in braj bhaasha, proto-urdu, are sung to this day in prayer meetings. There is every reason to believe that urdu compositions of ramayan were also recited, heard and enjoyed in public gatherings whether they may be called mushaa’era or not.
Well over twenty samples from urdu ramayan composed by different poets over nearly two centuries have been selected in story sequence and strung together like the beads of a tasbiih/jap-mala. This study of the urdu ramayan shows the versatility, beauty and power of urdu, its ownership by a wide range of communities of India, and the easy and seamless acceptance, adoption and cross pollination of one another’s traditions by all faith systems. Alas, somewhere along the way, we have lost this unique syncretic tradition. It is my fervent hope that such studies will contribute a little to its revival.
اُرمِلا ۔ ترِی پُراری کمار شرما
۱
یہ راماین
جو ہندستان کی رگ رگ میں شامل ہے
جسے اِک بالمیکی نام کے شاعر نے لکھا تھا
بہت ہی خوب صورت ایک اِپِک ہے
فسانہ در فسانہ بات کوئی منجمد ہے
اموشن قید ہیں لاکھوں طرح کے
کئی کردار ہیں جو صاحب کردار لگتے ہیں
۲
مگر اک بات ہے
جو مُدّتوں سے مجھ کو کَھلتی ہے
کہ افسانے میں
سب کے درد و غم کا ذکر ملتا ہے
۳
مگر وہ ایک لڑکی
پھول سے بھی سو گنا نازک
جو سیتا کی بہن تھی
اور جس کی مانگ میں سندور بھرتے وقت ہی
شری رام کے بھائی لکھن نے
آگ کی موجودگی میں یہ کہا تھا
۴
میں تم سے زندگی بھر عشق فرمایا کروں گا
اور سائے کی طرح ہی ساتھ میں ہر دم رہوں گا
جو لڑکی ایک پل میں
سات جنموں کے لیے بیوی لکھن کی ہو گئی تھی
۵
وہی لڑکی
جسے سب اُرمِلا کہہ کر بلاتے تھے
جو اپنے باپ کے سینے سے لگ کر وقت رخصت خوب روئی
اس کے اشکوں سے
فسانے کا کوئی حصہ کہیں بھیگا نہیں ہے
اور اس کے درد کی کوئی نشانی تک نہیں ملتی
۶
مگر سچ ہے
کہ راماین میں ویسا غم زدہ کردار کوئی بھی نہیں ملتا
میں اس کردار سے خاصا متأثر ہوں
کہ جب چودہ برس کے واسطے شری رام کو بن واس جانا تھا
آمادہ تھے لکھن بھی بھائی کی سیوا میں جانے کو
۷
ذرا سا بھی نہیں سوچا
کہ جس لڑکی سے پوری زندگی کا ربط جوڑا ہے
کہ جس نے خوب صورت نین میں کچھ خواب بوئے ہیں
اسے کس کے سہارے چھوڑ کر وہ جا رہے ہیں
۸
مگر وہ اُرمِلا کو چھوڑ کر بھائی کے پیچھے چل پڑے
کوئی تڑپتی آرزو سی
اُرمِلا کے ہونٹھ سے گر کر
کئی ٹکڑوں میں نیچے فرش پر بکھری ہوئی تھی
زور سے آواز ننھی پھڑپھڑائی
۹
اور زخمی ہو گیا تھا پیار کا وہ ایک دامن
جو کبھی پھولوں کی خوشبو میں بھگویا تھا
محض کانٹے ہی کانٹے ہر طرف تھے
اک عمارت بننے سے پہلے ہی ٹوٹی تھی
تو یعنی ارملا چودہ برس تک
خلوتوں کے موسموں سے روز لڑتی تھی
سہیلی ساتھ تھی
۱۰
لیکن سبھی خوشیوں کو وہ اِگنور کرتی تھی
تمنائیں اگر بادل کی طرح گھرنے لگتی تھیں
تمناؤں کی بارش میں نہانے سے وہ بچتی تھی
چرا لیتی تھی وہ آنکھیں
۱۱
اگر غلطی سے کوئی آئینہ تعریف کر دیتا
ہوائیں جسم میں اس کے اگر سہرن جگا دیتیں
تو خود کو اپنی ہی بانہوں میں بھر کر
خود سے یہ کہتی
۱۲
لکھن آئیں گے جلدی مان بھی جاؤ بہارو
اور سو جاؤ ستارو تم
کہ مجھ کو رات دن جگنے کی عادت ہو گئی ہے
اور محبت کے لیے یہ عمر کی دولت پڑی ہے
مگر جب خواہشوں کے باندھ اکثر ٹوٹتے ہوں گے
۱۳
تو پھر سیلاب میں
کیا کیا نہ بہہ کر کھو گیا ہوگا
ہزاروں ادھ کھلے ارمان بھی مرجھا گئے ہوں گے
۱۴
تبسم نے
کسی پل ڈس لیا ہوگا لبوں کو گر
تو سارا زہر موقع دیکھ کر
اس کے بدن میں رقص کرتا پھر رہا ہوگا
کبھی کوئل کی کالی کوک گر کانوں میں پہنچی ہو
تو شریانوں میں بہتا خون سارا جم گیا ہوگا
۱۵
پرائے مرد کا کوئی تصور چھونے سے پہلے
وہ لڑکی ڈر گئی ہوگی
اچانک مر گئی ہوگی
उर्मिला – त्रिपुरारी कुमार शर्मा
१
ये रामायन
जो हिंदुस्तान की रग रग में शामिल है
जिसे एक बाल्मीकि नाम के शा’एर ने लिक्खा था
बहुत ही ख़ूबसूरत एक एपिक है
फ़साना-दर-फ़साना बात कोई मुंजमिद है
इमोशन क़ैद हैं लाखों तरह के
कई किरदार हैं जो साहब-ए-किरदार लगते हैं
२
मगर एक बात है
जो मुद्दतों से मुझ को खलती है
कि अफ़्साने में
सब के दर्द-ओ-ग़म का ज़िक्र मिलता है
३
मगर वो एक लड़की
फूल से भी सौ गुना नाज़ुक
जो सीता की बहन थी
और जिस की माँग में सिंदूर भरते वक़्त ही
श्री राम के भाई लखन ने
आग की मौजूदगी में ये कहा था
४
मैं तुम से ज़िंदगी-भर इश्क़ फ़रमाया करूँगा
और साए की तरह ही साथ में हर-दम रहूँगा
जो लड़की एक पल में
सात जन्मों के लिए बीवी लखन की हो गई थी
५
वही लड़की
जिसे सब उर्मिला कह कर बुलाते थे
जो अपने बाप के सीने से लग कर वक़्त-ए-रुख़्सत ख़ूब रोई
उस के अश्कों से
फ़साने का कोई हिस्सा कहीं भीगा नहीं है
और उस के दर्द की कोई निशानी तक नहीं मिलती
६
मगर सच है
के रामायन में वैसा ग़म-ज़दा किरदार कोई भी नहीं मिलता
मैं उस किरदार से ख़ासा मुतअस्सिर हूँ
के जब चौदह बरस के वास्ते श्री-राम को बन-वास जाना था
आमादा थे लखन भी भाई की सेवा में जाने को
७
ज़रा सा भी नहीं सोचा
कि जिस लड़की से पूरी ज़िंदगी का रब्त जोड़ा है
कि जिस ने ख़ूबसूरत नैन में कुछ ख़्वाब बोए हैं
उसे किस के सहारे छोड़ कर वो जा रहे हैं
८
मगर वो उर्मिला को छोड़ कर भाई के पीछे चल पड़े
कोई तड़पती आरज़ू सी
उर्मिला के होंठ से गिर कर
कई टुकड़ों में नीचे फ़र्श पर बिखरी हुई थी
ज़ोर से आवाज़ नन्ही फड़फड़ाई
९
और ज़ख़्मी हो गया था प्यार का वो एक दामन
जो कभी फूलों की ख़ुश्बू में भिगोया था
महज़ काँटे ही काँटे हर तरफ़ थे
इक इमारत बनने से पहले ही टूटी थी
तो या’नी उर्मिला चौदह बरस तक
ख़ल्वतों के मौसमों से रोज़ लड़ती थी
सहेली साथ थी
१०
लेकिन सभी ख़ुशियों को वो इग्नोर करती थी
तमन्नाएँ अगर बादल की तरह घिरने लगती थीं
तमन्नाओं की बारिश में नहाने से वो बचती थी
चुरा लेती थी वो आँखें
११
अगर ग़लती से कोई आइना तारीफ़ कर देता
हवाएँ जिस्म में उस के अगर सिहरन जगा देतीं
तो ख़ुद को अपनी ही बाँहों में भर कर
ख़ुद से ये कहती
१२
लखन आएँगे जल्दी मान भी जाओ बहारो
और सो जाओ सितारो तुम
के मुझ को रात दिन जगने की आदत हो गई है
और मोहब्बत के लिए ये उम्र की दौलत पड़ी है
मगर जब ख़्वाहिशों के बाँध अक्सर टूटते होंगे
१३
तो फिर सैलाब में
क्या क्या न बह कर खो गया होगा
हज़ारों अध-खिले अरमान भी मुरझा गए होंगे
१४
तबस्सुम ने
किसी पल डस लिया होगा लबों को गर
तो सारा ज़हर मौक़ा देख कर
उस के बदन में रक़्स करता फिर रहा होगा
कभी कोयल की काली कूक गर कानों में पहुँची हो
तो शिरयानों में बहता ख़ून सारा जम गया होगा
१५
पराए मर्द का कोई तसव्वुर छूने से पहले
वो लड़की डर गई होगी
अचानक मर गई होगी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. tripurari kumar sharma (1986-living) studied hindi and urdu literature at university of dehli and holds a master’s degree in mass communication. He writes lyrics and scripts for films/tv. He turns his eye towards a completely neglected corner of the ramayan story. urmila is a half-sister of sita and married to lakshman.
1
ye ramayan
jo hindustan ki rag rag meN shaamil1 hai
jise ek baalmiki naam ke shaa’er ne likkha tha
bahut hi Khoobsurat ek epic hai
fasaana-dar-fasaana2 baat koi munjamid3 hai
emotion qaid haiN laakhoN tarah ke
ka’ii kirdaar4 haiN jo saahab-e-kirdaar5 lagte haiN 1.included 2.fable within fable 3.frozen, carved 4.characters 5.character bearing, good, reputable, exemplary
This ramayan, that flows through the throbbing veins of hindustan, that was written by a poet named valmiki, is a beautiful epic. It has fable embedded in fable with thousands of emotions etched into them and many characters that can be considered exemplary.
2
magar ek baat hai
jo muddatoN1 se mujh ko khalti2 hai
ke afsaane3 meN
sab ke dard-o-Gham ka zikr4 milta hai 1.long time 2.bothers 3.fable, story 4.mention, description
But one thing has bothered me for long, that in this story, the pain and suffering of everyone is mentioned ….
3
magar vo ek laRki
phuul se bhi sau-guna1 naazuk2
jo sita ki bahan thi
aur jis ki maaNg meN sindoor bharte vaqt hi
shri raam ke bhaai lakhan ne
aag ki maujoodagi3 meN ye kaha tha 1.hundred times 2.delicate 3.presence
… but of that one girl, a hundred times more delicate than a flower, who was the sister of sita. When applying sindoor in the parting of her hair (a ceremonial gesture of wedding/marriage) raam’s brother lakshman had promised in the presence of (holy) fire …
4
maiN tum se zindagi-bhar ishq farmaaya karooNga
aur saaye ki tarah hi saath meN har-dam rahooNga
jo laRki ek pal meN
saat janmoN ke liye biivi lakhan ki ho gaii thi … that I will love you all my life and will be with you at all times like your shadow. That girl, immediately became lakshman’s wife for seven births.
5
vahi laRki
jise sab urmila kah kar bulaate the
jo apne baap ke siine se lag kar vaqt-e ruKhsat1 Khoob roi
us ke ashkoN2 se
fasaane3 ka koi hissa kahiN bhiga nahiN hai
aur us ke dard ki koi nishaani4 tak nahiN milti 1.farewell 2.tears 3.fable 4.mark, trace
… that same girl, who everyone calls urmila, who when bidding farewell to her home, had hugged her father and broken down into profuse tears. No page of the story is dampened with her tears. There is no trace of her pain anywhere in it.
6
magar such hai
ke ramayan meN vaisa Gham-zada1 kirdaar2 koi bhi nahiN milta
maiN us kirdaar se Khaasa3 mutaassir4 huN
ke jab chaudah baras ke vaaste shri-raam ko ban-vaas jaana tha
aamaada5 the lakhan bhi bhaaii ki sevaa6 meN jaane ko 1.grief stricken 2.character 3.especially 4.impressed 5.agree 6.service
But this is true, that in the ramayan there cannot be found any character more grief-stricken than her. I am especially impressed by that character. When raam was banished to the jungle for fourteen years, his brother lakshman was inclined/happy to go with him to serve him …
7
zara sa bhi nahiN socha
ke jis laRki se puuri zindagi ka rabt1 joRa hai
ke jis ne Khoobsoorat nain2 meN kuchh Khvaab bo’ye haiN
use kis ke sahaare chhoR kar vo jaa rahe haiN 1.association, relationship 2.eyes
… did not even think, of the girl with whom he had promised a life-long relationship, who in her beautiful eyes had many budding dreams, in whose care was he leaving her …
8
magar vo urmila ko chhoR kar bhaaii ke pichhe chal paRe
koi taRapti aarzu1 si
urmila ke hoNT se gir kar
kaii TukRoN meN niche farsh2 par bikhri hui thi
zor se aavaaz nanhi phaRphaRaaii 1.desire 2.floor
… but leaving urmila he went after his brother. Some restless desire, fell from urmila’s lips on the floor and shattered into many pieces. That soft sound, reverberated in pain.
9
aur zaKhmi ho gaya tha pyaar ka vo ek daaman1
jo kabhi phooloN ki Khushboo meN bhigoya tha
mahaz2 kaaNTe hi kaaNTe har taraf the
ek imaarat3 banNe se pahle hi TuuTi thi
to y’aani urmila chaudah baras tak
KhalvatoN4 ke mausamoN se roz laRti thi
saheli saath thi 1.hem of the robe, gathering/collecting sack 2.only 3.building, home 4.seclusion, loneliness
… and that hem of love which was once drenched in the fragrance of flowers she had gathered, was wounded/torn. Only prickly thorns were left in it. Her home/dreams were destroyed even before they were built. So urmila, for fourteen years, was fighting loneliness every day. Her maid was with her, but …
10
laikin sabhi KhushiyoN ko vo ignore karti thi
tamannaaeN1 agar baadal ki tarah ghirne lagti thiiN
tamannaaoN ki baarish meN nahaane se vo bachti thi
churaa leti thi vo aaNkheN 1.desires, longings
… she ignored all joys/pleasures. When her desires gathered like storm clouds and rained down, she avoided that rain and looked away.
11
agar Ghalati se koi aaina taarif1 kar deta
havaa’eN jism meN us ke agar siharan2 jagaa detiN
to Khud ko apni hi baaNhoN3 meN bhar kar
Khud se ye kahti 1.praise 2.shivering 3.arms
… and if by chance some mirror praised her beauty and the winds woke up shivering/anticipation/longing in her, she gathered herself in her arms and said to herself …
12
lakhan aayeNge jaldi maan bhi jaao bahaaro
aur so jaao sitaaro tum
ke mujh ko raat din jagne ki aadat1 ho gaii hai
aur mohabbat ke liye ye umr ki daulat paRi hai
magar jab KhvaahishoN ke baaNdh2 aksar3 TooTte hoNge 1.habit, used to 2.dams 3.often, whenever
… lakshman will come back soon, O spring, spare me and stars you go to sleep. I have gotten used to staying awake day and night and I have a whole life left for love. But whenever the dam of desire would break …
13
to phir sailaab1 meN
kya kya na bah kar kho gaya hoga
hazaaroN adh-khile2 armaan3 bhi murjhaa4 gaye hoNge 1.flood 2.half bloomed 3.desires 4.wilted
… then in the flood, what all must have been washed away and lost. Thousands of half-bloomed desires must have wilted.
14
tabassum1 ne
kisi pal Das2 liya hoga laboN ko gar
to saara zahar mauqa3 dekh kar
us ke badan4 meN raqs karta phir raha hoga
kabhi koyal ki kaali kuuk gar kaanoN meN pahuNchi ho
to shiryaanoN5 meN bahta Khuun saara jam gaya hoga 1.smile 2.stung 3.opportunity 4.body 5.veins
… and if even for a moment, a stray smile would sting her lips, then all that poison, getting an opportunity, must have spread dancing through her body. Whenever the dark/mournful koo koo of the koyal reached her ears, then the blood flowing through her veins must have congealed.
15
paraaye mard ka koi tasavvur1 chhoone se pahle
vo laRki Dar gaii hogi
achaanak mar gaii hogi 1.thought, imagination
Before any thought of another man would ever touch her, that girl must have been petrified. She must have suddenly lost her life.
tripurari kumar sharma (1986-living) studied hindi and urdu literature at university of dehli and holds a master’s degree in mass communication. He writes lyrics and scripts for films/tv. He turns his eye towards a completely neglected corner of the ramayan story. urmila is a half-sister of sita and married to lakshman.
1
ye ramayan
jo hindustan ki rag rag meN shaamil1 hai
jise ek baalmiki naam ke shaa’er ne likkha tha
bahut hi Khoobsurat ek epic hai
fasaana-dar-fasaana2 baat koi munjamid3 hai
emotion qaid haiN laakhoN tarah ke
ka’ii kirdaar4 haiN jo saahab-e-kirdaar5 lagte haiN
1.included 2.fable within fable 3.frozen, carved 4.characters 5.character bearing, good, reputable, exemplary
This ramayan, that flows through the throbbing veins of hindustan, that was written by a poet named valmiki, is a beautiful epic. It has fable embedded in fable with thousands of emotions etched into them and many characters that can be considered exemplary.
2
magar ek baat hai
jo muddatoN1 se mujh ko khalti2 hai
ke afsaane3 meN
sab ke dard-o-Gham ka zikr4 milta hai
1.long time 2.bothers 3.fable, story 4.mention, description
But one thing has bothered me for long, that in this story, the pain and suffering of everyone is mentioned ….
3
magar vo ek laRki
phuul se bhi sau-guna1 naazuk2
jo sita ki bahan thi
aur jis ki maaNg meN sindoor bharte vaqt hi
shri raam ke bhaai lakhan ne
aag ki maujoodagi3 meN ye kaha tha
1.hundred times 2.delicate 3.presence
… but of that one girl, a hundred times more delicate than a flower, who was the sister of sita. When applying sindoor in the parting of her hair (a ceremonial gesture of wedding/marriage) raam’s brother lakshman had promised in the presence of (holy) fire …
4
maiN tum se zindagi-bhar ishq farmaaya karooNga
aur saaye ki tarah hi saath meN har-dam rahooNga
jo laRki ek pal meN
saat janmoN ke liye biivi lakhan ki ho gaii thi
… that I will love you all my life and will be with you at all times like your shadow. That girl, immediately became lakshman’s wife for seven births.
5
vahi laRki
jise sab urmila kah kar bulaate the
jo apne baap ke siine se lag kar vaqt-e ruKhsat1 Khoob roi
us ke ashkoN2 se
fasaane3 ka koi hissa kahiN bhiga nahiN hai
aur us ke dard ki koi nishaani4 tak nahiN milti
1.farewell 2.tears 3.fable 4.mark, trace
… that same girl, who everyone calls urmila, who when bidding farewell to her home, had hugged her father and broken down into profuse tears. No page of the story is dampened with her tears. There is no trace of her pain anywhere in it.
6
magar such hai
ke ramayan meN vaisa Gham-zada1 kirdaar2 koi bhi nahiN milta
maiN us kirdaar se Khaasa3 mutaassir4 huN
ke jab chaudah baras ke vaaste shri-raam ko ban-vaas jaana tha
aamaada5 the lakhan bhi bhaaii ki sevaa6 meN jaane ko
1.grief stricken 2.character 3.especially 4.impressed 5.agree 6.service
But this is true, that in the ramayan there cannot be found any character more grief-stricken than her. I am especially impressed by that character. When raam was banished to the jungle for fourteen years, his brother lakshman was inclined/happy to go with him to serve him …
7
zara sa bhi nahiN socha
ke jis laRki se puuri zindagi ka rabt1 joRa hai
ke jis ne Khoobsoorat nain2 meN kuchh Khvaab bo’ye haiN
use kis ke sahaare chhoR kar vo jaa rahe haiN
1.association, relationship 2.eyes
… did not even think, of the girl with whom he had promised a life-long relationship, who in her beautiful eyes had many budding dreams, in whose care was he leaving her …
8
magar vo urmila ko chhoR kar bhaaii ke pichhe chal paRe
koi taRapti aarzu1 si
urmila ke hoNT se gir kar
kaii TukRoN meN niche farsh2 par bikhri hui thi
zor se aavaaz nanhi phaRphaRaaii
1.desire 2.floor
… but leaving urmila he went after his brother. Some restless desire, fell from urmila’s lips on the floor and shattered into many pieces. That soft sound, reverberated in pain.
9
aur zaKhmi ho gaya tha pyaar ka vo ek daaman1
jo kabhi phooloN ki Khushboo meN bhigoya tha
mahaz2 kaaNTe hi kaaNTe har taraf the
ek imaarat3 banNe se pahle hi TuuTi thi
to y’aani urmila chaudah baras tak
KhalvatoN4 ke mausamoN se roz laRti thi
saheli saath thi
1.hem of the robe, gathering/collecting sack 2.only 3.building, home 4.seclusion, loneliness
… and that hem of love which was once drenched in the fragrance of flowers she had gathered, was wounded/torn. Only prickly thorns were left in it. Her home/dreams were destroyed even before they were built. So urmila, for fourteen years, was fighting loneliness every day. Her maid was with her, but …
10
laikin sabhi KhushiyoN ko vo ignore karti thi
tamannaaeN1 agar baadal ki tarah ghirne lagti thiiN
tamannaaoN ki baarish meN nahaane se vo bachti thi
churaa leti thi vo aaNkheN
1.desires, longings
… she ignored all joys/pleasures. When her desires gathered like storm clouds and rained down, she avoided that rain and looked away.
11
agar Ghalati se koi aaina taarif1 kar deta
havaa’eN jism meN us ke agar siharan2 jagaa detiN
to Khud ko apni hi baaNhoN3 meN bhar kar
Khud se ye kahti
1.praise 2.shivering 3.arms
… and if by chance some mirror praised her beauty and the winds woke up shivering/anticipation/longing in her, she gathered herself in her arms and said to herself …
12
lakhan aayeNge jaldi maan bhi jaao bahaaro
aur so jaao sitaaro tum
ke mujh ko raat din jagne ki aadat1 ho gaii hai
aur mohabbat ke liye ye umr ki daulat paRi hai
magar jab KhvaahishoN ke baaNdh2 aksar3 TooTte hoNge
1.habit, used to 2.dams 3.often, whenever
… lakshman will come back soon, O spring, spare me and stars you go to sleep. I have gotten used to staying awake day and night and I have a whole life left for love. But whenever the dam of desire would break …
13
to phir sailaab1 meN
kya kya na bah kar kho gaya hoga
hazaaroN adh-khile2 armaan3 bhi murjhaa4 gaye hoNge
1.flood 2.half bloomed 3.desires 4.wilted
… then in the flood, what all must have been washed away and lost. Thousands of half-bloomed desires must have wilted.
14
tabassum1 ne
kisi pal Das2 liya hoga laboN ko gar
to saara zahar mauqa3 dekh kar
us ke badan4 meN raqs karta phir raha hoga
kabhi koyal ki kaali kuuk gar kaanoN meN pahuNchi ho
to shiryaanoN5 meN bahta Khuun saara jam gaya hoga
1.smile 2.stung 3.opportunity 4.body 5.veins
… and if even for a moment, a stray smile would sting her lips, then all that poison, getting an opportunity, must have spread dancing through her body. Whenever the dark/mournful koo koo of the koyal reached her ears, then the blood flowing through her veins must have congealed.
15
paraaye mard ka koi tasavvur1 chhoone se pahle
vo laRki Dar gaii hogi
achaanak mar gaii hogi
1.thought, imagination
Before any thought of another man would ever touch her, that girl must have been petrified. She must have suddenly lost her life.
