visaal-e yaar aameKhta-Ghalib-daaGh

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

وِصالِ یار آمیختہ ۔ غالبؔ داغؔ

۱

یہ نہ تھی ہماری قِسمت کہ وِصالِ یار ہوتا

اگر اور جیتے رہتے یہی اِنتِظار ہوتا

 

عجب اپنا حال ہوتا جو وِصالِ یار ہوتا

کبھی جان صدقے ہوتی کبھی دل نثار ہوتا

۲

کوئی میرے دل سے پوچھے ترے تیرِ نیم کش کو

یہ خلِش کہاں سے ہوتی جو جِگر کے پار ہوتا

 

یہ مزہ تھا دل لگی کا کہ برابر آگ لگتی

نہ تجھے قرار ہوتا نہ مجھے قرار ہوتا

۳

ہوئے مر کے ہم جو رُسوا ہوئے کیوں نہ غرقِ دریا

نہ کبھی جنازہ اُٹھتا نہ کہیں مزار ہوتا

 

کوئی فِتنہ تا قیامت نہ پھر آشکار ہوتا

ترے دل پہ کاش ظالم مجھے اِختیار ہوتا

 

(بہتر جوڑ یہ ہے)

 

مجھے مانتے سب ایسا کہ عدو بھی سجدے کرتے

درِ یار کعبہ بنتا جو مرا مزار ہوتا

۴

یہ کہاں کی دوستی ہے کہ بنے ہیں دوست ناصح

کوئی چارہ ساز ہوتا کوئی غم گُسار ہوتا

 

نہ مزا ہے دُشمنی میں نہ ہے لُطف دوستی میں

کوئی غیر غیر ہوتا کوئی یار یار ہوتا

۵

ترے وعدے پر جیے ہم تو یہ جان جُھوٹ جانا

کہ خوشی سے مر نہ جاتے اگر اِعتبار ہوتا

 

ترے وعدے پر ستمگر ابھی اور صبر کرتے

اگر اپنی زندگی کا ہمیں اعتبار ہوتا

۶

کہوں کِس سے میں کہ کیا ہے شبِ غم بری بلا ہے

مُجھے کیا بُرا تھا مرنا اگر ایک بار ہوتا

 

(یہ جوڑ کا شعر ہو سکتا ہے)

 

یہ وہ دردِ دل نہیں ہے کہ ہو چارہ ساز کوئی

اگر ایک بار مِٹتا تو ہزار بار ہوتا

۷

(اس جوڑ کا بھی امکان ہے)

 

تری نازُکی سے جانا کہ بندھا تھا عہد بودا

کبھی تو نہ توڑ سکتا اگر اُستوار ہوتا

 

جو تمہاری طرح تم سے کوئی جھوٹے وعدے کرتا

تمہیں مُنصفی سے کہہ دو تمہیں اِعتبار ہوتا

विसाल-ए-यार आमेख़्ता – ग़ालिब दाग़

ये न थी हमारी क़िस्मत के विसाल-ए-यार होता

अगर और जीते रहते यही इंतज़ार होता

 

अजब अपना हाल होता जो विसाल-ए-यार होता

कभी जान सदक़े होती कभी दिल निसार होता

कोई मेरे दिल से पूछे तेरे तीर-ए-नीम-कश को

ये ख़लिश कहाँ से होती जो जिगर के पार होता

 

ये मज़ा था दिल-लगी का के बराबर आग लगती

न तुझे क़रार होता न मुझे क़रार होता

हुए मर के हम जो रुस्वा हुए क्यूँ न ग़र्क़-ए-दरिया

न कभी जनाज़ा उठता न कहीं मज़ार होता

 

कोई फ़ित्ना ता-क़यामत न फिर आश्कार होता

तेरे दिल पे काश ज़ालिम मुझे इख़्तियार होता

 

(बेहतर जोढ)

मुझे मानते सब ऐसा के अदू भी सज्दे करते

दर-ए-यार काबा बनता जो मेरा मज़ार होता

ये कहाँ की दोस्ती है के बने हैं दोस्त नासेह

कोई चारासाज़ होता कोई ग़म-गुसार होता

 

न मज़ा है दुश्मनी में न है लुत्फ़ दोस्ती में

कोई ग़ैर ग़ैर होता कोई यार यार होता

तेरे वा’दे पर जिये हम तो ये जान झूट जाना

के ख़ुशी से मर न जाते अगर ए’तबार होता

 

तेरे वादे पर सितमगर अभी और सब्र करते

अगर अपनी ज़िंदगी का हमें ए’तबार होता

कहूँ किस से मैं के क्या है शब-ए-ग़म बुरी बला है

मुझे क्या बुरा था मरना अगर एक बार होता

 

(ये जोढ का शे’र हो सकता है)

ये वो दर्द-ए-दिल नहीं है के हो चारासाज़ कोई

अगर एक बार मिटता तो हज़ार बार होता

(इस जोढ का भी इमकान है)

तेरी नाज़ुकी से जाना के बँधा था अहद बोदा

कभी तू न तोड़ सकता अगर उस्तुवार होता

 

जो तुम्हारी तरह तुम से कोई झूटे वादे करता

तुम्हीं मुंसिफ़ी से कह दो तुम्हें ए’तबार होता

 

Click here for background on Ghalib and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. ash’aar from this Ghazal have been used frequently by many shu’ara (especially see jagannaath aazad and daaGh dehlavi) who have composed tributes to Ghalib. daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905), grandson of bahadur shah zafar. After 1857, he had to move to rampur and later to hyderabad, where he died. His Ghazal are more earthy and romantic than sufiyaana or philosophical. He was a disciple of zauq, whose rivalry with/jealousy of Ghalib is well known. But daaGh had good relations with Ghalib.
1
ye na thi hamaari qismat ki visaal1-e yaar2 hota
agar aur jiite rahte yahi intezaar3 hota  
1.union, meeting 2.beloved 3.waiting, anticipation, restlessness
Union with the beloved was not in my fate. Had I lived longer (the poet is writing this about himself after his death!), the waiting would have been just as intense and/or just as long.

 

ajab1 apna haal2 hota jo visaal3-e yaar4 hota
kabhi jaan sadqe5 hoti kabhi dil nisaar6 hota    
1.strange, unusual 2.condition 3.union (with the beloved) 4.beloved 5.sacrificial offering 6.offering
If I were to ever achieve union with the beloved (highly unexpected) then my condition would become very strange. Sometimes I would be presenting my life/soul and at others my heart as sacrificial offerings.

2
koi mere dil se puchhe tere tiir1-e niim-kash2 ko
ye Khalish3 kahaaN se hoti jo jigar ke paar hota    
1.arrow 2.half-drawn 3.burning/pricking pain, anticipation, restlessness
The beloved’s glances are like arrows. A half-drawn arrow is a side-long glance, not a direct stare. Because it was a half drawn arrow it did not pass all the way through his heart and is therefore all the more painful, and does not kill him right away. He remains alive and restless.

ye maza tha dil-lagi1 ka ke baraabar aag lagti
na tujhe qaraar2 hota na mujhe qaraar hota    
1.dil lagaana, love 2.peace, contentment
The real pleasure of love would have been if both hearts were on fire (just now, only the poet/lover’s heart is on fire). If both had been equally in love then neither would be contented, both would be restless.

3
hue mar ke ham jo rusva1 hue kyuN na Gharq2-e dariya3
na kabhi janaaza4 uThtaa na kahiN mazaar5 hota    
1.disgraced, dishonoured 2.drowned, immersed 3.sea 4.funeral bier 5.grave, tomb
The reason why the poet/lover has come to disrepute after death is not specifically stated. It is likely that the reason of his death has become known i.e. the name of the beloved has become known and maligned. His regret … oh, why did I not drown. If I had been, then there would not have been a funeral bier and no tomb, people would not have been reminded of my death and the miligning of the beloved’s name.

koi fitna1 ta-qayaamat2 na phir aashkar3 hota
tere dil pe kaash4 zaalim5 mujhe eKhtiyaar6 hota    
1.mischief 2.until doomsday 3.manifest, appear 4.I strongly wish 5.tyrant – used here to mean beloved 6.control
The beloved is known to make much mischief by repeatedly breaking promises or making alliances with rivals. I wish I had control over the heart of this tyrant/beloved. If I did there would no mischief making an appearance until doomsday i.e. never.

(Better Match)

mujhe maante1 sab aisa ke adu2 bhi sajde3 karte
dar4-e yaar5 k’aaba banta jo mera mazaar6 hota    
1.agree (about my greatness) 2.enemy, rival 3.prostrate, bow down 4.door 5.beloved 6.grave, tomb
The poet/lover imagines dying and being buried at the door of the beloved. Then, his tomb would be like the k’aaba where rivals would come for pilgrimage and bow down in homage. Even they would agree that he was a great lover.

4
ye kahaaN ki dosti hai ke bane haiN dost naaseh1
koi chaarasaaz2 hota koi Gham-gusaar3 hota    
1.moralizer, advisor 2.healer, helper 3.sympathizer
What kind of friendship is this that friends have become moralizers (is it that they are telling him to give up wine, or are they advising him to write simpler verse). Equally, it could mean moralizers have become friends. In either case, they are giving him unwanted advice. How much better would it have been if they had been helpers and sympathizers instead.

na maza hai dushmani meN na hai lutf1 dosti meN
koi Ghair2 Ghair hota koi yaar3 yaar hota   
1.pleasure 2.rival 3.friend, beloved
The standards of rivals have fallen as have those of the beloved. So there is no longer the same pleasure of rivalry or of pining for love.

5
tere v’aade1 par jiye ham to ye jaan jhuuT jaana
ke Khushi se mar na jaate agar e’tebaar2 hota    
1.promise 2.trust
The poet/lover has been so despondent at not being able to be with the beloved that everyone thought he would die. But he did not. So, they think that he lives because she has promised union with him. The beloved also thinks so. The poet/lover cautions her. Do not for a moment believe that I live because of your promise. Would I not have died (of joy) had I trusted/believed you. Thus, the fact that I am alive shows that you are untrustworthy.

tere v’aade1 par sitamgar2 abhi aur sabr3 karte
agar apni zindagi ka hameN e’tebaar4 hota    
1.promises 2.tyrant, cruel 3.patience 4.trust
The tyrannical beloved is known to make false promises. The poet/lover has to wait patiently hoping that the promise will be fulfilled one day. He does not believe that he will live long enough. If he did, he would keep on living patiently.

6
kahuN kis se maiN ke kya hai shab-e-Gham1 buri balaa2 hai
mujhe kya bura tha marna agar ek baar hota    
1.night of pain (of separation) 2.affliction, calamity
How can I describe to anyone else (they will have to feel it for themselves), the pain of the night of separation is a bad affliction. How bad would death have been, if it had been occurred only once. Thus the poet/lover experiences the pain of death all night long every night instead of the conventional death which can happen only once.

(Possible Match)

ye vo dard-e dil nahiN hai ke ho charasaaz1 koi
agar ek baar miTta2 to hazaar baar hota    
1.healer 2.erased, removed, cured
This (love) is not the kind of pain of the heart that there would be any healer. If it is cured once, it rises a thousand times.

(These two may be a possible match)

7
teri naazuki1 se jaana ke bandha tha ahd2 boda3
kabhi tu na toR sakta agar ustuvaar4 hota    
1.delicate nature/body 2.promise 3.weak 4.strong
To this day, there is a perception that people of refined culture are not supposed to speak bluntly. Thus, the beloved too because of her refined/delicate nature speaks in ambiguities, making couched promises. The poet/lover knows this. She would not have been able to break her promise had it been unambiguous. Thus, the fact that she breaks promises, proves her refined/delicate nature.

jo tumhaari tarah tum se koi jhuuTe v’aade1 karta
tumhiN munsifi2 se kah do tumheN e’tebaar3 hota    
1.promises 2.justice, fairness 3.trust
If someone makes false promises to you, like you do to me, tell me in all fairness, would you ever trust him? Implied is, how can I trust you.

mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869).  I dare not write any introduction.  On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address.   I humbly comply.  ash’aar from this Ghazal have been used frequently by many shu’ara (especially see jagannaath aazad and daaGh dehlavi) who have composed tributes to Ghalib.  daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905), grandson of bahadur shah zafar. After 1857, he had to move to rampur and later to hyderabad, where he died.  His Ghazal are more earthy and romantic than sufiyaana or philosophical.  He was a disciple of zauq, whose rivalry with/jealousy of Ghalib is well known.  But daaGh had good relations with Ghalib.

1

ye na thi hamaari qismat ki visaal1-e yaar2 hota
agar aur jiite rahte yahi intezaar3 hota

1.union, meeting 2.beloved 3.waiting, anticipation, restlessness

Union with the beloved was not in my fate.  Had I lived longer (the poet is writing this about himself after his death!), the waiting would have been just as intense and/or just as long.

ajab1 apna haal2 hota jo visaal3-e yaar4 hota
kabhi jaan sadqe5 hoti kabhi dil nisaar6 hota

1.strange, unusual 2.condition 3.union (with the beloved) 4.beloved 5.sacrificial offering 6.offering

If I were to ever achieve union with the beloved (highly unexpected) then my condition would become very strange.  Sometimes I would be presenting my life/soul and at others my heart as sacrificial offerings.
2

koi mere dil se puchhe tere tiir1-e niim-kash2 ko
ye Khalish3 kahaaN se hoti jo jigar ke paar hota

1.arrow 2.half-drawn 3.burning/pricking pain, anticipation, restlessness

The beloved’s glances are like arrows.  A half-drawn arrow is a side-long glance, not a direct stare.  Because it was a half drawn arrow it did not pass all the way through his heart and is therefore all the more painful, and does not kill him right away.  He remains alive and restless.

ye maza tha dil-lagi1 ka ke baraabar aag lagti
na tujhe qaraar2 hota na mujhe qaraar hota

1.dil lagaana, love 2.peace, contentment

The real pleasure of love would have been if both hearts were on fire (just now, only the poet/lover’s heart is on fire).  If both had been equally in love then neither would be contented, both would be restless.
3

hue mar ke ham jo rusva1 hue kyuN na Gharq2-e dariya3
na kabhi janaaza4 uThtaa na kahiN mazaar5 hota

1.disgraced, dishonoured 2.drowned, immersed 3.sea 4.funeral bier 5.grave, tomb

The reason why the poet/lover has come to disrepute after death is not specifically stated.  It is likely that the reason of his death has become known i.e. the name of the beloved has become known and maligned.  His regret … oh, why did I not drown.  If I had been, then there would not have been a funeral bier and no tomb, people would not have been reminded of my death and the miligning of the beloved’s name.

koi fitna1 ta-qayaamat2 na phir aashkar3 hota
tere dil pe kaash4 zaalim5 mujhe eKhtiyaar6 hota

1.mischief 2.until doomsday 3.manifest, appear 4.I strongly wish 5.tyrant – used here to mean beloved 6.control

The beloved is known to make much mischief by repeatedly breaking promises or making alliances with rivals.  I wish I had control over the heart of this tyrant/beloved.  If I did there would no mischief making an appearance until doomsday i.e. never.

(Better Match)

mujhe maante1 sab aisa ke adu2 bhi sajde3 karte
dar4-e yaar5 k’aaba banta jo mera mazaar6 hota

1.agree (about my greatness) 2.enemy, rival 3.prostrate, bow down 4.door 5.beloved 6.grave, tomb

The poet/lover imagines dying and being buried at the door of the beloved.  Then, his tomb would be like the k’aaba where rivals would come for pilgrimage and bow down in homage.  Even they would agree that he was a great lover.
4

ye kahaaN ki dosti hai ke bane haiN dost naaseh1
koi chaarasaaz2 hota koi Gham-gusaar3 hota

1.moralizer, advisor 2.healer, helper 3.sympathizer

What kind of friendship is this that friends have become moralizers (is it that they are telling him to give up wine, or are they advising him to write simpler verse).  Equally, it could mean moralizers have become friends.  In either case, they are giving him unwanted advice.  How much better would it have been if they had been helpers and sympathizers instead.

na maza hai dushmani meN na hai lutf1 dosti meN
koi Ghair2 Ghair hota koi yaar3 yaar hota

1.pleasure 2.rival 3.friend, beloved

The standards of rivals have fallen as have those of the beloved.  So there is no longer the same pleasure of rivalry or of pining for love.
5

tere v’aade1 par jiye ham to ye jaan jhuuT jaana
ke Khushi se mar na jaate agar e’tebaar2 hota

1.promise 2.trust

The poet/lover has been so despondent at not being able to be with the beloved that everyone thought he would die.  But he did not.  So, they think that he lives because she has promised union with him.  The beloved also thinks so.  The poet/lover cautions her.  Do not for a moment believe that I live because of your promise.  Would I not have died (of joy) had I trusted/believed you.  Thus, the fact that I am alive shows that you are untrustworthy.

tere v’aade1 par sitamgar2 abhi aur sabr3 karte
agar apni zindagi ka hameN e’tebaar4 hota

1.promises 2.tyrant, cruel 3.patience 4.trust

The tyrannical beloved is known to make false promises.  The poet/lover has to wait patiently hoping that the promise will be fulfilled one day.  He does not believe that he will live long enough.  If he did, he would keep on living patiently.
6

kahuN kis se maiN ke kya hai shab-e-Gham1 buri balaa2 hai
mujhe kya bura tha marna agar ek baar hota

1.night of pain (of separation) 2.affliction, calamity

How can I describe to anyone else (they will have to feel it for themselves), the pain of the night of separation is a bad affliction.  How bad would death have been, if it had been occurred only once.  Thus the poet/lover experiences the pain of death all night long every night instead of the conventional death which can happen only once.

(Possible Match)

ye vo dard-e dil nahiN hai ke ho charasaaz1 koi
agar ek baar miTta2 to hazaar baar hota

1.healer 2.erased, removed, cured

This (love) is not the kind of pain of the heart that there would be any healer.  If it is cured once, it rises a thousand times.

(This could also be a match)

7

teri naazuki1 se jaana ke bandha tha ahd2 boda3
kabhi tu na toR sakta agar ustuvaar4 hota

1.delicate nature/body 2.promise 3.weak 4.strong

To this day, there is a perception that people of refined culture are not supposed to speak bluntly.  Thus, the beloved too because of her refined/delicate nature speaks in ambiguities, making couched promises.  The poet/lover knows this.  She would not have been able to break her promise had it been unambiguous.  Thus, the fact that she breaks promises, proves her refined/delicate nature.

jo tumhaari tarah tum se koi jhuuTe v’aade1 karta
tumhiN munsifi2 se kah do tumheN e’tebaar3 hota

1.promises 2.justice, fairness 3.trust

If someone makes false promises to you, like you do to me, tell me in all fairness, would you ever trust him?  Implied is, how can I trust you.