For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
غالب نام آورم ۔ بالمُکُند عرشؔ ملسیانی
۱
دکھا کے جلوۂ رنگینیِ سخن تو نے
کھلائے غنچۂ حِکمت چمن چمن تو نے
یہ کہہ کے دینِ بزرگاں کی آذری ہے فضول
نِژادِ نو کو بنایا ہے بُت شکن تُو نے
۲
سخن شناس نگاہوں کو دے کے طرزِ نوی
نظر سے دُور کیا شیوۂ کہن تو نے
نظیریؔ اور ظُہوریؔ کے ساتھ ساتھ چلا
لیا مزاج کا عرفیؔ سے بانکپن تو نے
۳
چراغِ دیر جلایا اِس اہتمام کے ساتھ
دِکھائی صبح بنارس کی ہر کرن تو نے
سجا کے لعلِ درخشاں نئے خیالوں کے
دکھایا ہم کو یہیں جلوۂ یمن تو نے
۴
ترے جلیس رہے شیفتہؔ و آزردہؔ
سجائی دِلّی کی گلیوں میں انجمن تو نے
اُٹھا کے پردہ رسُوم و قیود کے رُخ سے
اُڑھائے کہنہ روایات کو کفن تو نے
۵
جو اُستوار وفا ہو تو اصلِ ایماں ہے
بتایا شیخ کو معیارِ برہمن تو نے
جو ہنس رہے تھے زیادہ اُنھیں رُلا ڈالا
جو رو رہے تھے کیا اُن کو خندہ زن تو نے
۶
وفورِ شوق میں تڑپا بہ خاکِ کلکتّہ
ذرا جو دیکھے پری چہرہ گُل بدن تو نے
لطافتوں کی خدائی پہ حکمران رہا
کیا مُطیع کثافت کا اہرمن تو نے
۷
تھی نظم لعلِ درخشاں کے حسن سے معمور
بھری وہ شعر میں رنگینیِ سخن تو نے
وطن میں نکہت و فکر و خیال پھیلا کر
گلی گلی کو کیا غیرتِ خُتن تو نے
۸
دکھا کے طاقتِ گفتار و صولتِ اذکار
گرائے شعر کے میداں میں پیل تن تو نے
ہزار ناز سمرقند پر رہا لیکن
بنایا پھر بھی دِلّی ہی کو وطن تو نے
ग़ालिब नामआवरम – बालमुकुंद अर्श मल्सियानी
१
दिखा के जल्वा-ए रंगीनी-ए सुख़न तू ने
खिलाए ग़ुंचा-ए हिक्मत चमन चमन तू ने
ये कह के दीन-ए बुज़ुर्गां कि आज़री है फ़ुज़ूल
निज़्शाद-ए नौ को बनाया है बुत शिकन तू ने
२
सूख़न शिनास निगाहौं को दे के तर्ज़-ए नवी
नज़र से दूर किया शेवा-ए कोहन तू ने
नज़ीरी और ज़ुहूरी के साथ साथ चला
लिया मिज़ाज का उर्फ़ी से बांक्पन तू ने
३
चिरग़-ए दैर जलाया इस एहतमाम के साथ
दिखाई सुबह बनारस कि हर किरन तू ने
सजा के लाल-ए दरख़्शां नये ख़यालौं के
दिखाया हम को यहीं जल्वा-ए यमन तू ने
४
तेरे जलीस रहे शेफ़्ता ओ आज़ुर्दा
सजाई दिल्ली कि गलियौं में अंजुमन तू ने
उठा के पर्दा रुसूम ओ क़ूयूद के रुख़ से
उढ़ाए कोहना रिवायात को कफ़न तू ने
५
जो उस्तवार वफ़ा हो तो अस्ल-ए ईमां है
बताया शैख़ को मे’यार-ए बरहमन तू ने
जो हंस रहे थे ज़ियादा उन्हें रुला डाला
जो रो रहे थे किया उन को ख़न्दा-ज़न तू ने
६
वुफ़ूर-ए शौक़ में तढपा ब ख़ाक-ए कल्कत्ता
ज़रा जो देखे परी-चेहरा गुल-बदन तू ने
लताफ़तौं कि ख़ुदाई पे हुक्मरान रहा
किया मुत’ई कसाफ़त का अहरमन तू ने
७
थी नज़म लाल-ए दरख़्शां के हुस्न से म’आमूर
भरी वो शे’र में रंगीनी-ए यमन तू ने
वतन में निक्हत ओ फ़िक्र ओ ख़याल फैला कर
गली गली को किया ग़ैरत-ए ख़ुतन तू ने
८
दिखा के ताक़त-ए गुफ़्तार ओ सौलत-ए अज़्कार
गिराए शे’र के मैदां में पील-तन नू ने
हज़ार नाज़ समरक़ंद पर रहा लैकिन
बनाया फिर भी दिल्ली को ही वतन तू ने
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. baalmukund arsh malsiyaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiyaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiyaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiyaani was assistant editor of Govt of India urdu publication ‘aaj kal’ under josh malihabadi and took over as editor after josh left for pakistan. He wrote a book dedicated to Ghalib “faizaan-e Ghalib” about his influence on his many shaagird. This nazm is part of the introduction to this book.
Click here for an explanation of the title of the nazm The title is taken from a faarsi she’r of Ghalib written on the cover page of his divan …
Ghalib naam aavaram naam o nishaanam napars
hum asadullaham o hum asadullaheem
The name Ghalib has been given to me, do not ask for any other introduction
I am asadullah and a devotee of asadullah
Ghalib (dominant) and asadullah (lion of god) were titles/names of ali ibn-e abi-taalib
1
dikha ke jalva1-e raNgini-e suKhan2 tu ne
khilaaye Ghuncha3-e hikmat4 chaman chaman tu ne
ye kah ke diin5-e buzurgaaN6 ki aazari7 hai fuzuul8
nizshaad9-e nau10 ko banaaya hai but-shikan11 tu ne 1.beauty, glory 2.verse 3.bud 4.wisdom 5.faith, traditions 6.elders 7.idolatory, worship 8.useless 9.generation 10.new 11.iconoclast, idol-breaker
Showing us the glory of colourful verse, you made buds of wisdom bloom in every garden. Telling us that it is useless to worship the traditions of old, you made the new generation iconoclastic, smashing the idols of tradition.
2
suKhan1 shinaas2 nigaahoN ko de ke tarz3-e navi4
nazar se duur kiya sheva5-e kohan6 tu ne
nazeeri7 aur zuhuuri7 ke saath saath chala
liya mizaaj8 ka urfi7 se baaNkpan9 tu ne 1.verse 2.familiar, appreciative 3.ways, methods 4.new 5.methods 6.old 7.three liberal faarsi poets who settled in India to escape persecution in Iran 8. nature 9.rebelliousness
Showing a new way to those who appreciated verse, you banished outdated ways. You walked with nazeeri and zuhuri and borrowed rebellious nature from urfi.
3
chiraaGh-e-dair1 jalaaya is ehtemaam2 ke saath
dikhaaii subah banaras ki har kiran tu ne
saja ke l’aal3-e daraKhshaaN4 naye KhayaaloN ke
dikhaaya hum ko yahiN jalva5-e yaman tu ne 1.temple lamp, title of a faarsi masnavi/epic that Ghalib wrote in praise of banaras 2.preparation, thoughtfulness 3.rubies 4.brilliant 5.glory
Ghalib travelled to kalkatta and on the way stayed in banaras for many days. He wrote a booklet in faarsi verse in praise of banaras. The beauty and brilliance of dawn in banaras has been described by many poets after Ghalib. Rubies of yaman are reputed to be particularly deep red in colour and beautiful. They are used as a metaphor for exquisite pieces of art/poetry. You lit a temple lamp with much thoughtfulness, showing brilliant rays of dawn of banaras. By arranging brilliant rubies of fresh thought, you brought the glory of yaman right here (to India).
4
tere jalees1 rahe shefta2 o aazurda2
sajaaii dilli ki galiyoN meN anjuman3 tu ne
uTha ke parda rusuum4 o quyood5 ke ruKh se
uRhaaye kohna6 rivaayaat7 ko kafan8 tu ne 1.companion, friend 2.two friends/supporters of Ghalib 3.gathering, society 4.traditions 5.rules 6.ancient, outmoded 7.traidition 8.funeral shroud
shefta and aazurda were your companions when you hosted assemblies (of literary discussion and recitation) in the streets of dehli. Laying bare (the meaninglessness of) customs and rules you wrapped ancient traditions in their funeral shroud.
5
jo ustavaar1 vafa2 ho to asl3-e eemaaN4 hai
bataaya shaiKh ko me’yaar5-e barhaman tu ne
jo haNs rahe the ziyaada unheN rula Daala
jo ro rahe the kiya un ko Khanda-zan6 tu ne 1.strong 2.fidelity, commitment 3.real, genuine 4.faith 5.status 6.smiling
If fidelity/sincerity/commitment to faith is strong, then that is the real religion (regardless of whether it is islam or hinduism). Thus, you showed the shaiKh, the (high/equal) status/respect that the brahmin deserves. This has echoes of Ghalib’s she’r …
vafa-daari ba-shart-e-ustuvaari asl eemaaN hai
mare but-Khaane meN to k’aabe meN gaaRo barahman ko
Faith, if it is strong/sincere, is the real religion
When such a brahman dies, he deserves burial in the k’aaba
You (O, Ghalib), were always sensitive to the bereaved/deprived and made them happy while challenging those who had the means (I am not sure how the poet concludes this from Ghalib’s verse, but that is what he says).
6
vufoor1-e shauq2 meN taRpa ba Khaak-e kalkatta
zara jo dekhe pari-chehra3 gul-badan4 tu ne
lataafatoN5 ki Khudaaii pe hukmraan raha
kiya mut’ee6 kasaafat7 ka ahrman8 tu ne 1.plenty 2.desire, appreciation 3.angel faced 4.flower bodied 5.elegance, finesse 6.subdue 7.ugliness, crudity 8.devil
You were restless with exceeding appreciation, when you saw angel faced beauties in Calcutta. This may be a reference to letters Ghalib wrote during his sojourn in Calcutta, with which he was greatly impressed. You were in complete control of the god of elegance and subdued the devil of crudity.
7
thi nazm l’aal1-e daraKhshaaN2 ke husn se ma’moor3
bhari vo she’r meN raNgini-e-yaman tu ne
vatan meN nik’hat4 o fikr5 o Khayaal6 phaila kar
gali gali ko kiya Ghairat-e-Khutan7 tu ne 1.rubies 2.brilliant 3.full, flourishing 4.fragrace 5.reason 6.thought 7.envy of Khutan
Rubies of yaman are considered particularly colourful and are used as a metaphor for rare beauty. Thus, you filled your couplets with the colour of yaman, and your verse was replete with brilliance of rubies. Khutan is a region in Western China which is reputed to have musk deer and is used a metaphor for a fragrant place. Thus, spreading the fragrance of thought and reason in the homeland, you made it the envy of Khutan.
8
dikha ke taaqat1-e guftaar2 o saulat3-e azkaar4
giraaye she’r ke maidaaN meN piil-tan5 tu ne
hazaar naaz6 samarqand par raha laikin
banaaya phir bhi dilli hi ko vatan tu ne 1.power 2.speech, words 3.grandeur, dignity 4.plural of zikr – sufi presentation/teaching 5.elephant bodied i.e. giants 6.pride
Demonstrating the power of words and the dignity of sufi teaching, you felled giants in the field of versification. You were (justly) proud of your heritage from samaqand, but still you made dehli your home.
baalmukund arsh malsiyaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiyaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiyaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiyaani was assistant editor of Govt of India urdu publication ‘aaj kal’ under josh malihabadi and took over as editor after josh left for pakistan. He wrote a book dedicated to Ghalib “faizaan-e Ghalib” about his influence on his many shaagird. This nazm is part of the introduction to this book.
Explanation of the title of the nazm
The title is taken from a faarsi she’r of Ghalib written on the cover page of his divan …
Ghalib naam aavaram naam o nishaanam napars
hum asadullaham o hum asadullaheem
The name Ghalib has been given to me, do not ask for any other introduction
I am asadullah and a devotee of asadullah
Ghalib (dominant) and asadullah (lion of god) were titles/names of ali ibn-e abi-taalib
1
dikha ke jalva1-e raNgini-e suKhan2 tu ne
khilaaye Ghuncha3-e hikmat4 chaman chaman tu ne
ye kah ke diin5-e buzurgaaN6 ki aazari7 hai fuzuul8
nizshaad9-e nau10 ko banaaya hai but-shikan11 tu ne
1.beauty, glory 2.verse 3.bud 4.wisdom 5.faith, traditions 6.elders 7.idolatory, worship 8.useless 9.generation 10.new 11.iconoclast, idol-breaker
Showing us the glory of colourful verse, you made buds of wisdom bloom in every garden. Telling us that it is useless to worship the traditions of old, you made the new generation iconoclastic, smashing the idols of tradition.
2
suKhan1 shinaas2 nigaahoN ko de ke tarz3-e navi4
nazar se duur kiya sheva5-e kohan6 tu ne
nazeeri7 aur zuhuuri7 ke saath saath chala
liya mizaaj8 ka urfi7 se baaNkpan9 tu ne
1.verse 2.familiar, appreciative 3.ways, methods 4.new 5.methods 6.old 7.three liberal faarsi poets who settled in India to escape persecution in Iran 8. nature 9.rebelliousness
Showing a new way to those who appreciated verse, you banished outdated ways. You walked with nazeeri and zuhuri and borrowed rebellious nature from urfi.
3
chiraaGh-e-dair1 jalaaya is ehtemaam2 ke saath
dikhaaii subah banaras ki har kiran tu ne
saja ke l’aal3-e daraKhshaaN4 naye KhayaaloN ke
dikhaaya hum ko yahiN jalva5-e yaman tu ne
1.temple lamp, title of a faarsi masnavi/epic that Ghalib wrote in praise of banaras 2.preparation, thoughtfulness 3.rubies 4.brilliant 5.glory
Ghalib travelled to kalkatta and on the way stayed in banaras for many days. He wrote a booklet in faarsi verse in praise of banaras. The beauty and brilliance of dawn in banaras has been described by many poets after Ghalib. Rubies of yaman are reputed to be particularly deep red in colour and beautiful. They are used as a metaphor for exquisite pieces of art/poetry. You lit a temple lamp with much thoughtfulness, showing brilliant rays of dawn of banaras. By arranging brilliant rubies of fresh thought, you brought the glory of yaman right here (to India).
4
tere jalees1 rahe shefta2 o aazurda2
sajaaii dilli ki galiyoN meN anjuman3 tu ne
uTha ke parda rusuum4 o quyood5 ke ruKh se
uRhaaye kohna6 rivaayaat7 ko kafan8 tu ne
1.companion, friend 2.two friends/supporters of Ghalib 3.gathering, society 4.traditions 5.rules 6.ancient, outmoded 7.traidition 8.funeral shroud
shefta and aazurda were your companions when you hosted assemblies (of literary discussion and recitation) in the streets of dehli. Laying bare (the meaninglessness of) customs and rules you wrapped ancient traditions in their funeral shroud.
5
jo ustavaar1 vafa2 ho to asl3-e eemaaN4 hai
bataaya shaiKh ko me’yaar5-e barhaman tu ne
jo haNs rahe the ziyaada unheN rula Daala
jo ro rahe the kiya un ko Khanda-zan6 tu ne
1.strong 2.fidelity, commitment 3.real, genuine 4.faith 5.status 6.smiling
If fidelity/sincerity/commitment to faith is strong, then that is the real religion (regardless of whether it is islam or hinduism). Thus, you showed the shaiKh, the (high/equal) status/respect that the brahmin deserves. This has echoes of Ghalib’s she’r …
vafa-daari ba-shart-e-ustuvaari asl eemaaN hai
mare but-Khaane meN to k’aabe meN gaaRo barahman ko
Faith, if it is strong/sincere, is the real religion
When such a brahman dies, he deserves burial in the k’aaba
You (O, Ghalib), were always sensitive to the bereaved/deprived and made them happy while challenging those who had the means (I am not sure how the poet concludes this from Ghalib’s verse, but that is what he says).
6
vufoor1-e shauq2 meN taRpa ba Khaak-e kalkatta
zara jo dekhe pari-chehra3 gul-badan4 tu ne
lataafatoN5 ki Khudaaii pe hukmraan raha
kiya mut’ee6 kasaafat7 ka ahrman8 tu ne
1.plenty 2.desire, appreciation 3.angel faced 4.flower bodied 5.elegance, finesse 6.subdue 7.ugliness, crudity 8.devil
You were restless with exceeding appreciation, when you saw angel faced beauties in Calcutta. This may be a reference to letters Ghalib wrote during his sojourn in Calcutta, with which he was greatly impressed. You were in complete control of the god of elegance and subdued the devil of crudity.
7
thi nazm l’aal1-e daraKhshaaN2 ke husn se ma’moor3
bhari vo she’r meN raNgini-e-yaman tu ne
vatan meN nik’hat4 o fikr5 o Khayaal6 phaila kar
gali gali ko kiya Ghairat-e-Khutan7 tu ne
1.rubies 2.brilliant 3.full, flourishing 4.fragrace 5.reason 6.thought 7.envy of Khutan
Rubies of yaman are considered particularly colourful and are used as a metaphor for rare beauty. Thus, you filled your couplets with the colour of yaman, and your verse was replete with brilliance of rubies. Khutan is a region in Western China which is reputed to have musk deer and is used a metaphor for a fragrant place. Thus, spreading the fragrance of thought and reason in the homeland, you made it the envy of Khutan.
8
dikha ke taaqat1-e guftaar2 o saulat3-e azkaar4
giraaye she’r ke maidaaN meN piil-tan5 tu ne
hazaar naaz6 samarqand par raha laikin
banaaya phir bhi dilli hi ko vatan tu ne
1.power 2.speech, words 3.grandeur, dignity 4.plural of zikr – sufi presentation/teaching 5.elephant bodied i.e. giants 6.pride
Demonstrating the power of words and the dignity of sufi teaching, you felled giants in the field of versification. You were (justly) proud of your heritage from samaqand, but still you made dehli your home.
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What a marvelous tribute to Ghalib.
Abdul Hameed, Burlington, ON.