For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کبھی نہ آئے باز ۔ بشویشور پرشاد منوّرؔ لکھنوی
۱
گو کہ ہے بازگشت کا انداز
زندگی کیا ہے موت کی آواز
۲
آپ محبوب ہو نہ جائیں کہیں
میں تو کر دوں گا چاک پردۂ راز
۳
سننے والا بھی ہے کہیں کوئی
دے رہا ہوں یہ کس کو میں آواز
۴
آپ کے راستے میں بچھتا ہے
دل ہے میرا کہ فرشِ پا انداز
۵
اے مُنوّر یہ اپنا ایماں تھا
مے کشی سے کبھی نہ آئے باز
कभी न आए बाज़ – बिश्वेश्वर प्रशाद मुनव्वर लखनवी
१
गो के है बाज़्गश्त का अंदाज़
ज़िंदगी क्या है मौत की आवाज़
२
आप महबूब हो न जाएं कहीं
मैं तो कर दूंगा चाक पर्दा-ए राज़
३
सुनने वाला भी है कहीं कोई
दे रहा हुं ये किस को मैं आवाज़
४
आप के रास्ते में बिछता है
दिल है मेरा के फ़र्श-ए पा-अंदाज़
५
अए मुनव्वर ये अपना ईमां था
मै-कशी से कभी न आए बाज़
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. munshi bishweshwar prasad munavvar lakhnavi (1897-1970). He was a scholar of arabi, faarsi, urdu, and hindi. His father, munshi dwarka prasad ufaq was also a great poet who recomposed the ramayan in urdu using the same qaafiya for more than 6000 ash’aar. He himself re-composed the bhagwad gita in chaste urdu. He credits urdu with “saving the hindu religion” because of the many translations of hindu religious texts into urdu because that was the language that more north Indian hindus could relate to, rather than avadhi or sanskrit. This is one of several Ghazal that he composed in the zamin of Ghalib. This is one of a series of Ghazal modeled after Ghalib’s Ghair mudarraf Ghazal ‘maiN huN apne shikast ki aavaaz’.
1
go1 keh hai baazgasht2 ka andaaz3
zindagi kya hai maut ki aavaaz 1.even though 2.leisurely walk, pleasant pastime 3.style
Even though life looks like a leisurely saunter, with plenty of time, it is reality the sound of death i.e., there is a limited time and a finality that needs to be faced.
2
aap mahboob1 ho na jaayeN kahiiN
maiN to kar duuNga chaak2 parda3-e raaz4 1.beloved 2.tear open 3.veil/curtain 4.secret
In poetic convention the poet/lover keeps his love hidden from the world so as not to malign the reputation of beloved. But he seems to be fearful that she might become the beloved of others/rivals. In order to pre-empt that he is prepared to ‘tear open the veil/curtain covering his own secret’.
3
sun’ne vaala bhi hai kahiN koii
de raha huN ye kis ko maiN aavaaz Is there anyone out there who is listening. Who/why am I calling out uselessly.
4
aapke raaste meN bichhta1 hai
dil hai mera keh farsh2-e paa-andaaz3 1.spreads out 2.floor 3.fit for feet
It lays down and spreads in your path. Is it my heart or a a floor fit for your feet.
5
aye munavvar1 ye apna iimaaN2 tha
mai-kashi3 se kahi na aaye baaz4 1.pen-name of the poet 2.faith, belief 3.wine drinking 4.hold back
O munavvar, it was my faith not to hold back from drinking wine. This is probably the poet looking back at his life and either regretting or celebrating the fact that he has never held back from drinking wine. Has this converted him into an alcoholic or has given him a life of pleasure. He leaves it to us to guess.
munshi bishweshwar prasad munavvar lakhnavi (1897-1970). He was a scholar of arabi, faarsi, urdu, and hindi. His father, munshi dwarka prasad ufaq was also a great poet who recomposed the ramayan in urdu using the same qaafiya for more than 6000 ash’aar. He himself re-composed the bhagwad gita in chaste urdu. He credits urdu with “saving the hindu religion” because of the many translations of hindu religious texts into urdu because that was the language that more north Indian hindus could relate to, rather than avadhi or sanskrit. This is one of several Ghazal that he composed in the zamin of Ghalib. This is one of a series of Ghazal modeled after Ghalib’s Ghair mudarraf Ghazal ‘maiN huN apne shikast ki aavaaz’.
1
go1 keh hai baazgasht2 ka andaaz3
zindagi kya hai maut ki aavaaz
1.even though 2.leisurely walk, pleasant pastime 3.style
Even though life looks like a leisurely saunter, with plenty of time, it is reality the sound of death i.e., there is a limited time and a finality that needs to be faced.
2
aap mahboob1 ho na jaayeN kahiiN
maiN to kar duuNga chaak2 parda3-e raaz4
1.beloved 2.tear open 3.veil/curtain 4.secret
In poetic convention the poet/lover keeps his love hidden from the world so as not to malign the reputation of beloved. But he seems to be fearful that she might become the beloved of others/rivals. In order to pre-empt that he is prepared to ‘tear open the veil/curtain covering his own secret’.
3
sun’ne vaala bhi hai kahiN koii
de raha huN ye kis ko maiN aavaaz
Is there anyone out there who is listening. Who/why am I calling out uselessly.
4
aapke raaste meN bichhta1 hai
dil hai mera keh farsh2-e paa-andaaz3
1.spreads out 2.floor 3.fit for feet
It lays down and spreads in your path. Is it my heart or a a floor fit for your feet.
5
aye munavvar1 ye apna iimaaN2 tha
mai-kashi3 se kahi na aaye baaz4
1.pen-name of the poet 2.faith, belief 3.wine drinking 4.hold back
O munavvar, it was my faith not to hold back from drinking wine. This is probably the poet looking back at his life and either regretting or celebrating the fact that he has never held back from drinking wine. Has this converted him into an alcoholic or has given him a life of pleasure. He leaves it to us to guess.
