For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کانہا کی بانسری کی طرح ۔ جے کرشن چودھری حبیبؔ
۱
حسین خواب نہیں کوئی زندگی کی طرح
کوئی سراب جہاں میں نہیں خوشی کی طرح
۲
فضا میں تیرے تبسُّم نے بجلیاں بھر دیں
چمک اٹھے ہیں اندھیرے بھی روشنی کی طرح
۳
شبِ فراق کے بڑھتے ہوئے اندھیروں میں
تم آ گئے مرے آنگن میں چاندنی کی طرح
۴
نسیمِ صبح کی شبنم کی فرحتیں لے کر
تم آئے میرے تصوّر میں تازگی کی طرح
۵
ہے آرزو سے تری زندگی مری رقصاں
ہے دل میں پیار ترا روحِ نغمگی کی طرح
۶
وہی ہے شوق کا جذبہ وہی ہے عز و نیاز
کہ دیکھ لینا بھی تم کو ہے بندگی کی طرح
۷
مجھے پسند ہے ہنگامۂ جہاں واعظ
یہ زندگی نہیں جنّت کی بے حِسی کی طرح
۸
کبھی وہ آگ کبھی آ کے پھول برسائیں
وہ بھولی بسری سی یادیں ہیں زندگی کی طرح
۹
اُلجھنا خاروں سے ہو سامنا جو طوفاں سے
رہو جہاں میں اگر شادماں کلی کی طرح
۱۰
حبیبؔ اپنی غزل میں بھی ہو وہ سوز و گداز
جو دل کو موہ لے کانہا کی بانسری کی طرح
कान्हा की बाँसुरी की तरह – जय क्रिष्ण चोधरी हबीब
१
हसीन ख़्वाब नहीं कोई ज़िंदगी कि तरह
कोई सराब जहाँ में नहीं ख़ुशी कि तरह
२
फ़ज़ा में तेरे तबस्सुम ने बिज्लियाँ भर दीं
चमक उठे हैं अँधेरे भी रौशनी कि तरह
३
शब-ए फ़िराक़ के बढ़ते हुए अँधेरों में
तुम आ गए मेरे आँगन में चाँदनी कि तरह
४
नसीम-ए सुब्ह की शब्नम की फ़रहतें ले कर
तुम आए मेरे तसव्वुर में ताज़गी कि तरह
५
है आर्ज़ू से तेरी ज़िंदगी मेरी रक़्साँ
है दिल में प्यार तेरा रूह-ए नग़्मगी कि तरह
६
वही है शौक़ का जज़्बा वही है इज़्ज़-ओ-नियाज़
के देख लेना भी तुम को है बंदगी कि तरह
७
मुझे पसंद है हंगामा-ए जहाँ वा’एज़
ये ज़िंदगी नहीं जन्नत की बे-हिसी कि तरह
८
कभी वो आग कभी आ के फूल बरसाएँ
वो भूली-बिसरी सी यादें हैं ज़िंदगी कि तरह
९
उलझना ख़ारों से हो सामना जो तूफ़ाँ से
रहो जहाँ में अगर शादमाँ कली कि तरह
१०
हबीब अपनी ग़ज़ल में भी हो वो सोज़-ओ-गुदाज़
जो दिल को मोह ले कान्हा की बाँसुरी कि तरह
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jaikishan chaudhry habiib (1904-xxxx), born in Dera ismail KhaaN, in pakistan. Lived in jabalpur. He was a scholar of sanskrit, English, faarsi and urdu, and was an active participant in the independence struggle, most notably with Khaan abdul Ghaffaar KhaaN. MA from aligaRh and later LLB, law practice 1929. He migrated to India after the partition in 1947. IAS – Collector and later Education Secretary. Early retirement in 1960, but recalled later to serve three more years in jabalpur and retired there. In 1969 he served on Ghalib shataabdhi naagarik samiti which organized four ‘tarahi’ mushaa’era over that year and published a book. This Ghazal is linked to series of the same radeef represented by the icon ‘dulhan ki tarah’ after the poignant Ghazal of parveen shakir.
1
hasiin1 Khwaab nahiN koii zindagi ki tarah
koii saraab2 jahaaN3 meN nahiN Khushi ki tarah 1.beautiful, deceptively enchanting 2.mirage 3.world
Life is like a beautiful dream. It is enchanting. But it is also deceptive – the implication is that this ‘material life’ is not ‘real life’. It is spiritual life that counts. Happiness (probably meaning material pleasure and joy) is a deceptive mirage like on other in this world. Thus, forego material pleasures and go for the spiritual.
2
fazaa1 meN tere tabassum2 ne bijliyaaN bhar diiN
chamak uThe haiN aNdhere bhii raushni3 ki tarah 1.atmosphere, ambience 2.smile 3.light, brilliance
The beloved’s smile fills the ambience with the brilliance of lightning. The darknesses/sorrows of life, light up with her brilliance.
3
shab1-e firaaq2 ke baRhte hue aNdheroN meN
tum aa gaye mere aaNgan3 meN chaaNdnii4 ki tarah 1.night of 2.separation 3.courtyard 4.moonlight
In the increasing darkness of the night of separation the (memories) of the beloved descend into the courtyard like (gentle) moonlight.
4
nasiim1-e sub’h ki shabnam2 ki farhateN3 le kar
tum aaye mere tasavvur4 meN taazagi5 ki tarah 1.fragrant breeze 2.dew 3.pleasures 4.imagination 5.freshness
Bringing along the pleasure of the moist/cool dew of the fragrant morning breeze, your memories come into my imagination like freshness.
5
hai aarzu1 se terii zindagi meri raqsaaN2
hai dil meN pyaar tera ruuh-e-naGhmagi3 ki tarah 1.desire, longing 2.dancing 3.spirit of music
My life dances (with the joy of anticipation) because of longing for you. Your love is in my heart like the spirit of music.
6
vahii hai shauq1 ka jazba2 vahii hai izz-o-niyaaz3
keh dekh lenaa bhii tum ko hai bandagi4 ki tarah
1.love, desire 2.emotion 3.respect and devotional offering 4.devotion, prayer
Just looking at you is like a devotional prayer. It is the same as the emotion of love and offering of respect and devotion. This could well be said looking at the beloved or at an idol of krishn, for example.
7
mujhe pasand1 hai haNgaama2-e jahaaN3 vaa’ez4
ye zindagi nahiN jannat ki be-hisii5 ki tarah 1.like, prefer 2.activity, bubbub, bustle 3.world 4.preacher 5.without feeling/excitement
The preacher keeps talking about forbidding this and that pleasure and talks about the serene contentment of heaven. The poet prefers the excitement of life in the world. This life is not like the bland/unfeeling life of heaven. Said hari chand aKhtar…
sukoon a mustaqil, dil be-tamanna, shaiKh ki sohbat
agar jannat yahi hai, to phir jannat se dozaKh kya bura hoga
8
kabhi vo aag1 kabhii aa ke phuul barsaa’eN2
vo bhuulii-bisrii3 si yaadeN4 haiN zindagi ki tarah 1.fire, pain 2.shower down, pour 3.long forgotten 4.memories
The pleasure and pain of long forgotten memories are an essential part of life. They come down like a shower, sometimes bringing pain and sorrow, like fire and other times joy, like pleasant flowers.
9
ulajhna1 KhaaroN2 se ho saamna3 jo tuufaaN4 se
raho jahaaN5 meN agar6 shaadmaaN7 kalii8 ki tarah 1.entangled, get into a conflict 2.thorns 3.come face to face, confront 4.storm 5.world 6.if 7.happy 8.unopened bud
Thorns are associated with and are a necessary part of the life of a rose and/or a rose-bud. When the rose-bud becomes ‘happy’, it blooms. When the wind blows it gets tangled in thorns. The imagery suggests that joy and pain are a necessary part of facing the storm/struggle of life.
10
habiib1 apnii Ghazal meN bhii ho vo soz2-o-gudaaz3
jo dil ko moh4 le kaanhaa5 kii baaNsurii6 ki tarah 1.pen-name of the poet 2.fire, passion 3.softness, pain 4.win over 5.krishn 6.flute
The flute of krishn is legendary because its beautiful music wins hearts. Even animals come to hear it. Thus the poet wants to compose and recite Ghazal with the same passion and pain as the flute of krishn and win over the hearts of his audience.
jaikishan chaudhry habiib (1904-xxxx), born in Dera ismail KhaaN, in pakistan. Lived in jabalpur. He was a scholar of sanskrit, English, faarsi and urdu, and was an active participant in the independence struggle, most notably with Khaan abdul Ghaffaar KhaaN. MA from aligaRh and later LLB, law practice 1929. He migrated to India after the partition in 1947. IAS – Collector and later Education Secretary. Early retirement in 1960, but recalled later to serve three more years in jabalpur and retired there. In 1969 he served on Ghalib shataabdhi naagarik samiti which organized four ‘tarahi’ mushaa’era over that year and published a book. This Ghazal is linked to series of the same radeef represented by the icon ‘dulhan ki tarah’ after the poignant Ghazal of parveen shakir.
1
hasiin1 Khwaab nahiN koii zindagi ki tarah
koii saraab2 jahaaN3 meN nahiN Khushi ki tarah
1.beautiful, deceptively enchanting 2.mirage 3.world
Life is like a beautiful dream. It is enchanting. But it is also deceptive – the implication is that this ‘material life’ is not ‘real life’. It is spiritual life that counts. Happiness (probably meaning material pleasure and joy) is a deceptive mirage like on other in this world. Thus, forego material pleasures and go for the spiritual.
2
fazaa1 meN tere tabassum2 ne bijliyaaN bhar diiN
chamak uThe haiN aNdhere bhii raushni3 ki tarah
1.atmosphere, ambience 2.smile 3.light, brilliance
The beloved’s smile fills the ambience with the brilliance of lightning. The darknesses/sorrows of life, light up with her brilliance.
3
shab1-e firaaq2 ke baRhte hue aNdheroN meN
tum aa gaye mere aaNgan3 meN chaaNdnii4 ki tarah
1.night of 2.separation 3.courtyard 4.moonlight
In the increasing darkness of the night of separation the (memories) of the beloved descend into the courtyard like (gentle) moonlight.
4
nasiim1-e sub’h ki shabnam2 ki farhateN3 le kar
tum aaye mere tasavvur4 meN taazagi5 ki tarah
1.fragrant breeze 2.dew 3.pleasures 4.imagination 5.freshness
Bringing along the pleasure of the moist/cool dew of the fragrant morning breeze, your memories come into my imagination like freshness.
5
hai aarzu1 se terii zindagi meri raqsaaN2
hai dil meN pyaar tera ruuh-e-naGhmagi3 ki tarah
1.desire, longing 2.dancing 3.spirit of music
My life dances (with the joy of anticipation) because of longing for you. Your love is in my heart like the spirit of music.
6
vahii hai shauq1 ka jazba2 vahii hai izz-o-niyaaz3
keh dekh lenaa bhii tum ko hai bandagi4 ki tarah
1.love, desire 2.emotion 3.respect and devotional offering 4.devotion, prayer
Just looking at you is like a devotional prayer. It is the same as the emotion of love and offering of respect and devotion. This could well be said looking at the beloved or at an idol of krishn, for example.
7
mujhe pasand1 hai haNgaama2-e jahaaN3 vaa’ez4
ye zindagi nahiN jannat ki be-hisii5 ki tarah
1.like, prefer 2.activity, bubbub, bustle 3.world 4.preacher 5.without feeling/excitement
The preacher keeps talking about forbidding this and that pleasure and talks about the serene contentment of heaven. The poet prefers the excitement of life in the world. This life is not like the bland/unfeeling life of heaven. Said hari chand aKhtar…
sukoon a mustaqil, dil be-tamanna, shaiKh ki sohbat
agar jannat yahi hai, to phir jannat se dozaKh kya bura hoga
8
kabhi vo aag1 kabhii aa ke phuul barsaa’eN2
vo bhuulii-bisrii3 si yaadeN4 haiN zindagi ki tarah
1.fire, pain 2.shower down, pour 3.long forgotten 4.memories
The pleasure and pain of long forgotten memories are an essential part of life. They come down like a shower, sometimes bringing pain and sorrow, like fire and other times joy, like pleasant flowers.
9
ulajhna1 KhaaroN2 se ho saamna3 jo tuufaaN4 se
raho jahaaN5 meN agar6 shaadmaaN7 kalii8 ki tarah
1.entangled, get into a conflict 2.thorns 3.come face to face, confront 4.storm 5.world 6.if 7.happy 8.unopened bud
Thorns are associated with and are a necessary part of the life of a rose and/or a rose-bud. When the rose-bud becomes ‘happy’, it blooms. When the wind blows it gets tangled in thorns. The imagery suggests that joy and pain are a necessary part of facing the storm/struggle of life.
10
habiib1 apnii Ghazal meN bhii ho vo soz2-o-gudaaz3
jo dil ko moh4 le kaanhaa5 kii baaNsurii6 ki tarah
1.pen-name of the poet 2.fire, passion 3.softness, pain 4.win over 5.krishn 6.flute
The flute of krishn is legendary because its beautiful music wins hearts. Even animals come to hear it. Thus the poet wants to compose and recite Ghazal with the same passion and pain as the flute of krishn and win over the hearts of his audience.
