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Recitation
ہر شب کی سحر ہو جاتی ہے ۔ سکندر علی وجدؔ
۱
ہمّت کے چراغوں سے روشن، ہر راہ گذر ہو جاتی ہے
پُر عزم نگاہِ راہرواں سامانِ سفر ہو جاتی ہے
۲
دِل رنگ بدلتا ہے پیہم، چَھٹتا ہے غبارِ شادی و غم
ہو وصل کی شب یا ہجر کی شب، ہر شب کی سحر ہو جاتی ہے
۳
اب ننگ ہے اے اربابِ چمن، یہ پیرویِ آئینِ کہن
یوں عمر ہزاروں پھولوں کی، کانٹوں میں بسر ہو جاتی ہے
۴
بجلی کی طرح گرتی ہے ہمیشہ، دِل پہ جواں معصوم نظر
کیا بات اُدھر سے ہوتی ہے، کیا بات اِدھر ہو جاتی ہے
۵
اےحسنِ عطا کے دیوانے، تو رازِ مشیّت کیا جانے
بے سوز تمنّاؤں سے دعا، محرومِ اثر ہو جاتی ہے
۶
اے وجدؔ جہانِ اُلفت میں، آرام کی صورت کیا ہوگی
دِل اور پریشاں ہوتا ہے، تسکین اگر ہو جاتی ہے
हर शब कि सहर हो जाती है – सिकंदर अली वज्द
१
हिम्मत के चराग़ौं से रौशन, हर राह गुज़र हो जाती है
पुर अज़्म निगाह-ए राह-रवां, सामान-ए सफ़र हो जाती है
२
दिल रंग बदलता है पैहम, छटता है ग़ुबार-ए शादी ओ ग़म
हो वस्ल कि शब या हिज्र कि शब, हर शब कि सहर हो जाती है
३
अब नंग है अए अरबाब-ए चमन, ये पैरवी-ए आईन-ए कोहन
यूँ उम्र हज़ारों फूलों कि, कांटों में बसर हो जाती है
४
बिजली कि तरह गिरती है हमेशा, दिल पे जवां मासूम नज़र
क्या बात उधर से होती है, क्या बात इधर हो जाती है
५
अए हुस्न-ए अता के दीवाने, तू राज़-ए मशिय्यत क्या जाने
बे-सोज़ तमन्नाओं से दुआ, महरूम-ए असर हो जाती है
६
अए वज्द जहान-ए उल्फ़त में, आराम कि सूरत क्या होगी
दिल और परेशां होता है, तस्कीन अगर हो जाती है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sikandar ali vajd (1914-1983) was a progressive, thoughtful poet from hyderabad, and a contemporary of maKhdoom. He qualified for the Hyderabad Civil Service and served as munsif magistrate and later as sessions judge. He got absorbed into the maharashTra state service when auraNgabad was split away from the erstwhile hyderabad state into maharashTra. He was elected to the rajya sabha and awarded padma shri. Unlike my previous impression which was based on a reading of his political compositions, I have come to realize that there is a healthy sufiyaana content in vajd’s composition. This is a much more practical/motivational piece in which vajd appears to be reassuring his comrades that change is around the corner and that they should stay on the steady path.
1
himmat ke charaaGhauN se raushan, har raah-guzar1 ho jaati hai
pur-azm2 nigaah3-e raah-ravaaN4, saamaan5-e safar6 ho jaati hai 1.pathway 2.full of determination 3.sight, vision 4.travelers on the path 5.means 6.travel
The poet/revolutionary and comrades are on the path of change/revolution and it is dark/unjust. Not to worry, says he … every pathway gets lit up by lamps of courage. The vision of determination of travelers (comrades) becomes the means of success.
2
dil raNg badalta hai paiham1, chhaTta2 hai Ghubaar3-e shaadi4 o Gham
ho vasl5 ki shab6 ya hijr7 ki shab, har shab ki sahar8 ho jaati hai 1.repeatedly, again and again 2.clears up 3.dust, fog 4.celebration, joy 5.union (with the beloved) 6.night 7.separation (from the beloved) 8.dawn
There is a note of reassurance, dawn will surely emerge (also see sahir ludhianavi’s vo subah kabhi to aayegi). The condition (optimism/pessimism) of the heart changes again and again. The fog of confusion of joy and sorrow clears up. Be it the joy of union or the night of separation – every night has its dawn. This night too will end, dawn will arrive.
3
ab naNg1 hai aye arbaab-e-chaman2, ye pairavi3-e aaiin4-e kohan5
yuN umr hazaarauN phoolauN ki, kaaNTauN meN basar6 ho jaati hai 1.disrepute, shame 2.friends of the garden, comrades 3.advocacy 4.traditions 5.ancient 6.spend
This advocacy of ancient traditions is a shame, O comrades. If we continue to do this, we will be like flowers who spend their time among thorns. The poet/revolutionary would rather discard obsolete traditions like so many thorns and not spend his life among them.
4
bijli ki tarah girti hai hamesha, dil pe javaaN maasoom nazar
kya baat udhar se hoti hai, kya baat idhar ho jaati hai This might appear to be a sharp change towards romance, but the beloved could also be socialism. The beauty of, fascination with the beloved strikes like lightning. She sends a message and it has an effect on the lover/comrade.
5
aye husn1-e ata2 ke diivaane, tu raaz3-e mashiyyat4 kya jaane
be-soz5 tamannaaoN6 se dua7, mahroom8-e asar9 ho jaati hai 1.beauty 2.grant, benevolence 3.secret 4.divine will 5.without fire/passion 6.desire 7.prayer 8.devoid of 9.effect
Conventional prayer does not do anything, is devoid of effect, O you who are a fan of (waiting for) divine benevolence. You do not understand the secret. It takes the fire of passion for prayer to have an effect … in other words, do it yourself.
6
aye vajd jahaan1-e ulfat2 meN, aaraam3 ki soorat4 kya hogi
dil aur pareshaaN hota hai, taskin5 agar ho jaati hai 1.world of 2.love 3.rest 4.picture, possibility 5.comfort, tranquility
O vajd, how can there be any possibility of rest in the world of love/passion. The heart becomes restless if there is tranquility.
sikandar ali vajd (1914-1983) was a progressive, thoughtful poet from hyderabad, and a contemporary of maKhdoom. He qualified for the Hyderabad Civil Service and served as munsif magistrate and later as sessions judge. He got absorbed into the maharashTra state service when auraNgabad was split away from the erstwhile hyderabad state into maharashTra. He was elected to the rajya sabha and awarded padma shri. Unlike my previous impression which was based on a reading of his political compositions, I have come to realize that there is a healthy sufiyaana content in vajd’s composition. This is a much more practical/motivational piece in which vajd appears to be reassuring his comrades that change is around the corner and that they should stay on the steady path.
1
himmat ke charaaGhauN se raushan, har raah-guzar1 ho jaati hai
pur-azm2 nigaah3-e raah-ravaaN4, saamaan5-e safar6 ho jaati hai
1.pathway 2.full of determination 3.sight, vision 4.travelers on the path 5.means 6.travel
The poet/revolutionary and comrades are on the path of change/revolution and it is dark/unjust. Not to worry, says he … every pathway gets lit up by lamps of courage. The vision of determination of travelers (comrades) becomes the means of success.
2
dil raNg badalta hai paiham1, chhaTta2 hai Ghubaar3-e shaadi4 o Gham
ho vasl5 ki shab6 ya hijr7 ki shab, har shab ki sahar8 ho jaati hai
1.repeatedly, again and again 2.clears up 3.dust, fog 4.celebration, joy 5.union (with the beloved) 6.night 7.separation (from the beloved) 8.dawn
There is a note of reassurance, dawn will surely emerge (also see sahir ludhianavi’s vo subah kabhi to aayegi). The condition (optimism/pessimism) of the heart changes again and again. The fog of confusion of joy and sorrow clears up. Be it the joy of union or the night of separation – every night has its dawn. This night too will end, dawn will arrive.
3
ab naNg1 hai aye arbaab-e-chaman2, ye pairavi3-e aaiin4-e kohan5
yuN umr hazaarauN phoolauN ki, kaaNTauN meN basar6 ho jaati hai
1.disrepute, shame 2.friends of the garden, comrades 3.advocacy 4.traditions 5.ancient 6.spend
This advocacy of ancient traditions is a shame, O comrades. If we continue to do this, we will be like flowers who spend their time among thorns. The poet/revolutionary would rather discard obsolete traditions like so many thorns and not spend his life among them.
4
bijli ki tarah girti hai hamesha, dil pe javaaN maasoom nazar
kya baat udhar se hoti hai, kya baat idhar ho jaati hai
This might appear to be a sharp change towards romance, but the beloved could also be socialism. The beauty of, fascination with the beloved strikes like lightning. She sends a message and it has an effect on the lover/comrade.
5
aye husn1-e ata2 ke diivaane, tu raaz3-e mashiyyat4 kya jaane
be-soz5 tamannaaoN6 se dua7, mahroom8-e asar9 ho jaati hai
1.beauty 2.grant, benevolence 3.secret 4.divine will 5.without fire/passion 6.desire 7.prayer 8.devoid of 9.effect
Conventional prayer does not do anything, is devoid of effect, O you who are a fan of (waiting for) divine benevolence. You do not understand the secret. It takes the fire of passion for prayer to have an effect … in other words, do it yourself.
6
aye vajd jahaan1-e ulfat2 meN, aaraam3 ki soorat4 kya hogi
dil aur pareshaaN hota hai, taskin5 agar ho jaati hai
1.world of 2.love 3.rest 4.picture, possibility 5.comfort, tranquility
O vajd, how can there be any possibility of rest in the world of love/passion. The heart becomes restless if there is tranquility.
