For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
وقت ہے تدبیر کا ۔ پنڈت مہارج کشن ندیمؔ
۱
زور کیا تقدیر کے آگے چلے تدبیر کا
چل کے پھر ہے غیر ممکن واپس آنا تیر کا
کشتیِ امید دشمن غرقِ نومیدی ہوئی
آہ کی جب میں نے اک دریا بہا تاثیر کا
آنکھ اُٹھا کر اب ذرا مفتوںؔ کی جانب دیکھئیے
دل کبھی تو رکھ لیا کیجے کسی دلگیر کا
۲
ساتھ کب تک دیجئیے گا آپ اب تقدیر کا
مُستعِد ہو جائیے اب وقت ہے تدبیر کا
باہمی جھگڑوں میں جُز ذِلّت نہ ہوگا کچھ نصیب
ایک مقصد جاہئیے ہونا جوان و پیر کا
مٹ رہے خدمتِ ملکی پہ جو عُشّاقِ ہند
پوجنا واجب ہے مفتوںؔ اُن کی ہی تصویر کا
वक़्त है तद्बीर का – पंडित महाराज किशन नदीम
१
ज़ोर क्या तक़्दीर के आगे चले तद्बीर का
चल के फिर है ग़ैर-मुम्किन वापस आना तीर का
किश्ती-ए उम्मीद-ए दुश्मन ग़र्क़-ए नौमीदी हई
आह की जब मैं ने एक दर्या बहा तासीर का
आंख उठा कर अब ज़रा मफ़्तूं कि जानिब देखिये
दिल कभी तो रख लिया कीजे किसी दिल्गीर का
२
साथ कब तक दीजियेगा आप अब तक़्दीर का
मुस्ता’इद हो जाईये अब वक़्त है तद्बीर का
बाहमी झग्ढौं में जुज़ ज़िल्लत न होगा कुछ नसीब
एक मक़्सद चाहिये होना जवान ओ पीर का
मिट रहे क़िद्मत-ए मुल्की पे जो उश्शाक़-ए हिन्द
पूजना वाजिब है मफ़्तूं उन की ही तस्वीर का
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit maharaj krishn (~1880-~1950) followed the family tradition established by his grandfather and father into composing in urdu. Initially, he used ‘maftoon’ as his taKhallus and then switched to ‘nadiim’. There is precious little by way of biographical notes but in the book that I have access to, there is reference to his rubaaii published in magazines from 1908-1912 and a note on the first volume of his diivaan about to be published. safi lakhnavi (1862-1950) is listed as his ustaad. These are fragments from two different Ghazal published in a booklet about his three generations. Both selections have the same radeef and qaafiya as Ghalib’s ‘shooKhi-e tahriir ka’. This post is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam and also Ghalib aur kashmiiri panDit.
1
zor1 kya taqdiir2 ke aage3 chale tadbiir4 ka
chal ke phir hai Ghair-mumkin5 vaapas aana tiir ka 1.trial of strength 2.fate 3.before, in comparison to 4.plan, scheme, effort 5.not possible
How can your effort win a trial of strength against fate. Once an arrow has been shot, it is impossible for it to return i.e., once fate is written, it cannot be changed.
kishti-e ummeed1-e dushman2 Gharq3-e naumeedi4 hui
aah5 kii jab maiN ne ek darya6 baha taasiir7 ka 1.hope 2.rival 3.sink 4.hopelessnes 5.sigh 6.river 7.effect, impact
The rivals boat of hope sank in a river of hopelessness, such was the river that burst forth as an impact of my mournful sigh.
aaNkh uTha kar ab zara maftuuN1 ki jaanib2 dekhiye
dil kabhi to rakh liya3 keeje kisi dilgiir4 ka 1.early pen-name of the poet 2.towards 3.dil rakhna is to fulfil desire 4.heartbroken
Lift your eyes and look in the direction of maftuun. At least sometimes fulfil the heart’s desire of this heartbroken lover.
2
saath kab tak diijiyega aap ab taqdiir1 ka
musta’id2 ho jaaiye ab vaqt hai tadbiir3 ka 1.fate 2.ready 3.plan of action
How long will you walk along with (depend on) fate. Get ready, it is now time for action.
baahami1 jhagRoN meN juz2 zillat3 na hoga kuchh nasiib4
ek maqsad5 chaahiye hona javaan o piir6 ka 1.mutual 2.except for 3.disrepute 4.obtain, receive 5.objective 6.old
You will receive nothing except disrepute with this mutual quarreling. We all should, young and old have the same purpose/goal.
miT1 rahe Khidmat2-e mulki3 pe jo ushshaaq4-e hind
poojna5 vaajib6 hai maftuuN7 un ki hi tasviir ka 1.getting erased, dying 2.service 3.homeland 4.lovers 5.worshipping, honouring 6.necessary, required 7.early pen-name of the poet
O maftuun, it is a requirement to worship/honour the images of those lovers of hindustaan who gave their lives in the service of the homeland.
panDit maharaj krishn (~1880-~1950) followed the family tradition established by his grandfather and father into composing in urdu. Initially, he used ‘maftoon’ as his taKhallus and then switched to ‘nadiim’. There is precious little by way of biographical notes but in the book that I have access to, there is reference to his rubaaii published in magazines from 1908-1912 and a note on the first volume of his diivaan about to be published. safi lakhnavi (1862-1950) is listed as his ustaad. These are fragments from two different Ghazal published in a booklet about his three generations. Both selections have the same radeef and qaafiya as Ghalib’s ‘shooKhi-e tahriir ka’. This post is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam and also Ghalib aur kashmiiri panDit.
1
zor1 kya taqdiir2 ke aage3 chale tadbiir4 ka
chal ke phir hai Ghair-mumkin5 vaapas aana tiir ka
1.trial of strength 2.fate 3.before, in comparison to 4.plan, scheme, effort 5.not possible
How can your effort win a trial of strength against fate. Once an arrow has been shot, it is impossible for it to return i.e., once fate is written, it cannot be changed.
kishti-e ummeed1-e dushman2 Gharq3-e naumeedi4 hui
aah5 kii jab maiN ne ek darya6 baha taasiir7 ka
1.hope 2.rival 3.sink 4.hopelessnes 5.sigh 6.river 7.effect, impact
The rivals boat of hope sank in a river of hopelessness, such was the river that burst forth as an impact of my mournful sigh.
aaNkh uTha kar ab zara maftuuN1 ki jaanib2 dekhiye
dil kabhi to rakh liya3 keeje kisi dilgiir4 ka
1.early pen-name of the poet 2.towards 3.dil rakhna is to fulfil desire 4.heartbroken
Lift your eyes and look in the direction of maftuun. At least sometimes fulfil the heart’s desire of this heartbroken lover.
2
saath kab tak diijiyega aap ab taqdiir1 ka
musta’id2 ho jaaiye ab vaqt hai tadbiir3 ka
1.fate 2.ready 3.plan of action
How long will you walk along with (depend on) fate. Get ready, it is now time for action.
baahami1 jhagRoN meN juz2 zillat3 na hoga kuchh nasiib4
ek maqsad5 chaahiye hona javaan o piir6 ka
1.mutual 2.except for 3.disrepute 4.obtain, receive 5.objective 6.old
You will receive nothing except disrepute with this mutual quarreling. We all should, young and old have the same purpose/goal.
miT1 rahe Khidmat2-e mulki3 pe jo ushshaaq4-e hind
poojna5 vaajib6 hai maftuuN7 un ki hi tasviir ka
1.getting erased, dying 2.service 3.homeland 4.lovers 5.worshipping, honouring 6.necessary, required 7.early pen-name of the poet
O maftuun, it is a requirement to worship/honour the images of those lovers of hindustaan who gave their lives in the service of the homeland.
