For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
پکارا کبھی کبھی ۔ بالمُکُند عرشؔ ملسیانی
۱
عشقِ بتاں کا لے کے سہارا کبھی کبھی
اپنے خدا کو ہم نے پکارا کبھی کبھی
۲
اس انتہائے ترک تعلق کے باوجود
ہم نے لیا ہے نام تمہارا کبھی کبھی
۳
طوفاں کا خوف ہے ابھی شاید کرشمہ کار
آتا ہے سامنے جو کنارہ کبھی کبھی
۴
بہکے تو میکدے میں نمازوں پہ آ گئے
یوں عاقبت کو ہم نے سنوارا کبھی کبھی
۵
تنہا روی نے رکھی ہمارے جنوں کی لاج
گو اہل کارواں نے پکارا کبھی کبھی
۶
اب کیا کہیں دل مُتلوّن مزاج کو
اکثر یہ آپ کا ہے ہمارا کبھی کبھی
۷
فریادِ غم سے عرشؔ سنبھلتا ہے دل مگر
لیتے ہیں اہلِ دل یہ سہارا کبھی کبھی
पुकारा कभी कभी – बालमुकुंद अर्श मल्सियानी
१
इश्क़-ए बुताँ का ले के सहारा कभी कभी
अपने ख़ुदा को हम ने पुकारा कभी कभी
२
इस इंतेहा-ए तर्क-ए ता’अल्लुक़ के बावजूद
हम ने लिया है नाम तुम्हारा कभी कभी
३
तूफ़ाँ का ख़ौफ़ है अभी शा’एद करिश्मा-कार
आता है सामने जो किनारा कभी कभी
४
बहके तो मय-कदे में नमाज़ों पे आ गए
यूँ आक़बत को हम ने सँवारा कभी कभी
५
तन्हा-रवी ने रक्खी हमारे जुनूँ की लाज
गो अहल-ए कारवाँ ने पुकारा कभी कभी
६
अब क्या कहें दिल-ए मुतलव्विन-मिज़ाज को
अक्सर ये आप का है हमारा कभी कभी
७
फ़र्याद-ए ग़म से अर्श सँभलता है दिल मगर
लेते हैं अहल-ए दिल ये सहारा कभी कभी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. baalmukund arsh malsiaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiaani 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 Ghazal is one of a series with the radeef ‘kabhi kabhi’ and is linked to that icon under ‘radeef-refrain’.
1
ishq1-e butaaN2 ka le ke sahaara3 kabhi kabhi
apne Khuda ko ham ne pukaara kabhi kabhi 1.love 2.idols, beloved
Taking the help of the love of idols, we have called our god sometimes. If idols is to be taken to mean ‘beloved’ then love of god is through the love of the beloved. I am more inclined to think that idols are the many hindu deities and the poet says that idol worship is a support/an instrument to reach the universal divine spirit – god.
2
is inteha1-e tark2-e ta’alluq3 ke baavajood4
ham ne liya hai naam tumhaara kabhi kabhi 1.extreme 2.cease, break off, renounce 3.relationship 4.inspite of
In spite of your extreme step of breaking off/renouncing our relationship, I remember you/call for you sometimes.
3
toofaaN ka Khauf1 hai abhi shaa’ed2 karishma-kaar3
aata hai saamne jo kinaara kabhi kabhi 1.fear 2.perhaps 3.miracle-worker
The poet/lover is a brave miracle-worker. He does not run away from storms, he seeks them out and does not head for the shore. But sometimes the shore seems to appear in front. Perhaps it is because subliminally he is still afraid of storms and does not have the courage of face them down.
4
bahke1 to mai-kade2 meN namaazoN pe aa gaye
yuN aaqibat3 ko ham ne saNvaara4 kabhi kabhi 1.drunken blabber, going astray 2.tavern 3.final judgment 4.embellish, arrange
When we have gone tipsy in the tavern, we have turned to ritual prayer. Thus have we tried to set right the final judgment for afterlife.
5
tanha-ravi1 ne rakkhi hamaare junooN2 ki laaj3
go4 ahl-e-kaarvaaN5 ne pukaara kabhi kabhi 1.going own/separate way 2.passion 3.respect, dignity 4.even though 5.people of the caravan, group of seekers
My way of staying on my own course, even though sometimes fellow-seekers called me to join them, has saved the dignity of my passion.
6
ab kya kaheN dil-e mutalavvin-mizaaj1 ko
aksar2 ye aap ka hai hamaara kabhi kabhi 1.changing mood 2.often
What can I say about my heart and its changing moods. Often it is yours, but sometimes it is mine.
7
faryaad1-e Gham2 se arsh3 saNbhalta4 hai dil, magar
lete haiN ahl-e-dil5 ye sahaara6 kabhi kabhi 1.appeal, protest 2.sorrow, pain 3.pen-name of the poet 4.become steady 5.people of heart, lovers 6.support
O arsh, does the heart ever become steady by appealing/protesting against the pain inflicted by the beloved. Still, lovers sometimes seek this support.
baalmukund arsh malsiaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiaani 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 Ghazal is one of a series with the radeef ‘kabhi kabhi’ and is linked to that icon under ‘radeef-refrain’.
1
ishq1-e butaaN2 ka le ke sahaara3 kabhi kabhi
apne Khuda ko ham ne pukaara kabhi kabhi
1.love 2.idols, beloved
Taking the help of the love of idols, we have called our god sometimes. If idols is to be taken to mean ‘beloved’ then love of god is through the love of the beloved. I am more inclined to think that idols are the many hindu deities and the poet says that idol worship is a support/an instrument to reach the universal divine spirit – god.
2
is inteha1-e tark2-e ta’alluq3 ke baavajood4
ham ne liya hai naam tumhaara kabhi kabhi
1.extreme 2.cease, break off, renounce 3.relationship 4.inspite of
In spite of your extreme step of breaking off/renouncing our relationship, I remember you/call for you sometimes.
3
toofaaN ka Khauf1 hai abhi shaa’ed2 karishma-kaar3
aata hai saamne jo kinaara kabhi kabhi
1.fear 2.perhaps 3.miracle-worker
The poet/lover is a brave miracle-worker. He does not run away from storms, he seeks them out and does not head for the shore. But sometimes the shore seems to appear in front. Perhaps it is because subliminally he is still afraid of storms and does not have the courage of face them down.
4
bahke1 to mai-kade2 meN namaazoN pe aa gaye
yuN aaqibat3 ko ham ne saNvaara4 kabhi kabhi
1.drunken blabber, going astray 2.tavern 3.final judgment 4.embellish, arrange
When we have gone tipsy in the tavern, we have turned to ritual prayer. Thus have we tried to set right the final judgment for afterlife.
5
tanha-ravi1 ne rakkhi hamaare junooN2 ki laaj3
go4 ahl-e-kaarvaaN5 ne pukaara kabhi kabhi
1.going own/separate way 2.passion 3.respect, dignity 4.even though 5.people of the caravan, group of seekers
My way of staying on my own course, even though sometimes fellow-seekers called me to join them, has saved the dignity of my passion.
6
ab kya kaheN dil-e mutalavvin-mizaaj1 ko
aksar2 ye aap ka hai hamaara kabhi kabhi
1.changing mood 2.often
What can I say about my heart and its changing moods. Often it is yours, but sometimes it is mine.
7
faryaad1-e Gham2 se arsh3 saNbhalta4 hai dil, magar
lete haiN ahl-e-dil5 ye sahaara6 kabhi kabhi
1.appeal, protest 2.sorrow, pain 3.pen-name of the poet 4.become steady 5.people of heart, lovers 6.support
O arsh, does the heart ever become steady by appealing/protesting against the pain inflicted by the beloved. Still, lovers sometimes seek this support.
