For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
سہل تر نہیں ۔ جئے کرشن جودھری حبیبؔ
۱
مستِ شرابِ ناز پر شکوے کا کچھ اثر نہیں
میری خبر ہو کیا انہیں اپنی جنہیں خبر نہیں
۲
گردش روزگار سے خوف مجھے ہوا ہی کب
سیلِ الم سے بہہ سکے پہلو میں وہ جگر نہیں
۳
گود میں حادثات کے پل کے ہی میں جواں ہوا
وہ نہیں زندگی قبول جس میں کوئی خطر نہیں
۴
منزلِ عشق میں مجھے آئے تو سخت مرحلے
بڑھنا نہیں ہے سہل اگر رکنا بھی سہل تر نہیں
۵
میں ہوں یہاں بھی بیقرار تھا میں وہاں بھی بیقرار
دل کی دوا ادھر نہ تھی دل کی دوا ادھر نہیں
۶
گِھر کے گھٹا اُٹھی ابھی چَھٹ بھی گئی ابھی حبیبؔ
میری شبِ فراق کی دہر میں کیا سحر نہیں
सहल-तर नहीं – जय क्रिष्ण चौघरी हबीब
१
मस्त-ए शराब-ए नाज़ पर शिक्वे का कुछ असर नहीं
मेरी ख़बर हो क्या उन्हें अपनी जिन्हें ख़बर नहीं
२
गर्दिश-ए रोज़गार से ख़ौफ़ मुझे हुआ ही कब
सैल-ए अलम से बह सके पहलू में वो जिगर नहीं
३
गोद में हादसात के पल के ही मैं जवाँ हुआ
वो नहीं ज़िंदगी क़ुबूल जिस में कोई ख़तर नहीं
४
मंज़िल-ए इश्क़ में मुझे आए तो सख़्त मरहले
बढ़ना नहीं है सहल अगर रुकना भी सहल-तर नहीं
५
मैं हूँ यहाँ भी बे-क़रार था मैं वहाँ भी बे-क़रार
दिल की दवा उधर न थी दिल की दवा इधर नहीं
६
घिर के घटा उठी अभी छट भी गई अभी हबीब
मेरी शब-ए फ़िराक़ की दहर में क्या सहर नहीं
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 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. He composed several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib. Compared to many other shu’ara, he started composing rather late in life, 1947, affected by having to leave home and the death of his mother. He composed until 1972.
1
mast1-e sharaab-e naaz2 par shikve3 ka kuchh asar4 nahiN
meri Khabar5 ho kya unheN apni jinheN Khabar nahiN 1.intoxicated 2.coquetry 3.complaint 4.effect 5.awareness, concern
The beloved is intoxicated with her own beauty/coquetry and is totally oblivious of what she is putting the poet/lover through. He might complain, but he says she is so absorbed in herself that his complaint will have no effect. How can she be concerned about me, when she is not even aware of herself.
2
gardish-e-rozgaar1 se Khauf2 mujhe hua hi kab
sail3-e alam4 se bah sake pahlu5 meN vo jigar6 nahiN 1.problems of daily life, vicissitudes of time 2.fear 3.flood 4.sorrows 5.side, bosom 6.liver-seat of courage, brave heart
When did I fear the problems of life. The brave heart in my bosom is not one that would drown in a flood of sorrow.
3
god1 meN haadsaat2 ke pal3 ke hi maiN javaaN4 hua
vo nahiN zindagi qubuul5 jis meN koi Khatar6 nahiN 1.lap 2.calamities, misfortunes 3.nurtured 4.youth 5.acceptable 6.danger
I attained youth being raised in the lap of misfortune. I do not accept a life in which there is no danger/difficulty.
4
manzil1-e ishq meN mujhe aaye to saKht2 marhale3
baRhna nahiN hai sahl4 agar5 rukna bhi sahl-tar6 nahiN 1.destination, goal 2.hard 3.difficulties, obstacles 4.easy 5.if 6.easier
On the path to my desired destination, I faced many tough obstacles. If going forward was not easy, stopping/giving up was not easier either.
5
maiN huN yahaaN bhi be-qaraar1 tha maiN vahaaN bhi be-qaraar
dil ki dava udhar na thi dil ki dava idhar nahiN 1.restless, dissatisfied
This is probably a political statement from a poet who was politically very active during his youth. Also, the ‘yahaaN’ and ‘vahaaN’ are most probably about pakistan (where he grew up) and India (where he migrated after 1947). In neither place has social justice been done. I was not happy there, I am restless here also. A similar experience of loss of home lead qamar jalalavi to say …
yahaaN taNgi-e qafas hai, vahaaN fikr-e aashiyaana
na yahaaN mera Thikaana, na vahaaN mera Thikaana
6
ghir1 ke ghaTa2 uThi abhi chhaT3 bhi gaii abhi habib4
meri shab5-e firaaq6 ki dahr7 meN kya sahar8 nahiN 1.swirling 2.dark clouds 3.dispersed 4.pen-name of the poet 5.night 5.separation, deprivation 7.world 8.dawn
This she’r also has political implications. ‘ghaTa-rain clouds’ are symbolic of spring; ‘shab-e firaaq’ is symbolic of deprivation and injustice; ‘sahar’ is the dawn of social justice. Thus, spring has come and gone. Is there not dawn for my night of darkness!
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 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. He composed several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib. Compared to many other shu’ara, he started composing rather late in life, 1947, affected by having to leave home and the death of his mother. He composed until 1972.
1
mast1-e sharaab-e naaz2 par shikve3 ka kuchh asar4 nahiN
meri Khabar5 ho kya unheN apni jinheN Khabar nahiN
1.intoxicated 2.coquetry 3.complaint 4.effect 5.awareness, concern
The beloved is intoxicated with her own beauty/coquetry and is totally oblivious of what she is putting the poet/lover through. He might complain, but he says she is so absorbed in herself that his complaint will have no effect. How can she be concerned about me, when she is not even aware of herself.
2
gardish-e-rozgaar1 se Khauf2 mujhe hua hi kab
sail3-e alam4 se bah sake pahlu5 meN vo jigar6 nahiN
1.problems of daily life, vicissitudes of time 2.fear 3.flood 4.sorrows 5.side, bosom 6.liver-seat of courage, brave heart
When did I fear the problems of life. The brave heart in my bosom is not one that would drown in a flood of sorrow.
3
god1 meN haadsaat2 ke pal3 ke hi maiN javaaN4 hua
vo nahiN zindagi qubuul5 jis meN koi Khatar6 nahiN
1.lap 2.calamities, misfortunes 3.nurtured 4.youth 5.acceptable 6.danger
I attained youth being raised in the lap of misfortune. I do not accept a life in which there is no danger/difficulty.
4
manzil1-e ishq meN mujhe aaye to saKht2 marhale3
baRhna nahiN hai sahl4 agar5 rukna bhi sahl-tar6 nahiN
1.destination, goal 2.hard 3.difficulties, obstacles 4.easy 5.if 6.easier
On the path to my desired destination, I faced many tough obstacles. If going forward was not easy, stopping/giving up was not easier either.
5
maiN huN yahaaN bhi be-qaraar1 tha maiN vahaaN bhi be-qaraar
dil ki dava udhar na thi dil ki dava idhar nahiN
1.restless, dissatisfied
This is probably a political statement from a poet who was politically very active during his youth. Also, the ‘yahaaN’ and ‘vahaaN’ are most probably about pakistan (where he grew up) and India (where he migrated after 1947). In neither place has social justice been done. I was not happy there, I am restless here also. A similar experience of loss of home lead qamar jalalavi to say …
yahaaN taNgi-e qafas hai, vahaaN fikr-e aashiyaana
na yahaaN mera Thikaana, na vahaaN mera Thikaana
6
ghir1 ke ghaTa2 uThi abhi chhaT3 bhi gaii abhi habib4
meri shab5-e firaaq6 ki dahr7 meN kya sahar8 nahiN
1.swirling 2.dark clouds 3.dispersed 4.pen-name of the poet 5.night 5.separation, deprivation 7.world 8.dawn
This she’r also has political implications. ‘ghaTa-rain clouds’ are symbolic of spring; ‘shab-e firaaq’ is symbolic of deprivation and injustice; ‘sahar’ is the dawn of social justice. Thus, spring has come and gone. Is there not dawn for my night of darkness!
