For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
طرز سخن کی یادگاری ہے ۔ بھارتِندُو ہرِشچندر رساؔ
۱
عجب جوبن ہے گُل پر آمدِ فصلِ بہاری ہے
شِتاب آ ساقیا گُل رُو کہ تیری یادگاری ہے
۲
رِہا کرتا ہے صیادِ ستم گر موسمِ گل میں
اسیرانِ قفس لو تم سے اب رخصت ہماری ہے
۳
کسی پہلو نہیں آرام آتا تیرے عاشق کو
دلِ مضطر تڑپتا ہے نہایت بے قراری ہے
۴
صفائی دیکھتے ہی دل پھڑک جاتا ہے بِسمل کا
ارے جلّاد تیرے تیغ کی کیا آب داری ہے
۵
دلا اب تو فراقِ یار میں یہ حال ہے اپنا
کہ سر زانو پہ ہے اور خونِ دل آنکھوں سے جاری ہے
۶
الٰہی خیر کیجو کچھ ابھی سے دل دھڑکتا ہے
سنا ہے منزل اوّل کی پہلی رات بھاری ہے
۷
رساؔ محوِ فصاحت دوست کیا دشمن بھی ہیں سارے
زمانے میں ترے طرزِ سخن کی یادگاری ہے
तर्ज़-ए सुख़न की यादगारी है – भारतेंदू हरिश्चंद्र रसा
१
अजब जौबन है गुल पर आमद-ए फ़स्ल-ए बहारी है
शिताब आ साक़िया गुल-रू के तेरी यादगारी है
२
रेहा करता है सय्याद-ए सितमगर मौसम-ए गुल में
असीरान-ए क़फ़स लो तुम से अब रुख़्सत हमारी है
३
किसी पहलू नहीं आराम आता तेरे आशिक़ को
दिल-ए मुज़्तर तढपता है नेहायत बे-क़रारी है
४
सफ़ाई देखते ही दिल फढक जाता है बिस्मिल का
अरे जल्लाद तेरे तेग़ की क्या आब-दारी है
५
दिला अब तो फ़िराक़-ए यार में ये हाल है अपना
के सर ज़ानू पे है और ख़ून-ए दिल आँखौं से जारी है
६
इलाही ख़ैर कीजो कुछ अभी से दिल धढकता है
सुना है मंज़िल-ए अव्वल की पहली रात भारी है
७
रसा महव-ए फ़साहत दोस्त क्या दुश्मन भी हैं सारे
ज़माने में तेरे तर्ज़-ए सुख़न की यादगारी है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. bharatendu harishchandra (1850-1885) was a prolific writer, poet, journalist and political activist. He was a scholar of urdu, farsi and sanskrit using ‘rasa’ as his taKhallus for classical urdu and ‘harichand’ for emerging hindi compositions. He even wrote articles on hindu law in urdu. But later he participated in and contributed greatly to the ‘hindi-urdu divide’. His personal life too was given to drinking and debauchery leading to an early death. This Ghazal, in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘kuchh to hai jis ki parda-daari hai’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
ajab1 jauban2 hai gul par aamad3-e fasl4-e bahaari5 hai
shitaab6 aa saaqiya gul-ruu7 keh teri yaadgaari8 hai 1.amazing 2.youth, adolescence, breasts 3.arrival 4.season 5.spring 6.rapidly, urgently 7.flower faced 8.remembrance
The rose appears amazingly youthful/fresh; it is the arrival of spring. O rose-cheeked saaqiya, come quickly, for we remember and miss you.
2
reha1 karta hai sayyaad2-e sitamgar3 mausam4-e gul5 meN
asiraan6-e qafas7 lo tum se ab ruKhsat8 hamaari hai 1.release 2.bird-catcher, hunter 3.cruel 4.season 5.rose (blooming) 6.captives 7.cage 8.departure, farewell
In urdu poetic tradition, the poet is often portrayed as a bird, often caught by the bird-catcher/hunter, and put away in a cage. Often, its wings are clipped, and feathers pulled, rendering it unable to fly. Although, this she’r does not explicitly say so, it appears to be the case this time. The hunter is setting the captive bird free in spring. Normally this should be a cause for joy. But there appears to be a tinge of sorrow in announcing that the hunter is releasing him. This could be because he has lost his ability to fly or perhaps, because he might miss his fellow captives of the cage.
3
kisi pahlu1 nahiN aaraam aata tere aashiq ko
dil-e muztar2 taRapta hai nihaayat3 be-qaraari4 hai 1.side, turn of the body 2.sorrowful, impatient 3.extreme 4.restlessness, impatience
The poet/lover is turning from side to side, but comfort eludes him. His sorrowful heart is extremely agitated, restless and impatient.
4
safaai1 dekhte hi dil phaRak2 jaata hai bismil3 ka
arey jallaad4 tere teGh5 ki kya aab-daari6 hai 1.cleanliness (of the cut) 2.flutter (with eagerness) 3.sacrificial animal 4.slaughterer, killer 5.sword 6.sharpness, bright/shining edge
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is a ‘jallaad’ and kills/slaughters her lovers (the sacrificial animals). In turn, the lovers are eager to be killed at the hands of the beloved. The cleaner the stroke, the more sure will he be of dying and the quicker will be his end. Thus, the bismil perks up upon seeing her clean stroke and praises the jallaad’s sword because of its sharp, shining edge.
5
dila1 ab to firaaq2-e yaar3 meN ye haal4 hai apna
keh sar zaanu5 pe hai aur Khoon-e dil aaNkhoN se jaari6 hai 1.O heart 2.separation 3.friend, beloved 4.condition 5.knee 6.flowing
‘sar zaanu pe rakhna’ is an expression that means sitting dejected with head placed on the knee. Thus, in separation from the beloved the poet/lover is in a state of dejection sitting with his head on his knee and tears of blood flowing from his eyes.
6
ilaahi1 Khair2 kiijo kuchh abhi se dil dhaRakta3 hai
suna hai manzil4-e avval5 ki pahli raat bhaari6 hai 1.my god 2.take care of me 3.palpitating, trembling in fear 4.stage towards the destination 5.first 6.heavy, difficult
The grave is the first stage in the journey towards heaven/spiritual world. There is a long period of being ‘in limbo’ between death and the day of judgement. It is also commonly believed that the first night in the grave is particularly frightening (editorial comment – I do not know of anyone who has come back to testify of this). Thus, O my god, take care of me, my heart beats in fear; I have heard that the first night in the first stage of my next life is going to be very difficult.
7
rasa1 mahv2-e fasaahat3 dost kya dushman bhi haiN saare
zamaane4 meN terey tarz5-e suKhan6 ki yaadgaari7 hai 1.pen-name of the poet 2.engrossed, obsessed 3.eloquence 4.people, the world 5.style 6.versification 7.remembrance-used here to mean admiration
O rasa, not just friends but even rivals are engrossed in your eloquence. There is admiration of your verse in the whole world. Said Ghalib …
haiN aur bhi duniya meN suKhanvar bahut achchhe
kahte haiN keh Ghalib ka hai andaaz-e bayaaN aur
bharatendu harishchandra (1850-1885) was a prolific writer, poet, journalist and political activist. He was a scholar of urdu, farsi and sanskrit using ‘rasa’ as his taKhallus for classical urdu and ‘harichand’ for emerging hindi compositions. He even wrote articles on hindu law in urdu. But later he participated in and contributed greatly to the ‘hindi-urdu divide’. His personal life too was given to drinking and debauchery leading to an early death. This Ghazal, in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘kuchh to hai jis ki parda-daari hai’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
ajab1 jauban2 hai gul par aamad3-e fasl4-e bahaari5 hai
shitaab6 aa saaqiya gul-ruu7 ki teri yaadgaari8 hai
1.amazing 2.youth, adolescence, breasts 3.arrival 4.season 5.spring 6.rapidly, urgently 7.flower faced 8.remembrance
The rose appears amazingly youthful/fresh; it is the arrival of spring. O saaqiya, come quickly, for we remember and miss your rosy cheeks.
2
reha1 karta hai sayyaad2-e sitamgar3 mausam4-e gul5 meN
asiraan6-e qafas7 lo tum se ab ruKhsat8 hamaari hai
1.release 2.bird-catcher, hunter 3.cruel 4.season 5.rose (blooming) 6.captives 7.cage 8.departure, farewell
In urdu poetic tradition, the poet is often portrayed as a bird, often caught by the bird-catcher/hunter, and put away in a cage. Often, its wings are clipped, and feathers pulled, rendering it unable to fly. Although, this she’r does not explicitly say so, it appears to be the case this time. The hunter is setting the captive bird free in spring. Normally this should be a cause for joy. But there appears to be a tinge of sorrow in announcing that the hunter is releasing him. This could be because he has lost his ability to fly or perhaps, because he might miss his fellow captives of the cage.
3
kisi pahlu1 nahiN aaraam aata tere aashiq ko
dil-e muztar2 taRapta hai nihaayat3 be-qaraari4 hai
1.side, turn of the body 2.sorrowful, impatient 3.extreme 4.restlessness, impatience
The poet/lover is turning from side to side, but comfort eludes him. His sorrowful heart is extremely agitated, restless and impatient.
4
safaai1 dekhte hi dil phaRak2 jaata hai bismil3 ka
arey jallaad4 tere teGh5 ki kya aab-daari6 hai
1.cleanliness (of the cut) 2.flutter (with eagerness) 3.sacrificial animal 4.slaughterer, killer 5.sword 6.sharpness, bright/shining edge
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is a ‘jallaad’ and kills/slaughters her lovers (the sacrificial animals). In turn, the lovers are eager to be killed at the hands of the beloved. The cleaner the stroke, the more sure will he be of dying and the quicker will be his end. Thus, the bismil perks up upon seeing her clean stroke and praises the jallaad’s sword because of its sharp, shining edge.
5
dila1 ab to firaaq2-e yaar3 meN ye haal4 hai apna
keh sar zaanu5 pe hai aur Khoon-e dil aaNkhoN se jaari6 hai
1.O heart 2.separation 3.friend, beloved 4.condition 5.knee 6.flowing
‘sar zaanu pe rakhna’ is an expression that means sitting dejected with head placed on the knee. Thus, in separation from the beloved the poet/lover is in a state of dejection sitting with his head on his knee and tears of blood flowing from his eyes.
6
ilaahi1 Khair2 kiijo kuchh abhi se dil dhaRakta3 hai
suna hai manzil4-e avval5 ki pahli raat bhaari6 hai
1.my god 2.take care of me 3.palpitating, trembling in fear 4.stage towards the destination 5.first 6.heavy, difficult
The grave is the first stage in the journey towards heaven/spiritual world. There is a long period of being ‘in limbo’ between death and the day of judgement. It is also commonly believed that the first night in the grave is particularly frightening (editorial comment – I do not know of anyone who has come back to testify of this). Thus, O my god, take care of me, my heart beats in fear; I have heard that the first night in the first stage of my next life is going to be very difficult.
7
rasa1 mahv2-e fasaahat3 dost kya dushman bhi haiN saare
zamaane4 meN terey tarz5-e suKhan6 ki yaadgaari7 hai
1.pen-name of the poet 2.engrossed, obsessed 3.eloquence 4.people, the world 5.style 6.versification 7.remembrance-used here to mean admiration
O rasa, not just friends but even rivals are engrossed in your eloquence. There is admiration of your verse in the whole world. Said Ghalib …
haiN aur bhi duniya meN suKhanvar bahut achchhe
kahte haiN keh Ghalib ka hai andaaz-e bayaaN aur
