For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اپنا وجود بھاری ہے ۔ رام پرکاش ساحرؔ ہوشیارپوری
۱
دَورِ چرخِ کبود جاری ہے
جسم و جاں پر جمود طاری ہے
۲
گویا انساں نہیں ہیولیٰ ہوں
میری رگ رگ میں دود ساری ہے
۳
موت ہم سایے میں ہوئی تو کیا
بزمِ رقص و سرور جاری ہے
۴
دوستوں سے وہ کیا کریں گے سلوک
جن پر اپنا وجود بھاری ہے
۵
ہے تصوّر میں اک رخِ روشن
اور لب پر درود جاری ہے
۶
عمر بھر کُھل سکی نہ دل کی گرہ
خوب شغلِ کشود کاری ہے
۷
بھر نہ پائے گا زخمِ دل ساحرؔ
ضربِ حرفِ حسود کاری ہے
अपना वजूद भारी है – राम प्रकाश साहेर होश्यारपूरी
१
दौर-ए चर्ख़-ए कबूद जारी है
जिस्म-ओ-जाँ पर जुमूद तारी है
२
गोया इंसाँ नहीं हयूला हूँ
मेरी रग रग में दूद सारी है
३
मौत हम-साए में हुई तो क्या
बज़्म-ए रक़्स-ओ-सुरूर जारी है
४
दोस्तों से वो क्या करेंगे सुलूक
जिन पर अपना वजूद भारी है
५
है तसव्वुर में एक रुख़-ए रौशन
और लब पर दरूद जारी है
६
उम्र भर खुल सकी न दिल की गिरह
ख़ूब शग़्ल-ए कुशूद-कारी है
७
भर न पाएगा ज़ख़्म-ए दिल साहेर
ज़र्ब-ए हर्फ़-ए हुसूद कारी है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ram prakash saahir hoshiarpuri (1913-1972), did his MA in faarsi from lahore and joined the family business. He was the shaagird of labhuram josh malsiani and specialized in composing in a short bahr/meter. This Ghazal is in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘kuchh to hai jis ki parda-daari hai’ and can be considered a tribute to the master. It is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
daur1-e charKh2-e kabood3 jaari4 hai
jism-o-jaaN5 par jumood6 taari7 hai 1.times, control, regime 2.wheel, sky 3.blue 4.underway, prevailing 5.body and soul 6.stasis, stagnant 7.overpowering, controlling
The sky (blue or not) is symbolic of fate that controls human lives. Thus, this is the age/reign of fate. There is a stasis that has power over bodies and souls. This may be a sarcastic reflection on the cultural tendency of blaming everything on fate and not making an effort to change things.
2
goya1 insaaN nahiN hayoola2 huN
meri rag-rag3 meN duud4 saari5 hai 1.as if 2.apparition, ghost 3.every vein 4.smoke 5.flowing
I cannot figure out what he is saying beyond a literal translation. Thus, it is as if I am not human but an apparition. Smoke flows through every vein of mine. Is it because he is on fire with passion? I am not sure.
3
maut1 ham-saa’e2 meN hui to kya
bazm3-e raqs4-e suroor5 jaari6 hai 1.death 2.neighbourhood 3.gathering, party 4.dance 5.joy, celebration 6.underway
This appears to be a reflection on loss of cultural norms. There was a time when there was a death in the neighbourhood then all festive activities would be postponed in consideration of the loss. But it seems that now … what if there is a death in the neighbourhood, the party of joyful dance goes on.
4
dostoN se vo kya kareNge sulook1
jin par apna vajood2 bhaari3 hai 1.behaviour, kindness, culture 2.existence, life 3.heavy, difficult
How can they whose very existence is difficult, carry on culturally refined behaviour with friends. Said moin ehsan jazbi …
jab jeb meN paise bajte haiN, jab payT meN roTi hoti hai
us vaqt ye zarra heera hai, us vaqt ye shabnam moti hai
5
hai tasavvur1 meN ek ruKh2-e raushan3
aur lab par darood4 jaari5 hai 1.thoughts, imagination 2.face 3.shining 4.praise 5.ongoing
I carry the shining face of the beloved in my mind and keep chanting praises of her. It is just possible that the ‘beloved’ could be god.
6
umr bhar khul saki na dil ki girah1
Khuub2 shaGhl3-e kushood-kaari4 hai 1.knot 2.good, plenty, much 3.occupation, hobby 4.opening, untying
Here ‘Khuub’ meaning, ‘good, or done well’ is probably used in sarcasm. All life long. the knot of the heart could not be unraveled i.e., the mystery of love could not be explained. What kind of an expert effort of untying knots is this.
7
bhar1 na paa’ega zaKhm2-e dil saahir3
zarb4-e harf5-e husood6 kaari7 hai 1.zaKhm bharna is an expression meaning wound getting healed 2.wound 3.pen-name of the poet 4.blow, cut 5.word 6.envy, jealousy 7.fatal, deep
O saahir, this wound will not heal. The wounds of envy are deep and fatal.
ram prakash saahir hoshiarpuri (1913-1972), did his MA in faarsi from lahore and joined the family business. He was the shaagird of labhuram josh malsiani and specialized in composing in a short bahr/meter. This Ghazal is in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘kuchh to hai jis ki parda-daari hai’ and can be considered a tribute to the master. It is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
daur1-e charKh2-e kabood3 jaari4 hai
jism-o-jaaN5 par jumood6 taari7 hai
1.times, control, regime 2.wheel, sky 3.blue 4.underway, prevailing 5.body and soul 6.stasis, stagnant 7.overpowering, controlling
The sky (blue or not) is symbolic of fate that controls human lives. Thus, this is the age/reign of fate. There is a stasis that has power over bodies and souls. This may be a sarcastic reflection on the cultural tendency of blaming everything on fate and not making an effort to change things.
2
goya1 insaaN nahiN hayoola2 huN
meri rag-rag3 meN duud4 saari5 hai
1.as if 2.apparition, ghost 3.every vein 4.smoke 5.flowing
I cannot figure out what he is saying beyond a literal translation. Thus, it is as if I am not human but an apparition. Smoke flows through every vein of mine. Is it because he is on fire with passion? I am not sure.
3
maut1 ham-saa’e2 meN hui to kya
bazm3-e raqs4-e suroor5 jaari6 hai
1.death 2.neighbourhood 3.gathering, party 4.dance 5.joy, celebration 6.underway
This appears to be a reflection on loss of cultural norms. There was a time when there was a death in the neighbourhood then all festive activities would be postponed in consideration of the loss. But it seems that now … what if there is a death in the neighbourhood, the party of joyful dance goes on.
4
dostoN se vo kya kareNge sulook1
jin par apna vajood2 bhaari3 hai
1.behaviour, kindness, culture 2.existence, life 3.heavy, difficult
How can they whose very existence is difficult, carry on culturally refined behaviour with friends. Said moin ehsan jazbi …
jab jeb meN paise bajte haiN, jab payT meN roTi hoti hai
us vaqt ye zarra heera hai, us vaqt ye shabnam moti hai
5
hai tasavvur1 meN ek ruKh2-e raushan3
aur lab par darood4 jaari5 hai
1.thoughts, imagination 2.face 3.shining 4.praise 5.ongoing
I carry the shining face of the beloved in my mind and keep chanting praises of her. It is just possible that the ‘beloved’ could be god.
6
umr bhar khul saki na dil ki girah1
Khuub2 shaGhl3-e kushood-kaari4 hai
1.knot 2.good, plenty, much 3.occupation, hobby 4.opening, untying
Here ‘Khuub’ meaning, ‘good, or done well’ is probably used in sarcasm. All life long. the knot of the heart could not be unraveled i.e., the mystery of love could not be explained. What kind of an expert effort of untying knots is this.
7
bhar1 na paa’ega zaKhm2-e dil saahir3
zarb4-e harf5-e husood6 kaari7 hai
1.zaKhm bharna is an expression meaning wound getting healed 2.wound 3.pen-name of the poet 4.blow, cut 5.word 6.envy, jealousy 7.fatal, deep
O saahir, this wound will not heal. The wounds of envy are deep and fatal.
