For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
جاندادۂ باغِ جناں کیوں ہو ۔ جگدیش سہائے سکسینہ
۱
دلِ غمگیں طلبگارِ قضائے ناگہاں کیوں ہو
جسے غم مل گیا وہ زندگی سے سرگراں کیوں ہو
۲
تغافل اور جفا کے بعد سرحد ہے محبّت کی
دلِ شیدا ترے ظلم و ستم سے بدگماں کیوں ہو
۳
مرے شکرِ جفا پر مسکرائے اور فرمایا
ستم جب مہربانی ہے تو کوئی مہرباں کیوں ہو
۴
مجھے حیرت ہے گلزارِ جناں کی دلفریبی پر
خزاں جس کو نہیں وہ گلستاں پھر گلستاں کیوں ہو
۵
ملا پھولوں کو رنگِ آتشیں جلتے نشیمن سے
چمن ہو معترف اس کا تو رنجِ آشیاں کیوں ہو
۶
گلوں سے سیکھ لے اخفائے رازِ عاشقی کوئی
خلش کانٹوں کی جو دل میں ہے چہرے سے عیاں کیوں ہو
۷
گلہ کرتا ہوں قسمت کا تو یہ اعمال کہتے ہیں
تو ہی جب ہو عدو اپنا تو دشمن آسماں کیوں ہو
۸
جسے دنیا میں سیرِ گلشنِ کشمیر ہو حاصل
وہ زاہد کی طرح جاندادۂ باغِ جناں کیوں ہو
जांदादा-ए बग़-ए जिनां क्यूं हो – जगदीश सहाए सक्सेना
१
दिल-ए ग़मगीं तलबगार-ए क़ज़ा-ए नागहां क्यूं हो
जिसे ग़म मिल गया वो ज़िंदगी से सरगिरां क्यूं हो
२
तग़ाफ़ुल और जफ़ा के बाद सरहद है मोहब्बत की
दिल-ए शैदा तेरे ज़ुल्म ओ सितम से बदगुमां क्यूं हो
३
मेरे शुक्र-ए जफ़ा पर मुस्कुराए और फ़रमाया
सितम जब मेहरबानी है तो कोई मेहरबां क्यूं हो
४
मुझे हैरत है गुल्ज़ार-ए जिनां कि दिल-फ़रेबी पर
ख़िज़ां जिस को नहीं वो गुल्सितां फिर गुल्सितां क्यूं हो
५
मिला फूलौं को रंग-ए आतिशीं जलते नशेमन से
चमन हो मो’तरफ़ इस का तो रंज-ए आशियां क्यूं हो
६
गुलौं से सीख ले इख़्फ़ा-ए राज़-ए आशेक़ी कोई
ख़लिश कांटौं से जो दिल में है चेहरे पर अयां क्यूं हो
७
गिला करता हुं क़िस्मत का तो ये आ’माल कहते हैं
तु ही जब हो उदू अपना तो दुश्मन आस्मां क्यूं हो
८
जिसे दुनिया में सैर-ए गुल्शन-ए कश्मीर हो हासिल
वो ज़ाहिद की तरह जांदादा-ए बाग़-ए जिनां क्यूं हो
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jagdish sahay saxena shahjahaaNpuri (xxxx-xxxx). I do not know any more than his name. His collection was published in 1974 with the preface written by baalmukund arsh malsiani. From this it appears that he was active in the mushaa’era circuit at the time of publication. He is listed as vakil in shahjahaaNpur. The collection contains several Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib which are being prepared for posting and linking to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
dil-e GhamgiiN1 talabgaar2-e qaza3-e naagahaaN4 kyuN ho
jise Gham mil gaya vo zindagi se sargiraaN5 kyuN ho 1.sorrowful 2.desirous, demanding 3.death 4.sudden, unexpected, untimely 5.unhappy
In poetic convention Gham/sorrow is valued highly – more than pleasure. The lover is always sorrowful and satisfied with his sorrow. Thus, why would the sorrowful heart be desirous of an untimely death. If it has achieved the state of sorrow, why would it be unhappy with life.
2
taGhaaful1 aur jafa2 ke baad sarhad3 hai mohabbat ki
dil-e shaida4 tere zulm5 o sitam6 se bad-gumaaN7 kyuN ho 1.indifference 2.tyranny 3.boundary 4.admiring 5.cruelty 6.oppression 7.distrustful, disbeliever
In poetic convention the tyranny that the beloved visits on the lover is highly valued. Here the poet goes a step further and declares that the domain of love is beyond the boundaries of indifference and tyranny i.e., love is the reward for those who can survive the test of tyranny. Hence, why should the admiring heart be suspicious of the beloved’s cruelty and oppression.
3
mere shukr1-e jafa2 par muskuraa’e aur farmaaya3
sitam4 jab mehrbaani5 ho to koii mehrbaaN kyuN ho 1.thanks 2.cruelty, injustice 3.declared, announced 4.oppression 5.kindness
This has a delightful circular argument. The poet/lover following conventions of love and poetry is thankful for the beloved’s cruelty. She smiles and declares, if oppression is considered kindness, then why should one be kind i.e., she should stop being cruel to the lover … but then, the will become the ultimate cruelty.
4
mujhe hairat1 hai gulzaar2-e jinaaN3 ki dil-farebi4 par
KhizaaN5 jis ko nahiN vo gulsitaaN6 phir gulsitaaN kyuN ho 1.surprise, puzzle 2.garden 3.heaven 4.deceiving the heart 5.dry/arid/autumn 7.garden
The poet considers the dry/fall season to be a significant characteristic of a garden. But the garden in heaven is in ‘forever spring’ mode. Then, how can it be a garden. I am puzzled about the deception of the garden of heaven, he says. There are plenty of other shu’ara talking about the monotony of heaven. Ghalib himself says …
kyuN na firdaus meN dozaKh ko mila leN yaarab
sair ke vaaste thoRi si fiza aur sahi
5
mila phooloN ko raNg-e aatishiiN1 jalte nasheman2 se
chaman ho mo’taraf3 is ka to ranj4-e aashiyaaN5 kyuN ho 1.flaming, red 2.nest 3.admit, accept 4.sorrow 5.nest
In poetic convention the poet is a bird who builds a nest which gets struck by lightning and burns. The colour of the flame is reflected in the colour of roses in the garden. Even the garden admits that this is so. Why then should there be sorrow over the burning of the nest.
6
guloN1 se siikh2 le iKhfa3-e raaz4-e aashiqi koii
Khalish5 kaaNToN se jo dil meN hai chehre6 par ayaaN7 kyuN ho 1.roses 2.learn 3.hiding 4.secret 5.burning, pricking 6.face 7.appear, visible
The blooming rose always appears to be happy and smiling. Even though it has thorns pricking it, it does not show its pain. The lover should learn to hide the pain of love from the rose.
7
gila1 karta huN qismat ka to ye aa’maal2 kahte haiN
tu hi jab ho udoo3 apna to dushman aasmaaN4 kyuN ho 1.complain 2.actions 3.enemy 4.sky, fate
When I complain about fate, my actions remind me that I am my own worst enemy. Why then, does the sky/fate need to be your enemy.
8
jise duniya meN sair-e gulshan1-e kashmiir ho haasil2
vo zaahid3 ki tarah jaaNdaada4-e baaGh-e jinaaN5 kyuN ho 1.garden 2.available, accessible 3.preacher 4.willing to give up life 5.heaven
If someone has the garden of kashmir available to them in this world, to take walks and enjoy, why would they, like the preacher, be willing to give up this life for the garden of heaven i.e., the garden of kashmir is more beautiful than heaven.
jagdish sahay saxena shahjahaaNpuri (xxxx-xxxx). I do not know any more than his name. His collection was published in 1974 with the preface written by baalmukund arsh malsiani. From this it appears that he was active in the mushaa’era circuit at the time of publication. He is listed as vakil in shahjahaaNpur. The collection contains several Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib which are being prepared for posting and linking to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
dil-e GhamgiiN1 talabgaar2-e qaza3-e naagahaaN4 kyuN ho
jise Gham mil gaya vo zindagi se sargiraaN5 kyuN ho
1.sorrowful 2.desirous, demanding 3.death 4.sudden, unexpected, untimely 5.unhappy
In poetic convention Gham/sorrow is valued highly – more than pleasure. The lover is always sorrowful and satisfied with his sorrow. Thus, why would the sorrowful heart be desirous of an untimely death. If it has achieved the state of sorrow, why would it be unhappy with life.
2
taGhaaful1 aur jafa2 ke baad sarhad3 hai mohabbat ki
dil-e shaida4 tere zulm5 o sitam6 se bad-gumaaN7 kyuN ho
1.indifference 2.tyranny 3.boundary 4.admiring 5.cruelty 6.oppression 7.distrustful, disbeliever
In poetic convention the tyranny that the beloved visits on the lover is highly valued. Here the poet goes a step further and declares that the domain of love is beyond the boundaries of indifference and tyranny i.e., love is the reward for those who can survive the test of tyranny. Hence, why should the admiring heart be suspicious of the beloved’s cruelty and oppression.
3
mere shukr1-e jafa2 par muskuraa’e aur farmaaya3
sitam4 jab mehrbaani5 ho to koii mehrbaaN kyuN ho
1.thanks 2.cruelty, injustice 3.declared, announced 4.oppression 5.kindness
This has a delightful circular argument. The poet/lover following conventions of love and poetry is thankful for the beloved’s cruelty. She smiles and declares, if oppression is considered kindness, then why should one be kind i.e., she should stop being cruel to the lover … but then, the will become the ultimate cruelty.
4
mujhe hairat1 hai gulzaar2-e jinaaN3 ki dil-farebi4 par
KhizaaN5 jis ko nahiN vo gulsitaaN6 phir gulsitaaN kyuN ho
1.surprise, puzzle 2.garden 3.heaven 4.deceiving the heart 5.dry/arid/autumn 7.garden
The poet considers the dry/fall season to be a significant characteristic of a garden. But the garden in heaven is in ‘forever spring’ mode. Then, how can it be a garden. I am puzzled about the deception of the garden of heaven, he says. There are plenty of other shu’ara talking about the monotony of heaven. Ghalib himself says …
kyuN na firdaus meN dozaKh ko mila leN yaarab
sair ke vaaste thoRi si fiza aur sahi
5
mila phooloN ko raNg-e aatishiiN1 jalte nasheman2 se
chaman ho mo’taraf3 is ka to ranj4-e aashiyaaN5 kyuN ho
1.flaming, red 2.nest 3.admit, accept 4.sorrow 5.nest
In poetic convention the poet is a bird who builds a nest which gets struck by lightning and burns. The colour of the flame is reflected in the colour of roses in the garden. Even the garden admits that this is so. Why then should there be sorrow over the burning of the nest.
6
guloN1 se siikh2 le iKhfa3-e raaz4-e aashiqi koii
Khalish5 kaaNToN se jo dil meN hai chehre6 par ayaaN7 kyuN ho
1.roses 2.learn 3.hiding 4.secret 5.burning, pricking 6.face 7.appear, visible
The blooming rose always appears to be happy and smiling. Even though it has thorns pricking it, it does not show its pain. The lover should learn to hide the pain of love from the rose.
7
gila1 karta huN qismat ka to ye aa’maal2 kahte haiN
tu hi jab ho udoo3 apna to dushman aasmaaN4 kyuN ho
1.complain 2.actions 3.enemy 4.sky, fate
When I complain about fate, my actions remind me that I am my own worst enemy. Why then, does the sky/fate need to be your enemy.
8
jise duniya meN sair-e gulshan1-e kashmiir ho haasil2
vo zaahid3 ki tarah jaaNdaada4-e baaGh-e jinaaN5 kyuN ho
1.garden 2.available, accessible 3.preacher 4.willing to give up life 5.heaven
If someone has the garden of kashmir available to them in this world, to take walks and enjoy, why would they, like the preacher, be willing to give up this life for the garden of heaven i.e., the garden of kashmir is more beautiful than heaven.
