For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نغمۂ چنگ و رباب میں ۔ س و بھجن طالبؔ شاہ آبادی
۱
جو عکسِ روئے یار ہے جامِ شراب میں
تابش کہاں ہے ایسی بھلا آفتاب میں
۲
دیکھو یہ میرے سوزِ دروں کی بلندیاں
ساکن ہوئی ہے آہ میری آفتاب میں
۳
میری نگاہِ شوق کی آوارگی نہ پوچھ
چہرہ چھپا لیا ہے کسی نے نقاب میں
۴
جب میری انبساط کی دنیا اُجڑ گئی
دل کیوں ہے محو نغمۂ چنگ و رباب میں
۵
پرزے ہیں میرے نامہ کے قاصد کے ہاتھ میں
کوئی جواب دے کہ لکھوں کیا جواب میں
۶
طالبؔ وہ دن گئے کہ جنوں آزما تھا دل
اک کھیل تھا جو کھیل چکے ہم شباب میں
नग़्मा-ए चंग ओ रबाब में – स व भजन तालेब शाह आबादी
१
जो अक्स-ए रू-ए यार है जाम-ए शराब में
ताबिश कहां है ऐसी भला आफ़्ताब में
२
देखो ये मेरे सोज़-ए दरूं की बलन्दियां
साकिन हुई है आह मेरी आफ़्ताब में
३
मेरी निगाह-ए शौक़ की आवारगी न पूछ
चेहरा छुपा लिया है किसी ने नक़ाब में
४
जब मेरी इन्बेसात की दुनिया उजढ गई
दिल क्यूं है महव नग़्मा-ए चंग ओ रबाब में
५
पुर्ज़े हैं मेरे नामे के क़ासिद के हाथ में
कोई जवाब दे के लिखूं क्या जवाब में
६
तालेब वो दिन गए के जुनूं आज़्मा था दिल
एक खेल था जो खेल चुके हम शबाब में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sv bhajan taalib shaahabaadi (1924-xxxx) MA, MOL, PhD. PhD from tehraan university, research on chishtia order. Served as pastor in lukhnau, dehli and hyderabad. Grandfather had converted to Christianity. Worked in hyderabad for many years d running the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies and translating the Bible into urdu. Family origins in multan, sialkoT and lahore. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN.
1
jo aks1-e ruu2-e yaar3 hai jaam4-e sharaab meN
taabish5 kahaaN hai aisi bhala aaftaab6 meN 1.reflection 2.face 3.friend, beloved 4.cup 5.brilliance 6.sun
How can the sun have the same brilliance as the reflection of the beloved in the cup of wine. Even the reflection has more brilliance than the sun. This could be taken as a mystical expression of god’s brilliance or an exaggerated description of the beloved.
2
dekho ye meray soz1-e darooN2 ki bulandiyaaN3
saakin4 hui hai aah5 meri aftaab6 meN 1.fire, pain, sorrow 2.internal, hidden 3.heights 4.resident 5.sigh 6.sun
The poet/lover has intense sorrow hidden in his heart because of the unrequited love and indifference of the beloved. He lets out a sigh so fiery that rises to the sky and becomes one with the sun. This of course is considered a mark of greatness/heights.
3
3
meri nigaah1-e shauq2 ki aavaaragi3 na poochh
chehra chhupa liya hai kisi ne naqaab4 meN 1.glance 2.desire 3.wandering-used here in the sense of bold intrusion 4.veil
The poet/lover normally keeps his glance lowered so as not to offend the beloved. But here he is expressing pride at the boldness of his glance. He is staring unabashedly at the beloved and she hides her face behind a veil.
4
jab meri inbesaat1 ki duniya ujaR2 ga’ii
dil kyuN hai mahv3 naGhma4-e chaNg5 o rabaab6 meN 1.joy, happiness 2.destroyed 3.engrossed 4.song, music 5.harp 6.sarod
The world of my happiness is destroyed and desolate. Why then am I engorssed in the music of the harp and the sarod.
5
purzay1 haiN meray naame2 kay qaasid3 kay haath meN
koi javaab4 dey keh likhuN kya javaab meN 1.shreds 2.letter 3.messenger 4.answer, inform
This has an interesting use of the word ‘javaab’ twice in the second misra. The first time it is used in the sense of ‘answer my question, inform me’ and second time as ‘reply’. The poet/lover sent a letter to the beloved via a messenger. The messenger has now returned with his shredded letter by way of answer. He pleads, will someone please tell me what to write replying to such a message.
6
taalib1 vo din gaye keh junooN-aazma2 tha dil
ek khel tha jo khel chukay hum shabaab3 meN 1.pen-name of the poet 2.trying/testing passion 3.youth
O taalib, the days are gone when the heart was willing to play with/test passion. It was a game that I played during youth and am done with it now.
sv bhajan taalib shaahabaadi (1924-xxxx) MA, MOL, PhD. PhD from tehraan university, research on chishtia order. Served as pastor in lukhnau, dehli and hyderabad. Grandfather had converted to Christianity. Worked in hyderabad for many years d running the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies and translating the Bible into urdu. Family origins in multan, sialkoT and lahore. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN.
1
jo aks1-e ruu2-e yaar3 hai jaam4-e sharaab meN
taabish5 kahaaN hai aisi bhala aaftaab6 meN
1.reflection 2.face 3.friend, beloved 4.cup 5.brilliance 6.sun
How can the sun have the same brilliance as the reflection of the beloved in the cup of wine. Even the reflection has more brilliance than the sun. This could be taken as a mystical expression of god’s brilliance or an exaggerated description of the beloved.
2
dekho ye meray soz1-e darooN2 ki bulandiyaaN3
saakin4 hui hai aah5 meri aftaab6 meN
1.fire, pain, sorrow 2.internal, hidden 3.heights 4.resident 5.sigh 6.sun
The poet/lover has intense sorrow hidden in his heart because of the unrequited love and indifference of the beloved. He lets out a sigh so fiery that rises to the sky and becomes one with the sun. This of course is considered a mark of greatness/heights.
3
meri nigaah1-e shauq2 ki aavaaragi3 na poochh
chehra chhupa liya hai kisi ne naqaab4 meN
1.glance 2.desire 3.wandering-used here in the sense of bold intrusion 4.veil
The poet/lover normally keeps his glance lowered so as not to offend the beloved. But here he is expressing pride at the boldness of his glance. He is staring unabashedly at the beloved and she hides her face behind a veil.
4
jab meri inbesaat1 ki duniya ujaR2 ga’ii
dil kyuN hai mahv3 naGhma4-e chaNg5 o rabaab6 meN
1.joy, happiness 2.destroyed 3.engrossed 4.song, music 5.harp 6.sarod
The world of my happiness is destroyed and desolate. Why then am I engorssed in the music of the harp and the sarod.
5
purzay1 haiN meray naame2 kay qaasid3 kay haath meN
koi javaab4 dey keh likhuN kya javaab meN
1.shreds 2.letter 3.messenger 4.answer, inform
This has an interesting use of the word ‘javaab’ twice in the second misra. The first time it is used in the sense of ‘answer my question, inform me’ and second time as ‘reply’. The poet/lover sent a letter to the beloved via a messenger. The messenger has now returned with his shredded letter by way of answer. He pleads, will someone please tell me what to write replying to such a message.
6
taalib1 vo din gaye keh junooN-aazma2 tha dil
ek khel tha jo khel chukay hum shabaab3 meN
1.pen-name of the poet 2.trying/testing passion 3.youth
O taalib, the days are gone when the heart was willing to play with/test passion. It was a game that I played during youth and am done with it now.
