Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. munshi raghunath siNgh haajir dehlavi (1884-1922). Both father and grandfather were poets and scholars of urdu and faarsi. He started composing at the age of 13-14. His father died in 1906 and he moved to bhopal for work and returned to dehli in 1910 to re-start his family practice, establishing a clinic named ‘daar-ul-shifa’. He died in 1922 before he could publish his diivaan, but his son collected his papers and published it. His brother, kaviraj raghunandan singh saahir wrote the preface. In addition to his diivan, there is a collection of his Ghazal called, ‘Ghalib aur haajir’, all composed in the zamin of Ghalib. This Ghazal, composed in the zamin of ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’, is particularly long – about 60 ash’aar. They are posted in 6 segments for easy reading and listening and linked to that category under the icon ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’, on the Theme page.
1
voh kah rahay haiN aag lagay iss shabaab¹ meN
chhupta nahiN chhupaaye se jalva² naqaab³ meN    1.youth 2.face, beauty, glory 3.veil
‘aag lagay’ can be used to curse something but also to suggest an attitude of ‘devil may care – don’t care what the consequences are, I am going to go ahead and do this’. Here, it is being used in the latter sense. The beloved has been using naqaab/hijaab but her beauty filters through or her mischief keeps lifting the veil every now and then. She throws up her hands and says, I don’t care, I am no longer going to try to be fastidious. This beauty cannot be hidden behind a veil.
2
teGh¹ o tabar² say uns³ unheN kamsinee⁴ meN hai
mahshar⁵ bapaa⁶ kareNge hazaaroN shabaab⁷ meN    1.sword 2.axe, machette 3.liking 4.young age 5.tumult. calamity 6.bring about 7.youth
Even at a young age, she has a liking for swords and machettes. She will bring about a calamity in youth, as she comes of age.
3
badlay hue haiN taur¹ Khuda Khair bhi karay
qaasid² ki laash³ aa’ii hai Khat kay javaab⁴ meN    1.ways of behaviour 2.messenger 3.corpse 4.answer
My god protect us, her ways have changed. She has sent the corpse of the messenger in answer to my letter.
4
jo kaam hoga der meN hoga durust¹ bhi
bantaa² nahiN hai kaam koi izteraab³ meN    1.correct, right 2.kaam ban’na is an expression meaning ‘something working out alright’ 3.restlessness, impatience
Whatever task needs to be accomplished will take time and work out correctly. Nothing works when done with restlessness/impatience. Perhaps the poet/lover is consoling himself that in the end all will work out and he will be able to get the beloved to respond to his love.
5
badla hua hai DhaNg¹ bhi guft² o shuneed³ ka
nazreN⁴ badal rahi haiN savaal⁵ o javaab⁶ meN    1.style, ways 2.speaking 3.listening 4.eyes, looks 5.question 6.answer
It appears that the beloved is unusually annoyed. The ways of her conversation have changed. She is asking questions and demanding answers with a different look – perhaps an angry look.
6
kaisa gunaah¹ kis ki jaza² kaisi baaz-purs³
fursat⁴ hai kis ko kaun yeh sochay shabaab⁵ meN    1.sin, transgression 2.reward or punishment 3.inquire, ask 4.leisure, time 5.youth
Youth is a time to act impuslively and enjoy. Who has the time to inquire and examine whether something is right or wrong; sinful or what the reward or punishment might be.
7
shooKhi¹ vohi, ada² vohi, andaaz³ bhi vohi
GhairoN⁴ ko sath lay kay voh aatay haiN Khwaab meN    1.mischief 2.coquetry 3.style 4.rivals
The same mischief, the same coquetry and the same style; even in the poet’s dreams she appears along with rivals.
8
kah deNge saaf hogi agar pursish¹-e amal²
majboor³ thay gunaah⁴ meN ahd⁵-e shabaab⁶ meN    1.inquiry 2.actions 3.helpless 4.sin 5.time, age, period 6.youth
Perhaps the poet is speaking of himself and/or of all humanity. On the day of judgement there will be an inquiry into his actions. I will simply tell them that in my youth I was helpless to transgress … the temptations of youth were too strong.
9
bheja hai Khat meN unn ko jo likh kar savaal¹-e vasl²
ab dekhna hai likhte haiN kya voh javaab³ meN    1.question, inquiry 2.union, meeting 3.answer, reply
The poet has sent a letter/message with a question – asking about a get-together. Now let us see what she writes in reply.
10
maanind¹-e barq² aaye thay aa kar chalay gaye
hum unn se kuch bhi kah nah sakay izteraab³ meN    1.like, similar to 2.lightning 3.restlessness, anxiety
The beloved came like a flash of lightning and disappeared. He could not say anything to her because of his eagerness/anxiety.
11
dard¹ o fuGhaaN² milay haiN mohabbat kay naam par
is dil ne ham ko Daal diya kis azaab³ meN    1.pain 2.wailing, crying 3.pain, torture
All he got in return of his love was pain and wailing. O, what kind of a torture my heart has gotten me into, he complains.