For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
حسنِ عالمگیر کا ۔ شنکر لال شنکرؔ
۱
کون سے دن دل پسیجا اُس بتِ بے پیر کا
میں تو قائل ہی نہیں ہوں آہ کی تاثیر کا
۲
امتحاں ہو تو عدو کا، آزماؤ تو اُسے
ایک رخ دیکھا نہیں کرتے کبھی تصویر کا
۳
تجھ کو میری آرزو، اے دشمنِ مہر و وفا
کارنامہ ہے یہ میری آہ کی تاثیر کا
۴
جو خطا کر جائے یا جس کا نشانہ چوک جائے
تیرے ترکش میں بھلا کیا کام ایسے تیر کا
۵
تیری آنکھیں تو ستمگر اک طلسمِ حُسن ہیں
اِن سے بڑھ کر اور کیا ہوگا عمل تسخیر کا
۶
محویت میں ہوں حضوری سے مجھے فرصت نہیں
دل کو آئینہ بنایا ہے تری تصویر کا
۷
اُن کے پردے میں بھی ہے شنکرؔ ادائے دلبری
ہر جگہ شہرہ ہے اُن کے حسنِ عالمگیر کا
हुस्न-ए आलमगीर का – शंकर लाल शंकर
१
कौन से दिन दिल पसीजा उस बुत-ए बे-पीर का
मैं तो क़ा’एल ही नहीं हूं आह की तासीर का
२
इम्तेहां हो तो अदु का, आज़्माओ तो उसे
एक रुख़ देखा नहीं करते कभी तस्वीर का
३
तुझ को मेरी आर्ज़ू, अए दुश्मन महर ओ वफ़ा
कारनामा है ये मेरी आह की तासीर का
४
जो ख़ता कर जा’ए या जिस का निशाना चूक जा’ए
तेरे तरकश में भला क्या काम ऐसे तीर का
५
तेरी आंखें तो सितमगर एक तिलस्म-ए हुस्न हैं
इन से बढ़ कर और क्या होगा अमल तस्ख़ीर का
६
महवियत में हूं हुज़ूरी से मुझे फ़ुर्सत नहीं
दिल को आईना बनाया है तेरी तस्वीर का
७
उन के पर्दे में भी है शंकर अदा-ए दिलबरी
हर जगह शोहरा है उन के हुस्न-ए आलमगीर का
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shaNkar lal shaNkar (~1880-1954). Industrialist and an eminent shaa’er whose collection ‘dair o haram’ was published posthumously. His nephew murlidhar shaad was also a poet and died very young. shaNkar published his collection posthumously. His family had textile mills in lyalpur. Later, his brother, sri raam, of DCM created a foundation to run the ‘shanKar-shaad’ mushaa’era as a hind-pak gathering of shu’ara which has run since 1953 with a few interruptions.
1
kaun se din dil pasiija1 uss but2-e be-piir3 ka
maiN to qaa’el4 hi nahiN huN aah5 ki taasiir6 ka 1.melt with love/pity 2.idol, beloved 3.without equal 4.convinced 5.sigh 6.effect
When did the heart of that unequalled beauty feel any pity! I am not at all convinced that deep drawn sighs have any effect.
2
imtehaaN1 ho to adu2 ka, aazmaao3 to ussay
aek ruKh4 dekha nahiN kartay kabhi tasviir ka 1.test 2.rival 3.try, check out 4.face, facet, side
The poet always claims that he is the true lover and the rival is a lustful fake. He is just putting on a good show – showing his best side. If he is put to the test, he will fail; his real character will show up. Thus, why don’t you test the rival, check him out. One never looks at only one facet of a picture.
3
tujh ko meri aarzu1, aye dushman-e mehr2 o vafa3
kaarnaama4 hai yeh meri aah5 ki taasiir6 ka 1.desire, longing 2.kindness 3.fidelity 4.accomplishment 5.sigh 6.effect
The beloved never shows any desire/longing for the poet/lover. But it appears that she has shown some of this and the poet is surprised – you and long for me, you who dislike any kindness and abhor keeping your word. This must be due to the accomplishment of my sigh.
4
jo Khata1 kar jaa’e ya jis ka nishaana2 chook3 jaa’e
taeray tarkash4 meN bhala5 kya kaam aisay tiir ka 1.miss 2.aim 3.go astray 4.quiver 5.roughly … how can I believe
That which might miss or whose aim might go astray … how can I believe that there is such an arrow in your quiver.
5
teri aaNkheN to sitamgar1 ek tilasm2-e husn3 haiN
inn se baRh kar aur kya hoga amal4 tasKhiir5 ka 1.tormentor, beloved 2.enchantment, magic 3.beauty 4.action 5.conquest
Your eyes, O tormentor, are an enchantment of beauty. How can there be any greater act of conquest.
6
mahviyat1 meN huN huzoori2 se mujhe fursat3 nahiN
dil ko aaiina banaya hai teri tasviir ka 1.engrossed 2.presence 3.leisure
The poet/lover is always engrossed in thoughts of the beloved. Her image is engraved in his heart as if it were a mirror reflecting her image. Thus, he is always in her presence. There is no time when he is not engrossed in her thoughts or not in her presence ready to serve her.
7
unn ke parday1 meN bhi hai shaNkar2 adaa3-e dilbari4
har jagah5 shohrah6 hai unn ke husn7-e aalamgiir8 ka 1.veil 2.pen-name of the poet 3.style, coquetry 4.heart capturing 5.place 6.fame 7.beauty 8.world conquering
Even behind the veil, O shaNkar, she has a heart captivating coquettish style. Wherever I go, there is fame of her world conquering beauty.
shaNkar lal shaNkar (~1880-1954). Industrialist and an eminent shaa’er whose collection ‘dair o haram’ was published posthumously. His nephew murlidhar shaad was also a poet and died very young. shaNkar published his collection posthumously. His family had textile mills in lyalpur. Later, his brother, sri raam, of DCM created a foundation to run the ‘shanKar-shaad’ mushaa’era as a hind-pak gathering of shu’ara which has run since 1953 with a few interruptions.
1
kaun se din dil pasiija1 uss but2-e be-piir3 ka
maiN to qaa’el4 hi nahiN huN aah5 ki taasiir6 ka
1.melt with love/pity 2.idol, beloved 3.without equal 4.convinced 5.sigh 6.effect
When did the heart of that unequalled beauty feel any pity! I am not at all convinced that deep drawn sighs have any effect.
2
imtehaaN1 ho to adu2 ka, aazmaao3 to ussay
aek ruKh4 dekha nahiN kartay kabhi tasviir ka
1.test 2.rival 3.try, check out 4.face, facet, side
The poet always claims that he is the true lover and the rival is a lustful fake. He is just putting on a good show – showing his best side. If he is put to the test, he will fail; his real character will show up. Thus, why don’t you test the rival, check him out. One never looks at only one facet of a picture.
3
tujh ko meri aarzu1, aye dushman-e mehr2 o vafa3
kaarnaama4 hai yeh meri aah5 ki taasiir6 ka
1.desire, longing 2.kindness 3.fidelity 4.accomplishment 5.sigh 6.effect
The beloved never shows any desire/longing for the poet/lover. But it appears that she has shown some of this and the poet is surprised – you and long for me, you who dislike any kindness and abhor keeping your word. This must be due to the accomplishment of my sigh.
4
jo Khata1 kar jaa’e ya jis ka nishaana2 chook3 jaa’e
taeray tarkash4 meN bhala5 kya kaam aisay tiir ka
1.miss 2.aim 3.go astray 4.quiver 5.roughly … how can I believe
That which might miss or whose aim might go astray … how can I believe that there is such an arrow in your quiver.
5
teri aaNkheN to sitamgar1 ek tilasm2-e husn3 haiN
inn se baRh kar aur kya hoga amal4 tasKhiir5 ka
1.tormentor, beloved 2.enchantment, magic 3.beauty 4.action 5.conquest
Your eyes, O tormentor, are an enchantment of beauty. How can there be any greater act of conquest.
6
mahviyat1 meN huN huzoori2 se mujhe fursat3 nahiN
dil ko aaiina banaya hai teri tasviir ka
1.engrossed 2.presence 3.leisure
The poet/lover is always engrossed in thoughts of the beloved. Her image is engraved in his heart as if it were a mirror reflecting her image. Thus, he is always in her presence. There is no time when he is not engrossed in her thoughts or not in her presence ready to serve her.
7
unn ke parday1 meN bhi hai shaNkar2 adaa3-e dilbari4
har jagah5 shohrah6 hai unn ke husn7-e aalamgiir8 ka
1.veil 2.pen-name of the poet 3.style, coquetry 4.heart capturing 5.place 6.fame 7.beauty 8.world conquering
Even behind the veil, O shaNkar, she has a heart captivating coquettish style. Wherever I go, there is fame of her world conquering beauty.
