mojid o mufakkir is “inventor and thinker/philosopher” … josh makes an argument that technology has made life easier for human kind but the philosopher/thinker has raised mankind to new heights of an amorphous combination of “values, culture, ethics, humanity”.  The rigor of the argument aside, the language is so awesome, powerful and beautiful that (especially if you allow yourselves to be seduced by josh) you forget about the argument but simply get lost in admiring the composition.  I invite you to that journey …

tamaddun 1-10  In 10 stanzas josh describes how sophistication and culture developed among human beings.  Please remind yourselves that there is no anthropological rigour in this.  The development of civilization/settlements, of speech and writing, of social behaviour is described in the most lyrical and beautiful phrases.

iijadaat 11-18  In stanzas 11-18 josh describes the inventions of technology.  It is joyful to read his description of the timepiece or of the satellite or cinema/TV and of sentient machines.  The metaphors and the language are incomparably beautiful.  I have reordered a couple of stanza from josh’s original marsia to keep the keep the theme compatible in this set of stanzas.

shaa’estagi 19-29  In stanzas 19-29 humans become sensitive to inherited culture, indulge in archeological discoveries and refine culture further.

ehsaan 30-42 josh takes 13 stanzas to pay tribute to scientists and inventors in very beautiful and powerful language and then begins to wonder why humanity is not beholden to them.  He goes on to answer that it is one thing to take us to the “dome of the skies” but another to make us understand the meaning of life.

mufakkir  43-53  Explaining the meaning of life is what a mufakkir does and josh goes on to re-affirm why the mufakkir is foremost in human thought, not the mojid.

sifaat-e husain  54-60  Having described the qualities and contributions of the mufakkir josh proceeds to say that husain ibn-e ali is an exemplary mufakkir who rose to do all this for humanity … he rose carrying a flask of his own blood on his shoulder i.e., ready to sacrifice his own life.

haalaat-e daur-e yaziid  61-68   A few stanzas describing in musical language the changing order from principled governance to hubristic power grab and personal enrichment.

Khoon 69-74  These stanzas are an unadulterated, highly emotional praise of husain.  The terminology of “Khoon” is used not only to say that Husain was ready to sacrifice his own blood but also in the sense that in common parlance the word “Khoon” is used to imply character, heritage and the like.  Even if you are not inclined to shii belief, you will find this composition extremely enjoyable and emotionally charged.

karbala 75-84  josh uses these few stanzas to describe the prevailing conditions before the battle of karbala which led husain to lay down his life in principled resistance.

tarGheeb 85-90  This comes close to incitement and calls upon the audience to resist injustice.

Khiraaj 91-107  Unadulterated tribute to husain.  It is beautiful and powerful composition with rich metaphors.  Enjoyable even when read with a completely secular viewpoint.

almadad 108-116  A resounding call for help from the spirit of husain while calling upon the audience to act on the principles that impelled husain, to resist present day injustice.  His call on husain for water is a most dramatic and ironic climax to this marsia.

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. He composed several marsia, which are traditionally long. Please see the ‘Overview’ tab for a description of the full marsia.
85
kuchh Khabar¹ bhi hai muhibbaan²-e husain-e duur-biiN³
maut hai shabbiriyat⁴ ke daa’ere⁵ meN aNgabiiN⁶
ibbetaa’e⁷ murshid⁸-e haq-parvar⁹ o ahd-aafriN¹⁰
kaarobar¹¹-e marg¹² hai baazeecha¹³-e tiflaaN¹⁴ nahiN
zahr se labrez¹⁵ hai jaam¹⁶-e husain ibn-e ali
jaan dena ho to lo naam-e husain ibn-e ali 1.awareness 2.lovers 3.far sighted 4.shabbir (another name of husain) like husainiyat (followership of husain) 5.circle 6.honey 7.doing bai’at, accepting the leadership of 8.who shows the way 9.those who nurture righteousness 10.pride of determination or commitment 11.arrangements 12.death 13.playground 14.children 15.overflowing 16.cup
Are you aware O farsighted lovers of husain, that death in the followership of husain is sweet like honey. Acceptance of the leadership (bai’at) of husain is the business of death, not child’s play. The cup of husain is brimming with bitter poison. Take the name of husain only if you are willing to die.
86
ro’ab¹-e sultaani² ko Thukrao to lo naam-e husain
bolte run³ meN na ghabraao to lo naam-e husain
dushmanoN ki pyaas bujhvaao to lo naam-e husain
maut ki chhaati be chaRh jaao to lo naam-e husain
halq se teGhoN⁴ ka muNh moRo to lo naam-e husain
barg⁵ se faulad⁶ ko toRo to lo naam-e husain⁷    1.fear 2.kingship, power 3.heated conflict 4.sword 5.leaf, petal 6.steel 7.call the name of husain (declare allegiance)
If you can defy the power of the ruler, only then acclaim husain. If you are not afraid of heated conflict, only then acclaim husain. If you can quench the thirst of your enemies, only then acclaim husain (early in the battle of karbala, husain’s party camped at a location controlling access to the river and water. When an advance party of yaziid’s army arrived thirsty and tired, husain offered them water). If you can overcome the fear of death, only then acclaim husain. If you can turn swords back with your throat, only then acclaim husain. If you can break the power of steel with a petal, then acclaim husain.
87
Khud¹ pe baab²-e tishnagi³ kholo to lo naam-e husain
dil ko barq o ra’ad⁴ meN tolo⁵ to lo naam-e husain
dost-daar⁶-e dushmanaaN ho lo to lo naam-e husain
teGh⁷ ke niiche bhi sach bolo to lo naam-e husain
muNh pe DaT kar barchhiyaaN khaa lo to lo naam-e husain
haath jalti aag par Daalo to to lo naam-e husain    1.self 2.door 3.thirst 4.thunder and lightning 5.weigh, compare 6.love (your enemy 7.sword
karbala story includes how husain, to avoid conflict and keep trying for some compromise, moved his encampment from a dominant location to a less secure one where they were vulnerable to loss of access to water – thus opening the door to thirst. If you can open the door to suffering by thirst for yourself, if you can summon courage like thunder and lightning, if you can show love/concern for your enemies, if you speak the truth even under the blade of sword, then you can acclaim husain. If you can bear wounds of the dagger to your face, if you can put your hand fearlessly into fire, then you can acclaim husain.
88
suu¹-e maqtal² jhoom³ kar jaao to lo naam-e husain
be-Khatar⁴ jii⁵ se guzar⁶ jaao to lo naam-e husain
Doob kar kuchh aur ubhar⁷ jaao to lo naam-e husain
nafs⁸ ki izzat⁹ pe mar jaao to lo naam-e husain
zulm ki t’aamir¹⁰ ko Dha¹¹ do to lo naam-e husain
sham’a se aandhi ko chakra do¹² to lo naam-e husain 1.towards 2.slaughter 3.with joy, happily 4.fearlessly 5.life 6.get past, give up 7.rise 8.soul, self 9.honour 10.multiple meanings here it means the order 11.destroy 12.to turn around
If you can joyfully face slaughter, if you can pass through life fearlessly, if after drowning you can rise even higher, if you are willing to die to safeguard the respect of your soul, if you can destroy the system of oppression, if you can turn back storms with just a lamp, only then can you acclaim husain.
89
Khud ko teGhoN ki taraf relo¹ to lo naam-e husain
muskura kar aag se khelo to lo naam-e husain
jumla² mumkin³ saKhtiyaaN⁴ jhelo to lo naam-e husain
avval apna imtehaaN le lo to lo naam-e husain
haN parakh lo Khoob himmat ko to lo naam-e husain
jaNch lo apni sharafat⁵ ko to lo naam-e husain 1.to move towards 2.total, all 3.possible 4.difficulties 5.virtue
If you can move forward towards drawn swords, if you can face fire and still smile, if you can bear all possible difficulties, if you can test/examine yourself (for righteousness) first, if you fully assess your own courage and proceed, if you examine your own virtue, only then can you acclaim husain.
90
Khaana-barbaadi¹ pe itraao² to lo naam-e husain
bekasi³ par naz farmaao⁴ to lo naam-e husain
chand se TukRoN⁵ ko gahnaao⁶ to lo naam-e husain
run⁷ meN ek be-shiir⁸ ko laao to lo naam-e husain
bekasi ki maut ne’amat⁹ ho to lo naam-e husain
dhoop meN sone ki himmat ho to lo naam-e husain 1.destruction of family 2.be proud of 3.helplessness 4.be proud of 5.loved ones 6.eclipsed 7.war 8. infant (breastfeeding) whose mother can no longer nurse him 9.blessing
If you can proudly sacrifice even your family for Truth, if you can stand firm even when friendless, if you are prepared to lose your loved ones, if you have the courage to bring an infant out in the field of war, if you can consider death to be a blessing, if you can sleep peacefully in burning sun, only then can you acclaim husain. ‘dhoop meN sone ki himmat’, refers to another karbla story – husain’s young daughter, reputedly often slept on his bosom. She wanted to do this before he went for his final encounter, and death. It is said that he lay down on the burning sand for her.
91
izzat-e dastur¹ par jo sar kaTaa sakta nahiN
jo Khud apne hi chiraaGhoN² ko bujha sakta nahiN
taan kar seene ko jo maidaaN meN aa sakta nahiN
maut ko jo apne kaandhe par uTha sakta nahiN
haN Khud apne Khoon meN kashti jo khe sakta nahiN
vo husain ibn-e ali ka naam le sakta nahiN 1.respect for tradition 2.one’s own loved ones
One who cannot sacrifice his life to save the honor of traditions, one who cannot sacrifice one’s own loved ones, one who cannot come out bravely to stand up for truth and fight, one who cannot carry Death on his shoulders, one who cannot row his boat in the river of his own blood, he cannot claim to be a follower of husain.