For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اَن اَلحق کی صدا خود ۔ رگھوبیر سرن دِواکر راہیؔ
۱
راہیؔ! سوئے منزل تجھے جانا ہے تو جا خود
راہوں میں بھٹکتے ہیں یہاں راہ نما خود
۲
بیگانہ اگر آدمی ہو جائے خودی سے
آ جائے گا پھر سامنے بندے کے خدا خود
۳
جینے کے لیے آدمی کیا کیا نہیں کرتا
حتیٰ کہ وہ اپنے کو بھی دیتا ہے دغا خود
۴
غفلت سے نہ اے عزمِ جواں کام چلے گا
بدلی ہے نہ بدلے گی زمانے کی ہوا خود
۵
اُٹھ جائیں گے جس دم یہ حِجاباتِ من و تو
اُٹھے گی تہہِ دل سے اَن اَلحق کی صدا خود
۶
امرت بھی گوارا نہیں یوں تو مجھے ساقی
میں زہر بھی پی لوں گا مگر آ کے پلا خود
۷
اٹھنے کو ہے طوفان رہِ زیست میں راہیؔ
یہ ہم نہیں کہتے ہیں بتاتی ہے فضا خود
अन अलहक़ की सदा ख़ुद – रघुबीर सरन दिवाकर राहि
१
राहि! सु-ए मंज़िल तुझे जाना है तो जा ख़ुद
राहों में भटकते हैं यहाँ राह-नुमा ख़ुद
२
बेगाना अगर आदमी हो जाए ख़ुदी से
आ जाएगा फिर सामने बंदे के ख़ुदा ख़ुद
३
जीने के लिए आदमी क्या क्या नहीं करता
हत्ता कि वो अपने को भी देता है दग़ा ख़ुद
४
ग़फ़्लत से न अए अज़्म-ए-जवां काम चलेगा
बदली है न बदलेगी ज़माने की हवा ख़ुद
५
उठ जाएंगे जिस दम ये हिजाबात-ए मन ओ तू
उठेगी तह-ए दिल से अन-अल-हक़ की सदा ख़ुद
६
अमृत भी गवारा नहीं यूं तो मुझे साक़ी
मैं ज़हर भी पी लूंगा मगर आ के पिला ख़ुद
७
उठने को है तूफ़ान रह-ए ज़ीस्त में राहि
ये हम नहीं कहते हैं बताती है फ़ज़ा ख़ुद
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raghubir saran divaakar raahi (1914-1968), rampur. Three Ghazal collection with hundreds of Ghazal in each. Born in amroha, learnt urdu and faarsi at school. BA, LLB from meeraTh. District Information Officer, UP. shaa’eri was in addition to his ‘day job’. Posted to and retired in rampur, 1954 and started law practice. Editor of hindi magazines. Very secular and makes much fun of the shaiKh and brahman.
1
raahi1! su2-e manzil3 tujhe jaana hai to jaa Khud4
raahoN5 meN bhaTakte6 haiN yahaaN raah-numaa7 Khud 1.pen-name of the poet, also means seeker 2.towards 3.destination, goal 4.yourself 5.paths 6.astray, lost, wander 7.guides, leaders
This could be about political or religious leadership. The theme between the lines is that not only are they themselves lost but that they are misleading us. Thus, O raahi/seeker, if you want to go towards your destination then find your own path. There are many guides/leaders who are themselves lost and leading others astray.
2
begaana1 agar2 aadmi ho jaa’e Khudi3 se
aa jaa’ega phir saamne bande4 ke Khuda Khud 1.estranged, break away from 2.if 3.ego, self-centredness 4.servant, devotee
If man’s walks away from his ego and selfishness, then god himself will appear before the devotee of his own volition.
3
jeene ke liye aadmi kya kya nahiN karta
hatt’a1 ki voh apne ko bhi deta hai daGha2 Khud 1.to this extent, to this limit 2.deception
What all does man not do to stay alive, even to this extent that he deceives himself.
4
Ghaflat1 se na aye azm-e-javaaN2 kaam chale ga
badli hai na badle gi zamaane3 ki hava4 Khud 1.forgetfulness 2.strong determination 3.times, world 4.trend, ways, character
The poet personifies ‘azm-e javaaN’ – strong determination and addresses it. This determination is to bring about change. Thus, forgetfulness/unmindfulness will not get the work done. The world has never nor will it now change its ways on its own.
5
uTh jaa’eN ge jis dam1 ye hijaabaat2-e man-o-tu3
uTThegi tah-e-dil4 se an-al-haq5 ki sadaa6 Khud 1.moment 2.veils, curtains 3.me and you 4.bottom of the heart 5.I am the Truth 6.cry
This has reference to the story of mansuur-al-hallaj (858-922), a sufi scholar who had a large following. He traveled a lot including to India where he read the vedas and spoke to vedic scholars. On his return he wrote and declared ‘I am the Truth – aham brahmasmi’. He was convicted, sentenced to death and asked to recant. He refused and chose to die instead. His name is used as a symbol of resistance to power and of universal one-ness including the ‘creator’. Thus, the moment the veils between you (creator) and I (created) are lifted, the cry of ‘an-al-haq’ will rise spontaneously from the bottom the heart.
6
amrit1 bhi gavaara2 nahiN yuN to mujhe saaqi
maiN zah’r bhi pii luuNga magar3 aa ke pilaa Khud 1.nectar of life 2.acceptable 3.but
O saaqi, (normally) I would not even accept the nectar of (eternal) life from anyone, but if you come yourselves and offer, I am ready to drink poison. The ‘saaqi’ here is the beloved.
7
uThne ko hai toofaan rah-e-ziist1 meN raahi2
ye hum nahiN kahte haiN bataati3 hai fazaa4 Khud 1.path of life, daily life 2.pen-name of the poet 3.shows 4.surroundings, ambience
I am not sure if this about an impending disaster, looming riots/calamities that were expected at the time this Ghazal was written/read. O raahi, a storm is about to rise in our daily lives. It is not I who is saying it, but the conditions around us show it.
raghubir saran divaakar raahi (1914-1968), rampur. Three Ghazal collection with hundreds of Ghazal in each. Born in amroha, learnt urdu and faarsi at school. BA, LLB from meeraTh. District Information Officer, UP. shaa’eri was in addition to his ‘day job’. Posted to and retired in rampur, 1954 and started law practice. Editor of hindi magazines. Very secular and makes much fun of the shaiKh and brahman.
1
raahi1! su2-e manzil3 tujhe jaana hai to jaa Khud4
raahoN5 meN bhaTakte6 haiN yahaaN raah-numaa7 Khud
1.pen-name of the poet, also means seeker 2.towards 3.destination, goal 4.yourself 5.paths 6.astray, lost, wander 7.guides, leaders
This could be about political or religious leadership. The theme between the lines is that not only are they themselves lost but that they are misleading us. Thus, O raahi/seeker, if you want to go towards your destination then find your own path. There are many guides/leaders who are themselves lost and leading others astray.
2
begaana1 agar2 aadmi ho jaa’e Khudi3 se
aa jaa’ega phir saamne bande4 ke Khuda Khud
1.estranged, break away from 2.if 3.ego, self-centredness 4.servant, devotee
If man’s walks away from his ego and selfishness, then god himself will appear before the devotee of his own volition.
3
jeene ke liye aadmi kya kya nahiN karta
hatt’a1 ki voh apne ko bhi deta hai daGha2 Khud
1.to this extent, to this limit 2.deception
What all does man not do to stay alive, even to this extent that he deceives himself.
4
Ghaflat1 se na aye azm-e-javaaN2 kaam chale ga
badli hai na badle gi zamaane3 ki hava4 Khud
1.forgetfulness 2.strong determination 3.times, world 4.trend, ways, character
The poet personifies ‘azm-e javaaN’ – strong determination and addresses it. This determination is to bring about change. Thus, forgetfulness/unmindfulness will not get the work done. The world has never nor will it now change its ways on its own.
5
uTh jaa’eN ge jis dam1 ye hijaabaat2-e man-o-tu3
uTThegi tah-e-dil4 se an-al-haq5 ki sadaa6 Khud
1.moment 2.veils, curtains 3.me and you 4.bottom of the heart 5.I am the Truth 6.cry
This has reference to the story of mansuur-al-hallaj (858-922), a sufi scholar who had a large following. He traveled a lot including to India where he read the vedas and spoke to vedic scholars. On his return he wrote and declared ‘I am the Truth – aham brahmasmi’. He was convicted, sentenced to death and asked to recant. He refused and chose to die instead. His name is used as a symbol of resistance to power and of universal one-ness including the ‘creator’. Thus, the moment the veils between you (creator) and I (created) are lifted, the cry of ‘an-al-haq’ will rise spontaneously from the bottom the heart.
6
amrit1 bhi gavaara2 nahiN yuN to mujhe saaqi
maiN zah’r bhi pii luuNga magar3 aa ke pilaa Khud
1.nectar of life 2.acceptable 3.but
O saaqi, (normally) I would not even accept the nectar of (eternal) life from anyone, but if you come yourselves and offer, I am ready to drink poison. The ‘saaqi’ here is the beloved.
7
uThne ko hai toofaan rah-e-ziist1 meN raahi2
ye hum nahiN kahte haiN bataati3 hai fazaa4 Khud
1.path of life, daily life 2.pen-name of the poet 3.shows 4.surroundings, ambience
I am not sure if this about an impending disaster, looming riots/calamities that were expected at the time this Ghazal was written/read. O raahi, a storm is about to rise in our daily lives. It is not I who is saying it, but the conditions around us show it.
