For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ایوانِ عدالت سے رخصت ہوتے ہوئے ۔ پنڈت آنند نرائن مُلّا
۱
یہ ہِمّتِ مردانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
مجھ سا کوئی پروانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
۲
طاقت کی رعونت کے مقابل بہ لبِ عدل
یوں حرفِ حریفانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
۳
ساقی سے سوا تِشنہ لبوں سے تھا جسے اُنس
محفل میں وہ پیمانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
۴
جادے سے ہٹے گام تو اک جادۂ نو اور
یہ لغز شِ مستانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
۵
سَو خوشوں کی مستی بھی ہر اِک بُوند میں جس کی
وہ دانۂ صد دانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
۶
چُنتی ہی رہی شیخ کی داڑھی کے جو تنکے
یہ جرأتِ رندانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
۷
قانون کی آواز میں نغمے کی کھنک سی
یہ سازِ حکیمانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
۸
آتے ہی رہیں گے سرِ طور اور بھی موسیٰ
یہ ضربِ کلیمانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
۹
مسند پہ پہنچ کر بھی رہا حامی جمہور
مُلّا کا سا دیوانہ پھر آئے کہ نہ آئے
ऐवान-ए-अदालत से रुख़्सत होते हुए – पंडित आनंद नारायण मुल्ला
१
ये हिम्मत-ए-मर्दाना फिर आए के न आए
मुझ सा कोई परवाना फिर आए के न आए
२
ताक़त की रउ़नत के मुक़ाबिल ब-लब-ए-अदल
यूँ हर्फ़-ए-हरीफ़ाना फिर आए के न आए
३
साक़ी से सिवा तिश्ना लबों से था जिसे उन्स
महफ़िल में वो पैमाना फिर आए के न आए
४
जादे से हटे गाम तो एक जादा-ए-नौ और
ये लग़्ज़िश-ए-मस्ताना फिर आए के न आए
५
सौ ख़ुशों की मस्ती भी हर इक बूंद में जिस की
वो दाना-ए-सद दाना फिर आए के न आए
६
चुनती ही रही शेख़ की दाढ़ी के जो तिनके
ये जुरअत-ए-रिंदाना फिर आए के न आए
७
क़ानून की आवाज़ में नग़मे की खनक सी
ये साज़-ए-हकीमाना फिर आए के न आए
८
आते ही रहेंगे सर-ए-तूर और भी मूसा
ये ज़र्ब-ए-कलीमाना फिर आए के न आए
९
मस्नद पे पहुँच कर भी रहा हामी-ए-जम्हूर
मुल्ला का सा दीवाना फिर आए के न आए
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. MA English Literature. Learnt urdu and faarsi at home. First venture into poetry translation of parts of iqbal’s ‘payaam-e mashriq’ into English. First urdu nazm published 1925. Ardent urdu lover as a language of the people. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. He composed this when he took early retirement as Chief Judge of the High Court, UP. Sometime before this he had received an abusive call from a minister upon a ruling that was unfavourable to him. That nazm, ‘shabiih-e daara’ is worth reading too.
1
ye himmat1-e mardaana2 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
mujh sa3 koi parvaana4 phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.courage 2.daring 3.short for jaisa, like, similar to 4.moth, lover (of justice)
The context of this nazm is the poet’s retirement from the position of Chief Jugde from which he offered daring, courageous judgments, even though they made political power unhappy. In this context, parvaana is a lover of justice. Thus, the poet/judge is not sure if another courageous judge will take his place, whether whoever is appointed in his place, be a lover of justice like him.
2
taaqat1 ki ra’uunat2 ke muqaabil3 ba lab4-e adl5
yuN harf6-e hariifaana7 phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.strength, power 2.arrogance, hubris 3.against, facing 4.lips 5.justice 6.words 7.rival, matching, opposed
I do not know whether (in the future) from the lips of justice words will emerge that will rival the arrogance of power.
3
saaqi1 se sivaa2 tishna3 laboN4 se tha jise unss5
mahfil6 meN voh paimaana7 phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.cup-bearer 2.more than, beyond 3.thirsty 4.lips 5.attachment, love 6.gathering 7.cup
The saaqi serves/offers wine to the people in the gathering/tavern. This makes the saaqi the centre of attention, the beloved of all. Here, wine can be used as an analogy for favours that the powerful bestow upon some of the populace. Thus the people in power are like the saaqi. But the poet is that cup in the gathering, which cares more about the thirsty than about the saaqi. He is not sure if there will be another cup like that. As a judge his sympathies lay with the powerless.
4
jaade1 se haTe gaam2 to ek jaada1-e nau3 aur
ye laGhzish4-e mastaana5 phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.path 2.step 3.new 4.stumbling 5.intoxication
The imagery is that of an intoxicated person stumbling, but here the intoxication is that of love of justice and the stumbling is like searching for a new path, a new thought. Thus, if my steps leave the beaten path, it is only to explore/open up a new path.
5
sau1 KhoshoN2 ki masti3 bhi har ek boond4 meN jis ki
voh daana5-e sad-daana6 phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.hundred 2.buches (as in grapes) 3.intoxication, daring, courage 4.drop 5.seed (grape) 6.one in a hundred seeds (grapes)
Here ‘daana’ is used to mean the grape itself and ‘masti’ to mean courage/daring. He was proud of his record and stood up to political pressure and called out the corruption of the police and officials. Thus, in every drop of wine made of this grape there is the courage of a hundred bunches of grapes. He is not sure if another grape like this, that is one in a hundred (rare) will take his place.
6
chunti1 hi rahi shaiKh ki daaRhi ke jo tinke2
ye jur’at3-e rindaana4 phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.picking, sorting 2.piece of straw 3.daring 4.bold, unmindful of consequences
There is a common phrase ‘chor ki daaRhi meN tinka’, which implies ‘searching for the real culprit- sorting/picking hidden signs in the culprit’. He was able to discern when officials or politicians were flouting the law. To sort through this requires daring that is not fearful of the consequences. He is not sure if this will happen after him. Just consider how the narendra modi government has subverted the judicial system.
7
qaanoon1 ki aavaaz meN naGhme2 ki khanak3 si
ye saaz4-e hakimaana5 phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.law, judicial system 2.song 3.tinkle, jingle 4.ability, skill 5.wise
The ‘tinkle of a song in the voice of justice’ is justice tempered by mercy. Will there be another one who has such wisdom.
8
aate hi raheNge sar1-e tuur2 aur bhi muusa3
ye zarb4-e kalimaana5 phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.peak 2.mount tuur 3.Moses 4.blow, strike 5.like the strike of the staff of Moses
Moses used his staff to work miracles like the parting of the sea. Thus, zarb-e kaliim is used as a metaphor for miraculous work. There will be many more Moses who will come to the top of mount tuur (like Moses did) but will they be able to work miracles. Miracles is used here to signify unusual accomplishments rather than Biblical miracles.
9
masnad1 pe pahuNch kar bhi raha haami2-e jamhuur3
mulla4 ka sa diivaana phir aa’e keh na aa’e 1.throne, seat of power/honour 2.supporter, defender 3.democracy, rule of law 4.pen-name of the poet
Even after getting to the seat of power/honour he remained a defender of the rule of law. Will there be another madman like mulla.
panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. MA English Literature. Learnt urdu and faarsi at home. First venture into poetry translation of parts of iqbal’s ‘payaam-e mashriq’ into English. First urdu nazm published 1925. Ardent urdu lover as a language of the people. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. He composed this when he took early retirement as Chief Judge of the High Court, UP. Sometime before this he had received an abusive call from a minister upon a ruling that was unfavourable to him. That nazm, ‘shabiih-e daara’ is worth reading too.
1
ye himmat1-e mardaana2 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
mujh sa3 koi parvaana4 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.courage 2.daring 3.short for jaisa, like, similar to 4.moth, lover (of justice)
The context of this nazm is the poet’s retirement from the position of Chief Jugde from which he offered daring, courageous judgments, even though they made political power unhappy. In this context, parvaana is a lover of justice. Thus, the poet/judge is not sure if another courageous judge will take his place, whether whoever is appointed in his place, be a lover of justice like him.
2
taaqat1 ki ra’uunat2 ke muqaabil3 ba lab4-e adl5
yuN harf6-e hariifaana7 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.strength, power 2.arrogance, hubris 3.against, facing 4.lips 5.justice 6.words 7.rival, matching, opposed
I do not know whether (in the future) from the lips of justice words will emerge that will rival the arrogance of power.
3
saaqi1 se sivaa2 tishna3 laboN4 se tha jise unss5
mahfil6 meN voh paimaana7 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.cup-bearer 2.more than, beyond 3.thirsty 4.lips 5.attachment, love 6.gathering 7.cup
The saaqi serves/offers wine to the people in the gathering/tavern. This makes the saaqi the centre of attention, the beloved of all. Here, wine can be used as an analogy for favours that the powerful bestow upon some of the populace. Thus the people in power are like the saaqi. But the poet is that cup in the gathering, which cares more about the thirsty than about the saaqi. He is not sure if there will be another cup like that. As a judge his sympathies lay with the powerless.
4
jaade1 se haTe gaam2 to ek jaada1-e nau3 aur
ye laGhzish4-e mastaana5 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.path 2.step 3.new 4.stumbling 5.intoxication
The imagery is that of an intoxicated person stumbling, but here the intoxication is that of love of justice and the stumbling is like searching for a new path, a new thought. Thus, if my steps leave the beaten path, it is only to explore/open up a new path.
5
sau1 KhoshoN2 ki masti3 bhi har ek boond4 meN jis ki
voh daana5-e sad-daana6 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.hundred 2.buches (as in grapes) 3.intoxication, daring, courage 4.drop 5.seed (grape) 6.one in a hundred seeds (grapes)
Here ‘daana’ is used to mean the grape itself and ‘masti’ to mean courage/daring. He was proud of his record and stood up to political pressure and called out the corruption of the police and officials. Thus, in every drop of wine made of this grape there is the courage of a hundred bunches of grapes. He is not sure if another grape like this, that is one in a hundred (rare) will take his place.
6
chunti1 hi rahi shaiKh ki daaRhi ke jo tinke2
ye jur’at3-e rindaana4 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.picking, sorting 2.piece of straw 3.daring 4.bold, unmindful of consequences
There is a common phrase ‘chor ki daaRhi meN tinka’, which implies ‘searching for the real culprit- sorting/picking hidden signs in the culprit’. He was able to discern when officials or politicians were flouting the law. To sort through this requires daring that is not fearful of the consequences. He is not sure if this will happen after him. Just consider how the narendra modi government has subverted the judicial system.
7
qaanoon1 ki aavaaz meN naGhme2 ki khanak3 si
ye saaz4-e hakimaana5 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.law, judicial system 2.song 3.tinkle, jingle 4.ability, skill 5.wise
The ‘tinkle of a song in the voice of justice’ is justice tempered by mercy. Will there be another one who has such wisdom.
8
aate hi raheNge sar1-e tuur2 aur bhi muusa3
ye zarb4-e kalimaana5 phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.peak 2.mount tuur 3.Moses 4.blow, strike 5.like the strike of the staff of Moses
Moses used his staff to work miracles like the parting of the sea. Thus, zarb-e kaliim is used as a metaphor for miraculous work. There will be many more Moses who will come to the top of mount tuur (like Moses did) but will they be able to work miracles. Miracles is used here to signify unusual accomplishments rather than Biblical miracles.
9
masnad1 pe pahuNch kar bhi raha haami2-e jamhuur3
mulla4 ka sa diivaana phir aa’e keh na aa’e
1.throne, seat of power/honour 2.supporter, defender 3.democracy, rule of law 4.pen-name of the poet
Even after getting to the seat of power/honour he remained a defender of the rule of law. Will there be another madman like mulla.
