For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
begum aKhtar
مری تشنگی کو بڑھا نہ دے ۔ شکیلؔ بدایونی
۱
مرے ہم نفس مرے ہم نوا، مجھے دوست بن کے دغا نہ دے
میں ہوں دردِ عشق سے جاں بہ لب، مجھے زندگی کی دعا نہ دے
۲
میں غمِ جہاں سے نڈھال ہوں، کہ سراپا حزن و ملال ہوں
جو لکھے ہیں میرے نصیب میں، وہ الم کسی کو خدا نہ دے
۳
نہ یہ زندگی مری زندگی، نہ یہ داستاں مری داستاں
میں خیال و وہم سے دور ہوں، مجھے آج کوئی صدا نہ دے
۴
مرے گھر سے دور ہیں راحتیں، مجھے ڈھوندتی ہیں مصیبتیں
مجھے خوف ہے کہ مرا پتہ، کوئی گردشوں کو بتا نہ دے
۵
مجھے چھوڑ دے مرے حال پر، ترا کیا بھروسہ ہے چارہ گر
یہ تری نوازشِ مُختصر، مرا درد اور بڑھا نہ دے
۶
مرا عزم اتنا بلند ہے، کہ پرائے شعلوں کا ڈر نہیں
مجھے خوف آتشِ گُل سے ہے، یہ کہیں چمن کو جلا نہ دے
۷
درِ یار پر بڑی دھوم ہے، وہی عاشقوں کا ہجوم ہے
ابھی نیند آئی ہے حسن کو، کوئی شور کر کے جگا نہ دے
۸
مرے داغِ دل سے ہے روشنی، اسی روشنی سے ہے زندگی
مجھے ڈر ہے اے مرے چارہ گر، یہ چراغ تو ہی بجھا نہ دے
۹
کبھی جام لب سے لگا دیا، کبھی مسکرا کے ہٹا دیا
تری چھیڑ چھاڑ یہ ساقیا، مری تشنگی کو بڑھا نہ دے
۱۰
مری چشمِ شوق ترا بھرم، رہے عمر بھر یوںہی تازہ دم
نہ پکار اس کو کہ وہ صنم، کہیں جل کے جلوہ دکھا نہ دے
۱۱
وہ اُٹھے ہیں لے کے خُم و سُبُو، ارے اے شکیلؔ کہاں ہے تو
ترا جام لینے کو بزم میں، کوئی اور ہاتھ بڑھا نہ دے
मेरी तिश्नगी को बढ़ा न दे – शकील बदायूनी
१
मेरे हम-नफ़स मेरे हम-नवा, मुझे दोस्त बन के दग़ा न दे
मैं हुं दर्द-ए इश्क़ से जां ब-लब, मुझे ज़िन्दगी का सज़ा न दे
२
मैं ग़म-ए जहां से निड़ाल हुं, के सरापा हज़न ओ मलाल हुं
जो लिखे हैं मेरे नसीब में, वो अलम किसी को ख़ुदा न दे
३
न ये ज़िन्दगी मेरी ज़िन्दगी, न ये दास्तां मेरी दास्तां
मैं ख़याल ओ वहम से दूर हुं, मुझे आज कोई सदा न दे
४
मेरे घर से दूर हैं राहतें, मुझे ड़ूंडती हैं मुसीबतें
मुझे ख़ौफ़ है के मेरा पता, कोई गर्दिशौं को बता न दे
५
मुझे छोढ दे मेरे हाल पर, तेरा क्या भरोसा है चारागर
ये नवाज़िश-ए मुख़्तसिर, मेरा दर्द और बढ़ा न दे
६
मेरा अज़्म इतना बलंद है, के पराए शो’लौं का डर नहीं
मुझे ख़ौफ़ आतिश-ए गुल से है, ये कही चमन को जला न दे
७
दर-ए यार पर बढी धूम है, वही आशेक़ौं का हुजूम है
अभी नींद आई है हुस्न को, कोई शोर कर के जगा न दे
८
मेरे दाग़-ए दिल से है रौशनी, इसी रौशनी से है ज़िन्दगी
मुझे डर है अए मेरे चारागर, ये चराग़ तू हि बुझा न दे
९
कभी जाम लब से लगा दिया, कभी मुस्कुरा के हटा दिया
तेरी छेढ छाढ ये साक़िया, मेरी तिश्नगी को बढ़ा न दे
१०
मेरी चश्म-ए शौक़ तेरा भरम, रहे उम्र-भर युंहि ताज़ा-दम
न पुकार उस को के वो सनम, कहीं जल के जल्वा दिखा न दे
११
वो उठे हैं ले के ख़ुम ओ सुबू, अरे अए शकील कहां है तू
तेरा जाम लेने को बज़्म में, कोई और हाथ बढ़ा न दे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shakeel ahmed badayuni (1916-1970), perhaps more famous as a lyric-writer than a Ghazal composer, although he has an extensive portfolio of Ghazal some of which have been converted into movie lyrics.
1
mere ham-nafas1 mere ham-nava2, mujhe dost ban ke daGhaa3 na de
maiN huN dard-e ishq se jaaN-ba-lab4, mujhe zindagi ki duaa na de 1.breath-sharing, close friend 2.voice/thought-sharing, like-minded friend 3.betray 4.life hanging on the lips, on the death bed
The lover is on his death bed, dying of the pain of love because the beloved does not reciprocate his feelings. He is so despondent that he wants to die. His friend prays for his life. The lover considers this to be a betrayal. My dear friend, my companion, you have been my friend for long, don’t betray me now. I am about to die, don’t pray for my life, let me die.
2
maiN Gham-e jahaaN se niDhaal1 huN, keh saraa-paa2 huzn3 o malaal4 huN
jo likhe haiN mere nasiib5 meN, vo alam6 kisi ko Khuda na de 1.defeated, worn out 2.head to toe, envoloped 3.grief 4.sorrow 5.fate 6.anguish, torment
The poet/lover is exhausted from the ‘pain of the world’ – I don’t think he means the pain that he sees around him, that the world suffers but by this he means the pain that the world/this life has inflicted on him. He is so exhausted that he feels envoloped by grief and sorrow. The anguish and torment that has been written into my fate, my god never visit such pain on anyone else.
3
na ye zindagi meri zindagi, na ye daastaaN1 meri daastaaN
maiN Khayaal2 o vahm3 se duur huN, mujhe aaj koi sadaa4 na de 1.legend, story 2.thoughts, imagination 3.illusion 4.call
This is not the life I had wished for myself, this is the story I had written as my life-story. I am far removed from imagining that things will be any better, I don’t have any illusions, I wish to be left alone, I do not want anyone to call on me.
4
mere ghar se duur haiN raahateN1, mujhe DhunDhti haiN musiibateN2
mujhe Khauf3 hai keh mera pata4, koi gardishoN5 ko bata na de 1.comfort 2.problems 3.fear 4.whereabouts 5.misfortunes, vicissitudes of life
This re-states the conventional thought that blessings are a gift of fate, as are problems. Thus, comforts and blessings are far from where I am, problems seek me out. I fear that someone might let misfortune know my whereabouts.
5
mujhe choR de mere haal1 par, tera kya bharosa2 hai chaaragar3
ye teri navaazish4-e muKhtasar5, mera dard aur baRhaa na de 1.condition 2.trust 3.healer, saviour 4.favour, kindness 5.brief
The ‘chaaragar’ could be a healer or more likely, it is the beloved who has come to visit him on his death bed. He pleads, leave me to die, how can I trust you, O beloved (she has a history of making false promises). This brief kindness of yours (brief visit) might even increase my pain (another disappointment to follow).
6
mera azm1 itna baland2 hai, keh paraa’e3 sho’loN4 ka Dar nahiN
mujhe Khauf5 aatish6-e gul7 se hai, ye kahiiN chaman ko jalaa na de 1.resolve, self-confidence 2.high, strong 3.other 4.flames 5.fear 6.fire 7.rose
Here-paraa’e sho’le-is the pain inflicted by others and ‘gul’ is the beloved. Also, ‘aatish’ and the warmth of the beloved’s beauty are juxtaposed. Thus, my confidence is so strong that I am not afraid of the pain inflicted by anyone else. What I am afraid of is that the beauty of the beloved and the passion/flames it arouses might set the world on fire.
7
dar1-e yaar2 par baRi Dhoom3 hai, vahi aashiqoN ka hujoom4 hai
abhi niind aa’ii hai husn5 ko, koi shor6 kar ke jagaa na de 1.door, abode 2.friend, beloved 3.ruckus celebration 4.crowd 5.beauty, beloved 6.noise
This is a straightforward, not very meaningful, she’r. There is a joyous ruckus at the house of the beloved, there is the usual crowd of admirers/aspiring lovers. She has just fallen asleep, I fear that someone might make a noise and wake her up. But the she’r is a puzzle because the poet/lover’s direct access to the knowledge that she has just fallen asleep flies in the face of convention and all that he has been saying so far. This appears to be just crowd pleasing qaafiya-bandi – wordsmithing.
8
mere daaGh1-e dil se hai raushni2, usi raushni se hai zindagi
mujhe Dar hai aye mere chaaragar3, ye charaaGh4 tu hi bujha na de 1.wound 2.light 3.healer, saviour 4.lamp
There is a wound of love in his heart. It is like a flame because of the intensity of his passion. But he values this passion/love/intensity. The light of this flame is the essence of his life. I am afraid, O saviour, that you yourself will put this flame out. The next question is, who is the saviour, and if it is the beloved, how can she reduce the passion, how can she put out the lamp of his love. Conventionally, there is nothing she can do to make him stop loving her. The only way that the flame can be put out is if she kills her. But why should he be fearful of that! It could be that the healer is not the beloved but a friend or a counseler (even if the ‘tu hi-you yourself’ suggests that this might be the beloved). The counseler/friend is advising him to get out of his love. If his advice were to be successful, then he would have no reason to live.
9
kabhi jaam1 lab2 se laga diya, kabhi muskuraa3 ke haTaa diya
teri chheR-chhaaR4 ye saaqiya, meri tishnagi5 ko baRhaa na de 1.cup, goblet 2.lips 3.smile 4.teasing 5.thirst
The beloved appears here in the form of the saaqi. She is serving wine and is teasing him. At times she puts the goblet of wine to his lips and at other times, with a smile withdraws it, teasing him. He is afraid that her playfulness will increase his thirst even more. Of course, thirst here is the intensity of his yearning for the reciprocity of his love.
10
meri chashm1-e shauq2 tera bharam3, rahe umr bhar yuN hi taaza-dam4
na pukaar5 us ko keh voh sanam6, kahiiN jal ke jalva7 dikhaa na de 1.eye 2.desire 3.illusion 4.fresh, alive 5.call 6.beloved 7.manifestation, glory
My eye of desire and the illusion of seeing you, may they remain fresh thoughout my life. Do not call the beloved, for if she appears before you, her glory might set fire. The first misra suggests that the lover’s gaze is always intense and passionate, but he can see the beloved only as an illusion. She never appears before him. He is warning himself, do not call her, for if she appears, then there might be fire. I wonder if the second half of the second misra should read, ‘kahiiN jalva dikhe ke jalaa na de’.
11
voh uThe haiN le ke Khum1 o subuu2, aray aye shakeel3 kahaaN hai tu
tera jaam4 lene ko bazm5 meN, koi aur haath baRhaa6 na de 1.cup, goblet 2.flask, pitcher 3.pen-name of the poet 4.cup 5.gathering 6.extend, grab
The beloved appears here in the form of the saaqi and rises with cup and flask in hand to serve wine. For some reason, the poet thinks that it is his turn. He warns himself, O shakeel, where are you be careful, in this gathering someone else may extend their hand to grab the cup that is meant for you.
shakeel ahmed badayuni (1916-1970), perhaps more famous as a lyric-writer than a Ghazal composer, although he has an extensive portfolio of Ghazal some of which have been converted into movie lyrics.
1
mere ham-nafas1 mere ham-nava2, mujhe dost ban ke daGhaa3 na de
maiN huN dard-e ishq se jaaN-ba-lab4, mujhe zindagi ki duaa na de
1.breath-sharing, close friend 2.voice/thought-sharing, like-minded friend 3.betray 4.life hanging on the lips, on the death bed
The lover is on his death bed, dying of the pain of love because the beloved does not reciprocate his feelings. He is so despondent that he wants to die. His friend prays for his life. The lover considers this to be a betrayal. My dear friend, my companion, you have been my friend for long, don’t betray me now. I am about to die, don’t pray for my life, let me die.
2
maiN Gham-e jahaaN se niDhaal1 huN, keh saraa-paa2 huzn3 o malaal4 huN
jo likhe haiN mere nasiib5 meN, vo alam6 kisi ko Khuda na de
1.defeated, worn out 2.head to toe, envoloped 3.grief 4.sorrow 5.fate 6.anguish, torment
The poet/lover is exhausted from the ‘pain of the world’ – I don’t think he means the pain that he sees around him, that the world suffers but by this he means the pain that the world/this life has inflicted on him. He is so exhausted that he feels envoloped by grief and sorrow. The anguish and torment that has been written into my fate, my god never visit such pain on anyone else.
3
na ye zindagi meri zindagi, na ye daastaaN1 meri daastaaN
maiN Khayaal2 o vahm3 se duur huN, mujhe aaj koi sadaa4 na de
1.legend, story 2.thoughts, imagination 3.illusion 4.call
This is not the life I had wished for myself, this is the story I had written as my life-story. I am far removed from imagining that things will be any better, I don’t have any illusions, I wish to be left alone, I do not want anyone to call on me.
4
mere ghar se duur haiN raahateN1, mujhe DhunDhti haiN musiibateN2
mujhe Khauf3 hai keh mera pata4, koi gardishoN5 ko bata na de
1.comfort 2.problems 3.fear 4.whereabouts 5.misfortunes, vicissitudes of life
This re-states the conventional thought that blessings are a gift of fate, as are problems. Thus, comforts and blessings are far from where I am, problems seek me out. I fear that someone might let misfortune know my whereabouts.
5
mujhe choR de mere haal1 par, tera kya bharosa2 hai chaaragar3
ye teri navaazish4-e muKhtasar5, mera dard aur baRhaa na de
1.condition 2.trust 3.healer, saviour 4.favour, kindness 5.brief
The ‘chaaragar’ could be a healer or more likely, it is the beloved who has come to visit him on his death bed. He pleads, leave me to die, how can I trust you, O beloved (she has a history of making false promises). This brief kindness of yours (brief visit) might even increase my pain (another disappointment to follow).
6
mera azm1 itna baland2 hai, keh paraa’e3 sho’loN4 ka Dar nahiN
mujhe Khauf5 aatish6-e gul7 se hai, ye kahiiN chaman ko jalaa na de
1.resolve, self-confidence 2.high, strong 3.other 4.flames 5.fear 6.fire 7.rose
Here-paraa’e sho’le-is the pain inflicted by others and ‘gul’ is the beloved. Also, ‘aatish’ and the warmth of the beloved’s beauty are juxtaposed. Thus, my confidence is so strong that I am not afraid of the pain inflicted by anyone else. What I am afraid of is that the beauty of the beloved and the passion/flames it arouses might set the world on fire.
7
dar1-e yaar2 par baRi Dhoom3 hai, vahi aashiqoN ka hujoom4 hai
abhi niind aa’ii hai husn5 ko, koi shor6 kar ke jagaa na de
1.door, abode 2.friend, beloved 3.ruckus celebration 4.crowd 5.beauty, beloved 6.noise
This is a straightforward, not very meaningful, she’r. There is a joyous ruckus at the house of the beloved, there is the usual crowd of admirers/aspiring lovers. She has just fallen asleep, I fear that someone might make a noise and wake her up. But the she’r is a puzzle because the poet/lover’s direct access to the knowledge that she has just fallen asleep flies in the face of convention and all that he has been saying so far. This appears to be just crowd pleasing qaafiya-bandi – wordsmithing.
8
mere daaGh1-e dil se hai raushni2, usi raushni se hai zindagi
mujhe Dar hai aye mere chaaragar3, ye charaaGh4 tu hi bujha na de
1.wound 2.light 3.healer, saviour 4.lamp
There is a wound of love in his heart. It is like a flame because of the intensity of his passion. But he values this passion/love/intensity. The light of this flame is the essence of his life. I am afraid, O saviour, that you yourself will put this flame out. The next question is, who is the saviour, and if it is the beloved, how can she reduce the passion, how can she put out the lamp of his love. Conventionally, there is nothing she can do to make him stop loving her. The only way that the flame can be put out is if she kills her. But why should he be fearful of that! It could be that the healer is not the beloved but a friend or a counseler (even if the ‘tu hi-you yourself’ suggests that this might be the beloved). The counseler/friend is advising him to get out of his love. If his advice were to be successful, then he would have no reason to live.
9
kabhi jaam1 lab2 se laga diya, kabhi muskuraa3 ke haTaa diya
teri chheR-chhaaR4 ye saaqiya, meri tishnagi5 ko baRhaa na de
1.cup, goblet 2.lips 3.smile 4.teasing 5.thirst
The beloved appears here in the form of the saaqi. She is serving wine and is teasing him. At times she puts the goblet of wine to his lips and at other times, with a smile withdraws it, teasing him. He is afraid that her playfulness will increase his thirst even more. Of course, thirst here is the intensity of his yearning for the reciprocity of his love.
10
meri chashm1-e shauq2 tera bharam3, rahe umr bhar yuN hi taaza-dam4
na pukaar5 us ko keh voh sanam6, kahiiN jal ke jalva7 dikhaa na de
1.eye 2.desire 3.illusion 4.fresh, alive 5.call 6.beloved 7.manifestation, glory
My eye of desire and the illusion of seeing you, may they remain fresh thoughout my life. Do not call the beloved, for if she appears before you, her glory might set fire. The first misra suggests that the lover’s gaze is always intense and passionate, but he can see the beloved only as an illusion. She never appears before him. He is warning himself, do not call her, for if she appears, then there might be fire. I wonder if the second half of the second misra should read, ‘kahiiN jalva dikhe ke jalaa na de’.
11
voh uThe haiN le ke Khum1 o subuu2, aray aye shakeel3 kahaaN hai tu
tera jaam4 lene ko bazm5 meN, koi aur haath baRhaa6 na de
1.cup, goblet 2.flask, pitcher 3.pen-name of the poet 4.cup 5.gathering 6.extend, grab
The beloved appears here in the form of the saaqi and rises with cup and flask in hand to serve wine. For some reason, the poet thinks that it is his turn. He warns himself, O shakeel, where are you be careful, in this gathering someone else may extend their hand to grab the cup that is meant for you.
