Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. taalib maanikpuri-Thaakur prashaad (1848-1904). Moved to lucknow in 1861, where his father was employed. Learnt urdu and faarsi from an ustaad. Worked for the government in the Supplies Department, then in faizabad as a munshi for a trust. Finished his Law Degree while doing this and worked as an admistrator for the taaluqdaar. his Ghazal is linked to ‘ye bhi mere dil meN hai’ under Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
aamad-o-shud¹ ‘aish-o-Gham² ki ishq ki manzil³ meN hai
yaad-e jaanaaN⁴ yaa thi us meN, ranj⁵ yaa ab dil meN hai     1.coming and going, existence, life 2.pleasure and sorrow 3.path to the destination 4.beloved 5.sorrow
Pleasure and sorrow is an inevitable part of life in the path towards the destination. One moment it is the pleasure of the memories of the beloved and another it is the sorrow of separation.
2
hasrat¹-e nazzaara² meN ek daaGh³-e raushan⁴ dil meN hai
chaand us lailaa-shama’el⁵ ke ‘evaz⁶ mahmil⁷ meN hai    1.longing 2.to see, to behold 3.scar, wound 4.shining 5.features/looks of laila, beloved 6.instead 7.veiled palanquin/litter mounted on camel for women of high status
In the poet/lover’s heart is a shining wound of the longing to behold the beloved. The wound could be ‘shining’ because it is bleeding or because it is highly regarded and exemplary. The beloved is described as laila-shamaa’el i.e., with the features of laila of laila-majnuN legend, who was reputed to be extremely beautiful. Instead of that laila-shamaa’el, the moon is in the veiled palanquin. What can this mean? I speculate … the moon symbolizes the beloved. Whenever the poet/lover wants to see the beloved, he looks at the moon. Perhaps the moon is behind clouds, perhaps it is just too far away and inaccessible as if it is riding in a palanquin, shunning the crowd of admirers.
3
josh-e-vahshat¹ meN bhi iizaa² dete haiN ibnaa³-e dahr⁴
phaaR kar kapRe nikal jaa’uuN kahiN yeh dil meN hai     1.wild passion 2.injure, torture 3.basis, foundation 4.world
In poetic traditions of love the mad lover wanders distraught and dissheveled. Even then, the very foundations of the world torture him. He thinks of tearing his clothes off and running away somewhere – away from the world. Tearing clothes off is symbolic of shedding all hypocritical traditions and concentrating on the essence in all its nakedndness.
4
shikva¹-e furqat² jo kartaa huN buraa maano na tum
aa hi jaati hai zabaaN³ par baat voh jo dil meN hai    1.complaint 2.separation 3.tongue, mouth
If I complain about separation (from you, O beloved), do not take offence. After all, what is in the heart is bound to find expression on the tongue i.e., how long can I hide my pain.
5
vasl¹ ho parvaana-saaN² uss shama’-ruu³ se kyaa nasiib⁴
DhuNDtaa huN maiN jis’e voh Ghair⁵ ki mahfil⁶ meN hai    1.union 2.like/similar to the moth 3.lamp/bright-faced 4.in my fate, 5.rival 6.company
The moth circles the bright lamp (its beloved) and sacrifices itself in love, achieving the union that it desires. The poet/lover bemoans that such union is not in his fate. The one he looks for, is in the company of the rival.
6
ranj¹ kyaa past-o-buland²-e dahr³ hai sab ke liye
paa-piyaada⁴ hai yahaaN ko’i ko’i mahmil⁵ meN hai    1.sorrow 2.low and high (status), deprived and privileged 3.world 4.on foot, pedestrian 5.palanquin, camel litter
Why be sorrowful, privilege and deprivation are a part of everyone’s life (this is rather like the conventional acceptance of fate). Someone has to walk to their feet, others are carried in a palanquin.
7
justujuu¹ saahil² pe karte haiN dur³-e maqsuud⁴ ki
ahl⁵-e duniyaa ko maza⁶ kuchh sa’ii⁷-e be-haasil⁸ meN hai    1.search, quest 2.shore 3.pearl 4.desired 5.people of 6.pleasure 7.effort 8.useless
Desired/valuable pearls are found deep in the sea, but they search for it on the shore. What pleasure do people of the world derive from such useless effort? Here, pearls are symbolic of spiritual value and the shore is symbolic of superficial, materialistic/ritualistic activities. Thus, the poet/seeker expresses amazement and disappointment that people derive pleasure from seeking superficialities at the shore.
8
haalat¹-e Gham² aur Khayaal³-e Gham² haiN yaksaaN⁴ Gham-fazaa⁵
cha’en⁶ daryaa⁷ meN hai naa raahat⁸ hameN saahil⁹ meN hai      1.condition 2.sorrow, pain 3.thought 4.alike, same 5.sorrow/pain increasing 6.comfort, contentment, tranquility 7.sea, ocean 8.rest, comfort 9.shore
The actual condition of pain or the thought/imagination of pain are both alike. They both increase the feeling of sorrow/melancholy. Being in the daryaa is like being in or actually sinking in the daryaa – pain (struggling). Being on the shore is like thinking about/being fearful of sinking in the daryaa. Both are the same. There is comfort in neither.
9
hoshyaaroN¹ ke liye haiN siim-o-zar² bhi misl³-e Khaak⁴
vaq’at⁵-e tauqiir⁶-e duniyaa diida⁷-e Ghaafil⁸ meN hai     1.aware, wise 2.silver and gold, material wealth 3.like, similar to 4.dust 5.value 6.respect, dignity 7.eye 8.unmindful, oblivious to
For the wise (with mystic/spiritual knowledge) material wealth is like dust. The honour and respect that the world accords (because of material wealth) has value only in the eyes of those who are unmindful of the value of spiritual wealth.
10
dahr¹ ko Khaali² na paayaa zikr³-e husn-o-‘ishq⁴ se
raat din charcha⁵ yahii har bazm⁶ o har mahfil⁷ meN hai     1.world 2.empty, devoid 3.conversation 4.beauty and love 5.propagation, discussion 6.society 7.gathering
The poet talks about the all pervasive nature of love … beauty and love. There is no place in the world where this conversation is not heard. Day and night it is the same discussion in every assembly and every gathering. Thus, the concept of love is fundamental to human nature.
11
ziist¹ meN Khauf²-e ajal³, turbat⁴ meN biim⁵-e baaz-purs⁶
voh musaafir⁷ huN keh khaTkaa⁸ mujh ko har manzil⁹ meN hai     1.life 2.fear 3.death 4.grave 5.terror 6.investigation, inquiry, evaluation 7.traveler 8.anxiety, apprehension 9.stage of journey
Fear of death during life and terror of evaluation of deeds/actions after death; I am that traveler (in the path of life and death) who is apprehensive at every stage of journey.
12
naz’a¹ ki saKhti² bhi ghaT³ jaa’egi us ke fazl⁴ se
rahmat⁵-e haq⁶ kaa bharosaa⁷ mujh ko har mushkil⁸ meN hai    1.last breath 2.hardship, bitterness 3.reduce 4.benevolence 5.kindness 6.god 7.reliance, confidence 8.difficulty
Even the bitterness of death (the last breath) will be reduced because of its benevolence; I have complete confidence in god’s kindness/forgiveness when faced with any difficulty.
13
vaar¹ agar ek aur ho jaa’e to phir kuchh Gham² nahiiN
ab tak o tark-e-jafaa³ gar dam⁴ tere bismil⁵ meN hai    1.blow, strike 2.harm, loss 3.abandonment of cruelty 4.life 5.sacrificial animal
In urdu poetic convention the lover is the ‘bismil’-the sacrificial animal. The highest honour for him is to be sacrificed/slaughtered at the hands of the beloved. But here, the beloved seems to have ignored him and abandoned her cruelty after the first few blows. He is not quite dead yet and he pleads … one more blow will do no harm, if there is any life left in your sacrificial offering, O you have have abandoned your cruelty. Go ahead and strike one more blow.
14
da’er¹ meN taalib² vahi hai aur haram³ meN bhi vahi
jis kaa jalvah⁴ raat din apne hariim⁵-e dil meN hai     1.temple 2.pen-name of the poet 3.k’aaba, mosque 4.image, glory 5.sanctuary
O taalib, he is same divine being whether in the temple of the mosque; the same one whose glory is in the sanctuary of our heart.