For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اندازِ سوال اچھا ہے ۔ رگھوبیر سرن دِواکر راہیؔ
۱
ہم جو ہر حال میں کہتے ہیں کہ حال اچھا ہے
حال کچھ بھی ہو مگر، ہاں یہ خیال اچھا ہے
۲
جامِ زرّیں تجھے جنت کے مبارک زاہد
مے سے لبریز مرا جامِ سفال اچھا ہے
۳
آج اوصاف پہ جاتی ہے بھلا کس کی نظر
جو بھی بازار میں چل جائے وہ مال اچھا ہے
۴
جب بھی کی شرحِ تمنّا مری خاموشی نے
ہنس کے بولے ترا اندازِ سوال اچھا ہے
۵
وجہ صد شکر ہے اور باعثِ اعزاز ہے دوست
وہ ہر اک جدوجہد جس کا مآل اچھا ہے
۶
منزلیں آ کے کہیں کرتی ہیں قدموں کے طواف
ہاں مگر آپ کا راہیؔ یہ خیال اچھا ہے
अंदाज़-ए-सवाल अच्छा है । रघुबीर सरन दिवाकर राहि
१
हम जो हर हाल में कहते हैं कि हाल अच्छा है
हाल कुछ भी हो मगर, हाँ ये खयाल अच्छा है
२
जाम-ए-ज़रीन तुझे जन्नत के मुबारक ज़ाहिद
मे से लबरेज़ मेरा जाम-ए-सिफाल अच्छा है
३
आज औसाफ पे जाती है भला किस की नज़र
जो भी बाज़ार में चल जाए वो माल अच्छा है
४
जब भी की शरह-ए-तमन्ना मेरी ख़ामोशी ने
हंस के बोले तेरा अंदाज़-ए-सवाल अच्छा है
५
वजह साद शुक्र है और बाइस-ए-एज़ाज़ है दोस्त
वो हर इक जद्दोजहद जिस का मआल अच्छा है
६
मंज़िलें आ के कहीं करती हैं क़दमों के तवाफ
हाँ मगर आपका राहि ये खयाल अच्छा है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raghubir saran divaakar raahi (1914-1968), rampur. Three Ghazal collections 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. This Ghazal is one of many modeled after Ghalib’s Ghazal “ye Khayaal achchha hai” and is linked to it under ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
hum jo har haal1 meN kahte haiN keh haal achchha hai
haal kuchh bhi ho magar2, haaN ye Khayaal3 achchha hai 1.condition 2.but 3.thought
This could refer to our casual greeting … how are you – I am well, thank you or it could be about the stoicism of the lover who hides his pain under all conditions. That we say ‘I am well’, is a good thought no matter what the real condition may be. Why is it a good thing … because of the tradition of stoicism and/or because you want to keep casual conversation at the casual level.
2
jaam1-e zarriiN2 tujhe jannat3 ke mubaarak4 zaahid5
mai6 se labrez7 mera jaam1-e sifaal8 achchha hai 1.cup, goblet 2.golden 3.heaven 4.felicitation 5.preacher 6.wine 7.brimming 8.clay
Felicitations to you, for your (future, uncertain, promised) golden goblet, O zaahid. For me, my clay cup, brimming with wine is better.
3
aaj ausaaf1 pe jaati hai bhala2 kis ki nazar3
jo bhi baazaar meN chal4 jaa’e vo maal5 achchha hai 1.qualities 2.all said and done 3.eyes, sight 4.works/sells 5.commodity
It is highly likely that he is talking about the perceived quality of mushaa’era content. After all, who looks at the literary quality of the nazm/Ghazal these days. Whatever sounds good, becomes popular, that commodity/verse is considered good.
4
jab bhi kii shar’h1-e tamanna2 meri Khaamoshi3 ne
haNs ke bole tera andaaz4-e savaal5 achchha hai 1.explanation, exposition 2.desire 3.silence 4.style, way 5.questioning, asking
It is the beloved who is light-heartedly, laughingly saying that his style of questioning is good. And what is that style … he speaks in silence; his eyes speak and expresses his love for her. She is amused at the way he asks.
5
vaj’h1 sad-shukr2 hai aur baa’is3-e e’zaaz4 hai dost
voh har ek jadd-o-jahad5 jis ka ma’aal6 achchha hai 1.reason for 2.hundred thanks 3.basis 4.respect 5.struggle 6.result
The effort/struggle that yields good results is a reason for much (hundred times) gratitude and is the basis of honour/respect.
6
manzileN1 aa ke kahiN karti haiN qadamoN2 ke tavaaf3
haaN magar aapka raahi4 ye Khayaal achchha hai 1.destination, goals 2.feet 3.circumabulations, paying respects 4.pen-name of the poet
Do destinations ever come and pay respects at your feet? But O raahi, entertaining such thoughts makes you feel good. Reminds me of Ghalib …
ham ko m’aaluum hai jannat kii haqiiqat laikin
dil ke Khush rakhne ko Ghaalib ye Khayaal achchha hai
raghubir saran divaakar raahi (1914-1968), rampur. Three Ghazal collections 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. This Ghazal is one of many modeled after Ghalib’s Ghazal “ye Khayaal achchha hai” and is linked to it under ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
hum jo har haal1 meN kahte haiN keh haal achchha hai
haal kuchh bhi ho magar2, haaN ye Khayaal3 achchha hai
1.condition 2.but 3.thought
This could refer to our casual greeting … how are you – I am well, thank you or it could be about the stoicism of the lover who hides his pain under all conditions. That we say ‘I am well’, is a good thought no matter what the real condition may be. Why is it a good thing … because of the tradition of stoicism and/or because you want to keep casual conversation at the casual level.
2
jaam1-e zarriiN2 tujhe jannat3 ke mubaarak4 zaahid5
mai6 se labrez7 mera jaam1-e sifaal8 achchha hai
1.cup, goblet 2.golden 3.heaven 4.felicitation 5.preacher 6.wine 7.brimming 8.clay
Felicitations to you, for your (future, uncertain, promised) golden goblet, O zaahid. For me, my clay cup, brimming with wine is better.
3
aaj ausaaf1 pe jaati hai bhala2 kis ki nazar3
jo bhi baazaar meN chal4 jaa’e vo maal5 achchha hai
1.qualities 2.all said and done 3.eyes, sight 4.works/sells 5.commodity
It is highly likely that he is talking about the perceived quality of mushaa’era content. After all, who looks at the literary quality of the nazm/Ghazal these days. Whatever sounds good, becomes popular, that commodity/verse is considered good.
4
jab bhi kii shar’h1-e tamanna2 meri Khaamoshi3 ne
haNs ke bole tera andaaz4-e savaal5 achchha hai
1.explanation, exposition 2.desire 3.silence 4.style, way 5.questioning, asking
It is the beloved who is light-heartedly, laughingly saying that his style of questioning is good. And what is that style … he speaks in silence; his eyes speak and expresses his love for her. She is amused at the way he asks.
5
vaj’h1 sad-shukr2 hai aur baa’is3-e e’zaaz4 hai dost
voh har ek jadd-o-jahad5 jis ka ma’aal6 achchha hai
1.reason for 2.hundred thanks 3.basis 4.respect 5.struggle 6.result
The effort/struggle that yields good results is a reason for much (hundred times) gratitude and is the basis of honour/respect.
6
manzileN1 aa ke kahiN karti haiN qadamoN2 ke tavaaf3
haaN magar aapka raahi4 ye Khayaal achchha hai
1.destination, goals 2.feet 3.circumabulations, paying respects 4.pen-name of the poet
Do destinations ever come and pay respects at your feet? But O raahi, entertaining such thoughts makes you feel good. Reminds me of Ghalib …
ham ko m’aaluum hai jannat kii haqiiqat laikin
dil ke Khush rakhne ko Ghaalib ye Khayaal achchha hai
