Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jamna parshad raahi (1940-2017), aligaRh. Sahitya Akademi, UP, awardee. President, Progressive Writers’ Association. He specialized in composing in the style of Ghalib and traced his literary lineage to daaGh dehlavi. This Ghazal is composed in the style of ‘hazaaroN KhwaahisheN aisi keh har Khwaahish pe dam nikle’. See several others composed in the same style and linked to icon under ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’. Not only is this Ghazal in the same rhythmic style of Ghalib it also has the same complex linguistic features and flow of thought.
1
sar¹-e viiraani-e-aalam² vujood-eejaad³ hum nikle
Khata⁴-e ain-e-fitrat⁵ ka nishaan-e-mohtaram⁶ nikle    1.head, beginning 2.desolation of the cosmos 3.existence inventing/creating 4.transgression 5.essence/main feature of nature/character 6.mark of respectability
This has an oblique reference to the story of ‘creation’. There was nothing … no sun, moon, earth or the stars. We (humans) are the reason that god created the universe (vujood-eejaad hum nikle – editorial – this takes the prize as a self-serving statement). Even though transgression (disobeying god’s instructions and banishment from paradise) was built into our nature, we were the mark of respectability. It is said that god created human and then asked all angels to prostrate themselves before it. He declared that humans were god’s representative on earth. The second misra which in free translation reads as … ‘our original sin turned out to be a mark of respectability’ could have a touch of sarcasm to it.
2
Khushi ki aabyaari¹ meN nazar-andaaz²-e Gham nikle
hujoom³-e ranj-o-raahat⁴ meN magar Gham-Khwaar⁵ kam nikle    1.watering (as in irrigating), nurturing 2.overlook 3.multitude, crowd 4.sorrow and comfort/happiness 5.valueing/treasuring pain
In poetic tradition, pain and deprivation is highly valued. It has staying power, but happiness is fleeting. Thus, people wanted to nurture/cultivate happiness and they ignored/overlooked pain. In this crowding of pain and happiness there were very few who could value/treasure pain. At another level, the poet is overwhelmed by feelings of ranj o raahat, and has few ‘Gham-Khwaar’ who can share his ups and downs.
3
raha hai paauN ke neeche musalsil¹ aasmaaN barsoN
sitaaroN ki balandi² par mere naqsh-e-qadam³ nikle     1.continuous 2.heights 3.foot-prints
For many years humans (adam and havva – Adam and Eve) were above the skies in heaven. So, the sky was always beneath their feet. Thus, our (human) footprints can be found even at the height of stars. Could this also be a boast of his own ‘rif’at-e parvaaz’ – my thoughts have always flown high above the skies, even at the level of stars, my footprints can be found.
4
ta’aluq¹ mauj-e-toofaaN² ka lab-e-kohsaar³ se nikla
samandar⁴ ki Khudaaii⁵ meN sar-e-saahil⁶ sanam⁷ nikle   1.relationship 2.waves of the storm 3.peak of the hills 4.sea, ocean 5.godlike power 6.on the shore 7.idols, beloved
I had to struggle a lot with this and discuss it with knowledgeable friends (thanks mahmood). Gusts of wind of the storm go up and show their love for the lips of the mountain (if we imagine the lips of the hill coming together at the peak). In much the same way, the power of the ocean offers its devotion to its beloved, the shoreline. Both of these images can be viewed as conflict and love at the same time. Thus, there is an imagery of love and conflict in all nature???
5
teri chashm¹-e tavajjoh² ne urooj³-e aashiqi baKhsha⁴
tabaahi⁵ ka natiija⁶ bhi tere lutf⁷-e karam⁸ nikle   1.eye, glance 2.attention, noticing 3.height, apex 4.granted 5.destruction 6.result 7.kindness, favours 8.benevolence
On the one hand, just because the beloved cast her glance upon the poet/lover, he reached the peak of love. It was as if she granted it to him. On the other hand, her ‘lutf-e karam’ – favours and benevolence, resulted in his destruction. Why? Because he could not bear the ecstasy of her chashm-e tavajjoh and tore his collar and wandered the desert like mad/passionate lover. Thus, the same chashm-e tavajjoh that elevated him to heights of passionate love also destroyed him with madness.
6
nikalna tiir ka mohlik¹ bhi ho sakta hai chaaraagar²
baRa kar zaKhm-e dil itna keh bismil³ ka na dam nikle     1.fatal 2.healer, beloved 3.prey, poet/lover
The poet/lover is the prey and the beloved’s arrow (her sidelong glance) has pierced his heart. He is thrashing about, about to die. The beloved changes her role to being the healer/chaaragar and is pulling out the arrow. This act of pulling the arrow out can be fatal, the tip can break off, remain lodged in the heart. Thus, he says – increase the width/size of the wound so that the arrow may be pulled out without killing the prey.
7
azal¹ se sunte aaye haiN keh tuu be-jism² o saaya³ hai
zamiin-e dil TaToli⁴ to tere naqsh⁵-e qadam⁶ nikle    1.eternity, beginning 2.without body, immaterial 3.shadow 4.searched, groped 5.print 6.feet
We have heard from the beginning of creation that you (O god) have no body and you cast no shadow (leave no clues). But when I searched the heart, I found your footprints i.e., the heart is the seat of god.
8
ba-faiz¹-e azm² o himmat³ marhaley⁴ tai⁵ kar to aaye ham
magar⁶ is jaada⁷-e hasti⁸ meN kitne pech-o-Kham⁹ nikle    1.with/because of blessings 2.resolve, determination 3.courage 4.obstacles 5.settle, overcome 6.but 7.path 8.existence, life 9.twists and turns
Because of the good fortune of great resolve and courage, we have been able to overcome obstacles and come this far, but the path of love has many more twists and turns to come. Said Ghalib …
har-chand subuk-dast hue but-shikanii meN
hum haiN to abhii raah meN hai sang-e-giraaN aur
9
sariir¹-e safha²-e qirtaas³ tak pahuNcha na dil aaKhir
fasaane⁴ yaas-o-hirmaaN⁵ ke sar⁶-e jeb⁷-o-qalam⁸ nikle    1.scratching of the pen 2.page 3.paper, book 4.fables 5.yearning and hopelessness 6.head, beginning 7.collar, shirt front 8.pen
The heart could not reach/achieve the sound of the scratching of a pen on the pages of the book i.e., the heart could not write its own story. So, the tales of hoplessness and yearning had to told by torn collars and by the pen of poets.
10
javaaN¹ thi bazm²-e maiKhaana³ to aalam⁴ neend meN gum⁵ tha
jo viiraaN⁶ ho gaiiN galiyaaN to ghar se mohtaram⁷ nikle    1.youthful, revelrous 2.gathering, assembly 3.tavern 4.world 5.lost 6.deserted 7.respected, respectable
When the gathering in the tavern was revelrous, the world was lost in sleep, but when the streets were deserted the respectable folk came out (to drink secretly). This follows Ghalib …
kahaaN mai-Khaane kaa darvaazah Ghalib aur kahaaN vaae’z
par itnaa jaante haiN kal voh jaataa thaa keh ham nikle
11
rahe saabit-qadam¹ jiivan-maran² se mil ga’ii mukti³
hui laGhzish⁴ to phir jiine ko chauraasi⁵ janam⁶ nikle   1.steadfast, on the straight path 2.cycle of life and death 3.deliverance 4.stumbling (from the narrow path or virtue) 5.eighty four 6.births, lives
There is a strand of tradition which states that there will 84 re-births for sinful life. Thus, if you are steadfast on the straight and narrow path then you get deliverance from the cycle of life and death. But if you stumble, then you have to live 84 lives as punishment.