For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
خط کے جواب میں ۔ رام پرکاش اوہری ساحرؔ ہوشیارپوری
۱
بس فرق اس قدر ہے گناہ و ثواب میں
پیری میں وہ روا ہے یہ جائز شباب میں
۲
تاثیرِ جذبِ شوق کا یہ سحر دیکھیے
خود آ گئے ہیں وہ مرے خط کے جواب میں
۳
آخر تڑپ تڑپ کے یہ خاموش ہو گیا
دل کو سکون مل ہی گیا اِضطراب میں
۴
آنکھیں ملا کے یا تو عنایت ہو ایک جام
یا زہر ہی ملا دو ہماری شراب میں
۵
رُخ آفتاب، ہونٹ کنول، چال حشر خیز
کس شے کی اب کمی ہے تمہارے شباب میں
۶
دنیا میں ڈھونڈھتے رہے ہم راحتیں عبث
دنیا کی راحتیں تو ہیں تیرے عتاب میں
۷
ساحرؔ عجیب شے ہے محبت کا درد بھی
دل مبتلا ہے ایک مسلسل عذاب میں
ख़त के जवाब में – रामप्रकाश ओहरी साहेर होशियारपूरी
१
बस फ़र्क़ इस क़दर है गुनाह ओ सवाब में
पीरी में वो रवा है ये जाएज़ शबाब में
२
तासीर-ए जज़्ब-ए शौक़ का ये सहर देखिए
ख़ुद आ गए हैं वो मेरे ख़त के जवाब में
३
आख़ेर तढप तढप के ये ख़ामोश हो गया
दिल को सुकून मिल ही गया इज़्तेराब में
४
आंखें मिला के या तो इना’एत हो एक जाम
या ज़हर ही मिला दो हमारी शराब में
५
रुख़ आफ़्ताब, होंट कंवल, चाल हश्र-ख़ेज़
किस शय की अब कमी है तुम्हारे शबाब में
६
दुनिया में ढूँढते रहे हम राहतें अबस
दुनिया की राहतें तो हैं तेरे इताब में
७
साहेर अजीब शय है मोहब्बत का दर्द भी
दिल मुब्तला है एक मुसलसल अज़ाब में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ram prakash saahir hoshiarpuri (1913-1972), did his MA in faarsi from lahore and joined the family business. He was the shaagird of labhuram josh malsiani and specialized in composing in a short bahr/meter. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam. Consider the several Ghazal that use ‘Khat ke javaab meN’ is delightful variations.
1
bas farq1 is qadar2 hai gunaah3 o savaab4 meN
piirii5 meN voh ravaa6 hai yeh jaa’ez7 shabaab8 meN 1.difference 2.this much 3.sin 4.virtue 5.old age 6.allowed, accepted 7.permissible, lawful 8.youth
The only difference between sin and virtue is this; that is allowed in old age, and this is permissible in youth. The question is what is ‘this’ and ‘that’. The delightful interpretation is that things you do in youth are considered sinful, while the same things are acceptable in old age. This may be lighthearted sarcasm, or pointing out the hypocricy of elders who just blame youth for doing things that they used to do when they were young.
2
taasiir1-e jazb2-e shauq3 kaa yeh sahr4 dekhiye
Khud aa ga’e haiN vo mere’ Khat ke javaab meN 1.effect 2.short for jazba-emotion, passion 3.desire, love 4.magic, enchantment
See the magic of the passion of yearning; the beloved has herself come in response to my letter. The poet/lover marvels at the power of longing and affection, which compels the beloved to respond personally. This reflects the intensity of love that transcends words and draws the beloved closer.
3
aaKhir1 taRap-taRap2 ke yeh Khaamosh3 ho gayaa
dil ko sukuun4 mil hii gayaa izteraab5 meN 1.at last 2.thrashing/throbbing in pain 3.silent, quiet 4.tranquility 5.restlessness
At last, after much torment, it fell silent; the heart finally found peace in its turmoil. This could simply be describing the paradox of emotional pain, where restlessness eventually leads to a kind of resolution, acceptance and peace. On the other hand, it could be describing the death of the poet/lover. It was restless and pained and finally found peace in death. This could be literal death or a numbing of the heart.
4
aaNhkeN milaa ke yaa to inaa’et1 ho ek jaam2
yaa zahr3 hii milaa do hamaarii sharaab meN 1.bestow, gift 2.cup, goblet 3.poison
Drinking from the eyes of the saaqi/beloved is of a higher value than drinking conventional wine that she might offer. The poet/lover would much rather that she look at him directly in the eye and because of her intoxicating eyes, bestow on him the gift of the goblet/intoxication. If she cannot do this, he would rather die and begs her to add poison the conventional wine that she might serve.
5
ruKh1 aaftaab2, hoNT3 kaNval4, chaal5 hashr-Khez6
kis shai7 kii ab kamii hai tumhaare shabaab8 meN 1.face 2.sun 3.lips 4.lotus 5.gait 6.tumult/chaos raising 7.thing 8.youth
Your face is like the sun, your lips are like lotuses, and your gait raises tumult; what could possibly be lacking in your youthful splendor?
6
duniyaa meN DhuuNDhte rahe ham raahateN1 abas2
duniyaa kii raahateN to haiN tere’ itaab3 meN 1.comforts, pleasure 2.uselessly, fruitlessly 3.anger, annoyance
In poetic convention, the beloved never reciprocates love. She only feigns annoyance with the lover. The worst thing for him would be if she ignores him- neither showing favours nor getting annoyed. He says, I fruitlessly searched for happiness all over the world. All the pleasures of the world are embodied in your annoyance. What more do I want.
7
saahir1 ajiib2 shai3 hai mohabbat kaa dard4 bhii
dil mubtalaa5 hai ek musalsal6 azaab7 meN 1.pen-name 2.strange 3.thing 4.pain 5.trapped 6.continuous 7.torment
O saahir, the pain of love is such a strange thing; the heart is trapped in a continuous torment. The poet reflects on the paradoxical nature of love’s pain, which is both unbearable and addictive. Despite the suffering, the heart remains willingly ensnared, finding a peculiar fulfillment in its agony.
ram prakash saahir hoshiarpuri (1913-1972), did his MA in faarsi from lahore and joined the family business. He was the shaagird of labhuram josh malsiani and specialized in composing in a short bahr/meter. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam. Consider the several Ghazal that use ‘Khat ke javaab meN’ is delightful variations.
1
bas farq1 is qadar2 hai gunaah3 o savaab4 meN
piirii5 meN voh ravaa6 hai yeh jaa’ez7 shabaab8 meN
1.difference 2.this much 3.sin 4.virtue 5.old age 6.allowed, accepted 7.permissible, lawful 8.youth
The only difference between sin and virtue is this; that is allowed in old age, and this is permissible in youth. The question is what is ‘this’ and ‘that’. The delightful interpretation is that things you do in youth are considered sinful, while the same things are acceptable in old age. This may be lighthearted sarcasm, or pointing out the hypocricy of elders who just blame youth for doing things that they used to do when they were young.
2
taasiir1-e jazb2-e shauq3 kaa yeh sahr4 dekhiye
Khud aa ga’e haiN vo mere’ Khat ke javaab meN
1.effect 2.short for jazba-emotion, passion 3.desire, love 4.magic, enchantment
See the magic of the passion of yearning; the beloved has herself come in response to my letter. The poet/lover marvels at the power of longing and affection, which compels the beloved to respond personally. This reflects the intensity of love that transcends words and draws the beloved closer.
3
aaKhir1 taRap-taRap2 ke yeh Khaamosh3 ho gayaa
dil ko sukuun4 mil hii gayaa izteraab5 meN
1.at last 2.thrashing/throbbing in pain 3.silent, quiet 4.tranquility 5.restlessness
At last, after much torment, it fell silent; the heart finally found peace in its turmoil. This could simply be describing the paradox of emotional pain, where restlessness eventually leads to a kind of resolution, acceptance and peace. On the other hand, it could be describing the death of the poet/lover. It was restless and pained and finally found peace in death. This could be literal death or a numbing of the heart.
4
aaNhkeN milaa ke yaa to inaa’et1 ho ek jaam2
yaa zahr3 hii milaa do hamaarii sharaab meN
1.bestow, gift 2.cup, goblet 3.poison
Drinking from the eyes of the saaqi/beloved is of a higher value than drinking conventional wine that she might offer. The poet/lover would much rather that she look at him directly in the eye and because of her intoxicating eyes, bestow on him the gift of the goblet/intoxication. If she cannot do this, he would rather die and begs her to add poison the conventional wine that she might serve.
5
ruKh1 aaftaab2, hoNT3 kaNval4, chaal5 hashr-Khez6
kis shai7 kii ab kamii hai tumhaare shabaab8 meN
1.face 2.sun 3.lips 4.lotus 5.gait 6.tumult/chaos raising 7.thing 8.youth
Your face is like the sun, your lips are like lotuses, and your gait raises tumult; what could possibly be lacking in your youthful splendor?
6
duniyaa meN DhuuNDhte rahe ham raahateN1 abas2
duniyaa kii raahateN to haiN tere’ itaab3 meN
1.comforts, pleasure 2.uselessly, fruitlessly 3.anger, annoyance
In poetic convention, the beloved never reciprocates love. She only feigns annoyance with the lover. The worst thing for him would be if she ignores him- neither showing favours nor getting annoyed. He says, I fruitlessly searched for happiness all over the world. All the pleasures of the world are embodied in your annoyance. What more do I want.
7
saahir1 ajiib2 shai3 hai mohabbat kaa dard4 bhii
dil mubtalaa5 hai ek musalsal6 azaab7 meN
1.pen-name 2.strange 3.thing 4.pain 5.trapped 6.continuous 7.torment
O saahir, the pain of love is such a strange thing; the heart is trapped in a continuous torment. The poet reflects on the paradoxical nature of love’s pain, which is both unbearable and addictive. Despite the suffering, the heart remains willingly ensnared, finding a peculiar fulfillment in its agony.
