Recitation
tasveer-e-dard mohammed iqbal
Overview
“tasveer-e dard” is a beautiful sample of Iqbal’s “universalism” (inclusiveness of the Hindu-Muslim community of the subcontinent) before he adopted a more reactionary position. It is also a fine example of how the tradition of ambiguity and multiple meaning in Urdu poetry came in useful to elude censorship. It is a long composition and can be cosidered divided into seven sections/Ghazals strung together. Each section has its own radeef-qaafiya with a concluding she’r in a different radeef-qaafiya. Themes between sections overlap quite a lot and each excels the other in beauty of composition.
The first section focuses on proclaiming the universality of his message and how it is inevitable that it will spread in spite of its painful content and in spite of the powers to stop/restrict this message.
The second section is a tongue in cheek expression of humility and an expression of mysticism about existence and of “self”. I am a hidden treasure, nobody pays any attention to me, but I say what I see (and I see that which no one else seems to be able to see).
The third section re-inforces the power of the poet’s words and his ability to see far into the future. Here I like to think that Iqbal is NOT talking about himself personally but of “the poet” … every poet. In this section he is also exhorting his country men to listen and look at the disaster that is about to befall them … all because of communalism, infighting and lack of action against the oppressor.
The fourth section is a beautiful and powerful expression of the poet’s determination to set things right, to promote harmony among all the oppressed, so they may present a united front to the oppressor.
The fifth section is a beautiful expression of the poet’s pain at the indifference and backwardness of his countrymen and exhorting them to look outside, learn and to take action.
The sixth section uses sufi mystic themes/vocabulary to preach “universal love”, repeating that discrimination between fellow humans (communalism) is the cause of downfall of nations.
The seventh section re-inforces the theme of “universal love”, declares that it is this that manifests itself in everything, giving it a “god like” quality.
The eighth and concluding section, much like the previous two, repeats the message of Universal Love with Sufi overtones.
It is illustrative to read and compare “tasveer-e-dard” (1904) with “shikwa” (1909). The first nazm is full of Sufi thoughts, universal love, inclusiveness and Hindu-Muslim unity. It is of the same vintage and character as “naya shivala” and “taraana-e-hindi”. The second is bitter, angry, inciteful and divisive. What a difference 5 years makes. During this time Iqbal had lived in England and Germany, completed his post-graduate studies, become stridently Islamic.
تصویر درد – محمد اقبال – حصّہ ٨
بیابانِ محبت دشتِ غربت بھی وطن بھی ہے
یہ ویرانہ قفس بھی آشیانہ بھی چمن بھی ہے
محبت ہی وہ منزل ہے کہ منزل بھی ہے صحرا بھی
جرس بھی، کارواں بھی، راہبر بھی، راہزن بھی ہے
مرض سب کہتے ہیں اِسکو، یہ ہے لیکن مرض ایسا
چھپا جس میں علاجِ گردشِ چرخِ کہن بھی ہے
جلانا دِل کا ہے گویا سرا پا نور ہو جانا
یہ پروانہ جو سوزاں ہو تو شمع انجمن بھی ہے
وہی اک حسن ہے لیکن نظر آ تا ہے ہر شئے میں
یہ شیر یں بھی ہے گویا، بیستوں بھی، کوہکن بھی ہے
اُجاڑا ہے تمیزِ ملت و آئیں نے قوموں کو
مرے اہلِ وطن کے دِل میں کچھ فکرِ وطن بھی ہے؟
سکوت آموز طولِ داستانِ درد ہے ورنہ
زباں بھی ہے ہمارے منھ میں اور تابِ سخن بھی ہے
نمیگر دید کوتہ رشتہٗ معنی رہا کردم
حکائت بود بے پایاں بخاموشی ادا کردم
तस्वीर-ए दर्द – मुहम्मद इक़बाल – हिस्सा ८
बियाबान ए मोहब्बत, दश्त ए ग़ुरबत भी, वतन भी है
ये वीराना क़फ़स भी, आशियाँ भी, चमन भी है
मोहब्बत ही वो मंज़िल है के मंज़िल भी है सेहरा भी
जरस भी, कारवां भी, राहबर भी, राहज़न भी है
मरज़ कहते हैं सब इसको ये है लैकिन मरज़ ऐसा
छुपा जिस में इलाज ए गर्दिश ए चर्ख़ ए कुहन भी है
जलाना दिल का है गोया सरापा नूर हो जाना
ये परवाना जो सोज़ां हो तो शमा’ अंजुमन भी है
वही एक हुस्न है लैकिन नज़र आता है हर शै’ में
ये शीरीं भी है गोया, बेस्तूं भी, कोहकन भी है
उजाड़ा है तमीज़ ए मिल्लत ओ आईं ने क़ौमों को
मेरे अहल ए वतन के दिल में कुछ फ़िक्र ए वतन भी है?
सुकूत आमूज़ तूल ए दास्तान ए दर्द है वर्ना
ज़बां भी है हमारे मुंह में और ताब ए सुख़न भी है
नमीगर दीद कोतह रिश्ता ए मानी रहा कर्दम
हिकायत बूद बे पायां बा ख़ामोशी अदा कर्दम
tasveer-e-dard mohammed iqbal
Eighth Section
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. The eighth and concluding section, much like the previous two, repeats the message of Universal Love with Sufi overtones.
biyabaan-e mohabbat1, dasht-e Ghurbat2 bhi, vatan bhi hai
ye veerana4 qafas5 bhi, aashiyaN6 bhi, chaman bhi hai
mohabbat hi vo manzil hai ke manzil bhi hai sehra7 bhi
jaras8 bhi, karvaaN bhi, raahbar9 bhi, raahzan10 bhi hai1.wilderness of love 2.desert of homelessness 4.wasteland 5.cage 6.nest 7.desert 8.bell 9.guide 10.highway robber
Selfless love is both wilderness and home at the same time. The wilderness of love is both a confinement (cage) and a freedom (nest and garden). It is only love that is both the goal and the path. It is the roadway, the caravan, the guide and the robber.
maraz kahte haiN sub isko ye hai laikin maraz aisa
chhupa jis meN ilaaj e gardish-e charKh-e kuhan11 bhi hai
jalaana dil ka hai goya saraapa12 noor ho jana
ye parvana jo sozaaN13 ho to shama’-anjuman14 bhi hai11.rotation of the ancient wheel (earth) i.e.the struggle of daily living 12.head to toe 13.burning 14.lamp (beloved) of the assembly
Everyone calls love a disease, but this is a disease in which is hidden the cure of this ancient universe. A heart lit with love is the embodiment of virtue. This lover, burning with love is one with the beloved.
vahi ek husn hai laikin nazar aata hai har shai’1 meN
ye shiriN2 bhi hai goya3, bestooN4 bhi, kohkan5 bhi hai1.everything 2.Shirin of Shirin-Farhad story 3.as if 4.name of the mountain which Farhad carved (see notes) 5.Farhad is known as breaker of mountains
It is love that is Beauty manifest in everything as it it is Shirin, Farhad and the mountain all at once. Legend has it that Farhad a wanderer saw ShiriN and fell deeply in love with her. She was already married and her husband got tired of Farhad’s pestering. He set him an impossible task – carve a path through ‘bestooN’ mountain to divert a stream into town, at which time he would divorce Shirin and Farhad would be able to marry her. Farhad set about the task like a madman, digging away with his pickaxe. Word spread that he was about to complete his task. Fearing this, the husband spread a rumor that Shirin was dead. Upon hearing this Farhad killed himself with his own pickaxe. Upon getting this news, Shirin killed herself. An ancient Romeo and Juliet tale.
ujaRa hai tameez-e-millat-o-aaiiN6 ne qaumoN ko
mere ahl-e-vatan7 ke dil meN kuchh fikr8 e vatan bhi hai?
sukoot-aamooz9 tool-e-daastan-e-dard10 hai varna
zabaN bhi hai hamare muNh meN aur taab-e-suKhan11 bhi hai6.separation (claiming superiority) of community and tradition 7.country men 8.concern 9.silence inducing, boring 10.length of the story of my sorrow 11.strength to speak
Exclusivity of culture and tradition destroys nations. Do my countrymen have any concern for the homeland? The story of pain is too long and I stop, even though my tongue has the strength and the ability to tell the whole tale.
nameegar deed1 kotah2 rishta e ma’ani3 raha kardam4
hikayat bood5 be paayaN6 ba Khaamoshi7 ada kardam8 1.could not be/happen 2.small, abridged 3.the string of meaning, the seqence of thought 4.release 5.the story 6.boundless, long 7.in silence 8.I (will/can/do) deliver I release my meaning from the confines of words. This limitless story, I deliver in silence. Iqbal quotes this she’r from Nazir Nishapuri (mid 1500 AD). It is a universal, self evident truth that everyone can understand without explicitly being told, so best to speak without words, hence I stop. Alternatively, Iqbal could be getting back to the early theme of censorship and saying that he has to deliver his story in silence.
tasveer-e-dard mohammed iqbal
Eighth Section
The eighth and concluding section, much like the previous two, repeats the message of Universal Love with Sufi overtones.
biyabaan-e mohabbat1, dasht-e Ghurbat2 bhi, vatan bhi hai
ye veerana4 qafas5 bhi, aashiyaN6 bhi, chaman bhi hai
mohabbat hi vo manzil hai ke manzil bhi hai sehra7 bhi
jaras8 bhi, karvaaN bhi, raahbar9 bhi, raahzan10 bhi hai
1.wilderness of love 2.desert of homelessness 4.wasteland 5.cage 6.nest 7.desert 8.bell 9.guide 10.highway robber
Selfless love is both wilderness and home at the same time. The wilderness of love is both a confinement (cage) and a freedom (nest and garden). It is only love that is both the goal and the path. It is the roadway, the caravan, the guide and the robber.
maraz kahte haiN sub isko ye hai laikin maraz aisa
chhupa jis meN ilaaj e gardish-e charKh-e kuhan11 bhi hai
jalaana dil ka hai goya saraapa12 noor ho jana
ye parvana jo sozaaN13 ho to shama’-anjuman14 bhi hai
11.rotation of the ancient wheel (earth) i.e.the struggle of daily living 12.head to toe 13.burning 14.lamp (beloved) of the assembly
Everyone calls love a disease, but this is a disease in which is hidden the cure of this ancient universe. A heart lit with love is the embodiment of virtue. This lover, burning with love is one with the beloved.
vahi ek husn hai laikin nazar aata hai har shai’1 meN
ye shiriN2 bhi hai goya3, bestooN4 bhi, kohkan5 bhi hai
1.everything 2.Shirin of Shirin-Farhad story 3.as if 4.name of the mountain which Farhad carved (see notes) 5.Farhad is known as breaker of mountains
It is love that is Beauty manifest in everything as it it is Shirin, Farhad and the mountain all at once. Legend has it that Farhad a wanderer saw ShiriN and fell deeply in love with her. She was already married and her husband got tired of Farhad’s pestering. He set him an impossible task – carve a path through ‘bestooN’ mountain to divert a stream into town, at which time he would divorce Shirin and Farhad would be able to marry her. Farhad set about the task like a madman, digging away with his pickaxe. Word spread that he was about to complete his task. Fearing this, the husband spread a rumor that Shirin was dead. Upon hearing this Farhad killed himself with his own pickaxe. Upon getting this news, Shirin killed herself. An ancient Romeo and Juliet tale.
ujaRa hai tameez-e-millat-o-aaiiN6 ne qaumoN ko
mere ahl-e-vatan7 ke dil meN kuchh fikr8 e vatan bhi hai?
sukoot-aamooz9 tool-e-daastan-e-dard10 hai varna
zabaN bhi hai hamare muNh meN aur taab-e-suKhan11 bhi hai
6.separation (claiming superiority) of community and tradition 7.country men 8.concern 9.silence inducing, boring 10.length of the story of my sorrow 11.strength to speak
Exclusivity of culture and tradition destroys nations. Do my countrymen have any concern for the homeland? The story of pain is too long and I stop, even though my tongue has the strength and the ability to tell the whole tale.
nameegar deed1 kotah2 rishta e ma’ani3 raha kardam4
hikayat bood5 be paayaN6 ba Khaamoshi7 ada kardam8
1.could not be/happen 2.small, abridged 3.the string of meaning, the seqence of thought 4.release 5.the story 6.boundless, long 7.in silence 8.I (will/can/do) deliver
I release my meaning from the confines of words. This limitless story, I deliver in silence. Iqbal quotes this she’r from Nazir Nishapuri (mid 1500 AD). It is a universal, self evident truth that everyone can understand without explicitly being told, so best to speak without words, hence I stop. Alternatively, Iqbal could be getting back to the early theme of censorship and saying that he has to deliver his story in silence.
Search Words: Indo-Pak Friendship, India Pakistan, Peace Now and Forever, Communal Harmony, Communal Riots, Hindu-Muslim Unity
