Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza jaafar ali KhaaN asar lakhnavi (1885-1967). Classical education at home until the age of 11, then formal schooling and college to BA. Indulged in MA and LLB but did not finish. Served in the British government as Deputy Collector (1909), Executive Officer and Collector until 1940. Resigned from service. Several collections of his Ghazal and nazm including descriptions of nature in kashmir where he served in the cabinet and also as acting prime minister (until 1945) to the maharaja. He also did a versified translation of the bhagwad-giita. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
mujh ko halaak¹-e jalva² sarshaar³ dekh kar
aujhal⁴ hua voh aaNkh se ek baar dekh kar     1.killed, conquered 2.radiance, splendor 3.intoxicating, overwhelming 4.disappeared
When the beloved saw me killed/overcome by the overwhelming radiance of her beauty, she disappeared from my sight after revealing herself just once. This is a classical lament of how the beloved captivates and once having done so, ignores the lover.
2
thaa muzshda¹-e bahaar² payaam³-e shikast⁴-e raNg
dil Khoon ho gaya gul o gulzaar⁵ dekh kar    1.glad tidings 2.spring 3.message 4.breaking 5.garden
The good tidings of the arrival of spring also brought a message of the ‘breaking of colour’; my heart bled seeing the garden and its flowers. The phrase ‘breaking of colour’ is a very awkward literal translation and needs some explanation. It is used here to mean the breaking of the heart and the colour of blood flowing out of it. The arrival of spring is normally good news. It is a season of celebration and meeting of lovers. But seeing the roses and the garden in full bloom the heart of the poet/lover is cut open and he bleeds – the colour of blood flowing out. This is because the beloved does not reciprocate his love and the arrival of spring accentuates his despondency.
3
aksar¹ maal²-e diid³ se begaana⁴ ho ga’e
naqsh⁵ o nigaar⁶-e parda⁷-e asraar⁸ dekh kar    1.often, many 2.consequence, result 3.sight 4.unaware, forgetful, detached 5.image, mark 6.decorations, embellishment 7.veil, screen 8.mystery
Often, many of us become forgetful of the outcome of what we see; when look at the intricate designs on the veil/screen of mystery. Here, mystery is the divine spirit and the veil/screen is the material world; ‘naqsh-o-nigaar’ is the attraction/temptation of the material world. When we see this we are forgetful of the consequences … the consequences are that we do not see the divine spirit behind the veil and we may have to pay the price in the afterlife.
4
be-eKhtiyaar¹ ahl-e-vatan² yaad aa ga’e
baaham³ sulook⁴-e aabla⁵ o Khaar⁶ dekh kar    1.uncontrollably 2.people of the homeland 3.mutual 4.treatment, interaction 5.blisters 6.thorns
Uncontrollably, I remembered my people back home; seeing how blisters and thorns treat each other together. When the mad passionate lover wanders the desert looking for his beloved his feet get blisters. Thorns in the desert poke through the blisters, relieve his pain and in the process get ‘water’. Thus, looking at this mutual treatment the poet/lover/majnuN wandering the desert, thinks of the people of his homeland. This is the positive spin of ‘mutual treatment’. The other side could be that this mutual treatment is painful because thorns pierce blisters and make the wound bleed more and hurt more. Perhaps, the ‘people back home’ threw rocks at the madman when he wandered the streets.
5
kahtaa hai rashk¹ yeh bhi kisi ke haiN muntazir²
zarroN³ pe naqsh⁴-e diida⁵-e bedaar⁶ dekh kar 1.envy 2.awaiting 3.particles, specks 4.impression, image 5.eyes 6.awake, alert
Envy says these specks must also be waiting for someone; when I see the image ever-watchful eyes on every grain of sand. The mad passionate lover is wandering the desert. Of course, he is madly jealous of everyone and everything around. All there is around him is sand. His jealousy makes him perceive grains of sands as eyes, which are waiting for a glimpse of the beloved. Ghalib too, shows inordinate jealousy in …
chhoRa na rashk ne ke tere’ dar ka naam luN
har ek se poochhta huN keh jaauN kidhar ko maiN
6
phooloN ka bas¹ nahiiN keh qadam² baRh ke choom leN
ek nau-bahaar³-e naaz⁴ ki raftaar⁵ dekh kar    1.control 2.step 3.new spring, newly blossomed 4.elegance, grace 5.movement, gait
The flowers cannot control themselves and wish to step forward and kiss her feet; witnessing the elegant movement of the new spring/fresh blossom of grace. ‘nau-bahaar-e naaz’ is the beloved. ‘nau-bahaar’ might imply early adolescence. Flowers in the garden watch her graceful gait and cannot help themselves but want to kiss her feet.
7
kooche¹ ka uss ke hai yeh pataa² jaan-e beqaraar³
aati hai niind saaya-e diivaar⁴ dekh kar    1.lane, street 2.recognition, identification 3.restless soul 4.shadow of the wall, saaya-e diivaar is an expression meaning shelter, refuge
The street of my beloved is recognized by this clue, O restless soul, you get restful sleep once you are in the protection/domain of that street. In other words, that is the only place that the poet/lover can find peace. He is restless everywhere else.
8
kya kya tha naaz¹ husn² pe maah-e-tamaam³ ko
mar-mar gaya vo phool se rukhsaar⁴ dekh kar 1.pride, ego, conceit 2.beauty 3.full moon 4.cheek
How conceited the full moon was of its beauty, until it died upon seeing the beloved’s flower-like cheeks.
9
tauba¹ isi ka naam hai kyuN miirza asar
malte’ ho haath² Khaana-e-Khammaar³ dekh kar 1.regret 2.rub hands (in regret) 3.house of winemaker, tavern
Do you regret that you renounced wine? Is this what repentance means, O mirza asar,
that you rub your hands in regret upon seeing the tavern?