For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کوچۂ یار دیکھ کر ۔ مرزا جعفر علی خان اثرؔ لکھنوی
۱
عقل ہے دنگ اے کریم، تیرا شِعار دیکھ کر
بخش دیے میرے گنہ، اُن کا شُمار دیکھ کر
۲
ساقی و بزمِ مے نہیں، مُطرِب و چنگ و نئے نہیں
روؤں نہ زار زار کیوں ابرِ بہار دیکھ کر
۳
مرنے کے بعد بھی ذرا چین نہ قبر میں ملا
اُس نے مجھے جگا دیا سُوئے مزار دیکھ کر
۴
چاک ہوئی قبائے گُل، بادِ سحر کی چھیڑ سے
مست ہر ایک نخل ہے، جوشِ بہار دیکھ کر
۵
بیم نہیں رجا نہیں رشک نہیں فغاں نہیں
پِھر گیا دل بہشت سے، کوچۂ یار دیکھ کر
۶
شورشِ دل نے اے اثرؔ، کیا کہوں کیا مزہ دیا
اُس نے نمک چھڑک دیا سینہ فِگار دیکھ کر
कूचा-ए-यार देख कर – मिर्ज़ा जाफ़र अली ख़ाँ असर लखनवी
१
अक़्ल है दंग अए करीम, तेरा शे’आर देख कर
बख़्श दिये मेरे गुनह, उन का शुमार देख कर
२
साक़ी ओ बज़्म-ए-मय नहीं, मुतरिब ओ चंग ओ नए नहीं
रोऊँ न ज़ार-ज़ार क्यूँ, अब्र-ए बहार देख कर
३
मरने के बाद भी ज़रा चैन न क़ब्र में मिला
उस ने मुझे जगा दिया सू-ए मज़ार देख कर
४
चाक हुई क़बा-ए गुल, बाद-ए सहर की छेढ से
मस्त हर एक नख़्ल है, जोश-ए बहार देख कर
५
बीम नहीं रजा नहीं रश्क नहीं फ़ुग़ाँ नहीं
फिर गया दिल बेहिश्त से, कूचा-ए यार देख कर
६
शोरिश-ए दिल ने अए असर, क्या कहूँ क्या मज़ा दिया
उस ने नमक छिढक दिया सीना फ़िगार देख कर
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
aql1 hai daNg2 aye kariim3, tera she’aar4 dekh kar
baKhsh5 diye mere gun’h6, unn ka shumaar7 dekh kar 1.intellect, mind 2.stunned 3.merciful 4.way, method, habit 5.forgave 6.sins 7.count
O merciful one, my mind is stunned seeing your benevolent ways. You forgave my countless sins upon observing their sheer number. The poet marvels at divine mercy, which forgives even when sins seem overwhelming. The verse juxtaposes the vastness of human error with the infinite capacity for divine forgiveness. But iqbal got forgiveness because of the tears/pearls of repentence that he shed …
motii samajh ke shaan-e-kariimi ne chun liye
qatre jo the’ mere araq-e infe’aal ke
As opposed to this, Ghalib remains defiant …
aata hai daaGh-e hasrat-e dil ka shumaar yaad
mujh se mere’ gun’h ka hisaab aye Khuda na maaNg
2
saaqi o bazm1-e ma’e2 nahiiN, mutrib3 o chaNg4 o na’e5 nahiiN
ro’uuN na zaar-zaar6 kyuN, abr-e-bahaar7 dekh kar 1.gathering 2.wine 3.minstrel, singer 4.harp 5.flute 6.profusely, bitterly 7.spring cloud
There is no cupbearer or celebratory gathering of wine, no minstrel or music with harp or flute, why should I not weep bitterly upon seeing the spring clouds? Spring clouds are the harbinger of the season of merriment and of lovers getting together. But this sign does not bring joy to the poet/lover because the beloved does not reciprocate his feelings.
3
marne ke baad bhi zara chain1 na qabr2 meN mila
uss ne mujhe jagaa3 diya suu4-e mazaar5 dekh kar 1.comfort, peace 2.grave 3.woke up 4.towards 5.tomb
Even after death, I found no peace in the grave; the beloved cast one glance towards my tomb and woke me up. Even in death, he reacts to the beloved’s coquetry.
4
chaak1 hui qabaa2-e gul3, baad4-e sah’r5 ki chheR6 se
mast7 har ek naKhl8 hai, josh-e-bahaar9 dekh kar 1.torn 2.garment 3.rose 4.breeze 5.dawn 6.teasing 7.intoxicated 8.tree 9.exuberance of spring
The garment of the rose was torn by the teasing breeze of dawn; every tree is intoxicated, witnessing the exuberance of spring. It is thought that the morning breeze blows in, teases the sleeping buds and they blossom into flowers. This blossoming or opening up of the garments is described as getting ‘chaak’/torn. Trees sway in the breeze as if staggering in intoxication. This couplet celebrates the transformative energy of spring, where nature appears alive and expressive.
5
biim1 nahiiN rajaa2 nahiiN rashk3 nahiiN fuGhaaN4 nahiiN
phir5 gaya dil behisht6 se, koocha7-e-yaar8 dekh kar 1.fear 2.hope 3.envy 4.lament 5.turn away 6.paradise 7.lane 8.beloved
There is no fear, hope, envy, or lament; my heart turned away from paradise after seeing the beloved’s lane. The poet elevates the beloved’s presence above the allure of paradise, emphasizing the power of love and attachment. The beloved’s lane becomes a spiritual and emotional refuge surpassing all other pleasures. Said mir taqi mir …
kis ka kaa’ba, kaisa qibla, kaun haram, hai kya ahraam
kooche ke us ke baashindoN ne sab ko yahiiN se salaam kiya
6
shorish1-e dil ne aye asar2, kya kahuuN kya mazaa3 diya
uss ne namak chhiRak4 diya siina figaar5 dekh kar 1.turmoil 2.pen-name 3.sprinkle, sprinkling salt on the wound is to make the pain even more intense 5.cut open
O asar, the turmoil of my heart gave me such pleasure when seeing my breast cup open, the beloved sprinkled salt on my wounded. When the beloved tortures the poet/lover, he considers it a gift and treasures it. It is her indifference that he cannot stand.
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
aql1 hai daNg2 aye kariim3, tera she’aar4 dekh kar
baKhsh5 diye mere gun’h6, unn ka shumaar7 dekh kar
1.intellect, mind 2.stunned 3.merciful 4.way, method, habit 5.forgave 6.sins 7.count
O merciful one, my mind is stunned seeing your benevolent ways. You forgave my countless sins upon observing their sheer number. The poet marvels at divine mercy, which forgives even when sins seem overwhelming. The verse juxtaposes the vastness of human error with the infinite capacity for divine forgiveness. But iqbal got forgiveness because of the tears/pearls of repentence that he shed …
motii samajh ke shaan-e-kariimi ne chun liye
qatre jo the’ mere araq-e infe’aal ke
As opposed to this, Ghalib remains defiant …
aata hai daaGh-e hasrat-e dil ka shumaar yaad
mujh se mere’ gun’h ka hisaab aye Khuda na maaNg
2
saaqi o bazm1-e ma’e2 nahiiN, mutrib3 o chaNg4 o na’e5 nahiiN
ro’uuN na zaar-zaar6 kyuN, abr-e-bahaar7 dekh kar
1.gathering 2.wine 3.minstrel, singer 4.harp 5.flute 6.profusely, bitterly 7.spring cloud
There is no cupbearer or celebratory gathering of wine, no minstrel or music with harp or flute, why should I not weep bitterly upon seeing the spring clouds? Spring clouds are the harbinger of the season of merriment and of lovers getting together. But this sign does not bring joy to the poet/lover because the beloved does not reciprocate his feelings.
3
marne ke baad bhi zara chain1 na qabr2 meN mila
uss ne mujhe jagaa3 diya suu4-e mazaar5 dekh kar
1.comfort, peace 2.grave 3.woke up 4.towards 5.tomb
Even after death, I found no peace in the grave; the beloved cast one glance towards my tomb and woke me up. Even in death, he reacts to the beloved’s coquetry.
4
chaak1 hui qabaa2-e gul3, baad4-e sah’r5 ki chheR6 se
mast7 har ek naKhl8 hai, josh-e-bahaar9 dekh kar
1.torn 2.garment 3.rose 4.breeze 5.dawn 6.teasing 7.intoxicated 8.tree 9.exuberance of spring
The garment of the rose was torn by the teasing breeze of dawn; every tree is intoxicated, witnessing the exuberance of spring. It is thought that the morning breeze blows in, teases the sleeping buds and they blossom into flowers. This blossoming or opening up of the garments is described as getting ‘chaak’/torn. Trees sway in the breeze as if staggering in intoxication. This couplet celebrates the transformative energy of spring, where nature appears alive and expressive.
5
biim1 nahiiN rajaa2 nahiiN rashk3 nahiiN fuGhaaN4 nahiiN
phir5 gaya dil behisht6 se, koocha7-e-yaar8 dekh kar
1.fear 2.hope 3.envy 4.lament 5.turn away 6.paradise 7.lane 8.beloved
There is no fear, hope, envy, or lament; my heart turned away from paradise after seeing the beloved’s lane. The poet elevates the beloved’s presence above the allure of paradise, emphasizing the power of love and attachment. The beloved’s lane becomes a spiritual and emotional refuge surpassing all other pleasures. Said mir taqi mir …
kis ka kaa’ba, kaisa qibla, kaun haram, hai kya ahraam
kooche ke us ke baashindoN ne sab ko yahiiN se salaam kiya
6
shorish1-e dil ne aye asar2, kya kahuuN kya mazaa3 diya
uss ne namak chhiRak4 diya siina figaar5 dekh kar
1.turmoil 2.pen-name 3.sprinkle, sprinkling salt on the wound is to make the pain even more intense 5.cut open
O asar, the turmoil of my heart gave me such pleasure when seeing my breast cup open, the beloved sprinkled salt on my wounded. When the beloved tortures the poet/lover, he considers it a gift and treasures it. It is her indifference that he cannot stand.
