For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
وہ بندگی کیا ہے ۔ سادھو رام آرزوؔ سہارنپوری
۱
خلوصِ نفس نہیں ہے تو آدمی کیا ہے
یقین و عزم نہیں ہے تو زندگی کیا ہے
۲
طلب کے جس میں عناصر ہوں وہ خودی کیا ہے
غرض پہ جس کی بِنا ہو وہ بندگی کیا ہے
۳
ملے کوئی تجھے درویشِ بے گلیم تو پوچھ
قلندری کسے کہتے ہیں قیصری کیا ہے
۴
فضا فضا میں ہیں انوارِ فطرتِ بے رنگ
نظر ملی ہو تو پھر حسن کی کمی کیا ہے
۵
ہر ایک سانس پہ ہوتی ہیں رحمتیں نازِل
کسے بتاؤں کہ دل کی شِکستگی کیا ہے
۶
میں اپنے فقر کی دولت پہ ناز کرتا ہوں
مری نگاہ میں تاج شہنشہی کیا ہے
۷
ہوا اِک عمر گزرنے پہ آرزوؔ معلوم
کہ شعر کیا ہے حقیقت میں شاعری کیا ہے
वो बंदगी क्या है – साधु राम आर्ज़ू सहारनपुरी
१
ख़ुलूस-ए नफ़्स नहीं है तो आदमी क्या है
यक़ीन ओ अज़्म नहीं है तो ज़िंदगी क्या है
२
तलब के जिसमें अनासिर हों वो ख़ुदी क्या है
ग़रज़ पे जिसकी बिना हो वो बंदगी क्या है
३
मिले कोई तुझे दरवेश-ए बे गलीम तो पूछ
क़लंदरी किसे कहते हैं क़ैसरी क्या है
४
फ़ज़ा फ़ज़ा में हैं अनवार-ए फ़ितरत-ए बे रंग
नज़र मिली हो तो फिर हुस्न की कमी क्या है
५
हर एक सांस पे होती हैं रहमतें नाज़िल
किसे बताऊं कि दिल की शिकस्तगी क्या है
६
मैं अपने फ़क़्र की दौलत पे नाज़ करता हूं
मेरी निगाह में ताज-ए शहंशही क्या है
७
हुआ एक उम्र गुज़रने पे आर्ज़ू मालूम
के शे’र क्या है हक़ीक़त में शा’एरी क्या है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. saadhu ram aarzu saharanpuri (1901-1983) saharanpur and kolkata. He was a shaagird of faani badayuni. There are at least two collections of Ghazal and nazm. There is precious little by way of biographical information, but it seems that he was associated with teaching (perhaps urdu) in some college in kolkata.
1
Khuloos1-e nafs2 nahiN hai to aadmi kya hai
yaqeen3 o azm4 nahiN hai to zindagi kya hai 1.sincerity 2.soul 3.confidence 4.resolve, determination
If there is no sincerity/integrity of the soul, then how can it called human-ness. What kind of a life is it that does not have confidence and resolve to do something.
2
talab1 ke jis meN anaasir2 hoN voh Khudi3 kya hai
Gharaz4 peh jis ki binaa5 ho voh bandagi6 kya hai 1.desire (for personal gain) 2.ingredients 3.self-respect 4.selfishness 5.foundation, basis 6.servitude/devotion to the divine
The word Khudi is loaded with a special meaning given to it most prominently by mohammed iqbal. It is a hazy combination of self-respect, self-reliance and a self-less purpose that goes beyond narrow self-interest. Thus, if it has ingredients of narrow self-interest then how can it be ‘Khudi’. That which is based on a selfish desire for rewards cannot be sincere devotion (to the divine).
3
milay koi tujhe darvesh1-e be-Ghalim2 to poochh
qalandari3 kise kahtay haiN qaisari4 kya hai 1.sufi 2.without robes of office 3.other worldliness, spiritualism 4.monarchy, wealth
If you meet a sufi who does not strut about in robes of status, ask him to explain the difference between spiritualism and materialism.
4
fiza-fiza1 meN haiN anvaar2-e fitrat3-e be-raNg4
nazar5 mili ho to phir husn6 ki kami7 kya hai 1.air, surroundings, all around 2.rays of light, light 3.nature, cosmos 4.colourless, plain 5.discerning eye 6.beauty 7.shortage
Beauty of the cosmos/creation is all around us but it appears plain i.e., you are unable to see its ‘real’ beauty, its harmonious one-ness unless you have a discerning eye. But if you do, then there is shortage of beauty around us.
5
har ek saaNs pe hoti haiN rahmateN1 naazil2
kisay bataauN keh dil ki shikastagi3 kya hai 1.blessing, benevolence 2.descend, showered 3.brittleness, fragility
With every breath, at every moment, the poet is showered with blessings. He is cognizant of these blessings and should be happy and contented. But his heart is still fragile/sensitive/sorrowful. He perhaps cannot explain it to himself, leave alone to someone else. How can I tell them about the fragility of my heart, he says. There may be an implication that he is sorrowful because in this material life he is separated from the great soul and it is union with the divine that he desires. He cannot quite explain the emptiness he feels.
6
maiN apne faqr1 ki daulat2 pe naaz3 karta huN
meri nigaah4 meN taaj-e shahanshahi5 kya hai 1.poverty, asceticism 2.wealth 3.pride 4.eyes 5.royalty
I am proud of the treasure of my asceticism. Of what value can the royal crown be in my eyes.
7
hua ek umr1 guzarne2 peh aarzu3 maa’loom
ke she’r kya hai haqeeqat4 meN shaa’eri kya hai 1.life-time 2.pass 3.pen-name of the poet 4.truth, reality
Only after a life-time had passed, did I learn O aarzu, the real meaning of a she’r and of shaa’eri.
saadhu ram aarzu saharanpuri (1901-1983) saharanpur and kolkata. He was a shaagird of faani badayuni. There are at least two collections of Ghazal and nazm. There is precious little by way of biographical information, but it seems that he was associated with teaching (perhaps urdu) in some college in kolkata.
1
Khuloos1-e nafs2 nahiN hai to aadmi kya hai
yaqeen3 o azm4 nahiN hai to zindagi kya hai
1.sincerity 2.soul 3.confidence 4.resolve, determination
If there is no sincerity/integrity of the soul, then how can it called human-ness. What kind of a life is it that does not have confidence and resolve to do something.
2
talab1 ke jis meN anaasir2 hoN voh Khudi3 kya hai
Gharaz4 peh jis ki binaa5 ho voh bandagi6 kya hai
1.desire (for personal gain) 2.ingredients 3.self-respect 4.selfishness 5.foundation, basis 6.servitude/devotion to the divine
The word Khudi is loaded with a special meaning given to it most prominently by mohammed iqbal. It is a hazy combination of self-respect, self-reliance and a self-less purpose that goes beyond narrow self-interest. Thus, if it has ingredients of narrow self-interest then how can it be ‘Khudi’. That which is based on a selfish desire for rewards cannot be sincere devotion (to the divine).
3
milay koi tujhe darvesh1-e be-Ghalim2 to poochh
qalandari3 kise kahtay haiN qaisari4 kya hai
1.sufi 2.without robes of office 3.other worldliness, spiritualism 4.monarchy, wealth
If you meet a sufi who does not strut about in robes of status, ask him to explain the difference between spiritualism and materialism.
4
fiza-fiza1 meN haiN anvaar2-e fitrat3-e be-raNg4
nazar5 mili ho to phir husn6 ki kami7 kya hai
1.air, surroundings, all around 2.rays of light, light 3.nature, cosmos 4.colourless, plain 5.discerning eye 6.beauty 7.shortage
Beauty of the cosmos/creation is all around us but it appears plain i.e., you are unable to see its ‘real’ beauty, its harmonious one-ness unless you have a discerning eye. But if you do, then there is shortage of beauty around us.
5
har ek saaNs pe hoti haiN rahmateN1 naazil2
kisay bataauN keh dil ki shikastagi3 kya hai
1.blessing, benevolence 2.descend, showered 3.brittleness, fragility
With every breath, at every moment, the poet is showered with blessings. He is cognizant of these blessings and should be happy and contented. But his heart is still fragile/sensitive/sorrowful. He perhaps cannot explain it to himself, leave alone to someone else. How can I tell them about the fragility of my heart, he says. There may be an implication that he is sorrowful because in this material life he is separated from the great soul and it is union with the divine that he desires. He cannot quite explain the emptiness he feels.
6
maiN apne faqr1 ki daulat2 pe naaz3 karta huN
meri nigaah4 meN taaj-e shahanshahi5 kya hai
1.poverty, asceticism 2.wealth 3.pride 4.eyes 5.royalty
I am proud of the treasure of my asceticism. Of what value can the royal crown be in my eyes.
7
hua ek umr1 guzarne2 peh aarzu3 maa’loom
ke she’r kya hai haqeeqat4 meN shaa’eri kya hai
1.life-time 2.pass 3.pen-name of the poet 4.truth, reality
Only after a life-time had passed, did I learn O aarzu, the real meaning of a she’r and of shaa’eri.
