Recitation
چاندنی میں – قمر جلالوی
برباد طوُر بھی ہے، موسیٰ ہیں بے خودی میں
بس ائے ظہورِ جلوہ، اب دم نہیں کسی میں
آنسو بھر آئے ان کی، پُرسش پہ جاں کُنی میں
اب اور کیا بتاتے، اُن کو روا روی میں
جا تو رہے ہو موسیٰ، دیدار کی خوشی میں
اوپر نظر نہ اُٹّھے، بس خیر ہے اِسی میں
اب تک ہے یاد دے کر، دِل اُن کو دِل لگی میں
رونا پڑا تھا مجھ کو، برسوں ہنسی ہنسی میں
قید نفس میں مجھ سے، ارماں کا پوچھنا کیا
سیّاد اب تو جو کچھ ، آئے تیری خوشی میں
کوزے میں بھر گیا ہے، جیسے تمام دریا
یوں اس نے بن سنور کر، دیکھا ہے آرْسی میں
ہر صبح آ كے گلچیں، گُلشن کو دیکھتا ہے
یہ وقت بھی ہے نازک، پھولوں کی زندگی میں
دیکھی قمر کچھ افشاں ، اُس مہ جبیں كے رُخ پر
کتنے حَسِین تارے ، ہوتے ہیں چاندنی میں
चाँदनी में – क़मर जलालवी
बरबाद तूर भी है, मूसा हैं बे ख़ुदी में
बस अय ज़हूर-ए जलवा, अब दम नहीं किसी में
आंसू भर आए उन की, पुरसिश पे जां कुनी में
अब और क्या बताते, उन को रवा रवि में
जा तो रहे हो मूसा, दीदार की ख़ुशी में
ऊपर नज़र ना उट्ठे, बस ख़ैर है इसी में
अब तक है याद दे कर, दिल उन को दिल लगी में
रोना पड़ा था मुझ को, बरसौं हंसी हंसी में
क़ैद ए नफ़स में मुझ से, अरमां का पूछना क्या
सय्याद अब तो जो कुछ, आए तेरी ख़ुशी में
कूज़े में भर गया है, जैसे तमाम दरया
युं उस ने बन संवर कर, देखा है आरसी में
हर सुबह आ के गुलचीं, गुलशन को देखता है
ये वक़्त भी है नाज़ुक, फूलौं की ज़िंदगी में
देखी क़मर कुछ अफ़्शाँ, उस मह जबीं के रुख़ पर
कितने हसीन तारे, होते हैं चाँदनी में
chaandni meN – qamar jalalavi
Click on any she’r for word meanings and discussion.
barbaad1 tuur2 bhi hai, musa3 haiN be-Khudi4 meN
bas aye zahoor5-e jalva6, ab dam nahiN kisi meN1.destroyed 2.Mt. Sinaii, Mt. Tuur 3.Moses 4.unaware of self, unconscious, dazed 5.appearance, manifestation, display 6.beauty
Biblical and Quranic tradition is that Moses climbed up Mt. Toor to ask to see god or a manifestation of god. There was a lightning strike which reduced the mountain to rubble and Moses lay unconscious. In urdu poetic tradition this is used as an example of how the poet/lover cannot stand the radiance/beauty of the beloved. Thus in speaking of Moses the poet is metaphorically speaking of the lover who does not have the strength to look at the beloved’s beauty and beseeches her, ‘enough’.
aaNsu bhar aaye un ki, purshish1 pe jaaN-kuni2 meN
ab aur kya bataate, un ko ravaa-ravi3 meN1.asking about health 2.death, dying 3.formalities, superficialities
The poet/lover is on his death bed and the beloved visits asking about his health (knowing well that he is dying because of neglect and unrequited love). His eyes well up in tears as he shows gratitude (even though he has long stories of her cruelty to him). What else could I have done under these formalities.
jaa to rahe ho moosa1, deedaar2 ki Khushi meN
oopar nazar na uTThe, bas Khair3 hai isi meN1.Moses 2.sight, seeing 3.well being, survival
This has reference to the Quranic/Biblical legend that Moses went up Mt. Toor asking to see god. You are going there in the hope of seeing him O Moosa, but be careful and not raise your eyes, otherwise you will be stricken. This could well be a lesson to all lovers who hope to see the beloved. Her dazzling beauty will strike them and they will swoon. It is best to keep eyes lowered.
ab tak hai yaad de kar, dil un ko dil-lagi1 meN
rona paRa tha mujh ko, barsauN haNsi haNsi meN1.fun, also a play on words dil lagaana is falling in love
The poet/lover still remembers having given away his heart in what he thought was fun. He has been crying for years now.
qaid-e nafas1 meN mujh se, armaaN2 ka poochhna kya
sayyaad3 ab to jo kuchh, aaye teri Khushi meN1.imprisonment of/for life 2.desire 3.captor, beloved
The beloved is the captor and the poet/lover a prisoner for life. What is the use of asking him for his desire, he is willing to (cannot but) accept whatever the captor/beloved doles out.
kuuze1 meN bhar gaya hai, jaise tamaam darya
yuN us ne ban-saNwar2 kar, dekha hai aarsi3 meN1.small cup 2.made-up, spiffed up 3.small mirror, traditionally a polished gem on the ring used as a reflecting mirror
The beloved has applied make-up and is looking at herself in a small mirror. It is as if an ocean is concentrated in a small cup – such is her great beauty.
har subah aa ke gulchiN1, gulshan ko dekhta hai
ye vaqt bhi hai naazuk2, phoolauN ki zindagi meN1.flower picker 2.delicate, critical
Every morning the flower picker comes to inspect the garden (deciding which flowers to pick). This is a critical time in the life of flowers. This could either be an expression of fear and sorrow that the flower is losing its life or an expression of hope that it will get picked (if you think of the flower-picker as the beloved).
dekhi qamar kuchh afshaaN1, us mah-jabiN2 ke ruKh3 par
kitne haseen4 taare, hote haiN chaandni meN1.glitter 2.shining brow (like the moon) 3.face 4.beautiful
The beloved has a shining brow like the moon. Traditionally the arched shape of a half-moon is likened to the forehead/brow. The beloved has applied glitter to her face and that is likened to the stars. The beauty of the stars is enhanced by the beauty of the moon. But the poet is also qamar and this is a tongue in cheek praise for the poet himself.
chaandni meN – qamar jalalavi
barbaad1 tuur2 bhi hai, musa3 haiN be-Khudi4 meN
bas aye zahoor5-e jalva6, ab dam nahiN kisi meN
1.destroyed 2.Mt. Sinaii, Mt. Tuur 3.Moses 4.unaware of self, unconscious, dazed 5.appearance, manifestation, display 6.beauty
Biblical and Quranic tradition is that Moses climbed up Mt. Toor to ask to see god or a manifestation of god. There was a lightning strike which reduced the mountain to rubble and Moses lay unconscious. In urdu poetic tradition this is used as an example of how the poet/lover cannot stand the radiance/beauty of the beloved. Thus in speaking of Moses the poet is metaphorically speaking of the lover who does not have the strength to look at the beloved’s beauty and beseeches her, “enough”.
aaNsu bhar aaye un ki, purshish1 pe jaaN-kuni2 meN
ab aur kya bataate, un ko ravaa-ravi3 meN
1.asking about health 2.death, dying 3.formalities, superficialities
The poet/lover is on his death bed and the beloved visits asking about his health (knowing well that he is dying because of neglect and unrequited love). His eyes well up in tears as he shows gratitude (even though he has long stories of her cruelty to him). What else could I have done under these formalities.
jaa to rahe ho moosa1, deedaar2 ki Khushi meN
oopar nazar na uTThe, bas Khair3 hai isi meN
1.Moses 2.sight, seeing 3.well being, survival
This has reference to the Quranic/Biblical legend that Moses went up Mt. Toor asking to see god. You are going there in the hope of seeing him O Moosa, but be careful and not raise your eyes, otherwise you will be stricken. This could well be a lesson to all lovers who hope to see the beloved. Her dazzling beauty will strike them and they will swoon. It is best to keep eyes lowered.
ab tak hai yaad de kar, dil un ko dil-lagi1 meN
rona paRa tha mujh ko, barsauN haNsi haNsi meN
1.fun, also a play on words dil lagaana is falling in love
The poet/lover still remembers having given away his heart in what he thought was fun. He has been crying for years now.
qaid-e nafas1 meN mujh se, armaaN2 ka poochhna kya
sayyaad3 ab to jo kuchh, aaye teri Khushi meN
1.imprisonment of/for life 2.desire 3.captor, beloved
The beloved is the captor and the poet/lover a prisoner for life. What is the use of asking him for his desire, he is willing to (cannot but) accept whatever the captor/beloved doles out.
kuuze1 meN bhar gaya hai, jaise tamaam darya
yuN us ne ban-saNwar2 kar, dekha hai aarsi3 meN
1.small cup 2.made-up, spiffed up 3.small mirror, traditionally a polished gem on the ring used as a reflecting mirror
The beloved has applied make-up and is looking at herself in a small mirror. It is as if an ocean is concentrated in a small cup – such is her great beauty.
har subah aa ke gulchiN1, gulshan ko dekhta hai
ye vaqt bhi hai naazuk2, phoolauN ki zindagi meN
1.flower picker 2.delicate, critical
Every morning the flower picker comes to inspect the garden (deciding which flowers to pick). This is a critical time in the life of flowers. This could either be an expression of fear and sorrow that the flower is losing its life or an expression of hope that it will get picked (if you think of the flower-picker as the beloved).
dekhi qamar kuchh afshaaN1, us mah-jabiN2 ke ruKh3 par
kitne haseen4 taare, hote haiN chaandni meN
1.glitter 2.shining brow (like the moon) 3.face 4.beautiful
The beloved has a shining brow like the moon. Traditionally the arched shape of a half-moon is likened to the forehead/brow. The beloved has applied glitter to her face and that is likened to the stars. The beauty of the stars is enhanced by the beauty of the moon. But the poet is also qamar and this is a tongue in cheek praise for the poet himself.
