For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
عرفاں کا ۔ عثمان علی خاں
۱
مرا سینہ ہے مطلع آفتابِ نورِ عرفاں کا
چراغِ طور ہے ہر ذرّہ ذرّہ اِس بیاباں کا
۲
کہاں کی برق کیسا صاعقہ کیا چیز ہے بجلی
کوئی دیکھے تڑپنا طالبِ دیدارِ جاناں کا
۳
کہو واعظ سے تجھ کو کیا خبر اس رازِ پنہاں کی
یدِ بیظا تھا اِک ادنیٰ کرشمہ روُئے جاناں کا
۴
مری آنکھیں لبِ ساحل جو گوہر بار ہو جائیں
تو پھر دریا نہ ہو محتاج ہرگز ابرِ نسیاں کا
۵
خدنگِ ناز سے عثماں کا بچنا سخت مشکل ہے
نہیں ممکن ہے ہرگز روکنا شہبازِ پرّاں کا
इरफ़ां का – उस्मान अली ख़ां
१
मेरा सीना है मतला आफ़्ताब-ए नूर-ए इरफ़ां का
चिराग़-ए तूर है हर ज़र्रा ज़र्रा इस बियाबां का
२
कहां कि बर्क़ कैसा सा’एक़ा क्या चीज़ है बिजली
कोई एखे तड़पना तालिब-ए दीदार-ए जानां का
३
कहो वा’एज़ से तुझको क्या ख़बर इस राज़-ए पिन्हां कि
यद-ए बैज़ा था एक अद्ना करिश्मा रू-ए जानां का
४
मेरी आँखें लब-ए साहेल जो गौहर बार हो जाएँ
तो फिर दर्या न हो मोहताज हरगिज़ अब्र-ए निस्यां का
५
ख़दंग-ए से उस्मां का बचना सख़्त मुश्किल है
नहीं मुमकिन है हरगिज़ रोकना शाहबाज़-ए पर्रां का
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. I found this to be one of the better Ghazal of the collection that I have. It is an enigmatic mixture of romantic and mystical ash’aar.
1
mera seena hai matla1 aaftaab2-e noor3-e irfaaN4 ka
chiraaGh-e toor5 hai har zarra6 zarra is biyabaaN7 ka 1.eastern horizon 2.sun 3.light 4.mysticism 5.mountain peak in sinaii where Moses went asking to see god 6.particle 7.widerness
Moses is supposed to have gone up the peak of toor asking to see god (surah 7 verse 143). Instead of directly seeing god, he saw a lightning strike/brilliance which pulverized the mountain and is supposed to have been a manifestation of god. The poet/mystic claims that all this happens in his bosom, which is the horizon where the sun of the light of mysticism rises. Every particle in this wilderness (the bosom) is like a manifestation of divine light.
2
kahaaN ki barq1, kaisa saa’eqa2 kya cheez hai bijli3
koii dekhe taRapna taalib4-e deedaar5-e jaanaaN6 ka 1.lightning 2.thunder, lightning 3.lightning 4.seeker 5.sighting 6.beloved, god
The restless of lightning is nothing compared with the restlessness of the seeker who wants a glimpse of the beloved/god. The implication is that the poet/mystic considers himself to be such a seeker and is extremely restless.
3
kaho vaa’ez1 se tujh ko kya Khabar2 is raaz3-e pinhaaN4 ki
yad5-e baiza6 tha ek adna7 karishma8 roo9-e jaanaaN10 ka 1.preacher 2.awareness, knowledge 3.secret 4.hidden 5.hand 6.white 7.lowly, ordinary 9.face, form 10.beloved/god
In surah 27 verse 12, god prepares Moses to confront Pharaoh with miraculous demonstrations. One of those involved putting his hand inside his sleeve and pulling it out. It had turned white like marble. This is usually referred to as ‘yad-e baiza’ and is considered to be a miracle. The conventional preacher knows of this miracle which is but a lowly/ordinary manifestation of the beauty of the beloved. But he is not aware of the hidden secret. The implication is that the poet/mystic knows it … mystical love. Thus, he says that the preacher should be warned.
4
meri aaNkheN lab-e saahil1 jo gauhar-baar2 ho jaayeN
to phir darya na ho mohtaaj3 hargiz4 abr-e nisyaaN5 ka 1.edge of the shore 2.raining pearls 3.dependent on 4.under no circumstance 5.rain bearing/spring cloud
The river ordinarily is dependent on rain from spring clouds for its water. But if the poet were to cry at the edge of the river bank then so much water would flow that the river would no longer be dependent on rain-clouds. It is customary for the poet/lover to claim so much sorrow that he weeps profusely, enough to feed a river.
5
KhadaNg1-e naaz2 se usmaaN ka bachna saKht mushkil3 hai
nahiN mumkin4 hai hargiz5 rokna shahbaaz6-e parraaN7 ka 1.arrow 2.coquetry 3.very difficult 4.possible 5.under no conditions 6.falcon 7.on wing, flying
The coquettish glance of the beloved is likened to an arrow and to a flying falcon. The arrow has been let loose, the falcon is already in flight. It is not possible to stop these. osman, the poet/lover will surely fall victim. It is not possible to save him.
I found this to be one of the better Ghazal of the collection that I have. It is an enigmatic mixture of romantic and mystical ash’aar.
1
mera seena hai matla1 aaftaab2-e noor3-e irfaaN4 ka
chiraaGh-e toor5 hai har zarra6 zarra is biyabaaN7 ka
1.eastern horizon 2.sun 3.light 4.mysticism 5.mountain peak in sinaii where Moses went asking to see god 6.particle 7.widerness
Moses is supposed to have gone up the peak of toor asking to see god (surah 7 verse 143). Instead of directly seeing god, he saw a lightning strike/brilliance which pulverized the mountain and is supposed to have been a manifestation of god. The poet/mystic claims that all this happens in his bosom, which is the horizon where the sun of the light of mysticism rises. Every particle in this wilderness (the bosom) is like a manifestation of divine light.
2
kahaaN ki barq1, kaisa saa’eqa2 kya cheez hai bijli3
koii dekhe taRapna taalib4-e deedaar5-e jaanaaN6 ka
1.lightning 2.thunder, lightning 3.lightning 4.seeker 5.sighting 6.beloved, god
The restless of lightning is nothing compared with the restlessness of the seeker who wants a glimpse of the beloved/god. The implication is that the poet/mystic considers himself to be such a seeker and is extremely restless.
3
kaho vaa’ez1 se tujh ko kya Khabar2 is raaz3-e pinhaaN4 ki
yad5-e baiza6 tha ek adna7 karishma8 roo9-e jaanaaN10 ka
1.preacher 2.awareness, knowledge 3.secret 4.hidden 5.hand 6.white 7.lowly, ordinary 9.face, form 10.beloved/god
In surah 27 verse 12, god prepares Moses to confront Pharaoh with miraculous demonstrations. One of those involved putting his hand inside his sleeve and pulling it out. It had turned white like marble. This is usually referred to as ‘yad-e baiza’ and is considered to be a miracle. The conventional preacher knows of this miracle which is but a lowly/ordinary manifestation of the beauty of the beloved. But he is not aware of the hidden secret. But he is not aware of the hidden secret. The implication is that the poet/mystic knows it … mystical love. Thus, he says that the preacher should be warned.
4
meri aaNkheN lab-e saahil1 jo gauhar-baar2 ho jaayeN
to phir darya na ho mohtaaj3 hargiz4 abr-e nisyaaN5 ka
1.edge of the shore 2.raining pearls 3.dependent on 4.under no circumstance 5.rain bearing/spring cloud
The river ordinarily is dependent on rain from spring clouds for its water. But if the poet were to cry at the edge of the river bank then so much water would flow that the river would no longer be dependent on rain-clouds. It is customary for the poet/lover to claim so much sorrow that he weeps profusely, enough to feed a river.
5
KhadaNg1-e naaz2 se usmaaN ka bachna saKht mushkil3 hai
nahiN mumkin4 hai hargiz5 rokna shahbaaz6-e parraaN7 ka
1.arrow 2.coquetry 3.very difficult 4.possible 5.under no conditions 6.falcon 7.on wing, flying
The coquettish glance of the beloved is likened to an arrow and to a flying falcon. The arrow has been let loose, the falcon is already in flight. It is not possible to stop these. osman, the poet/lover will surely fall victim. It is not possible to save him.
Key Search Words: sufi, mysticism, sufiyaana, romantic, aashiqaana
