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Recitation
رباعیات۔تآمل۔جوش ملیح آبادی
۱
یہ دغدغۂ گردشِ اعیام ہے کیا
یہ بندِ گرانِ سحر و شام ہے کیا
اِس کی بھی خبر نہیں کہ آغاز ہے کیوں
یہ بھی نہیں معلوم کہ انجام ہے کیا
۲
اِس دور میں بھی عقل ہے صیدِ اِکراہ
ہر داعئ اندیشہ پر اُٹھتی ہے نگاہ
وجدان کے ساحل پہ بہ حکمِ فقہا
حکمت کی درآمد و برآمد ہے گناہ
۳
ہوشیار، اے آگہی کے طالب اِنسان
دریائے حواس مکر کا ہے طوفان
خلّاقیِ وہم کے نہاں خانے کا
مآلِ مسروقہ بیچتا ہے وجدان
۴
منطق کو برہنہ پا کیا ہے ہم نے
اوہام کو تاجِ زر دیا ہے ہم نے
اب تک نہیں اُترا ہے وہ زہرِ اقوال
بچپن میں جو کانوں سے پیا ہے ہم نے
۵
افکار سے ہوتی ہے طبیعت ہلکان
اقوال پہ ہو رہی ہیں جانیں قربان
سر کے میدان میں ہے اِک عالمِ ہوُ
کانوں پہ کھڑے ہوے ہیں لاکھوں ایوان
۶
ذہنوں پہ چڑھے ہوے ہیں صدیوں کے غلاف
ہر آن حریمِ وہمِ آبا کا طواف
ایمان ہے اسلاف کی آوازوں کا
اِک شور بہ محرابِ خیالِ اخلاف
۷
پشتِ ایماں کا خم نکالا ہے کبھی
اقوال کو افکار میں ڈھالا ہے کبھی
اقرار کے ساحل پر اکڑنے والو
اِنکار کا قلزم بھی کھنگالا ہے کبھی
रुबाईयात-ता’म्मुल-जोश मलीहाबादी
१
ये दग़दग़ा-ए गर्दिश-ए अय्याम है क्या
ये बन्द-ए गिरान-ए सहर ओ शाम है क्या
इस कि भी ख़बर नहीं के आग़ाज़ है क्या
ये भी नहीं मालूम के अंजाम है क्या
२
इस दौर में भी अक़्ल है सैद-ए एकराह
हर दाई-ए अंदेशा पे उठती है निगाह
वज्दान के साहिल पर बा-हुक्म-ए फ़ुक़हा
हिक्मत कि दर-आमद ओ बर-आमद है गुनाह
३
होशियार अए आगाही के तालेब इन्सान
दर्या-ए हवास मकर का है तूफ़ान
ख़ल्लाक़ि-ए वहम के निहां ख़ाने का
माल-ए ,मस्रूक़ा बेचता है वज्दान
४
मन्तक़ को बरहना पा किया है हम ने
औहाम को ताज-ए ज़र दिया है हम ने
अब तक नहीं उतरा है वो ज़हर-ए अक़्वाल
बच्पन में जो कानौं से पिया है हम ने
५
अफ़्कार से होती है तबियत हल्कान
अक़्वाल पे हो रही हैं जानें क़ुर्बान
सर के मैदान में है एक आलम-ए हू
कानौं पे खड़े हुए हैं लाखौं ऐवान
६
ज़हनौं पे चढ़े हुए हैं सदियौं के ग़िलाफ़
हर आन हरीम-ए वहम-ए आबा का तवाफ़
ईमान है अस्लाफ़ कि आवाज़ौं का
एक शोर ब-महराब-ए ख़याल-ए अख़्लाफ़
७
पुश्त-ए ईमां का ख़म निकाला है कभी
अक़्वाल को अफ़्कार में ढाला है कभी
इक़्रार के साहिल पर अकड़ने वालो
इन्कार का क़ुल्ज़ुम भी खंगाला है कभी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. This selection is all about constant struggle to keep uncovering new knowledge. josh extends a powerful invitation to think and analyze not believe blindly.
1
ye daGhdaGha1-e gardish2-e ayyaam3 hai kya
ye band4-e giraan5-e sahr6 o shaam hai kya
is ki bhi Khabar7 nahiN ke aaGhaaz8 hai kyuN
ye bhi nahiN maa’loom ke anjaam9 hai kya 1.fear, apprehension 2.passage 3.days, life 4.trap/limitation 5.burden 6.morning 7.awareness 8.beginning 9.result
What is this apprehension of the passing of days. Why are we trapped under this burden of day and night. We don’t even know why this all started and where it will end.
2
is daur1 meN bhi aql hai saed2-e ekraah3
har daa’ii4-e andesha5 pe uThti hai nigaah
vajdaan6 ke saahil7 pe ba-hukm8-e fuqaha9
hikmat10 ki dar-aamad11 o bar-aamad12 hai gunaah 1.times, era 2.target, prey 3.hate, disgust 4.giver, harbinger 5.apprehension, question/doubt 6.knowledge 7.shore 8.by order of 9.jurist, religious scholars 10.reason 11.coming 12.going
In this day and age too intellect is the prey of disgust. They raise their eyes (get annoyed at) anyone who brings forth any questions/doubt. On the shore of knowledge, by order of the (religious) law giver, the coming and going of reason is forbidden.
3
hoshiyaar1, aye aagahi2 ke taalib3 insaan
darya4-e havaas5 makar6 ka hai toofaan
Khallaaqi-e-vahm7 ke nihaaN-Khaane8 ka
maal-e masrooqa9 bechta hai vajdaan10 1.careful, be warned 2.knowledge 3.seeker 4.ocean of 5.senses, but also feelings 6.deception 7.creation of superstitions 8.hidden chamber 9.stolen 10.inspiration/trance
Be warned, O seeker of knowledge, feelings and emotions are a river of deception. In the secret chamber where superstitions are created, inspiration/trance offers/sells stolen/fake goods i.e. that which you think is inspiration/trance can be self-deception.
4
mantaq1 ko barhana-paa2 kiya hai hum ne
auhaam3 ko taaj-e-zar4 diya hai hum ne
ab tak nahiN utra hai vo zahr-e-aqvaal5
bachpan meN jo kaanauN se piya hai hum ne 1.logic 2.barefoot 3.superstitions 4.crown of gold 5.poison of old sayings
To render something barefoot is to make it immobile. We have stopped logic in its tracks. We have bestowed a crown of gold on superstitions. The poison of old sayings that was poured into our ears during childhood still affects us.
5
afkaar1 se hoti hai tabi’yat2 halkaan3
aqvaal4 pe ho rahi haiN jaaneN qurbaan5
sar ke maidaan meN hai ek aalam-e-hoo6
kaanauN pe khaRe hue haiN laakhauN aivaan7 1.reasoning, logic 2.condition, temper 3.confused, exhausted 4.sayings 5.sacrificed 6.condition of fearsome solitude 7.literally, hall/palace of power/laws, palace guards-eunuchs
jaan qurbaan karna – literally to offer one’s life for, also is an expression to mean ‘show great love for’. Thinking logically leaves one exhausted. So, everyone shows great love for old sayings. The field of the mind is in a depressing stillness. A thousand restrictions stand guard over the ears, preventing us from hearing.
6
zahnauN1 pe chaRhe hue haiN sadiyauN2 ke Ghilaaf3
har aan4 hareem5-e vahm6-e aaba7 ka tawaaf8
eemaan hai aslaaf9 ki aavaazauN ka
ek shor ba-mehraab10-e Khayaal-e aKhlaaf11 1.minds 2.centuries 3.covers 4.moment 5.mosque/holy place 6.superstitions 7.forbears 8.circumambulation, circling reverentially 9.ancestors 10.arch, niche, corner of seclusion 11.next generation
There are centuries of covers drawn on minds. Every moment we reverentially circle the superstitions of our forbears. Our faith is but the voice of our ancestors making a loud noise at the door of thought of the next generation.
7
pusht-e-eemaaN1 ka Kham2 nikaala hai kabhi
aqvaal3 ko afkaar4 meN Dhaala5 hai kabhi
iqraar6 ke saahil7 par akaRne vaalo
inkaar8 ka qulzum9 bhi khaNgaala10 hai kabhi 1.back of faith 2.curve, bend, crook 3.sayings 4.thought, reason 5.cast 6.acceptance 7.shore 8.refusal, denial 9.ocean 10.scour the bottom, filter
Faith has a bent/crooked back, implying that it cannot stand straight and face the world. Have you ever straightened the back of faith. Have you ever cast sayings/maxims in the mould of reason. You just stand on the shore of acceptance (of faith). Standing on the shore is easy. Have you ever scoured the depths of the ocean of denial/questioning (diving into the ocean and searching for truth is not so easy).
josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. This selection is all about constant struggle to keep uncovering new knowledge. josh extends a powerful invitation to think and analyze not believe blindly.
1
ye daGhdaGha1-e gardish2-e ayyaam3 hai kya
ye band4-e giraan5-e sahr6 o shaam hai kya
is ki bhi Khabar7 nahiN ke aaGhaaz8 hai kyuN
ye bhi nahiN maa’loom ke anjaam9 hai kya
1.fear, apprehension 2.passage 3.days, life 4.trap/limitation 5.burden 6.morning 7.awareness 8.beginning 9.result
What is this apprehension of the passing of days. Why are we trapped under this burden of day and night. We don’t even know why this all started and where it will end.
2
is daur1 meN bhi aql hai saed2-e ekraah3
har daa’ii4-e andesha5 pe uThti hai nigaah
vajdaan6 ke saahil7 pe ba-hukm8-e fuqaha9
hikmat10 ki dar-aamad11 o bar-aamad12 hai gunaah
1.times, era 2.target, prey 3.hate, disgust 4.giver, harbinger 5.apprehension, question/doubt 6.knowledge 7.shore 8.by order of 9.jurist, religious scholars 10.reason 11.coming 12.going
In this day and age too intellect is the prey of disgust. They raise their eyes (get annoyed at) anyone who brings forth any questions/doubt. On the shore of knowledge, by order of the (religious) law giver, the coming and going of reason is forbidden.
3
hoshiyaar1, aye aagahi2 ke taalib3 insaan
darya4-e havaas5 makar6 ka hai toofaan
Khallaaqi-e-vahm7 ke nihaaN-Khaane8 ka
maal-e masrooqa9 bechta hai vajdaan10
1.careful, be warned 2.knowledge 3.seeker 4.ocean of 5.senses, but also feelings 6.deception 7.creation of superstitions 8.hidden chamber 9.stolen 10.inspiration/trance
Be warned, O seeker of knowledge, feelings and emotions are a river of deception. In the secret chamber where superstitions are created, inspiration/trance offers/sells stolen/fake goods i.e. that which you think is inspiration/trance can be self-deception.
4
mantaq1 ko barhana-paa2 kiya hai hum ne
auhaam3 ko taaj-e-zar4 diya hai hum ne
ab tak nahiN utra hai vo zahr-e-aqvaal5
bachpan meN jo kaanauN se piya hai hum ne
1.logic 2.barefoot 3.superstitions 4.crown of gold 5.poison of old sayings
To render something barefoot is to make it immobile. We have stopped logic in its tracks. We have bestowed a crown of gold on superstitions. The poison of old sayings that was poured into our ears during childhood still affects us.
5
afkaar1 se hoti hai tabi’yat2 halkaan3
aqvaal4 pe ho rahi haiN jaaneN qurbaan5
sar ke maidaan meN hai ek aalam-e-hoo6
kaanauN pe khaRe hue haiN laakhauN aivaan7
1.reasoning, logic 2.condition, temper 3.confused, exhausted 4.sayings 5.sacrificed 6.condition of fearsome solitude 7.literally, hall/palace of power/laws, palace guards-eunuchs
jaan qurbaan karna – literally to offer one’s life for, also is an expression to mean ‘show great love for’. Thinking logically leaves one exhausted. So, everyone shows great love for old sayings. The field of the mind is in a depressing stillness. A thousand restrictions stand guard over the ears, preventing us from hearing.
6
zahnauN1 pe chaRhe hue haiN sadiyauN2 ke Ghilaaf3
har aan4 hareem5-e vahm6-e aaba7 ka tawaaf8
eemaan hai aslaaf9 ki aavaazauN ka
ek shor ba-mehraab10-e Khayaal-e aKhlaaf11
1.minds 2.centuries 3.covers 4.moment 5.mosque/holy place 6.superstitions 7.forbears 8.circumambulation, circling reverentially 9.ancestors 10.arch, niche, corner of seclusion 11.next generation
There are centuries of covers drawn on minds. Every moment we reverentially circle the superstitions of our forbears. Our faith is but the voice of our ancestors making a loud noise at the door of thought of the next generation.
7
pusht-e-eemaaN1 ka Kham2 nikaala hai kabhi
aqvaal3 ko afkaar4 meN Dhaala5 hai kabhi
iqraar6 ke saahil7 par akaRne vaalo
inkaar8 ka qulzum9 bhi khaNgaala10 hai kabhi
1.back of faith 2.curve, bend, crook 3.sayings 4.thought, reason 5.cast 6.acceptance 7.shore 8.refusal, denial 9.ocean 10.scour the bottom, filter
Faith has a bent/crooked back, implying that it cannot stand straight and face the world. Have you ever straightened the back of faith. Have you ever cast sayings/maxims in the mould of reason. You just stand on the shore of acceptance (of faith). Standing on the shore is easy. Have you ever scoured the depths of the ocean of denial/questioning (diving into the ocean and searching for truth is not so easy).
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