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Recitation
اِنسان ۔ آنند نارائن مُلّا
۱
کون ہے میرے سوا مالِکِ افلاک و زمیں
نورِ فردا ہے نہاں جس میں وہ میری ہے جبیں
قصۂ دہر میں لیکن مجھے معلوم نہیں
اہرمن ہوں کہ سلیماں ہوں کہ خاتم کا نگیں
طور ہوں جذبۂ موسیٰ ہوں کہ فرعون ہوں میں
لبِ خاموش بتا دے یہ مجھے کون ہوں میں
۲
مجھ پہ کُھلتا ہی نہیں کچھ مری قِسمت کیا ہے
پردۂ نقشِ ازل میں مری صورت کیا ہے
عقل کیا چیز ہے ارماں کی حقیقت کیا ہے
میں ہوں مخلوق کہ خالق مری فِطرت کیا ہے
دستِ فرہاد ہوں یا تیشۂ فرہاد ہوں میں
آپ بہزاد ہوں یا خامۂ بہزاد ہوں میں
۳
اپنی تقدیر کا بندہ بھی ہوں مختار بھی ہوں
طالبِ دید بھی ہوں کشتۂ دیدار بھی ہوں
دردِ اُلفت کا مسیحا بھی ہوں بیمار بھی ہوں
محفلِ دہر میں ساقی بھی ہوں میخوار بھی ہوں
بندگی دِل میں کبھی ہے تو ہے اِلحاد کبھی
باغِ فردوس کبھی، گلشنِ شدّاد کبھی
۴
نورِ جاں پیکرِ خاکی میں فروزاں کیوں ہے
مجھ سے پنہاں ہے تو پھر مجھ سے گریزاں کیوں ہے
جسم اور روح کا آپس میں یہ پیماں کیوں ہے
عقل سے شوق مرا دست و گریباں کیوں ہے
دوست کس کو کہوں کس کو کہوں دُشمن اِن میں
رہنما کون ہے اور کون ہے رہزن اِن میں
۵
میں مدد غیر سے لوں یہ مرا دستور نہیں
مِثل پروانہ کے جینا مجھے منظور نہیں
گو شبِ تار ہے اور رہ میں کوئی نور نہیں
میں جو بھٹکا بھی تو جاؤں گا بہت دور نہیں
میرے سینے میں ہے عصیاں کی تجلّی باقی
دلِ مُضطر کو ہے اِتنی تو تسلّی باقی
۶
وارثِ دہر کہیں یہ دِلِ شیدا تو نہیں!
خضرِ ظلماتِ جہاں نورِ تمنّا تو نہیں!
زِندگی نام کہیں ذوقِ طلب کا تو نہیں!
رازِ ہستی دِلِ عاشق کا تقاضا تو نہیں!
بحر کہتے ہیں جسے ہم کہیں ساحل ہی نہ ہو
راہ اب تک جسے سمجھے ہیں وہ منزل ہی نہ ہو
इंसान – आनंद नारायन मुल्ला
१
कौन है मेरे सिवा मालिक-ए अफ़्लाक ओ ज़मीं
नूर-ए फ़र्दा है नेहां जिस मेँ वो मेरी है जबीं
क़िस्सा-ए दहर में लैकिन मुझे मालूम नहीं
अहरमन हूं , के सुलैमां हूं, के ख़ातिम का नगीं
तूर हूं, जज़्बा-ए मूसा हुं के फ़िर’औन हूं मैं
लब-ए ख़ामोश बता दे ये मुझे कौन हूं मैं
२
मुझ पे खुलता ही नहीं कुछ मेरी क़िस्मत क्या है
परदा-ए नक़्श-ए अज़ल में मेरी सूरत क्या है
अक़्ल क्या चीज़ है अरमां की हक़ीक़त क्या है
मैं हुं मख़्लूक़ के ख़ालिक़ मेरी फ़ित्रत क्या है
दस्त-ए फ़रहाद हूं या तीशा-ए फ़रहाद हूं मैं
आप बहज़ाद हूं या ख़ामा-ए बहज़ाद हूं मैं
३
अपनी तक़दीर का बंदा भी हूं मुख़्तार भी हूं
तालेब-ए दीद भी हूं कुश्ता-ए दीदार भी हूं
दर्द-ए उल्फ़त का मसीहा भी हूं बीमार भी हूं
महफ़िल-ए दहर में साक़ी भी हूं मैख़्वार भी हूं
बंदगी दिल में कभी है तो है इल्हाद कभी
बाग़-ए फ़िरदौस कभी, गुलशन-ए शद्दाद कभी
४
नूर-ए जां पैकर-ए ख़ाकी में फ़रज़ां क्यूँ है
मुझ से पिन्हां है तो फिर मुझ से गुरेज़ाँ क्यूँ है
जिस्म और रूह का आपस में ये पैमां क्यूँ है
अक़्ल से शौक़ मेरा दस्त ओ गरेबाँ क्यूँ है
दोस्त किस को कहूं , किस को कहूं दुश्मन इन में
रहनुमा कौन है और कौन है रहज़न इन में
५
मैं मदद ग़ैर से लूं ये मेरा दस्तूर नहीं
मिस्ल परवाने का जीना मुझे मंज़ूर नहीं
गो शब-ए तार है और रह में कोई नूर नहीं
मैं जो भट्का भी तो जाऊंगा बहुत दूर नहीं
मेरे सीने में है इस्यां की तजल्ली बाक़ी
दिल-ए मुज़्तर को है इतनी तो तसल्ली बाक़ी
६
वारिस-ए दहर कहीं ये दिल-ए शैदा तो नहीं!
ख़िज़्र-ए ज़ुल्मात-ए जहां नूर-ए तमन्ना तो नहीं!
ज़िंदगी नाम कहीं ज़ौक़-ए तलब का तो नहीं!
राज़-ए हस्ती दिल-ए आशिक़ का तक़ाज़ा तो नहीं!
बहर कहते हैं जिसे हम, कहीं साहिल ही ना हो
राह अब तक जिसे समझे हैं वो मंज़िल ही ना हो
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. anand narain mulla (1901-1997) was a progressive thinker. A judge and later a member of the lok sabha and then the rajya sabha. In this short musaddas he raises fundamental questions of free will, existence of god, universal love, soul, self-contradictions and many others in a beautiful chaste and musical language. He comes to a climax with a strong suggestion that that which we call the goal is simply continuous struggle, not an end.
1
kaun hai mere siva1 maalik2-e aflaak3 o zamiN
noor4-e farda5 hai nihaaN6 jis meN vo meri hai jabiN7
qissa8-e dahr9 meN laikin mujhe m’aaloom nahiN
ahrman10 huN, ke sulaimaN11 huN, ke Khaatim12 ka nagiN13
toor14 huN, jazba15-e moosa16 ke fir’aun17 huN maiN
lab18-e Khaamosh bataa de ye mujhe kaun huN maiN 1.except for, other than 2.lord of 3.skies 4.light, brilliance 5.future 6.hidden 7.brow, forehead 8.story 9.world 10.satan, evil 11.Solomon, wise 12.seal ring, ring of authority 13.jewel 14.mountain in Sinaii 15.sentiment, passion 16.Moses 17.Pharaoh 18.lips
Who, other than me (human being) is the lord of the skies and the earth. It is my forehead where the light of the future is hidden … i.e. I conceive the future and give it shape. But in this unfolding story of the world, I do not know, if I am Evil or Wise, or if I am the jewel in the ring of creation i.e. the best among all. Am I the mountain which Moses climbed asking to see god, or am I a fake claimant of divinity like the Pharaoh. O, Silence, tell me who I am.
2
mujh pe khulta1 hi nahiN kuchh meri qismat2 kya hai
parda3-e naqsh4-e azal5 meN meri surat6 kya hai
aql kya cheez hai armaaN7 ki haqeeqat8 kya hai
maiN huN maKhlooq9 ke Khaaliq10 meri fitrat11 kya hai
dast-e-farhaad12 huN ya teesha13-e farhaad huN maiN
aap behzaad14 huN ya Khaama15-e behzaad huN maiN 1.revealed to me 2.fate, destiny 3.screen 4.picture 5.eternity 6.condition, position 7.desire 8.reality, meaning 9.created 10.creator 11.nature 12.hand of farhaad 13.pickaxe 14.legendary Persian painter 15.paint brush
I do not know/understand what my destiny is. Where do I fit on the screen of the eternal tableau. What is the mind/intellect/free will, what is desire/love and what is Truth. What is my nature, am I the creator or the created. Am I the hand of farhaad or just his pickaxe. This has reference to the legend of shiriN-farhaad, in which farhaad using his pickaxe digs a flow path for a river through the mountains. Here the poet/thinker is wondering if he is simply a tool in someone’s hand or if he is the mason/architect. Similarly, he asks if he is behzaad the painter or simply a paint brush in the hand of someone else.
3
apni taqdeer1 ka banda2 bhi huN muKhtaar3 bhi huN
taalib4-e deed5 bhi huN kushta6-e deedaar7 bhi huN
dard-e-ulfat8 ka maseeha9 bhi huN beemaar bhi huN
mahfil-e-dahr10 meN saaqi bhi huN maiKhwaar11 bhi huN
bandagi12 dil meN kabhi hai to hai ilhaad13 kabhi
baaGh-e firdaus14 kabhi, gulshan15-e shaddaad16 kabhi 1.fate 2.slave 3.lord, to have control 4.seeker, demand 5.sight 6.killed by 7.glimpse 8.pain of love 9.healer 10.assembly of the world, world 11.imbiber (of wine) 12.slavery, devotion 13.atheism 14.paradise 15.garden 16.ancient arab king who claimed divinity and built a garden, claiming that it was iram/paradise.
I am the slave of my fate and also have control over it. I demand to see you and also cannot bear the sight of you (perhaps a reference to moosa on tuur). I am the healer of the pain of love as well as stricken by it. I am the wine bearer as well as the imbiber. At times I am your devotee and at other times an atheist. Sometimes I desire the garden of Eden at other times I claim to build it, like shaddaad.
4
noor1-e jaaN2 paikar3-e Khaaki4 meN farozaaN5 kyuN hai
mujh se pinhaaN6 hai to phir mujh se gurezaaN7 kyuN hai
jism8 aur rooh9 ka aapas10 meN ye paimaaN11 kyuN hai
aql12 se shauq13 mera dast-o-garebaaN14 kyuN hai
dost kis ko kahuN, kis ko kahuN dushman in meN
rahnuma15 kaun hai aur kaun hai rahzan16 in meN 1.light, brilliance 2.soul 3.body 4.dust, clay 5.shining, refulgent 6.hidden in, contained in 7.running away, not within reach 8.body 9.soul 10.mutual 11.pact, agreement 12.mind, Reason 13.desire, emotions 14.hand of collar, conflict, fight 15.guide 16.robber
Why does the brilliance of the soul (divine spirit) shine in this material body. If it (the soul/spirit) is hidden/enclosed in me (my body) then why is not within my grasp. Why is there a pact between body and soul (when the soul departs, the body dies). Why is there a constant struggle/conflict between Reason and Desire/Love (of the divine spirit). Which of these two is my friend. Who between them (Reason and Love) should I consider my guide.
5
maiN madad Ghair1 se luN ye mera dastoor2 nahiN
misl3 parvaaane4 ke jeena mujhe manzoor5 nahiN
go shab-e-taar6 hai aur rah7 meN koii noor8 nahiN
maiN jo bhaTka9 bhi to jaauNga bahut duur nahiN
mere seene meN hai isyaaN-ki-tajalli10 baaqi11
dil-e muztar12 ko hai itni to tasalli13 baaqi 1.other 2.way, method 3.example, like 4.moth 5.acceptable 6.dark night 7.path 8.light 9.wander, get lost 10.literally, light of making a mistake – meaning an expression of free will, rebelliousness 11.remains 12.restless, helpless 13.consolation
That I should seek help from others (from orthodoxy), is not my way (I have to make up my own mind). It is not acceptable to me to live like a moth … sacrificing itself blindly around the lamp. Even though the night is dark and there is no light on the path, I am not likely to wander too far and get lost. The light of rebelliousness still shines in my bosom. At least, my heart has that much consolation.
6
vaaris1-e dahr2 kahiN ye dil-e shaida3 to nahiN!
Khizr4-e zulmaat5-e jahaaN6 noor7-e tamanna8 to nahiN!
zindagi naam kahiN zauq9-e talab10 ka to nahiN!
raaz11-e hasti12 dil-e aashiq13 ka taqaaza14 to nahiN!
bahr15 kahte haiN jise hum kahiN saahil16 hi na ho
raah17 ab tak jise samjhe haiN vo manzil18 hi na ho 1.caretaker, responsible for 2.world, earth 3.loving 4.legendary old man who is considered to be a guide 5.darknesses 6.world 7.light 8.desire/love (of the divine spirit) 9.taste for 10.desire/love (of the divine) 11.secret 12.life, existence 13.lover 14.demand, need 15.sea 16.shore 17.pathway 18.goal
The poet/thinker comes to a climax of his questions/speculations. Is this loving heart responsible to take care of the world. Is the light of desire/spiritual love the guide in the darkness of this world. That which we call Life, is it nothing but the desire of love. Is the secret of existence the demand of the heart of the lover. That which we call the sea, is it after all the shore. That which we call the goal, is it really the pathway/struggle/process. In other words, keep struggling/trying, never mind about reaching the goal.
anand narain mulla (1901-1997) was a progressive thinker. A judge and later a member of the lok sabha and then the rajya sabha. In this short musaddas he raises fundamental questions of free will, existence of god, universal love, soul, self-contradictions and many others in a beautiful chaste and musical language. He comes to a climax with a strong suggestion that that which we call the goal is simply continuous struggle, not an end.
1
kaun hai mere siva1 maalik2-e aflaak3 o zamiN
noor4-e farda5 hai nihaaN6 jis meN vo meri hai jabiN7
qissa8-e dahr9 meN laikin mujhe m’aaloom nahiN
ahrman10 huN, ke sulaimaN11 huN, ke Khaatim12 ka nagiN13
toor14 huN, jazba15-e moosa16 ke fir’aun17 huN maiN
lab18-e Khaamosh bataa de ye mujhe kaun huN maiN
1.except for, other than 2.lord of 3.skies 4.light, brilliance 5.future 6.hidden 7.brow, forehead 8.story 9.world 10.satan, evil 11.Solomon, wise 12.seal ring, ring of authority 13.jewel 14.mountain in Sinaii 15.sentiment, passion 16.Moses 17.Pharaoh 18.lips
Who, other than me (human being) is the lord of the skies and the earth. It is my forehead where the light of the future is hidden … i.e. I coneive the future and give it shape. But in this unfolding story of the world, I do not know, if I am Evil or Wise, or if I am the jewel in the ring of creation i.e. the best among all. Am I the mountain which Moses climbed asking to see god, or am I a fake claimant of divinity like the Pharaoh. O, Silence, tell me who I am.
2
mujh pe khulta1 hi nahiN kuchh meri qismat2 kya hai
parda3-e naqsh4-e azal5 meN meri surat6 kya hai
aql kya cheez hai armaaN7 ki haqeeqat8 kya hai
maiN huN maKhlooq9 ke Khaaliq10 meri fitrat11 kya hai
dast-e-farhaad12 huN ya teesha13-e farhaad huN maiN
aap behzaad14 huN ya Khaama15-e behzaad huN maiN
1.revealed to me 2.fate, destiny 3.screen 4.picture 5.eternity 6.condition, position 7.desire 8.reality, meaning 9.created 10.creator 11.nature 12.hand of farhaad 13.pickaxe 14.legendary Persian painter 15.paint brush
I do not know/understand what my destiny is. Where do I fit on the screen of the eternal tableau. What is the mind/intellect/free will, what is desire/love and what is Truth. What is my nature, am I the creator or the created. Am I the hand of farhaad or just his pickaxe. This has reference to the legend of shiriN-farhaad, in which farhaad using his pickaxe digs a flow path for a river through the mountains. Here the poet/thinker is wondering if he is simply a tool in someone’s hand or if he is the mason/architect. Similarly, he asks if he is behzaad the painter or simply a paint brush in the hand of someone else.
3
apni taqdeer1 ka banda2 bhi huN muKhtaar3 bhi huN
taalib4-e deed5 bhi huN kushta6-e deedaar7 bhi huN
dard-e-ulfat8 ka maseeha9 bhi huN beemaar bhi huN
mahfil-e-dahr10 meN saaqi bhi huN maiKhwaar11 bhi huN
bandagi12 dil meN kabhi hai to hai ilhaad13 kabhi
baaGh-e firdaus14 kabhi, gulshan15-e shaddaad16 kabhi
1.fate 2.slave 3.lord, to have control 4.seeker, demand 5.sight 6.killed by 7.glimpse 8.pain of love 9.healer 10.assembly of the world, world 11.imbiber (of wine) 12.slavery, devotion 13.atheism 14.paradise 15.garden 16.ancient arab king who claimed divinity and built a garden, claiming that it was iram/paradise.
I am the slave of my fate and also have control over it. I demand to see you and also cannot bear the sight of you (perhaps a reference to moosa on tuur). I am the healer of the pain of love as well as stricken by it. I am the wine bearer as well as the imbiber. At times I am your devotee and at other times an atheist. Sometimes I desire the garden of Eden at other times I claim to build it, like shaddaad.
4
noor1-e jaaN2 paikar3-e Khaaki4 meN farozaaN5 kyuN hai
mujh se pinhaaN6 hai to phir mujh se gurezaaN7 kyuN hai
jism8 aur rooh9 ka aapas10 meN ye paimaaN11 kyuN hai
aql12 se shauq13 mera dast-o-garebaaN14 kyuN hai
dost kis ko kahuN, kis ko kahuN dushman in meN
rahnuma15 kaun hai aur kaun hai rahzan16 in meN
1.light, brilliance 2.soul 3.body 4.dust, clay 5.shining, refulgent 6.hidden in, contained in 7.running away, not within reach 8.body 9.soul 10.mutual 11.pact, agreement 12.mind, Reason 13.desire, emotions 14.hand of collar, conflict, fight 15.guide 16.robber
Why does the brilliance of the soul (divine spirit) shine in this material body. If it (the soul/spirit) is hidden/enclosed in me (my body) then why is not within my grasp. Why is there a pact between body and soul (when the soul departs, the body dies). Why is there a constant struggle/conflict between Reason and Desire/Love (of the divine spirit). Which of these two is my friend. Who between them (Reason and Love) should I consider my guide.
5
maiN madad Ghair1 se luN ye mera dastoor2 nahiN
misl3 parvaaane4 ke jeena mujhe manzoor5 nahiN
go shab-e-taar6 hai aur rah7 meN koii noor8 nahiN
maiN jo bhaTka9 bhi to jaauNga bahut duur nahiN
mere seene meN hai isyaaN-ki-tajalli10 baaqi11
dil-e muztar12 ko hai itni to tasalli13 baaqi
1.other 2.way, method 3.example, like 4.moth 5.acceptable 6.dark night 7.path 8.light 9.wander, get lost 10.literally, light of making a mistake – meaning an expression of free will, rebelliousness 11.remains 12.restless, helpless 13.consolation
That I should seek help from others (from orthodoxy), is not my way (I have to make up my own mind). It is not acceptable to me to live like a moth … sacrificing itself blindly around the lamp. Even though the night is dark and there is no light on the path, I am not likely to wander too far and get lost. The light of rebelliousness still shines in my bosom. At least, my heart has that much consolation.
6
vaaris1-e dahr2 kahiN ye dil-e shaida3 to nahiN!
Khizr4-e zulmaat5-e jahaaN6 noor7-e tamanna8 to nahiN!
zindagi naam kahiN zauq9-e talab10 ka to nahiN!
raaz11-e hasti12 dil-e aashiq13 ka taqaaza14 to nahiN!
bahr15 kahte haiN jise hum kahiN saahil16 hi na ho
raah17 ab tak jise samjhe haiN vo manzil18 hi na ho
1.caretaker, responsible for 2.world, earth 3.loving 4.legendary old man who is considered to be a guide 5.darknesses 6.world 7.light 8.desire/love (of the divine spirit) 9.taste for 10.desire/love (of the divine) 11.secret 12.life, existence 13.lover 14.demand, need 15.sea 16.shore 17.pathway 18.goal
The poet/thinker comes to a climax of his questions/speculations. Is this loving heart responsible to take care of the world. Is the light of desire/spiritual love the guide in the darkness of this world. That which we call Life, is it nothing but the desire of love. Is the secret of existence the demand of the heart of the lover. That which we call the sea, is it after all the shore. That which we call the destination, is it really the pathway/struggle/process. In other words, keep struggling/trying, never mind about reaching the goal.
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