brij narain chakbast (1882-1926) was born in faizabad into a kashmiri brahmin family who moved to lakhnau soon after his birth.  He received his early education from a maulvi, learning urdu, arabi and faarsi.  Later, he got a law degree and then practised law in lakhnau.  Unfortunately, he died very young of a stroke he suffered while traveling by train to argue a case in bareily.  His book was published posthumously.

He was politically very acutely aware and wrote many nationalistic poems also promoting communal harmony.  He was very active in the formation of Kashmiri Young Men’s Association.  Parts of this long nazm, “muraqqa-e ibrat” were written for the annual gathering of the association in kashmir, when he was barely sixteen years old.  Other parts, written later, were combined into a booklet.

“muraqqa” is an album, a collection of sketches/images. “ibrat” is meant to draw a moral lesson from something.  Thus, “muraqqa-e ibrat” is an exhortation for kashmiri youth on a collection of diverse topics.  It is extremely good in its literary composition even for a mature poet, but amazingly so for a 16 year old.  It is divided into 8 thematic sections for easy reading.

A word of caution.  urdu was chakbast’s primary language, his mother tongue.  He learnt it along with faarsi and arabi.  He uses islamic imagery/vocabulary even when describing completely secular topics.  Thus, his criticism of orthodoxy, written in islamic vocabulary, is meant to be a criticism of all, not just islamic orthodoxy.

1.  “tamheed” is a short introduction of 7 stanzas of six lines each praising his own abilities of versification, lyrically expounding on why he is writing this and transitioning into praising the region of kashmir. The language and the style is reminiscent of another great kashmiri brahmin, daya shankar naseem, in his own introduction of his ‘gulzaar-e naseem’.

2.  “kashmir” is a section of 9 stanzas describing the beauty of the hills, gardens, orchards, rivers, waterfalls of kashmir in lyrical metaphors and acknowledging his own debt to and love for his homeland.

3.  “qaum ki haalat” a very short section of 4 stanzas is full of pathos describing the sorry state of the community of kashmiris.

4.  “naujavaanauN ki haalat” of 11 stanzas is rich in its literary content and maturity.  You have to remind yourselves again and again that this is a 16 year old writing.  There is much hand-wringing about the wastefulness and self-absorption of the youth of kashmir.  He is laying the ground work to inspire them to join the freedom movement.

5.  “daulat” is a 13 stanza piece moralizing about the accumulation of wealth which is used for selfish pleasures rather than for helping others.  There is little recognition of dialectical/materialist ideas of socialism (chakbast wrote this in 1898) but there is keen awareness of maldistribution of wealth in a moral/ethical sense.  The literary quality is amazing giving every indication of genius.

6.  “aazadi o islaah” is 6 stanzas on freedom and reform.  He praises the reformers of Europe and chides his audience that they have not drawn the right lessons from their lives.

7.  “mazhab” is a short 7 stanza section deriding religious leaders as well as concepts of orthodoxy.  It is not just “daulat” and lack of understanding of “islaah” that blinds us, it is also orthodoxy.  Recall that because of his educational panDit brij narain chakbast (1882-1926).  See “Overview” tab for a more complete introduction.
the vocabulary and imagery he is using might sound like islamic, but it is entirely secular, equally critical of all orthodoxy.

8.  “taNbeeh” is the concluding section of 4 stanzas with exhortation but still very beautiful in its literary content.

panDit brij narain chakbast (1882-1926).  See “Overview” tab for a more complete introduction.
1
hoshiyaar¹ ho aye qaum ye Ghaflat² nahiN achchhi
ye Kheeragi³-e nash’a-e-daulat⁴ nahiN achchhi
m’aazuli⁵-e aaiin-e-sharaafat⁶ nahiN achchhi
ye dushman-e-aKhlaaq⁷ shariyyat⁸ nahiN achchhi
maana shab-e-idbaar⁹ ka har samt¹⁰ asar¹¹ hai
gar Khwaab se bedaar¹² ho ab bhi to sahr¹³ hai

1.careful 2.forgetfulness, carelessness 3.dazzled by 4.intoxication of wealth 5.suspend, dismiss 6.noble traditions 7.opposed to ethics/human values 8.orthodox rituals 9.night of difficulties 10.direction 11.effect 12.awake 13.dawn, day

Be cautious, O , people, this carelessness is not good.  It is not good to be dazzled by wealth.  It is not good to discard noble traditions (of universal humanity).  Narrow orthodox rituals that ignore universal ethics are not good.  I agree that a night of difficulties surrounds us, but if we wake up from our slumber, there still can be dawn.
2
haaN abr-e-karam¹ se chaman-e qaum ho shaadaab²
vallaah yahi husn-e-sharaafat³ ka hai aadaab⁴
haivaan⁵ bhi rakhte haiN sab shuGhl⁶-e Khur-o-Khwaab⁷
tahzeeb⁸ ka aaiin⁹ hai dil-sozi¹⁰-e ahbaab¹¹
mahroom¹² isi Khulq¹³ se haivaan⁵ hua hai
insaan isi baat se insaan hua hai

1.blessed cloud 2.verdant 3.beauty/finesse of noble thought 4.tradition 5.brute animal 6.pastime 7.eating and sleeping 8.culture 9.tradition 10.sympathize, empathize 11.friends 12.devoid 13.nature, characteristic

O, blessed cloud, rain kindness, so that this garden of my community be verdant.  By god, the tradition of noble values demands this.  He is a mere animal whose only pastime is eating and sleeping.  The tradition of culture demands that we sympathize with/love our friends/neighbours.  It is brute animal that is devoid of this nature.  Humans have humanity because of it.
3
Khaaleq¹ ne diye haiN jinheN ausaaf-e-hamida²
hosh un ke na hoN nash’a-e naKhvat³ se parida⁴
lillaah kareN qaum se daaman na kasheeda⁵
laati nahiN phal phool kabhi shaaKh-e bureeda⁶
ahbaab⁷ ki sohbat⁸ ko bashar⁹ kho nahiN sakta
naaKhun se kabhi gosht juda¹⁰ ho nahiN sakta

1.maker, god 2.admirable qualities 3.pride, hubris 4.disappear, lost 5.pull back 6.cut, severed 7.friends 8.company 9.human 10.separated

Those to whom the maker has bestowed admirable qualities, may their senses never be lost in the intoxication of hubris.  By god, may they never pull the hem of their robe away from the community.  A severed branch does not bear flowers or fruit.  Human being cannot give up the company of friends.  The nail cannot be separated from its finger (there is a saying in urdu the nail and finger … meaning strong attachment).
4
vaajib¹ nahiN mazhab ke masaa’el² meN bhi hujjat³
bazeecha-e-atfaal⁴ haiN haftaad-o-do⁵ millat⁶
bas qaabil-e-taslim⁷ usi ki hai shariyyat⁸
jis dil meN ho insaaN ke liye dard-e mohabbat
tahzeeb⁹ pasandeeda-e-aafaaq¹⁰ yahi hai
mazhab yahi, millat yahi, aKhlaaq¹¹ yahi hai

1.necessary 2.problems, questions 3.argumentation 4.children’s playground 5.seventy two 6.communities 7.deserving of acceptance 8.code of conduct, ethics 9.culture 10.beloved of the skies/heavens 11.manners, ethics, values

It is not necessary to argue about questions of faith.  The division into 72 communities is but immature children’s play.  Only that code of conduct is acceptable which has the love of humanity in its heart.  This is the only culture that is beloved of heavens.  This is the only faith, the only community and the only ethics.

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