Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. baalmukund arsh malsiyaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiyaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiyaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiyaani was assistant editor of Govt of India urdu publication ‘aaj kal’ under josh malihabadi and took over as editor after josh left for pakistan. He wrote a book dedicated to Ghalib “faizaan-e Ghalib” about his influence on his many shaagird. This nazm is part of the introduction to this book.

Click here for an explanation of the title of the nazm The title is taken from a faarsi she’r of Ghalib written on the cover page of his divan …
Ghalib naam aavaram naam o nishaanam napars
hum asadullaham o hum asadullaheem
The name Ghalib has been given to me, do not ask for any other introduction
I am asadullah and a devotee of asadullah
Ghalib (dominant) and asadullah (lion of god) were titles/names of ali ibn-e abi-taalib
1
dikha ke jalva¹-e raNgini-e suKhan² tu ne
khilaaye Ghuncha³-e hikmat⁴ chaman chaman tu ne
ye kah ke diin⁵-e buzurgaaN⁶ ki aazari⁷ hai fuzuul⁸
nizshaad⁹-e nau¹⁰ ko banaaya hai but-shikan¹¹ tu ne    1.beauty, glory 2.verse 3.bud 4.wisdom 5.faith, traditions 6.elders 7.idolatory, worship 8.useless 9.generation 10.new 11.iconoclast, idol-breaker
Showing us the glory of colourful verse, you made buds of wisdom bloom in every garden. Telling us that it is useless to worship the traditions of old, you made the new generation iconoclastic, smashing the idols of tradition.
2
suKhan¹ shinaas² nigaahoN ko de ke tarz³-e navi⁴
nazar se duur kiya sheva⁵-e kohan⁶ tu ne
nazeeri⁷ aur zuhuuri⁷ ke saath saath chala
liya mizaaj⁸ ka urfi⁷ se baaNkpan⁹ tu ne    1.verse 2.familiar, appreciative 3.ways, methods 4.new 5.methods 6.old 7.three liberal faarsi poets who settled in India to escape persecution in Iran 8. nature 9.rebelliousness
Showing a new way to those who appreciated verse, you banished outdated ways. You walked with nazeeri and zuhuri and borrowed rebellious nature from urfi.
3
chiraaGh-e-dair¹ jalaaya is ehtemaam² ke saath
dikhaaii subah banaras ki har kiran tu ne
saja ke l’aal³-e daraKhshaaN⁴ naye KhayaaloN ke
dikhaaya hum ko yahiN jalva⁵-e yaman tu ne     1.temple lamp, title of a faarsi masnavi/epic that Ghalib wrote in praise of banaras 2.preparation, thoughtfulness 3.rubies 4.brilliant 5.glory
Ghalib travelled to kalkatta and on the way stayed in banaras for many days. He wrote a booklet in faarsi verse in praise of banaras. The beauty and brilliance of dawn in banaras has been described by many poets after Ghalib. Rubies of yaman are reputed to be particularly deep red in colour and beautiful. They are used as a metaphor for exquisite pieces of art/poetry. You lit a temple lamp with much thoughtfulness, showing brilliant rays of dawn of banaras. By arranging brilliant rubies of fresh thought, you brought the glory of yaman right here (to India).
4
tere jalees¹ rahe shefta² o aazurda²
sajaaii dilli ki galiyoN meN anjuman³ tu ne
uTha ke parda rusuum⁴ o quyood⁵ ke ruKh se
uRhaaye kohna⁶ rivaayaat⁷ ko kafan⁸ tu ne     1.companion, friend 2.two friends/supporters of Ghalib 3.gathering, society 4.traditions 5.rules 6.ancient, outmoded 7.traidition 8.funeral shroud
shefta and aazurda were your companions when you hosted assemblies (of literary discussion and recitation) in the streets of dehli. Laying bare (the meaninglessness of) customs and rules you wrapped ancient traditions in their funeral shroud.
5
jo ustavaar¹ vafa² ho to asl³-e eemaaN⁴ hai
bataaya shaiKh ko me’yaar⁵-e barhaman tu ne
jo haNs rahe the ziyaada unheN rula Daala
jo ro rahe the kiya un ko Khanda-zan⁶ tu ne     1.strong 2.fidelity, commitment 3.real, genuine 4.faith 5.status 6.smiling
If fidelity/sincerity/commitment to faith is strong, then that is the real religion (regardless of whether it is islam or hinduism). Thus, you showed the shaiKh, the (high/equal) status/respect that the brahmin deserves. This has echoes of Ghalib’s she’r …
vafa-daari ba-shart-e-ustuvaari asl eemaaN hai
mare but-Khaane meN to k’aabe meN gaaRo barahman ko
Faith, if it is strong/sincere, is the real religion
When such a brahman dies, he deserves burial in the k’aaba
You (O, Ghalib), were always sensitive to the bereaved/deprived and made them happy while challenging those who had the means (I am not sure how the poet concludes this from Ghalib’s verse, but that is what he says).
6
vufoor¹-e shauq² meN taRpa ba Khaak-e kalkatta
zara jo dekhe pari-chehra³ gul-badan⁴ tu ne
lataafatoN⁵ ki Khudaaii pe hukmraan raha
kiya mut’ee⁶ kasaafat⁷ ka ahrman⁸ tu ne    1.plenty 2.desire, appreciation 3.angel faced 4.flower bodied 5.elegance, finesse 6.subdue 7.ugliness, crudity 8.devil
You were restless with exceeding appreciation, when you saw angel faced beauties in Calcutta. This may be a reference to letters Ghalib wrote during his sojourn in Calcutta, with which he was greatly impressed. You were in complete control of the god of elegance and subdued the devil of crudity.
7
thi nazm l’aal¹-e daraKhshaaN² ke husn se ma’moor³
bhari vo she’r meN raNgini-e-yaman tu ne
vatan meN nik’hat⁴ o fikr⁵ o Khayaal⁶ phaila kar
gali gali ko kiya Ghairat-e-Khutan⁷ tu ne     1.rubies 2.brilliant 3.full, flourishing 4.fragrace 5.reason 6.thought 7.envy of Khutan
Rubies of yaman are considered particularly colourful and are used as a metaphor for rare beauty. Thus, you filled your couplets with the colour of yaman, and your verse was replete with brilliance of rubies. Khutan is a region in Western China which is reputed to have musk deer and is used a metaphor for a fragrant place. Thus, spreading the fragrance of thought and reason in the homeland, you made it the envy of Khutan.
8
dikha ke taaqat¹-e guftaar² o saulat³-e azkaar⁴
giraaye she’r ke maidaaN meN piil-tan⁵ tu ne
hazaar naaz⁶ samarqand par raha laikin
banaaya phir bhi dilli hi ko vatan tu ne     1.power 2.speech, words 3.grandeur, dignity 4.plural of zikr – sufi presentation/teaching 5.elephant bodied i.e. giants 6.pride
Demonstrating the power of words and the dignity of sufi teaching, you felled giants in the field of versification. You were (justly) proud of your heritage from samaqand, but still you made dehli your home.