For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
سجدہ میرا ہوا نہ ہوا ۔ پریم چندر سریواستو مظہرؔ
۱
یوں تو ہونے کو آج کیا نہ ہوا
آدمی کا مگر بھلا نہ ہوا
۲
ذاتِ واحد پہ اِتنی خونریزی
خیریت ہے کہ دوسرا نہ ہوا
۳
اُنہیں جھگڑوں سے ربط باقی ہے
آج تک جن کا فیصلہ نہ ہوا
۴
حُسنِ دوراں بھی کتنا پُر فن ہے
سب کا ہو کر بھی ایک کا نہ ہوا
۵
آدمی ہو کے آدمی تو بن
آدمی سے اگر خدا نہ ہوا
۶
کیا خدائی میں فرق آنے کو
ایک سجدہ مرا ہوا نہ ہوا
۷
اُس کے جینے میں کیا مزا مظہرؔ
جس کو مرنے کا حوصلہ نہ ہوا
सिज्दा मेरा हुआ न हुआ – प्रेम चंद्र स्रीवास्तव मज़्हर
१
यूं तो होने को आज क्या न हुआ
आदमी का मगर भला न हुआ
२
ज़ात-ए वाहद पे इतनी ख़ूंरेज़ी
ख़ैरियत है के दूस्रा न हुआ
३
उन्हीं झगढौं से रब्त बाक़ी है
आज तक जिन का फ़ैस्ला न हुआ
४
हुस्न-ए दौरां भी कितना पुर-फ़न है
सब का हो कर भी एक का न हुआ
५
आदमी हो के आदमी तो बन
आदमी से अगर ख़ुदा न हुआ
६
क्या ख़ुदाई में फ़र्क़ आने को
एक सिज्दा मेरा हुआ न हुआ
७
उस के जीने में क्या मज़ा मज़्हर
जिस को मरने का हौस्ला न हुआ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. premchandr srivastav mazhar, PhD, principal of a local college, editorial board member for this booklet, chairman of the jabalpur branch of ‘anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu’. The Ghazal is fairly conventional, but I pick it as representative of the wide following that urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! This is one of several Ghazal modeled after “aaj Ghalib Ghazal-sara na hua”. The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model.
1
yuN to hone ko aaj kya na hua
aadmi ka magar bhala na hua What can not happen in the world i.e. nothing is impossible, but there has been no benefit/improvement in the human condition.
2
zaat1-e vaahid2 pe itni KhooNrezi3
Khairiyat4 hai ke doosra na hua 1.person, being 2.one, unique 3.bloodshed 4.well
So much bloodshed over one god. It is well that there was no other.
3
unhiN jhagRoN se rabt1 baaqi2 hai
aaj tak jin ka faisla3 na hua 1.connection, relationship 2.remains 3.decision, judgement
We are still fighting over the same issues that have never been decided/settled. This, and the previous she’r both allude to communal riots.
4
husn1-e dauraaN2 bhi kitna pur-fun3 hai
sub ka ho kar bhi ek ka na hua 1.beauty 2.world, times, era 3.skillful
How skillful is the beauty of the age. It belongs to everyone and yet does not belong to anyone.
5
aadmi ho ke aadmi to ban
aadmi se agar Khuda na hua You are human. At least acquire humanity if you cannot become divine i.e. you may not be able to achieve great virtue/divine status, but at least you can be human.
6
kya Khudaaii meN farq1 aane ko
ek sajda2 mera hua na hua 1.difference 2.prayerful prostration
What difference will it make to divinity, if it does not receive my obeisance/prostration.
7
us ke jiine meN kya maza mazhar
jis ko marne ka hausla1 na hua 1.courage
What use is life like this, O, mazhar, if you are not willing to die. This is a beautiful, defiant statement akin to legendary statements like ‘anal haq’ and Socrates drinking hemlock.
This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. premchandr srivastav mazhar, PhD, principal of a local college, editorial board member for this booklet, chairman of the jabalpur branch of ‘anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu’. The Ghazal is fairly conventional, but I pick it as representative of the wide following that urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! This is one of several Ghazal modeled after “aaj Ghalib Ghazal-sara na hua”. The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model.
1
yuN to hone ko aaj kya na hua
aadmi ka magar bhala na hua
What can not happen in the world i.e. nothing is impossible, but there has been no benefit/improvement in the human condition.
2
zaat1-e vaahid2 pe itni KhooNrezi3
Khairiyat4 hai ke doosra na hua
1.person, being 2.one, unique 3.bloodshed 4.well
So much bloodshed over one god. It is well that there was no other.
3
unhiN jhagRoN se rabt1 baaqi2 hai
aaj tak jin ka faisla3 na hua
1.connection, relationship 2.remains 3.decision, judgement
We are still fighting over the same issues that have never been decided/settled. This, and the previous she’r both allude to communal riots.
4
husn1-e dauraaN2 bhi kitna pur-fun3 hai
sub ka ho kar bhi ek ka na hua
1.beauty 2.world, times, era 3.skillful
How skillful is the beauty of the age. It belongs to everyone and yet does not belong to anyone.
5
aadmi ho ke aadmi to ban
aadmi se agar Khuda na hua
You are human. At least acquire humanity if you cannot become divine i.e. you may not be able to achieve great virtue/divine status, but at least you can be human.
6
kya Khudaaii meN farq1 aane ko
ek sajda2 mera hua na hua
1.difference 2.prayerful prostration
What difference will it make to divinity, if it does not receive my obeisance/prostration.
7
us ke jiine meN kya maza mazhar
jis ko marne ka hausla1 na hua
1.courage
What use is life like this, O, mazhar, if you are not willing to die. This is a beautiful, defiant statement akin to legendary statements like ‘anal haq’ and Socrates drinking hemlock.
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