For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
انداز بیاں اور ۔ بالمُکُند عرشؔ ملسیانی
۱
دل اُن کا ہے کچھ اور تو ہے اُن کی زباں اور
کرتا ہوں یقیں جتنا میں بڑھتا ہے گُماں اور
۲
منزل کا جنوں ہے تو ہر اِک گام ہے منزل
مِٹتا ہے نشاں اُس کا تو ملتا ہے نشاں اور
۳
پروانے کے ماتم میں بجھی شمع یہ کہہ کر
تیرے لیے حاضر ہے یہ تھوڑا سا دھواں اور
۴
پُر درد جو دل ہیں اُنہیں روکو نہ فغاں سے
ہوتے ہیں یہ خاموش تو کرتے ہیں فغاں اور
۵
یا رب یہ سنا ہے وہ سمجھتے نہیں اُردو
دے اور دل اُن کو جو نہ دے مجھ کو زباں اور
۶
ہوتا ہے فزوں یاس میں سوزِ غمِ اُلفت
بُجھتا ہے تو ہوتا ہے یہ دل شعلہ فشاں اور
۷
اپنوں ہی سے تم عشق میں گھبرا گئے صاحب
اس راہ میں حائل ہیں ابھی سنگِ گراں اور
۸
دنیا میں تو ممنوع ہے جنت میں ہے جائز
کیا بات ہے واعظ کہ یہاں اور وہاں اور
۹
ہوتی ہے زباں بند تو کیا کچھ نہیں کہتی
رُکتی ہے یہ تلوار تو ہوتی ہے رواں اور
۱۰
اصنام تراشی بھی بڑی چیز ہے لیکن
ہے نازکیٔ کارگہہ شیشہ گراں اور
۱۱
کہنے کو تو اے عرشؔ سخن سنج ہیں ہم بھی
حق یہ ہے کہ غالبؔ کا ہے اندازِ بیاں اور
अंदाज़-ए बयाँ और – बालमुकुंद अर्श मल्सियानी
१
दिल उन का है कुछ और तो है उन की ज़बाँ और
करता हूँ यक़ीं जितना मैं बढ़ता है गुमाँ और
२
मंज़िल का जुनूँ है तो हर एक गाम है मंज़िल
मिटता है निशाँ उस का तो मिलता है निशाँ और
३
परवाने के मातम में बुझी शम’अ ये कह कर
तेरे लिए हाज़र है ये थोड़ा सा धुआँ और
४
पुर-दर्द जो दिल हैं उन्हें रोको न फ़ुग़ाँ से
होते हैं ये ख़ामोश तो करते हैं फ़ुग़ाँ और
५
यारब ये सुना है वो समझते नहीं उर्दू
दे और दिल उन को जो न दे मुझ को ज़बाँ और
६
होता है फ़ुज़ूँ यास में सोज़-ए ग़म-ए उल्फ़त
बुझता है तो होता है ये दिल शो’ला-फ़िशाँ और
७
अपनौं ही से तुम इश्क़ में घबरा गए साहब
इस राह में हाएल हैं अभी संग-ए गराँ और
८
दुनिया में तो मम्नू’अ है जन्नत में है जा’एज़
क्या बात है वा’एज़ के यहाँ और वहाँ और
९
होती है ज़बाँ बंद तो क्या कुछ नहीं कहती
रुकती है ये तल्वार तो होती है रवाँ और
१०
अस्नाम-तराशी भी बड़ी चीज़ है लैकिन
है नाज़ुकी-ए कारगह-ए शीशा-गराँ और
११
कहने को तो अए अर्श सुख़न-संज हैं हम भी
हक़ ये है के ग़ालिब का है अंदाज़-ए बयाँ और
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 Ghazal is composed in the same zamin as Ghalib’s Ghazal.
1
dil un ka hai kuchh aur to hai un ki zabaaN aur
karta huN yaqiN1 jitna maiN baRhta hai gumaaN2 aur 1.believe 2.doubt
This is about the beloved but it could also apply to political leaders making promises or to god on whose behalf orthodoxy makes promises. The beloved has something else in her heart (love of the rival), but something else on her lips (promises of fidelity). The more I believe what she says, the more doubts increase.
2
manzil1 ka junuN2 hai to har ek gaam hai manzil
miTta hai nishaaN3 us ka to milta hai nishaaN aur 1.destination, goal 2.passion 3.mark, pointer
If you have a passion for your goal then every step becomes a goal. If pointer is erased (if you lose direction), then another pointer emerges (because of your passion).
3
parvaane1 ke maatam2 meN bujhi sham’a ye kah kar
tere liye haazir3 hai ye thoRa sa dhuaaN aur 1.moth 2.mourning 3.offering
In poetic tradition the moth/parvaana is the lover and candle/sham’a is the beloved. The parvaana approaches the sham’a even at the risk of burning and actually gets burnt. The sham’a mourns the death of her lover (melting wax is like tear drops flowing down). Eventually, when the sham’a is burnt out and extinguished it give off a puff of smoke, making it as her final offering.
4
pur-dard1 jo dil haiN unheN roko na fuGhaaN2 se
hote haiN ye Khamosh to karte haiN fuGhaaN aur 1.full of pain (of love) 2.(loud) lamentation
Do not stop the hearts that are brimming with the pain of love from mourning/lamenting. If they are forcibly silenced, they will lament even more loudly.
5
yaarab1 ye suna hai vo samajhte nahiN urdu
de aur dil un ko jo na de mujh ko zabaaN aur 1.god
This is a humorous take on Ghalib’s own she’r.
yaarab na vo samjhe haiN na samjheNge meri baat
de aur dil un ko jo na de mujh ko zabaaN aur
Ghalib uses zabaaN to mean ability to express effectively. But the poet here uses it to mean language. Thus, I have heard that she does not understand urdu. O god, give her another heart (a more understanding/accepting heart) if you cannot give me the ability to speak another language.
6
hota hai fuzuN1 yaas2 meN soz3-e Gham-e ulfat4
bujhta5 hai to hota hai ye dil sho’la-fishaaN6 aur 1.increases 2.yearning, longing 3.fire, pain 4.love 5.extinguished, also put down, disappointed 6.flame spreading
In yearning for the beloved the fire of the sorrow of love increases. ‘bujhta’ is a nice play on words. When the heart is extinguished/disappointed/cast away then it burns even more and spread flames even higher.
7
apnoN hi se tum ishq1 meN ghabra gaye sahab
is raah2 meN haa’el3 haiN abhi saNg4-e garaaN5 aur 1.love 2.path 3.obstacles 4.stone, rock 5.heavy, big
Sir, you have become fearful even of friends in the realm of love. There are many more obstacles in this path. If you fear friends, how can you overcome the coming obstacles. I am not sure of the date of this Ghazal but I could interpret this as a reflection on communal relations. hindu and muslim have become fearful of each other when they have many more obstacles coming the path of love/independence.
8
duniya meN to mamnu’a1 hai jannat meN hai jaa’ez2
kya baat hai vaa’ez3 ke yahaaN aur vahaaN aur 1.forbidden 2.allowed 3.preacher
In popular islamic imagery there will be rivers of wine and honey flowing in heaven. But wine is forbidden. Thus says the poet, that which is forbidden here is allowed/available in heaven. Why is it O, preacher, that there is one rule here and the opposite over there.
9
hoti hai zabaaN band to kya kuchh nahiN kahti
rukti hai ye talvaar to hoti hai ravaaN1 aur 1.flow, move
This is a not so subtle dig at the anger of the beloved. If she holds her tongue in berating the poet/lover, she uses so many other tools. When this sword stops, it becomes even more sharp.
10
asnaam-taraashi1 bhi baRi chiiz hai laikin
hai naazuki2-e kaargah3-e shisha-garaaN4 aur 1.carving/sculpting idols 2.delicacy 3.workshop 4.glass blowers
In the poetic tradition glass/mirrors are fashioned out of stone. See for example, iqbal … man aanam ke az saNg aaiina saazam … I am the one who fashioned mirror out of rock. Thus says the poet sculpting idols is a fine thing but the delicacy of the work of glass makers is something else.
11
kahne ko to aye arsh1 suKhan-sanj2 haiN ham bhi
haq3 ye hai ke Ghalib ka hai andaaz4-e bayaaN5 aur 1.pen-name of poet 2.selected/expert in poetry 3.truth 4.style 5.speaking, versifying
It can be said that you too are an expert in poetry, O, arsh. But the truth is that Ghalib’s style of versification is ‘something else’.
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 Ghazal is composed in the same zamin as Ghalib’s Ghazal.
1
dil un ka hai kuchh aur to hai un ki zabaaN aur
karta huN yaqiN1 jitna maiN baRhta hai gumaaN2 aur
1.believe 2.doubt
This is about the beloved but it could also apply to political leaders making promises or to god on whose behalf orthodoxy makes promises. The beloved has something else in her heart (love of the rival), but something else on her lips (promises of fidelity). The more I believe what she says, the more doubts increase.
2
manzil1 ka junuN2 hai to har ek gaam hai manzil
miTta hai nishaaN3 us ka to milta hai nishaaN aur
1.destination, goal 2.passion 3.mark, pointer
If you have a passion for your goal then every step becomes a goal. If pointer is erased (if you lose direction), then another pointer emerges (because of your passion).
3
parvaane1 ke maatam2 meN bujhi sham’a ye kah kar
tere liye haazir3 hai ye thoRa sa dhuaaN aur
1.moth 2.mourning 3.offering
In poetic tradition the moth/parvaana is the lover and candle/sham’a is the beloved. The parvaana approaches the sham’a even at the risk of burning and actually gets burnt. The sham’a mourns the death of her lover (melting wax is like tear drops flowing down). Eventually, when the sham’a is burnt out and extinguished it give off a puff of smoke, making it as her final offering.
4
pur-dard1 jo dil haiN unheN roko na fuGhaaN2 se
hote haiN ye Khamosh to karte haiN fuGhaaN aur
1.full of pain (of love) 2.(loud) lamentation
Do not stop the hearts that are brimming with the pain of love from mourning/lamenting. If they are forcibly silenced, they will lament even more loudly.
5
yaarab1 ye suna hai vo samajhte nahiN urdu
de aur dil un ko jo na de mujh ko zabaaN aur
1.god
This is a humorous take on Ghalib’s own she’r.
yaarab na vo samjhe haiN na samjheNge meri baat
de aur dil un ko jo na de mujh ko zabaaN aur
Ghalib uses zabaaN to mean ability to express effectively. But the poet here uses it to mean language. Thus, I have heard that she does not understand urdu. O god, give her another heart (a more understanding/accepting heart) if you cannot give me the ability to speak another language.
6
hota hai fuzuN1 yaas2 meN soz3-e Gham-e ulfat4
bujhta5 hai to hota hai ye dil sho’la-fishaaN6 aur
1.increases 2.yearning, longing 3.fire, pain 4.love 5.extinguished, also put down, disappointed 6.flame spreading
In yearning for the beloved the fire of the sorrow of love increases. ‘bujhta’ is a nice play on words. When the heart is extinguished/disappointed/cast away then it burns even more and spread flames even higher.
7
apnoN hi se tum ishq1 meN ghabra gaye sahab
is raah2 meN haa’el3 haiN abhi saNg4-e garaaN5 aur
1.love 2.path 3.obstacles 4.stone, rock 5.heavy, big
Sir, you have become fearful even of friends in the realm of love. There are many more obstacles in this path. If you fear friends, how can you overcome the coming obstacles. I am not sure of the date of this Ghazal but I could interpret this as a reflection on communal relations. hindu and muslim have become fearful of each other when they have many more obstacles coming the path of love/independence.
8
duniya meN to mamnu’a1 hai jannat meN hai jaa’ez2
kya baat hai vaa’ez3 ke yahaaN aur vahaaN aur
1.forbidden 2.allowed 3.preacher
In popular islamic imagery there will be rivers of wine and honey flowing in heaven. But wine is forbidden. Thus says the poet, that which is forbidden here is allowed/available in heaven. Why is it O, preacher, that there is one rule here and the opposite over there.
9
hoti hai zabaaN band to kya kuchh nahiN kahti
rukti hai ye talvaar to hoti hai ravaaN1 aur
1.flow, move
This is a not so subtle dig at the anger of the beloved. If she holds her tongue in berating the poet/lover, she uses so many other tools. When this sword stops, it becomes even more sharp.
10
asnaam-taraashi1 bhi baRi chiiz hai laikin
hai naazuki2-e kaargah3-e shisha-garaaN4 aur
1.carving/sculpting idols 2.delicacy 3.workshop 4.glass blowers
In the poetic tradition glass/mirrors are fashioned out of stone. See for example, iqbal … man aanam ke az saNg aaiina saazam … I am the one who fashioned mirror out of rock. Thus says the poet sculpting idols is a fine thing but the delicacy of the work of glass makers is something else.
11
kahne ko to aye arsh1 suKhan-sanj2 haiN ham bhi
haq3 ye hai ke Ghalib ka hai andaaz4-e bayaaN5 aur
1.pen-name of poet 2.selected/expert in poetry 3.truth 4.style 5.speaking, versifying
It can be said that you too are an expert in poetry, O, arsh. But the truth is that Ghalib’s style of versification is ‘something else’.
