Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed taqi KhaaN havas (1766-1836), lukhnau, shaagird of mir hasan and mus’hafi. Cousin of nawab of awadh aasif-ud-daula. The earliest divan that I could find was 1896, but it did not include this Ghazal. Later hasrat mohani compiled his divan as a part of his monumental effort to preserve urdu literature. His compilation also does not include this Ghazal. A much later, 1983 publication of the kalaam of havas from an original but undated manuscript includes this Ghazal. It was selected and published by the urdu academy, UP. Ghalib’s Ghazal in this zamin was composed before 1821. It is difficult to date this Ghazal and say for sure whether it was composed before or after Ghalib. I have linked it to both Ghalib naqsh-e qadam and Ghalib peshrau ham-asr.
1
bekasi¹ hi ne na duniya ko taja² mere b’aad
Gham bhi marqad³ pe meri baiTh raha mere b’aad    1.helplessness, hopelessness 2.quit, leave 3.grave
The ‘hi’ in the first misra and ‘bhi’ in the second are used in the sense of “not only but also”. Thus, not only did Hopelessness not go anywhere, but also Sorrow also sat at my grave after me. Thus these two emotions, personified were exclusively meant for the poet. After him, they were so despondent that they did not leave his graveside.
2
tez¹ rakhiyo sar²-e har-Khaar³ ko aye dasht⁴-e junooN⁵
shaa’ed⁶ aa jaaye koii aabla-paa⁷ mere b’aad     1.sharp 2.head, point 3.every thorn 4.wilderness 5.passion 6.perhaps 7.blistered feet
In poetic tradition the frenzied lover wanders through the desert and gets blisters on his feet. Blisters are ripe for sharp thorns and tear open his wounds. Thus, the poet/lover calls upon the wilderness to keep every thorn sharp. Perhaps some other mad/passionate lover with blistered feet may wander through.
3
apne marne ka mujhe Gham nahiN par ye Gham hai
kaun hoga hadaf¹-e tiir-e balaa² mere b’aad   1.target 2.calamities, calumnies
I am not so concerned about my death, but I am worried about who will be the target of the arrows of calumny after me i.e. the poet/lover had been the favourite/exclusive target of the beloved’s arrows.
4
kya ajab¹ madfan²-e laila se jo nikle ye sada³
mere majnuN tera kya haal⁴ hua mere b’aad 1.unusual, surprising 2.grave 3.sound, call 4.condition
The poet/lover implies that he is the eternal majnuN, and laila considers him her lover and calls out in distress from her grave, bemoaning his condition.
5
maiN ne zindaaN¹ hi meN dii jaan, balaa² se meri
baaGh-e aalam³ meN rahi go⁴ ke fiza⁵ mere b’aad    1.prison, cage 2.used in the sense, what difference to me 3.world 4.even though 5.ambience
The poet/lover has lived his life like a caged bird. I lost my life in my cage. What difference does it make to me that what ambience (of joy) there is in the garden of the world after me.
6
jiite ji qadr¹ bashar² ki nahiN hoti pyaare
yaad aayegi tumheN meri vafa³ mere b’aad 1.value, appreciation 2.human, person 3.fidelity, steadfast love
A person is not valued while he is alive, but you will remember (and miss) my fidelity, after me.
7
ab to karte ho bahut lutf¹ o karam² tum laikin
bhool jaana na mujhe bahr-e-Khuda³ mere b’aad   1.consideration, grace, favours 2.kindness 3.for god’s sake
You are gracious, show favours and kindness towards me now, but for god’s sake, do not forget me, after I am gone.
8
uTh gaya maiN jo jahaan¹-e guzaraaN² se to havas³
Khaak⁴ chhaanegi⁵ bahut baad-e-saba⁶ mere b’aad    1.world 2.fast paced 3.pen-name of poet 4.dust 5.sift through 6.morning breeze
In usual poetic convention the morning breeze blows in the garden to wake buds up and make them bloom. Khaak chhaan-na can mean sift through the dust, but more usually means searching all over not knowing where to look. Thus, after the poet is “lifted out” of this fast paced world, the morning breeze will blow into the garden and not finding him will wander hither and thither not knowing where to look.