For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نگاہ کو ایسی رسائی دے ۔ کشن بہاری نورؔ
۱
دینا ہے تو نگاہ کو ایسی رسائی دے
میں دیکھوں آئنہ تو مجھے تو دکھائی دے
۲
کاش ایسا تال میل سکوت و صدا میں ہو
اُس کو پکاروں میں تو اُسی کو سُنائی دے
۳
اے کاش اِس مقام پہ پہنچا دے اُس کا پیار
وہ کامیاب ہونے پہ مجھ کو بدھائی دے
۴
مجرم ہے سوچ سوچ گنہ گار سانس سانس
کوئی صفائی دے تو کہاں تک صفائی دے
۵
ہر آنے جانے والے سے باتیں تری سُنوں
یہ بھیک ہے بہت مجھے در کی گدائی دے
۶
یا یہ بتا کہ کیا ہے مرا مقصدِ حیات
یا زندگی کی قید سے مجھ کو رہائی دے
۷
کچھ احترام اپنی انا کا بھی نورؔ کر
یوں بات بات پر نہ کسی کی دہائی دے
निगाह को ऐसी रसाई दे – किशन बेहारी नूर
१
देना है तो निगाह को ऐसी रसाई दे
मैं देखुं आइना तो मुझे तू दिखाई दे
२
काश ऐसा ताल-मेल सुकूत-ओ-सदा में हो
उस को पुकारूँ मैं तो उसी को सुनाई दे
३
अए काश इस मक़ाम पे पहुँचा दे उस का प्यार
वो कामयाब होने पे मुझ को बधाई दे
४
मुज्रिम है सोच सोच गुनहगार साँस साँस
कोई सफ़ाई दे तो कहाँ तक सफ़ाई दे
५
हर आने जाने वाले से बातें तेरी सुनूँ
ये भीक है बहुत मुझे दर की गदाई दे
६
या ये बता के क्या है मेरा मक़्सद-ए हयात
या ज़िंदगी की क़ैद से मुझ को रेहाई दे
७
कुछ एहतेराम अपनी अना का भी नूर कर
यूँ बात बात पर न किसी की दुहाई दे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. kishan bihari noor (1926 – 2003), was born and grew up in lucknow. In a lot of his work he gracefully reaches across communal lines. He also was a great lover of urdu. This is one of series of Ghazal linked to “naGhma-saraaii de” in the “radeef-refrain” page.
1
denaa hai to nigaah1 ko aisi rasaaii2 de
maiN dekhuN aaiina to mujhe tu dikhaaii de 1.sight 2.reach
You, O god, have given me sight. Now that you have given me the ability to see, give me the ability to reach such ability that whenever I look into the mirror, I see you i.e. give me the ability to see divinity/your reflection in every human.
2
kaash1 aisaa taal-mel2 sukoot-o-sadaa3 meN ho
us ko pukaaruN maiN to usi ko sunaaii de 1.I pray, I wish 2.agreement, harmony 3.silence and sound
I pray that there be such harmony between silence and sound that when I call, only he/she be able to hear. This could be about the beloved or god i.e. only the beloved be able to hear his cry of love or only god be able to hear his prayers/cry for help.
3
aye kaash1 is maqaam2 pe pahuNchaa de us ka pyaar
vo kaamyaab3 hone pe mujh ko badhaaii4 de 1.I wish, I pray 2.stage 3.successful 4.congratulations
I pray that you help my love for her reach such a stage that it be successful, and you can congratulate me. Alternatively, “us ka pyaar” could be interpreted as the beloved’s love for the poet/lover.
4
mujrim1 hai soch-soch2 gunahgaar3 saaNs-saaNs4
koi safaaii5 de to kahaaN tak safaaii de 1.unlawful, criminal, sinner 2.every thought 3.sinner 4.every breath/moment 5.explanation
My every thought succumbs to temptation. With every breath, I commit a sin. If I were to offer an explanation, how far can my explanation go. Rather than make excuses, I should beg for forgiveness.
5
har aane jaane vaale se baateN teri sunooN
ye bhiik hai bahut mujhe dar1 ki gadaaii2 de 1.door 2.begging
It is enough that you give me permission to be a beggar at your door. From everyone who comes and goes from your door, I can hear about you. This can be addressed to god with the poet being a beggar at the door of a temple of mosque and hear about god from everyone who comes and goes. Or, it can also be interpreted as addressed to the beloved. The poet/lover at least wants to hear about her from rivals who come and go.
6
yaa ye bataa ke kyaa hai meraa maqsad1-e hayaat2
yaa zindagi ki qaid3 se mujh ko rehaaii4 de 1.purpose 2.life 3.confinement, bondage 4.release
O god, either tell me what the purpose of my life is, or release me from the bondage of this body. It is very conventional to think that god has a purpose designed for our life. For a different view see shahed-yuN hota to kya hota
hai ziist ka maqsad kya, allaah hi jaane hai
maqsad tu Khud apna, bana leta to kya hota
7
kuchh ehteraam1 apni anaa2 kaa bhi noor3 kar
yuuN baat-baat4 par na kisi ki duhaaii5 de 1.respect 2.sense of self 3.pen-name of the poet 4.every little thing 5.cry for help
Have some consideration for your own self-respect, O, noor. Do not cry out for help for every little thing.
kishan bihari noor (1926 – 2003), was born and grew up in lucknow. In a lot of his work he gracefully reaches across communal lines. He also was a great lover of urdu. This is one of series of Ghazal linked to “naGhma-saraaii de” in the “radeef-refrain” page.
1
denaa hai to nigaah1 ko aisi rasaaii2 de
maiN dekhuN aaiina to mujhe tu dikhaaii de
1.sight 2.reach
You, O god, have given me sight. Now that you have given me the ability to see, give me the ability to reach such ability that whenever I look into the mirror, I see you i.e. give me the ability to see divinity/your reflection in every human.
2
kaash1 aisaa taal-mel2 sukoot-o-sadaa3 meN ho
us ko pukaaruN maiN to usi ko sunaaii de
1.I pray, I wish 2.agreement, harmony 3.silence and sound
I pray that there be such harmony between silence and sound that when I call, only he/she be able to hear. This could be about the beloved or god i.e. only the beloved be able to hear his cry of love or only god be able to hear his prayers/cry for help.
3
aye kaash1 is maqaam2 pe pahuNchaa de us ka pyaar
vo kaamyaab3 hone pe mujh ko badhaaii4 de
1.I wish, I pray 2.stage 3.successful 4.congratulations
I pray that you help my love for her reach such a stage that it be successful, and you can congratulate me. Alternatively, “us ka pyaar” could be interpreted as the beloved’s love for the poet/lover.
4
mujrim1 hai soch-soch2 gunahgaar3 saaNs-saaNs4
koi safaaii5 de to kahaaN tak safaaii de
1.unlawful, criminal, sinner 2.every thought 3.sinner 4.every breath/moment 5.explanation
My every thought succumbs to temptation. With every breath, I commit a sin. If I were to offer an explanation, how far can my explanation go. Rather than make excuses, I should beg for forgiveness.
5
har aane jaane vaale se baateN teri sunooN
ye bhiik hai bahut mujhe dar1 ki gadaaii2 de
1.door 2.begging
It is enough that you give me permission to be a beggar at your door. From everyone who comes and goes from your door, I can hear about you. This can be addressed to god with the poet being a beggar at the door of a temple of mosque and hear about god from everyone who comes and goes. Or, it can also be interpreted as addressed to the beloved. The poet/lover at least wants to hear about her from rivals who come and go.
6
yaa ye bataa ke kyaa hai meraa maqsad1-e hayaat2
yaa zindagi ki qaid3 se mujh ko rehaaii4 de
1.purpose 2.life 3.confinement, bondage 4.release
O god, either tell me what the purpose of my life is, or release me from the bondage of this body. It is very conventional to think that god has a purpose designed for our life. For a different view see shahed-yuN hota to kya hota
hai ziist ka maqsad kya, allaah hi jaane hai
maqsad tu Khud apna, bana leta to kya hota
7
kuchh ehteraam1 apni anaa2 kaa bhi noor3 kar
yuuN baat-baat4 par na kisi ki duhaaii5 de
1.respect 2.sense of self 3.pen-name of the poet 4.every little thing 5.cry for help
Have some consideration for your own self-respect, O, noor. Do not cry out for help for every little thing.
