For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
زورِ قلم تیرے بعد ۔ رگھوبیر سرن دواکر راہیؔ
۱
جو منائیں گے تری موت کا غم تیرے بعد
وہی روندیں گے ترے نقشِ قدم تیرے بعد
۲
سب دہائی تو تیرے نام کی دیں گے لیکن
کون ڈھونڈھے گا ترے نقشِ قدم تیرے بعد
۳
اب تو مل جاتی ہے کچھ غم سے فراغت لیکن
تو نہ ہوگا تو کہاں جائیں گے ہم تیرے بعد
۴
تو نہ ہوگا تو تیری یاد تو ہوگی، اے دوست
ہم اُٹھائیں گے زمانے کے سِتم تیرے بعد
۵
لوگ جو چاہیں کہیں آج مگر اے راہیؔ
رنگ لائے گا ترا زورِ قلم تیرے بعد
ज़ोर-ए क़लम तेरे बाद – रघुबीर सरन दिवाकर राही
१
जो मनाएंगे तेरी मौत का ग़म तेरे बाद
वही रौंदेंगे तेरे नक़्श-ए क़दम तेरे बाद
२
सब दोहाई तो तेरे नाम कि देंगें लैकिन
कौन ढूंढेगा तेरे नक़्श-ए क़दम तेरे बाद
३
अब तो मिल जाती है कुछ ग़म से फ़राग़त लैकिन
तू न होगा तो कहां जाएंगे हम तेरे बाद
४
तू न होगा तो तेरी याद तो होगी अए दोस्त
हम उठाएंगे ज़माने के सितम तेरे बाद
५
लोग जो चाहें कहें आज मगर अए राही
रंग लाएगा तेरा ज़ोर-ए क़लम तेरे बाद
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raghubir saran divaakar raahi (1914-1968), rampur. Three Ghazal collection with hundreds of Ghazal in each. Born in amroha, learnt urdu and faarsi at school. BA, LLB from meeraTh. District Information Officer, UP. shaa’eri was on top of this ‘day job’. Posted to and retired in rampur, 1954 and started law practice. Editor of hindi magazines. Very secular and makes much fun of the shaiKh and brahman. This is one of a series of Ghazal linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’ and in particular to the refrain ‘lab-e saaqi meN salaa mere baad’, even though it has a slightly different refrain, it is composed in the same spirit.
1
jo manaayeNge1 teri maut2 ka Gham tere baad
vahi raundeNge3 tere naqsh-e-qadam4 tere baad 1.observe 2.death 3.trample, obliterate 4.footprints
Those who will observe the ceremony of mourning after your passing, will be the very people who will obliterate you footprints after you i.e. they will ignore you literary contributions.
2
sub duhaaii1 to tere naam ki deNge laikin
kaun DhooDhega tere naqsh-e-qadam2 tere baad 1.blessing 2.footprints
They will all chant a verse or two as a blessing, but who will search your footprints i.e. your legacy.
3
ab to mil jaati hai kuchh Gham se faraaGhat1 laikin
tuu na hoga to kahaaN jaayeNge hum tere baad 1.relief
The first two ash’aar were the poet speaking. This one is probably his friends speaking. For now we get some relief from sorrow (either because the poet is a friend/sympathizer or more likely because he is the exclusive target of sorrow, sparing the others). But after you are gone, where will we be i.e. they will have nobody to console them, or as in the second scenario, sorrow will now target them.
4
tu na hoga to teri yaad to hogi aye dost
hum uThaayeNge zamaane1 ke sitam2 tere baad 1.times, world 2.cruelty, oppression
This is a much clearer expression of fellow feeling by friends. When you are gone, we will at least have your memories, O friend. We will bear the burden of the cruelties of fate after you are gone.
5
log jo chaaheN kaheN aaj magar aye raahi1
raNg2 laayega tera zor-e-qalam3 tere baad 1.pen-name of the poet 2.raNg laana is an expression meaning, bear fruit, have an impact 3.power of the pen
People may say whatever they like today, O raahi. But the power of your pen will have an impact long after you are gone.
raghubir saran divaakar raahi (1914-1968), rampur. Three Ghazal collection with hundreds of Ghazal in each. Born in amroha, learnt urdu and faarsi at school. BA, LLB from meeraTh. District Information Officer, UP. shaa’eri was on top of this ‘day job’. Posted to and retired in rampur, 1954 and started law practice. Editor of hindi magazines. Very secular and makes much fun of the shaiKh and brahman. This is one of a series of Ghazal linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’ and in particular to the refrain ‘lab-e saaqi meN salaa mere baad’, even though it has a slightly different refrain, it is composed in the same spirit.
1
jo manaayeNge1 teri maut2 ka Gham tere baad
vahi raundeNge3 tere naqsh-e-qadam4 tere baad
1.observe 2.death 3.trample, obliterate 4.footprints
Those who will observe the ceremony of mourning after your passing, will be the very people who will obliterate you footprints after you i.e. they will ignore you literary contributions.
2
sub duhaaii1 to tere naam ki deNge laikin
kaun DhooDhega tere naqsh-e-qadam2 tere baad
1.blessing 2.footprints
They will all chant a verse or two as a blessing, but who will search your footprints i.e. your legacy.
3
ab to mil jaati hai kuchh Gham se faraaGhat1 laikin
tuu na hoga to kahaaN jaayeNge hum tere baad
1.relief
The first two ash’aar were the poet speaking. This one is probably his friends speaking. For now we get some relief from sorrow (either because the poet is a friend/sympathizer or more likely because he is the exclusive target of sorrow, sparing the others). But after you are gone, where will we be i.e. they will have nobody to console them, or as in the second scenario, sorrow will now target them.
4
tu na hoga to teri yaad to hogi aye dost
hum uThaayeNge zamaane1 ke sitam2 tere baad
1.times, world 2.cruelty, oppression
This is a much clearer expression of fellow feeling by friends. When you are gone, we will at least have your memories, O friend. We will bear the burden of the cruelties of fate after you are gone.
5
log jo chaaheN kaheN aaj magar aye raahi1
raNg2 laayega tera zor-e-qalam3 tere baad
1.pen-name of the poet 2.raNg laana is an expression meaning, bear fruit, have an impact 3.power of the pen
People may say whatever they like today, O raahi. But the power of your pen will have an impact long after you are gone.
