For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
آغازِ بیداری ۔ ۱۔ ۱۰ ۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
زہے جلالتِ دربارِ حضرتِ انساں
زمیں ہے چتر بہ دست آسماں عصا بردار
۲
زہے پیمبریِ شعلہ ہائے فکرِ جدید
تمام دیوتا ایندھن، دھواں تمام اوتار
۳
صنم کدوں میں کوئی یہ پکار کر کہہ دے
کہ ہو رہے ہیں بغاوت پہ برہمن تیار
۴
جو پائے وقت میں دورِ کہن نے ڈالی تھی
پگھل رہی ہے وہ زنجیرِ سبّحہ و زُنّار
۵
بہا چکا ہے زمیں پر جو خون کے دریا
قریبِ ختم ہے وہ دورِ کافر و دیںدار
۶
فضا پہ دنگ ہیں ماضی کی جملہ آوازیں
جدید ذہن کے جنبش میں ہیں لبِ گفتار
۷
حریمِ فکر سے رہ رہ کے آ رہی ہے صدا
کہ علم و فضل بہت سہل آگہی دشوار
۸
اُتر رہا ہے بہ سعیِ درایت و بُرہاں
بہ راہِ گوش چڑھایا گیا تھا کل جو بخار
۹
وہ حرفِ حق ہے زبانوں پر اب جو تھا کل تک
دلوں میں ساقِ نگاراں، زبان پر تلوار
۱۰
خوشا کے فاصلہ اب بڑھ رہا ہے روز بروز
میانِ منبرِ تبلیغِ عقل و تختۂ دار
आग़ाज़-ए बेदारी – १-१० – जोश मलीहआबादी
१
ज़हे जलालत-ए दरबार-ए हज़्रत-ए इंसां
ज़मीं है चत्र ब-दस्त आसमां असा-बरदार
२
ज़हे पै’अम्बरी-ए शो’ला-हा-ए फ़िक्र-ए जदीद
तमाम देवता ईंधन, धुआं तमाम अवतार
३
सनम-कदौं में कोई ये पुकार कर कह दे
के हो रहे हैं बग़ावत पे बरहमन तय्यार
४
जो पा-ए वक़्त में दौर-ए कुहन ने डाली थी
पिघल रही है वो ज़ंजीर-ए सब्बह ओ ज़ुन्नार
५
बहा चुका है ज़मीं पर जो ख़ून के दर्या
क़रीब-ए ख़त्म है वो दौर-ए काफ़ेर ओ दींदार
६
फ़ज़ा पे दंग हैं माज़ी की जुम्ला आवाज़ें
जदीद ज़हन के जुम्बिश में हैं लब-ए गुफ़्तार
७
हरीम-ए फ़िक्र से रह रह के आ रही है सदा
के इल्म ओ फ़ज़ल बहुत सहल आगही दुश्वार
८
उतर रहा है ब-स’ई-ए दिरायत ओ बुरहां
ब-राह-ए गोश चढ़ाया गया था कल जो बुख़ार
९
वो हर्फ़-ए हक़ है ज़बानों पर अब जो था कल तक
दिलों में साक़-ए निगारां, ज़बान पर तलवार
१०
ख़ुशा के फ़ासला अब बढ़ रहा है रोज़-ब-रोज़
मियान-ए मिंबर-ए तब्लीग़-ए अक़्ल ओ तख़्ता-ए दार
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this nazm, josh celebrates the dawn of intellect and its rebellion against orthodoxy.
1
zahe1 jalaalat2-e darbaar3-e hazrat4-e insaaN
zamiiN hai chatr6 ba-dast7 aasmaaN asaa-bardaar8 1.wonderful, bravo 2.glory 3.royal court 4.honoured, respected 6.royal umbrella 7.holding in hand 8.bearer of the royal mace
Bravo, the glory of the royal court of mankind, the earth holds up the royal umbrella and sky has been appointed the royal macebearer. This is symbolically about the increasing power of humanity – no longer superstitious, no longer afraid of the forces/mysteries of nature (earth and sky) but putting them to use.
2
zahe1 paiambarii2-e sho’la-haa3-e fikr4-e jadeed5
tamaam6 devta7 iindhan8, dhuaaN tamaam avtaar9 1.bravo 2.messages, teachings 3.flames 4.thought, reason 5.new 6.all 7.deities 8.fuel 9.manifestations, gods
Bravo to the message/teaching of new reasoning and thinking, all old deities and their manifestations become fuel to its flames. Deities and manifestations should be understood to apply to all superstitions and blind beliefs of all faiths.
3
sanam-kadoN1 meN koi ye pukaar2 kar kah de
keh ho rahe haiN baghaavat3 pe barhaman4 tayyaar5 1.idol-houses 2.loudly 3.rebellion 4.preachers, believers 5.getting ready
Here the ‘idols’ in ‘idol-houses’ are all deified beliefs, not necessarily just statues/idols, and ‘barhaman’ are purveyors/believers of any traditional beliefs. Thus, declare loudly in houses of deified beliefs that the believers are getting ready to rebel i.e. they are beginning to use their intellect.
4
jo paa1-e vaqt meN daur2-e kuhan3 ne Daali thi
pighal4 rahi hai vo zanjiir5-e subbah6 o zunnaar7 1.feet 2.age, times, period 3.ancient 4.melting 5.chain 6.tasbeeh thread, thread of prayer beads 7.hindu holy thread, janev
Here ‘paa-e vaqt’ is used to mean the progress of times. Thus, the ancient period had chained the feet of progress with chains of tasbeeh and janev threads. These are now melting, and humanity should be able to make progress.
5
bahaa chuka hai zamiiN par jo Khoon ke dariya1
qariib2-e Khatm3 hai vo daur4-e kaafir-o-diiNdaar5 1.rivers 2.near 3.end 4.period 5.non-believer and believer
The age of (inciting conflict between) believer and non-believer had already caused rivers of blood to flow. That age (of conflict) is near its end.
6
faza1 pe daNg2 haiN maazi3 ki jumla4 aavaazeN5
jadiid6 zahn7 ke jumbish8 meN haiN lab10-e guftaar11 1.air, atmosphere, surroundings 2.perplexed 3.past, ancient times 4.all, total 5.voices, calls 6.modern 7.mind, intellect 8.moving 10.lips 11.speech
The ‘voices of ancient times’ are those that create superstitions and conflicts. These voices all around are perplexed- they don’t know what to do, how to handle this new problem. The new problem is that the modern mind has begun to talk, its lips are moving and it is convincing people that old thinking was the cause of problems.
7
hariim1-e fikr2 se rah rah ke aa rahi hai sada3
keh ilm-o-fazl4 bahut sahl5, aagahi6 dushvaar7 1.sanctuary, private chamber 2.reason, logic, thinking 3.sound, call 4.(orthodox) learning and erudition as in ‘aalim o faazil 5.easy 6.knowledge, wisdom 7.difficult
From the sanctuary of reason, the call goes forth that it is easy to be schooled in orthodox belief systems but difficult to become knowledgable and wise.
8
utar1 raha hai ba-sa’ee2-e diraayat3 o burhaaN4
ba-raah5-e gosh6 chaRhaaya gaya tha kal jo buKhaar7 1.coming down 2.by the effort of 3.knowledge, wisdom 4.proof, logic 5.by way of 6.ears 7.fever
Yesterday (in past times), by way of ears (rote learning, repetition) a fever had been caused to rise. The fever is now coming down, by the effort of knowledge and logic.
9
voh harf1-e haq2 hai zabanoN3 par ab, jo tha kal tak
diloN meN saaq-e-nigaraaN4, zabaan par talvaar5 1.word 2.truth 3.tongues, lips 4.arms of beauties 5.sword
That which until yesterday was nurtured/hidden in delicate hands in the heart, has today become an open expression of the word of truth on lips and is being used as a sword to overcome ignorance. Thus, the word of truth had to be hidden and carefully handled in the heart until yesterday for fear of violent suppression. It has now come out in the open.
10
Khusha1 keh faasla2 ab baRh raha hai roz-ba-roz3
miyaan4-e mimbar5-e tableeGh6-e aql7 o taKhta8-e daar9 1.blessed, fortune 2.distance 3.day by day 4.short of darmiyaan, between 5.pulpit 6.preaching, teaching 7.intelligence 8.platform 9.hanging noose
How fortunate the distance between the pulpit of intelligence and teaching on the one hand and the hanging platform on the other is increasing day by day. This alludes to ancient practice of hanging, punishing by death, people who rebelled against orthodoxy a prime example in urdu poetry is masuur-al-hallaaj.
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is called shaa’er-e inqelaab, poet of change/revolution. He is very secular and nationalistic in his writings and rebels against orthodoxy. His range of language and vocabulary is simply amazing. He has written extensively about the beauty of dawn. His collection of nazm/Ghazal and rubaaii can be accessed both under the poet’s name and from the Theme Index, ‘jalva-e sahr’. In this nazm, josh celebrates the dawn of intellect and its rebellion against orthodoxy.
1
zahe1 jalaalat2-e darbaar3-e hazrat4-e insaaN
zamiiN hai chatr6 ba-dast7 aasmaaN asaa-bardaar8
1.wonderful, bravo 2.glory 3.royal court 4.honoured, respected 6.royal umbrella 7.holding in hand 8.bearer of the royal mace
Bravo, the glory of the royal court of mankind, the earth holds up the royal umbrella and sky has been appointed the royal macebearer. This is symbolically about the increasing power of humanity – no longer superstitious, no longer afraid of the forces/mysteries of nature (earth and sky) but putting them to use.
2
zahe1 paiambarii2-e sho’la-haa3-e fikr4-e jadeed5
tamaam6 devta7 iindhan8, dhuaaN tamaam avtaar9
1.bravo 2.messages, teachings 3.flames 4.thought, reason 5.new 6.all 7.deities 8.fuel 9.manifestations, gods
Bravo to the message/teaching of new reasoning and thinking, all old deities and their manifestations become fuel to its flames. Deities and manifestations should be understood to apply to all superstitions and blind beliefs of all faiths.
3
sanam-kadoN1 meN koi ye pukaar2 kar kah de
keh ho rahe haiN baghaavat3 pe barhaman4 tayyaar5
1.idol-houses 2.loudly 3.rebellion 4.preachers, believers 5.getting ready
Here the ‘idols’ in ‘idol-houses’ are all deified beliefs, not necessarily just statues/idols, and ‘barhaman’ are purveyors/believers of any traditional beliefs. Thus, declare loudly in houses of deified beliefs that the believers are getting ready to rebel i.e. they are beginning to use their intellect.
4
jo paa1-e vaqt meN daur2-e kuhan3 ne Daali thi
pighal4 rahi hai vo zanjiir5-e subbah6 o zunnaar7
1.feet 2.age, times, period 3.ancient 4.melting 5.chain 6.tasbeeh thread, thread of prayer beads 7.hindu holy thread, janev
Here ‘paa-e vaqt’ is used to mean the progress of times. Thus, the ancient period had chained the feet of progress with chains of tasbeeh and janev threads. These are now melting, and humanity should be able to make progress.
5
bahaa chuka hai zamiiN par jo Khoon ke dariya1
qariib2-e Khatm3 hai vo daur4-e kaafir-o-diiNdaar5
1.rivers 2.near 3.end 4.period 5.non-believer and believer
The age of (inciting conflict between) believer and non-believer had already caused rivers of blood to flow. That age (of conflict) is near its end.
6
faza1 pe daNg2 haiN maazi3 ki jumla4 aavaazeN5
jadiid6 zahn7 ke jumbish8 meN haiN lab10-e guftaar11
1.air, atmosphere, surroundings 2.perplexed 3.past, ancient times 4.all, total 5.voices, calls 6.modern 7.mind, intellect 8.moving 10.lips 11.speech
The ‘voices of ancient times’ are those that create superstitions and conflicts. These voices all around are perplexed- they don’t know what to do, how to handle this new problem. The new problem is that the modern mind has begun to talk, its lips are moving and it is convincing people that old thinking was the cause of problems.
7
hariim1-e fikr2 se rah rah ke aa rahi hai sada3
keh ilm-o-fazl4 bahut sahl5, aagahi6 dushvaar7
1.sanctuary, private chamber 2.reason, logic, thinking 3.sound, call 4.(orthodox) learning and erudition as in ‘aalim o faazil 5.easy 6.knowledge, wisdom 7.difficult
From the sanctuary of reason, the call goes forth that it is easy to be schooled in orthodox belief systems but difficult to become knowledgable and wise.
8
utar1 raha hai ba-sa’ee2-e diraayat3 o burhaaN4
ba-raah5-e gosh6 chaRhaaya gaya tha kal jo buKhaar7
1.coming down 2.by the effort of 3.knowledge, wisdom 4.proof, logic 5.by way of 6.ears 7.fever
Yesterday (in past times), by way of ears (rote learning, repetition) a fever had been caused to rise. The fever is now coming down, by the effort of knowledge and logic.
9
voh harf1-e haq2 hai zabanoN3 par ab, jo tha kal tak
diloN meN saaq-e-nigaraaN4, zabaan par talvaar5
1.word 2.truth 3.tongues, lips 4.arms of beauties 5.sword
That which until yesterday was nurtured/hidden in delicate hands in the heart, has today become an open expression of the word of truth on lips and is being used as a sword to overcome ignorance. Thus, the word of truth had to be hidden and carefully handled in the heart until yesterday for fear of violent suppression. It has now come out in the open.
10
Khusha1 keh faasla2 ab baRh raha hai roz-ba-roz3
miyaan4-e mimbar5-e tableeGh6-e aql7 o taKhta8-e daar9
1.blessed, fortune 2.distance 3.day by day 4.short of darmiyaan, between 5.pulpit 6.preaching, teaching 7.intelligence 8.platform 9.hanging noose
How fortunate the distance between the pulpit of intelligence and teaching on the one hand and the hanging platform on the other is increasing day by day. This alludes to ancient practice of hanging, punishing by death, people who rebelled against orthodoxy a prime example in urdu poetry is masuur-al-hallaaj.
