Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit javaahar nath saaqi (1864-1916) was born into a kashmiiri panDit family with a long history of serving the emperor starting with akbar. It also had an equally long list of urdu shu’ara. He himself lived under straitened conditions, like a jogi/sufi. He had the good fortune to receive advice/correction for his compositions from three of Ghalib’s shaagird – hargopal tufta, mohammed zakariah zaki, and qurbaan ali saalik. This Ghazal, in the style of Ghalib’s ‘aisa kahaaN se laauN keh tujh sa kaheN jise’, is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
saahib¹ nazar² hai mahv³-e tamaasha⁴ kaheN jis’e
voh ruu-ba-ruu⁵ hai aaina-siima⁶ kaheN jis’e 1.possessor 2.vision, sight 3.engrossed 4.viewing 5.face to face 6.reflected face
The one who is engrossed in viewing the spectacle/beauty (of creation) can be called possessor of vision. The one whose visage is reflected in the mirror of the heart is face to face with you. This is a mystical thought … the divine is reflected in the mirror of the heart and is face to face with you. The universe is a reflection of his being and the one who contemplates its beauty, can be thought of as a visionary who is contemplating the divine.
2
mauj¹-e Khayaal²-e ram³ ka tamaasha⁴ kaheN jis’e
madd-e-nazar⁵ hai daaman⁶-e sahra⁷ kaheN jis’e    1.wave 2.thought 3.running, wandering 4.spectacle 5.before the eyes 6.valley, expanse 7.wilderness, desert
mauj-e Khayaal-e ram can be thought of as wave upon wave of thoughts that can cause confusion – wandering can be unfocused, bewildering and confusing. The spectacle that we see before our eyes is like a vast wilderness, directionless and confusing, i.e., the universe is enchanting and unfathomably mysterious. We are merely looking at it from the edge of wilderness – daaman-e sahra.
3
voh jalva¹ noor²-e diida³-e moosa kaheN jis’e
mahjoob⁴ kis nazar⁵ se ho paida⁶ kaheN jis’e 1.manifestation, radiance, glory 2.light 3.eye 4.veiled, hidden 5.eye 6.appear, emerge
It is said that Moses/moosa went up mount tuur asking to see god. All he could see, after much insistence, was a flash of lightning. He fainted. Thus the manifestation/glory which was the light that the eye of moosa saw, the radiance of moses’ eye, how can it be veiled from any sight that has the capacity to make it appear? The ‘capacity to make divine glory appear’ is the capacity to see its reflection in all creation. Thus, it is the discerning eye that see the divine all around.
4
Ghaib¹ o shahood² o vahdat³ o kasrat⁴ ke raNg⁵ meN
saalik⁶ vahi hai ism-e-musamma⁷ kaheN jis’e 1.the unseen 2.the visible 3.unique, one 4.many, multiplicity 5.colour, style, shape 6.seeker on a spiritual path 7.the essence behind the name, true to the name
In the colours of the unseen, the visible, the one, and the many, the true seeker is one who recognizes the essence behind the name. The poet emphasizes that the true seeker perceives the underlying unity behind apparent diversity, understanding the divine essence beyond mere labels.
5
jaasoos¹ qalb²-e Khalvat³-e dil meN chhupa hua
voh jalva⁴-e butuuN⁵ hai mu’amma⁶ kaheN jis’e 1.detective, investigator, seeker 2.heart 3.solitude, sanctuary 4.glory 5.heart, mind, inner self 7.mystery, enigma
The seeker hidden within the sanctuary of the heart, is the inner glory that can be called an enigma/mystery. The seeker is the inner self. The act of seeking the divine in the inner self makes it glorious. This explores the hidden depths of the heart, where divine mysteries reside.
6
raNg¹-e nigaah² markaz³-e advaar⁴ ban gaya
Khaal⁵-e ruKh⁶-e nigaar⁷-e suvaida⁸ kaheN jis’e 1.colour, style 2.gaze 3.focus 4.ages, epochs, eras 5.mole 6.cheeks, face 7.beloved 8.black spot
The colour/style of the gaze has been the focus of the ages, the mole on the face of the beloved that is called a black spot. The beauty spot on the face of the beloved i.e. the beauty of the beloves has been the focus of attention. The beloved can be majaazi or haqiiqi i.e., worldly or spiritual. But considering the sufi/mystical contents of the whole Ghazal, I am inclined to intepret it as the beauty of the divine.
7
naagaah¹ jis ko jalva²-e diidaar³ ho gaya
voh aish⁴ hai keh aish-e muhayya⁵ kaheN jis’e 1.suddenly, unexpectedly 2.glory, manifestation 3.sight 4.joy 5.available
If someone unexpectedly catches a glimpse/sight of the glory of the (divine) beloved, then that joy can be called as a joy that has been made available to him/her. Thus, such a glimpse is a rare occurance, an enlightenment and the one who has received it can consider themselves blessed and chosen.
8
rindaan¹-e mast² ka hai voh ek jaam³-e vaazshguuN⁴
hadd⁵-e nigaah⁶ gumbad⁷-e meena⁸ kaheN jis’e 1.revellers 2.intoxicated, in a trance 3.cup 4.overturned, inverted 5.limits, boundaries 6.sight 7.dome 8.azure, blue
For the intoxicated revelers, it is like an overturned cup, the dome of the blue sky that is the limit of sight. This couplet beautifully captures the mystic’s view of the universe. The overturned cup suggests an outpouring of divine ecstasy, where the intoxicated ones see the vast sky as a vessel for endless joy and wonder, from which the wine of love has been poured out for them.
9
paimaana-nosh¹ saaqi²-e-sarmast³ aa gaye
jaam⁴-e sharaab ho lab⁵-e dariya⁶ kaheN jis’e 1.drinker of wine out of the goblet 2.pen-name, cupbearer 3.intoxicating 4.cup 5.lip, edge, shore 6.sea, ocean
The poet saaqi, joyfully informs wine drinkers/revelers that the cupbearer saaqi who provides intoxication has arrived with a cup of wine which can be called the edge of the ocean i.e., the rim of the cup is like a shoreline and the supply of wine is like the limitless ocean. The wine in the cup is mystical love.