andaaz-e bayaaN aur – raina’s Ghalib

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

انداز بیاں اور   –  مرزا  غالب

١
ہے بسکہ ہر اک ان کے اشارے میں نشاں اور
کرتے ہیں محبّت تو گزرتا ہے گماں اور

٢

یا رب وہ نہ سمجھے ہیں نہ سمجھیں گے مری بات
دے اور دل ان کو جو نہ دے مجھ کو زباں اور

٣

ابرو سے ہے کیا اس نگۂ ناز کو  پیوند
ہے تیر مقرّر مگر اس کی ہے کماں اور

٤

تم شہر میں ہو تو ہمیں کیا غم جب اٹھینگے
لے آئینگے بازار سے جا کر دل و جاں اور

٥

ہر چند سبک دست ہوئے بت شکنی میں
ہم ہیں تو ابھی راہ میں ہے سنگِ گراں اور

٦

ہے خونِ جگر جوش میں دل کھول کے روتا
ہوتے جو کئی دیدۂ خونآبہ فشاں اور

٧

مرتا ہوں اس آواز پہ ہر چند سر اڑ جائے
جلّاد کو لیکن وہ کہے جائیں کہ ہاں اور

٨

لوگوں کو ہے خورشیدِ جہاں تاب کا دھوکا
ہر روز دکھاتا ہوں میں اک داغِ نہاں اور

٩

لیتا نہ اگر دل تمہیں دیتا کوئی دم چین
کرتا جو نہ مرتا کوئی دن آہ و فغاں اور

١٠

پاتے نہیں جب راہ تو چڑھ جاتے ہیں نالے
رکتی ہے مری طبع تو ہوتی ہے رواں اور

١١

ہیں اور بھی دنیا میں سخنور بہت اچّھے
کہتے ہیں کہ غالب کا ہے اندازِ بیاں اور

अंदाज़-ए बयां और- मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब

1

है बसकि हर इक उन के इशारे में निशां और
करते हैं मुहबबत तो गुज़रता है गुमां और

2

या रब वह न समझे हैं न समझेंगे मिरी बात
दे और दिल उन को जो न दे मुझ को ज़बां और

3

अबरू से है कया उस निगह-ए नाज़ को पैवनद
है तीर मुक़ररर मगर उस की है कमां और

4

तुम शहर में हो तो हमें कया ग़म जब उठेंगे
ले आएंगे बाज़ार से जा कर दिल-ओ-जां और

5

हर-चनद सुबुक-दसत हुए बुत-शिकनी में
हम हैं तो अभी राह में है सनग-ए गिरां और

6

है ख़ून-ए जिगर जोश में दिल खोल के रोता
होते जो कई दीदह-ए ख़ून-आबह-फ़िशां और

7

मरता हूं उस आवाज़ पह हर-चनद सर उड़ जाए
जललाद को लेकिन वह कहे जाएं कि हां और

8

लोगों को है ख़वुरशीद-ए जहां-ताब का धोका
हर रोज़ दिखाता हूं मैं इक दाग़-ए निहां और

9

लेता न अगर दिल तुमहें देता कोई दम चैन
करता जो न मरता कोई दिन आह-ओ-फ़ुग़ां और

10

पाते नहीं जब राह तो चढ़ जाते हैं नाले
रुकती है मेरी तब`अ तो होती है रवां और

11

हैं और भी दुनया में सुख़न-वर बहुत अचछे
कहते हैं कि ग़ालिब का है अंदाज़-ए बयां और

andaaz e bayaaN aur-mirza Ghalib

Click on any she’r for meanings and discussion.

1
hai baskih1 har ek un ke ishaare2 meN nishaaN3 aur
karte haiN muhabbat to guzartaa4 hai gumaaN5 aur
1.whereas, although 2.sign, point, glance 3.aim, purpose 4.passes through (my mind) 5.suspicion
There is something so different in her glance when she looks at me with affection, that I suspect that there is some other meaning in it.

2

yaarab1 vo na samjhe haiN na samjheNge merii baat
de aur dil un ko jo2 na de mujh ko zabaaN3 aur
1.god 2.or, or else 3.tongue, ability to speak
O god, she has never understood nor will ever understand me. The only cure is that either she gets a new heart (to love me) or I get a different way of speaking of my love before her. BUT THEN … “vo” can mean urdu poetry audience, fellow poets who have been critical of Ghalib for his difficult verses. They have never understood nor will ever understand my verse …

3
abruu1 se hai kyaa us nigah-e-naaz2 ko paivand3
hai tiir muqarrar4 magar5 us kii hai kamaaN aur
1.eye brow 2.playful/coquettish glance 3.connection 4.certain 5.perhaps
The glance as the arrow and eyebrow as the bow is an often used expression in Urdu poetry. But here the coquettish glance is so different that perhaps it has a different bow, something even more effective than the eyebrow. There are two ways to read the “kyaa” in the first misra … (a) as a question implying an answer “no”, saying that there is no relationship between glance and the eyebrow and (b) as admiring surprise saying look what a connection there is … .

4
tum shahr meN ho to hameN kyaa Gham jab uTheNge
le aaeNge baazaar se jaa kar dil-o-jaaN aur
She has come to town and all lovers are going to lose their hearts and lives. In anticipation of the loss, various lovers are selling off their hearts and lives in the bazaar and they are now readily available. The poet/lover is showing a false bravado – even if I lose my heart and life to you, I will go the bazaar and get a new set.

5
har-chand1 subuk-dast2 hue but-shikanii3 meN
hum4 haiN to abhii raah5 meN hai sang-e-giraaN6 aur
1.even though 2.light-handed, quick, agile 3.breaking idols, overcoming temptations/sins 4.we, our egos 5.in the way 6.heavy stones, obstacles
Though we have become expert at overcoming many temptations, as long as “we” are (we have egos – and ego is a heavy obstacle) obstacles will remain in our path.This she’r is laden with Sufi underpinning. “sang-e-giraaN” is the most difficult obstable in front of the poet/mystic. That is he has to erase himself/his ego before union with the beloved/god.

6
hai Khoon-e jigar josh meN dil khol ke rotaa
hote jo kaii diidah1-e Khoonaabah2-fishaaN3 aur
1.eye 2.blood dripping, bleeding 3.scattering, spreading
My blood boils, and I would have wept to my heart’s content if only I had a few more blood dripping eyes i.e.his passion towards the beloved is much more than he can express with his two eyes – much more than he can express with his pen.

7
martaa huuN us aavaaz pe har-chand1 sar uR jaae
jallaad2 ko laikin vo kahe jaaeN ke haaN aur
1.even though 2.executioner
The lover is still willing to die at the sound of her voice even if were to lose his head. And how does he hear her voice – she is calling out to the executioner and urging him to strike more.

8
logoN ko hai Khurshiid1-e jahaaN-taab2 ka dhokaa
har roz dikhaataa huN maiN ek daaGh-e-nihaaN3 aur
1.sun 2.world burning 3.hidden scar
The lover has many scars (in his heart) and they are all ablaze with passion so much so that they are mistaken for the bright sun. He has enough scars that he can show a new one every day.

9
letaa, na agar dil tumheN detaa, koii dam1 chayn2
kartaa, jo nah martaa, koii din aah-o-foGhaaN3 aur
1.for a moment 2.rest, respite 3.sighs and lamentations
If I had not given my heart to you, I might have been able to rest for a moment. If I had not died of love of you, I would have been able to sigh and weep for a few more days.

10
paate nahiiN jab raah1 to chaRh2 jaate haiN naale3
ruktii hai merii tab’a4 to hotii hai ravaaN5 aur
1.pathway 2.increase 3.lamentations 4.nature, temperament
If my lamentations/sorrows do not find an outlet then my passion increases. When my (poetic) temperament/nature is obstructed then the flow (of poetry) increases even more. Note the double meaning – “naale” is lamentations as well as flowing streams/drains. If the stream is stopped, it also bursts out of its banks just like lamentations.

11
haiN aur bhii duniya meN suKhan-var1 bahut achchhe
kahte haiN ke Ghalib kaa hai andaaz-e-bayaaN2 aur
1.people of “suKhan”, poets 2.way of speech/poetry
There are many poets in this world but they say that Ghalib’s poetry is “something else”.

andaaz e bayaaN aur-mirza Ghalib

1
hai baskih1 har ek un ke ishaare2 meN nishaaN3 aur
karte haiN muhabbat to guzartaa4 hai gumaaN5 aur

1.whereas, although 2.sign, point, glance 3.aim, purpose 4.passes through (my mind) 5.suspicion

There is something so different in her glance when she looks at me with affection, that I suspect that there is some other meaning in it.

2
yaarab1 vo na samjhe haiN na samjheNge merii baat
de aur dil un ko jo2 na de mujh ko zabaaN3 aur

1.god 2.or, or else 3.tongue, ability to speak

O god, she has never understood nor will ever understand me. The only cure is that either she gets a new heart (to love me) or I get a different way of speaking of my love before her. BUT THEN … “vo” can mean urdu poetry audience, fellow poets who have been critical of Ghalib for his difficult verses. They have never understood nor will ever understand my verse …

3
abruu1 se hai kyaa us nigah-e-naaz2 ko paivand3
hai tiir muqarrar4 magar5 us kii hai kamaaN aur

1.eye brow 2.playful/coquettish glance 3.connection 4.certain 5.perhaps

The glance as the arrow and eyebrow as the bow is an often used expression in Urdu poetry. But here the coquettish glance is so different that perhaps it has a different bow, something even more effective than the eyebrow. There are two ways to read the “kyaa” in the first misra … (a) as a question implying an answer “no”, saying that there is no relationship between glance and the eyebrow and (b) as admiring surprise saying look what a connection there is …

4
tum shahr meN ho to hameN kyaa Gham jab uTheNge
le aaeNge baazaar se jaa kar dil-o-jaaN aur

She has come to town and all lovers are going to lose their hearts and lives. In anticipation of the loss, various lovers are selling off their hearts and lives in the bazaar and they are now readily available. The poet/lover is showing a false bravado – even if I lose my heart and life to you, I will go the bazaar and get a new set.

5
har-chand1 subuk-dast2 hue but-shikanii3 meN
hum4 haiN to abhii raah5 meN hai sang-e-giraaN6 aur

1.even though 2.light-handed, quick, agile 3.breaking idols, overcoming temptations/sins 4.we, our egos 5.in the way 6.heavy stones, obstacles

Though we have become expert at overcoming many temptations, as long as “we” are (we have egos – and ego is a heavy obstacle) obstacles will remain in our path.This she’r is laden with Sufi underpinning. “sang-e-giraaN” is the most difficult obstable in front of the poet/mystic. That is he has to erase himself/his ego before union with the beloved/god.

6
hai Khoon-e jigar josh meN dil khol ke rotaa
hote jo kaii diidah1-e Khoonaabah2-fishaaN3 aur

1.eye 2.blood dripping, bleeding 3.scattering, spreading

My blood boils, and I would have wept to my heart’s content if only I had a few more blood dripping eyes i.e.his passion towards the beloved is much more than he can express with his two eyes – much more than he can express with his pen.

7
martaa huuN us aavaaz pe har-chand1 sar uR jaae
jallaad2 ko laikin vo kahe jaaeN ke haaN aur

1.even though 2.executioner

The lover is still willing to die at the sound of her voice even if were to lose his head. And how does he hear her voice – she is calling out to the executioner and urging him to strike more.

8
logoN ko hai Khurshiid1-e jahaaN-taab2 ka dhokaa
har roz dikhaataa huN maiN ek daaGh-e-nihaaN3 aur

1.sun 2.world burning 3.hidden scar

The lover has many scars (in his heart) and they are all ablaze with passion so much so that they are mistaken for the bright sun. He has enough scars that he can show a new one every day.

9
letaa, na agar dil tumheN detaa, koii dam1 chayn2
kartaa, jo nah martaa, koii din aah-o-foGhaaN3 aur

1.for a moment 2.rest, respite 3.sighs and lamentations

If I had not given my heart to you, I might have been able to rest for a moment. If I had not died of love of you, I would have been able to sigh and weep for a few more days.

10
paate nahiiN jab raah1 to chaRh2 jaate haiN naale3
ruktii hai merii tab’a4 to hotii hai ravaaN5 aur

1.pathway 2.increase 3.lamentations 4.nature, temperament

If my lamentations/sorrows do not find an outlet then my passion increases. When my (poetic) temperament/nature is obstructed then the flow (of poetry) increases even more. Note the double meaning – “naale” is lamentations as well as flowing streams/drains. If the stream is stopped, it also bursts out of its banks just like lamentations.

11
haiN aur bhii duniya meN suKhan-var1 bahut achchhe
kahte haiN ke Ghalib kaa hai andaaz-e-bayaaN2 aur

1.people of “suKhan”, poets 2.way of speech/poetry

There are many poets in this world but they say that Ghalib’s poetry is “something else”.

andaaz e bayaaN aur – Raina’s Rendition

2
In vain have I my soul expressed and all my dirges sung
Bestow her a better heart, O god, or me a better tongue
5
There is yet a mighty obstacle ere my worship should attain
For the vision must be blurred at best should consciousness remain
6
The surging art of sharp despair all restraint defies
Oh I should have wept with vigorous zeal but for this paucity of eyes
8
Every morn do I disclose a fresh wound to the world
Alas, that they should mistake, each for the golden dawn unfurled
11
Poets populate this land in competent array
But, “How different Ghalib’s wizardry!”, is what people say

One comment:

  1. Thank you for putting me on your mailing list. I enjoy reading and sometimes listening to the guzzles. Tai from Cleveland, Ohio

Comments are closed.