For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اور کی یاد آئے کیوں ۔ س۔و۔بھجن طالبؔ شاہ آبادی
۱
کوئی مسیح کے سِوا دل میں میرے سمائے کیوں
روح پہ جو نہ چھا سکے قلب و نظر پہ چھائے کیوں
۲
میرے خیال میں بھی تو، میری نگاہ میں بھی تو
تیرے سوا مجھے کسی اور کی یاد آئے کیوں
۳
میری نظر ہے معتبر جب تیرے جذبِ شوق سے
کوئی جہاں کا بدنظر مجھ سے نظر ملائے کیوں
۴
تم ہی کمالِ حسن ہو تم ہی ہو اِنتہائے عشق
تم جسے یاد آ گئے وہ تمہیں بھول جائے کیوں
۵
رشتہ جہاں سے توڑ کر اپنی خودی کو چھوڑ کر
جو نہ صلیب اُٹھا سکے آپ سے دل لگائے کیوں
۶
شافعِ عاصیاں بھی تم مالک دو جہاں بھی تم
غیر کے آستاں پہ سر جا کے کوئی جھکائے کیوں
۷
طالبِؔ خستہ دوست ہیں اپنے مسیح ناضری
روئیے زار زار کیا کیجئیے ہائے ہائے کیوں
और की याद आये क्यूं – स-व-भजन तालिब शाह आबादी
१
कोई मसीह के सिवा दिल में मेरे समाए क्यूं
रूह पे जो न छा सके, क़ल्ब-ओ-नज़र पे छाए क्यूं
२
मेरे ख़याल में भी तू, मेरी निगाह में भी तू
तेरे सिवा मुझे किसी और की याद आए क्यूं
३
मेरी नज़र है मो’तबर जब तेरे जज़्ब-ए शौक़ से
कोई जहां का बद-नज़र मुझसे नज़र मिलाए क्यूं
४
तुम ही कमाल-ए हुस्न हो, तुम ही हो इन्तेहा-ए इश्क़
तुम जिसे याद आ गये, वो तुम्हें भूल जाए क्यूं
५
रिश्ता जहां से तोढ कर, अपनी ख़ुदी को छोढ कर
जो न सलीब उठा सके, आप से दिल लगाए क्यूं
६
शाफ़े’-ए आसियां भी तुम, मालिक-ए दो जहां भी तुम
ग़ैर के आस्तां पे सर जा के कोई झुकाए क्यूं
७
तालिब-ए ख़स्ता दोस्त हैं अपने मसीह-ए नाज़री
रोइये ज़ार-ज़ार क्या, कीजिये हाए-हाए क्यूं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sv bhajan taalib shaahabaadi (1924-xxxx) MA, MOL, PhD. PhD from tehraan university, research on chishtia order. Served as pastor in lukhnau, dehli and hyderabad. Grandfather had converted to Christianity. Worked in hyderabad for many years running the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies and translating the Bible into urdu. Family origins in multan, sialkoT and lahore. This is about his devotion to Jesus Christ composed in the zamiin of Ghalib linked both to n’aat-e masiihi and to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
koi masiih1 ke sivaa2 dil meN mere samaa’e3 kyuN
ruuh4 pe jo na chhaa5 sak’e, qalb-o-nazar6 pe chhaa’e5 kyuN 1.saviour, Christ 2.except for 3.fill 4.soul 5.spread over, cover 6.heart and sight/mind
Why should anyone except christ reside in my heart? How can something that fails to touch the soul dominate the heart and sight? Only that which transcends superficial appeal and reaches the soul deserves true reverence. The poet questions the worth of anything that fails to move the soul, implying that such things are unworthy of deep affection.
2
mere Khayaal1 meN bhi tuu, meri nigaah2 me bhi tuu
tere sivaa3 mujhe kisi aur ki yaad aa’e kyuN 1.thought 2.gaze 3.except for
You are in my thoughts; you are the focus of my gaze. Why should i remember anyone other than you?
3
mere Khayaal1 meN bhi tuu, meri nigaah2 me bhi tuu
tere sivaa3 mujhe kisi aur ki yaad aa’e kyuN 1.thought 2.gaze 3.except for
You are in my thoughts; you are the focus of my gaze. Why should i remember anyone other than you?
4
tum hi kamaal1-e husn2 ho, tum hi ho intehaa3-e ishq
tum jise yaad aa ga’e, vo tumheN bhool jaa’e kyuN 1.perfection 2.beauty 3.pinnacle
You are the perfection of beauty, you are the pinnacle of love. Why would anyone who who has thought of you once, ever forget you?
5
rishta1 jahaaN2 se toR3 kar, apni Khudi4 ko chhoR kar
jo na saliib5 uThaa sak’e, aap se dil lagaa’e kyuN 1.relation, connection 2.world 3.break 4.selfhood, ego 5.cross
Breaking ties with the world, forsaking the ego, why would someone unable to bear the cross give their heart to you? This she’r emphasizes the poet’s view that devotion and sacrifice are required to forge a true connection with the divine. Only those prepared to endure hardship (symbolized by the cross) can fully commit to such a profound love.
6
shaaf’e1-e aasiyaaN2 bhi tum, maalik3-e do-jahaaN4 bhi tum
Ghair5 ke aastaaN6 pe sar ja ke koi jhukaa’e kyuN 1.intercessor 2.sinners 3.master 4.both worlds 5.other 6.threshold
You are the intercessor for sinners, you are the master of both worlds. Why would anyone bow their head at someone else’s threshold?
7
taalib1-e Khasta2 dost haiN apne masiih-e-naazeri3
roiye zaar-zaar4 kya, kijiye haa’e-haa’e5 kyuN 1.pen-name 2.weary, broken 3.Jesus of Nazareth 4.profusely 5.lament, wail
taalib (the poet), though weary (with the burden of sin), has Christ of Nazareth as a friend. Why weep profusely, why wail in despair? This final she’r conveys a sense of solace and reassurance. Despite his weariness with the burden of sin, the poet finds strength in his connection to Christ.
sv bhajan taalib shaahabaadi (1924-xxxx) MA, MOL, PhD. PhD from tehraan university, research on chishtia order. Served as pastor in lukhnau, dehli and hyderabad. Grandfather had converted to Christianity. Worked in hyderabad for many years running the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies and translating the Bible into urdu. Family origins in multan, sialkoT and lahore. This is about his devotion to Jesus Christ composed in the zamiin of Ghalib linked both to n’aat-e masiihi and to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
koi masiih1 ke sivaa2 dil meN mere samaa’e3 kyuN
ruuh4 pe jo na chhaa5 sak’e, qalb-o-nazar6 pe chhaa’e5 kyuN
1.saviour, Christ 2.except for 3.fill 4.soul 5.spread over, cover 6.heart and sight/mind
Why should anyone except christ reside in my heart? How can something that fails to touch the soul dominate the heart and sight? Only that which transcends superficial appeal and reaches the soul deserves true reverence. The poet questions the worth of anything that fails to move the soul, implying that such things are unworthy of deep affection.
2
mere Khayaal1 meN bhi tuu, meri nigaah2 me bhi tuu
tere sivaa3 mujhe kisi aur ki yaad aa’e kyuN
1.thought 2.gaze 3.except for
You are in my thoughts; you are the focus of my gaze. Why should i remember anyone other than you?
3
meri nazar1 hai mo’tabar2 jab tere jazb3-e shauq4 se
koi jahaaN5 ka bad-nazar6 mujh se nazar milaa’e kyuN
1.sight, glance 2.credible, trustworthy 3.passion 4.love 5.world 6.one with an evil eye
My sight/belief is reliable, strengthened by the passion of my love for you. Why should anyone of this world with an evil eye (ill intention, disbelief) dare to meet my gaze/question my belief?
4
tum hi kamaal1-e husn2 ho, tum hi ho intehaa3-e ishq
tum jise yaad aa ga’e, vo tumheN bhool jaa’e kyuN
1.perfection 2.beauty 3.pinnacle
You are the perfection of beauty, you are the pinnacle of love. Why would anyone who who has thought of you once, ever forget you?
5
rishta1 jahaaN2 se toR3 kar, apni Khudi4 ko chhoR kar
jo na saliib5 uThaa sak’e, aap se dil lagaa’e kyuN
1.relation, connection 2.world 3.break 4.selfhood, ego 5.cross
Breaking ties with the world, forsaking the ego, why would someone unable to bear the cross give their heart to you? This she’r emphasizes the poet’s view that devotion and sacrifice are required to forge a true connection with the divine. Only those prepared to endure hardship (symbolized by the cross) can fully commit to such a profound love.
6
shaaf’e1-e aasiyaaN2 bhi tum, maalik3-e do-jahaaN4 bhi tum
Ghair5 ke aastaaN6 pe sar ja ke koi jhukaa’e kyuN
1.intercessor 2.sinners 3.master 4.both worlds 5.other 6.threshold
You are the intercessor for sinners, you are the master of both worlds. Why would anyone bow their head at someone else’s threshold?
7
taalib1-e Khasta2 dost haiN apne masiih-e-naazeri3
roiye zaar-zaar4 kya, kijiye haa’e-haa’e5 kyuN
1.pen-name 2.weary, broken 3.Jesus of Nazareth 4.profusely 5.lament, wail
taalib (the poet), though weary (with the burden of sin), has Christ of Nazareth as a friend. Why weep profusely, why wail in despair? This final she’r conveys a sense of solace and reassurance. Despite his weariness with the burden of sin, the poet finds strength in his connection to Christ.
