Click here for overall comments and on any stanza for meanings and discussion.  The following eleven stanzas are rich with poetic exaggertion designed to cater to the emotions of the faithful. Some border on being inciteful. But they are linguistically and rhythmically beautiful. As always my translation cannot do justice to the original and it is best to go back and forth and always go back to the original.

Stanza 55

allah allah vo maidan¹ meN taqrir e imam
narm lahje² meN khanakte hue firdaus³ ke jaam4³
yuN murattib⁵ tha lab e Khushk⁶ pe shadaab⁷ kalam⁸
jada e vahi⁹ pe jis tarah nubuvvat¹⁰ ka Kharaam¹¹
baat meN lahr¹² ba eeN¹³ tishna labi¹⁴ aati thi
boo e anfaas¹⁵ e rasool e arabi aati thi1.field (of battle) 2. soft accents 3. paradise 4. wine) cups 5. composed, written/spoken 6. dry lips 7. fertile, irrigated 8. spoken word 9. path of revelation 10. prophethood (Mohammed) 11. gait 12. waves (of water) 13. in spite of 14. thirst 15. breath
By god, the speech of the imam on the battlefield with his soft accent like the tinkling of winecups of heaven and his liquid speech belying his dry lips, his words following the path of revelation of the prophet. His words satiating, in spite of his thirst. His breath reflecting the breath of rasool.

Stanza 56

zahn¹ bahre² the Khitabat³ na hui baaraavar⁴
ras ki boondoN⁵ ko bhala jazb⁶ kare kya patthar
tabl⁷ par choT paRi dasht⁸ hua zer o zabar⁹
baandh li aal e mohammed¹⁰ ne bhi marne pe kamar¹¹
phir to ek barq e tapaN¹² janib¹³ e ashraar¹⁴ chali
na chali baat to phir dhoom se talvar chali1.mind 2. deaf 3. speech 4. effective 5. drop of juice – metaphorically, words of wisdom 6. absorb 7.drum 8. world 9. topsy turvy 10. the progeny of Mohammed 11. determined 12. fiery lightning 13. towards 14. evil ones
Words failed to penetrate closed minds. How can hard stone absorb sweet elixir. The battle drums sounded and hell broke loose. The family of Mohammed was ready to die. It was as if fierce lightning descended on evil. When words failed, the sword went into action.

Stanza 57

din meN harchand¹ ke tha dabdaba² e qaisar o jam³
lashkar⁴ o damdama⁵ o tantana⁶ o ro’ab⁷ o hasham⁸
dushna⁹ o Khanjar o teer o tabar¹⁰ o teGh¹¹ o alam¹²
laRkhaRaye¹³ na mohammed ke navase ke qadam
sar e ashraar¹⁴ se maidan e daGha paaT¹⁵ diya
teGh e burraN¹⁶ ka rag e jaaN¹⁷ se gala kaaT diya1.although 2. pomp, awe 3. Ceasar and Jamshed (powerful kings) 4. army 5. entrenchment 6. sounds of war 7. awe, fear 8. retinue of servants (used to mean grandeur) 9. knife 10. hatchet 11. sword 12. standard, banner 13. stumbling because of fear 14. heads of evil ones 15. to cover the field 16. sharp sword 17. jugular vein
Even though there was feasome pomp awe, drum roll, bugle, storming hordes and royal show, dagger, knife, mace, club, sword, lance, bow and arrow, the grandson of Mohammed was steadfast in his resolve. Heads of evil mongers flew in the battlefield. His jugular vein was truimphant over the sharp edged sword.

Stanza 58

yuN chali kishti e qulzum shikan¹ e tishna labaN²
tham gaya shor e hava³, ruk gayi nabz⁴ e toofaN
inkesaar⁵ e dil e shabbir⁶ ne zah ki jo kamaaN⁷
haath bhar muNh se nikal⁸ aaii takabbur⁹ ki zabaN
pushta¹⁰ e dajla¹¹ e tuGhyaan e sitam¹² TooT gaya
naa’u Takraai to girdaab¹³ ka dam TooT gaya1.breaking/conquering the ocean 2. thirsty people 3. noise of the wind 4. pulse 5. humility ( having no alternative) 6. another name of Husain 7. to string a bow 8. get tired/out of breath 9. conceit 10. dyke 11. River Tigris” 12. flood/storm of oppression 13. whirlpool The boat of the thirsty ones sailed into the stormy ocean and stopped the fierce wind, calmed the pulse of the storm. When at last Husain got ready for battle the tongue of Evil hung out a foot long. It broke the back of the gathering storm. The whirlpool lost its strength as the boat entered.

Stanza 59

taj ne aal e mohammed pe jo roka pani
pyas ke abr se yuN TooT ke barsa pani
be dhaRak¹ qasr² e hukoomat meN dar aaya³ pani
ho gaya sar se shahanshah ke ooNcha pani
tajdari ma’e⁴ e aurang⁵ o nagiN⁶ Doob gayi
aasmaN⁷ se jo laRi thi vo zamiN⁷ Doob gayi1.without hesitation 2. palace 3. to force an entry 4. along with 5. throne 6. jewels 7. sky (metaphor for morally high, righteous – Husain) 8. earth (low – morally low, or evil – Yazid)
When water was withheld from the house of Mohammed a “cloud of thirst” burst forth in flood engulfing the fortress of power. The flood reached higher than the head of the king drowing royalty with all its throne and treasure. The power that dared challenge justice was drowned.

Stanza 60

joo e KhooN¹ meN jo dileroN² ke safeene³ aaye
chand pyase jo lahu maut ka peene⁴ aaye
mard jab sar se kafan bandh⁵ ke jeene aaye
shahryari ko pasine pe pasine aaye⁶
nabz⁷ e aaqai⁸ o iblees e havas chhooT⁹ gayii
faqr¹⁰ ki zarb¹¹ se shaahi ki kamar TooT gayii1.river of blood 2. brave 3. boat 4. to struggle/resist to death 5. wearing burial shroud (prepared to die) 6. to sweat with fear 7. lose your pulse(with fear) 8. lordship 9. satan of greed 10. poverty, piety 11. strike When the boat of the brave sailed into the river of blood. When a few thirsty ones came forth to taste of death. When the brave came forward prepared to die, royalty broke out in cold sweat. Power hungry royalty lost its nerve. The blow of the righteous broke the imperial back.

Stanza 61

vo lab e fasq¹ pe tableeGh² navahi na rahi
nasha e kibr³ ki vo mast jamahi⁴ na rahi
zauq⁵ e bai’at⁶ ki jilau⁷ meN vo tabahi na rahi
taau moochhoN pe jo deti⁸ thi vo shahi na rahi
hasham⁹ e qaisari¹⁰ o farr e kayani¹¹ na raha
pyaas ki dhoop se talwar meN pani¹² na raha1.sinfulness 2. spreading the word, preaching 3. intoxication of pride/power 4. disdainful yawn 5. taste, fervour 6. allegiance 7. with, accompanied by 8. upturned mustache (bragging) 9. grandeur 10. royal power 11. glory/pomp of royalty 12. sharpness of the sword
The lips of Evil could no longer speak from the pulpit. The intoxication of power could no longer disdainfully ignore (the demand for justice). The demand for alliegance no longer commanded fear. Moustache twirling royalty lost its grandeur. The pomp of royalty, the grandeur of power was gone. With the onslaught of thirst, the sharpness of the sword was gone.

Stanza 62

allah allah jahaN kob¹ husaini ashaab²
jin ke darya e shujaat³ meN do aalam⁴ Gharqaab⁵
akbar⁶ o ibn e mazahar⁷ ka nahiN koi javab
vo laRakpan ki javani ye buRhape ka shabab⁸
donoN jaaN baz⁹ the donoN hi jari¹⁰, kya kahna
masha’al e shaam¹¹ o chiraGh e sahri¹² kya kahna1.world conquering 2. friends 3. river of courage 4.two (both) worlds (here and hereafter) 5. drowned 6. Husain’s eighteen year old son also killed in Karbala 7. an aged follower of Husain 8. youthfulness 9. willingly wage their life 10. brave 11. evening torch (old man in his dying days) 12. morning lamp (youth with a full life ahead)
By god, those world conquering friends of Husain whose ocean of valour prevailed over both worlds. Akbar and ibn e Mazahar had no equals, one a budding youth, the other valiant age. Both prepared to die, both brave, what an example, one the lamp of dawn, the other the torch of evening.

Stanza 63

qatra e dil¹ meN liye aek samandar² the husain
zaat e vahid³ meN sameTe⁴ hue lashkar⁵ the husain
deen⁶ e aadab e rifaqat⁷ ke paiamber⁸ the husain
jaan dene ko jab aaye to bahattar⁹ the husain
sar farishtoN ke yahaN aaj bhi Kham hote haiN¹⁰
aise insaan rasooloN meN bhi kam hote haiN1.drop of blood 2. sea, ocean 3. in one existence 4. gathered, included 5. army 6. faith 7. traditions of friendship 8. messenger 9. seventy two (refers to the 72 of Husain’s party killed in Karbala) 10. bow down
In every drop of his blood, Husain carried an ocean. In his one person, he carried a swarm. He was the exemplar of the culture of solidarity. When it came to laying down life, he was (not one but) seventy two. Even angels bow down at this place. Such men are not common even among prophets.

Stanza 64

haif¹ jis qaum² ka sultan³ ho aisa insaan
vo rahe Khasta⁴, pareshan, mua’ttal⁵, hairan⁶
na sharar bar⁷ tarangeN⁸ na dahakte⁹ armaan¹⁰
jis ke aankheN faqat aabad hoN¹¹ seene veeran¹²
himmat o jur’at¹³ o eesar¹⁴ o vafa¹⁵ kuchh bhi nahiN
zikr e maula pe karahoN¹⁶ ke siva kuchh bhi nahiN1.alas 2. community 3. leader 4. crumbly, brittle 5. suspended 6. puzzled, undecided 7. raining sparks 8. passion 9. glowing 10. desire 11. literally eyes are populated(shedding tears for Husain) 12. desolate, empty 13. daring 14. consideration/preference for others, sacrifice 15. keeping faith, commitment 16. moan
Alas, the community whose leader is such a man is frail, divided, stagnant and puzzled. No shining passion, no glowing desires, whose eyes brim with tears but whose bosom is barren. Courage, daring, sacrifice or faith they have none, nothing except moaning and crying at the story of Husain.

Stanza 65

zindagi sho’la¹ e javvala² hai gulzaar nahiN
maut ka ghaaT hai ye, misr ka bazaar³ nahiN
apne aaqa⁴ ki ta’ssi⁵ pe jo tayyar nahiN
zinda rahne ka vo insaan sazavaar nahiN
jo husaini bhi ho aur maut se bhi Darta hai
haaN vo tauheen⁶ e husain ibn e ali karta hai1.flame 2. fast moving, spinning 3. market of Egypt (metaphor to mean pleasure bazaar) 4. leader 5. follow example, obey 6. insult
Life is a flaming volcano, not just a garden. Life is the gallows of death, not just a luxurious bazar. He who does not follow the example of his leader is not fit to suffer the privelege of living. He who claims to be Husaini but is also afraid of death, he insults the memory of Husain.