For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
باعثِ تخلیقِ اِنساں ہو گئیں ۔ ہیرا لال فلکؔ دہلوی
۱
شب کو جب دیکھا تو گردوں سے گریزاں ہو گئیں
شمس کی کرنیں بھی تاریکی میں پنہاں ہو گئیں
۲
بستیاں میری تمنّاؤں کی ویراں ہو گئیں
جانے کیا کیا ہستیاں نظروں سے پنہاں ہو گئیں
۳
ہائے وہ گل جس کو گلشن سے جدا ہونا پڑا
پتّیاں مرجھا کے ٹوٹیں اور پریشاں ہو گئیں
۴
تم تو آ بیٹھے ہو گھر میں دل کسی کا توڑ کر
تم کو اُن کی کیا خبر آنکھیں جو گریاں ہو گئیں
۵
اُس کے کوچے میں چلا ہوں لے کے دل پھر ایک بار
جس کی نظریں میرے حق میں تیر و پیکاں ہو گئیں
۶
یہ بتانے کو کہ ہم پر رنگ ہیں بکھرے ہوئے
شمس کی رنگینیاں پھولوں میں عریاں ہو گئیں
۷
تول کر پر جو بھی ٹکرایا در و دیوار سے
ہِمّتیں اُس کی علاجِ قیدِ زنداں ہو گئیں
۸
خضر اپنا راہِ اُلفت میں قدم رکھ کر تو دیکھ
منزلیں ہی وہ نہیں ہوں گی جو آساں ہو گئیں
۹
خاک سے آب و ہوا یا آگ سے اُٹّھیں فلکؔ
وہ ضِدیں جو باعثِ تخلیقِ اِنساں ہو گئیں
बा’अस-ए तख़्लीक़-ए इन्सां हो गईं – हीरा लाल फ़लक देहलवी
१
शब को जब देखा तो गर्दूं से गुरेज़ां हो गईं
शम्स की किरनें भी तारीकी में पिन्हां हो गईं
२
बस्तिया मेरी तमन्नाऔं कि वीरां हो गईं
जाने क्या क्या हस्तियां नज़्रौं से पिन्हां हो गईं
३
हाए वो गुल, जिस को गुल्शन से जुदा होना पढा
पत्तियां मुर्झा के टूटीं और परेशां हो गईं
४
तुम तो आ बैठे हो घर में दिल किसी का तोढ कर
तुम को उन की क्या ख़बर आंखें जो गिर्यां हो गईं
५
उस के कूचे में चला हुं ले के दिल फिर एक बार
जिस की नज़्रें मेरे हक़ में तीर ओ पैकां हो गईं
६
ये बताने को के हम पर रंग हैं बीख्रे हुए
शम्स की रंगीनियां फूलौं में उर्यां हो गईं
७
तोल कर पर जो भी टक्राया दर ओ दीवार से
हिम्मतें उस की इलाज-ए क़ैद-ए ज़िन्दां हो गईं
८
ख़िज़्र अपना राह-ए उल्फ़त में क़दम रख कर तो देख
मंज़िलें हि वो नहीं होंगी जो आसां हो गईं
९
ख़ाक से, आब ओ हवा, या आग से उट्ठें फ़लक
वो ज़िदें जो बा’अस-ए तख़लीक़-ए इन्सां हो गईं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. heera lal falak dehlavi (1920?-1982+?). I can only make an educated guess about his birth and death. A collection of his Ghazal was published posthumously in 1982 by his shaagird. The book mentions beKhud dehlavi (1863-1955) as his ‘inspirational ustaad’ and dedicates it to him. He was a minor official in the dehli court system. In the book he describes his encounter with beKhud dehlavi when he (falak) was still a young man. The book says that he started composing in 1940. He has several Ghazal composed in the zamin of Ghalib, this is one of a series linked to the corresponding radeef in ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’. It also is a part of a sub-grouping of ustaad-shaagird chains. daaGh dehlavi can be considered to be a ‘shaagird in spirit’ of Ghalib, beKhud dehlavi was a shaagird of daaGh and heera lal falak of beKhud. See Ghazal in the same radeef by all three.
1
shab1 ko jab dekha to garduuN2 se gurezaaN3 ho gaiiN
shams4 ki kirneN bhi taariiki5 meN pinhaaN6 ho gaiiN 1.evening, night 2.sky 3.run away, depart 4.sun 5.darkness 6.hidden
This is a straightforward statement about the disappearance of the rays of sun from the sky at night. I don’t see any deeper meaning in it – just a nice construction using the radeef/qaafiya of Ghalib’s Ghazal.
2
bastiyaaN1 meri tamannaaoN2 ki viiraaN3 ho gaiiN
jaane4 kya kya hastiyaaN5 nazroN6 se pinhaaN7 ho gaiiN 1.settlements, homes 2.desires 3.desolate 4.kaun jaane, who knows 5.personalities 6.eyes 7.hidden
The poet mourns the passing of his elders. His hopes and desires are associated with them. When they pass away, the home of desires becomes desolate. Who knows how many personalities are now hidden from my eyes.
3
haaye1 vo gul2, jis ko gulshan3 se juda4 hona paRa
pattiyaaN murjha5 ke TooTiiN aur pareshaaN6 ho gaiiN 1.alas, pity 2.rose 3.garden 4.separate, depart 5.wilt, dry up 6.scatter
Pity the rose that has to depart the garden (picked before its time by the flower picker). Its petals wilt, fall off and scatter.
4
tum to aa baiThe ho ghar meN dil kisii ka toR kar
tum ko un ki kya Khabar1 aaNkheN jo giryaaN2 ho gaiiN 1.news, awareness, knowledge 2.weeping
You, O beloved, have come back home, breaking somone’s (the poet/lover’s) heart. Are you even aware of the eyes that you have caused to shed tears.
5
us ke kooche1 meN chala huN le ke dil phir ek baar
jis ki nazreN2 mere haq3 meN tiir o paikaaN4 ho gaiiN 1.lane 2.glances 3.for me 4.sharp tip of an arrow
I return once again to the lane of the one whose glances have been like sharp arrow for me.
6
ye bataane ko keh hum par raNg haiN bikhre1 hue
shams2 ki raNgiiniyaaN phooloN meN uryaaN3 ho gaiiN 1.scattered, spread 2.sun 3.naked, unveiled, visible
There are many colours scattered in the rays of the sun. Just to show off that they have so many colours, they unveil themselves among flowers i.e., flowers derive their colours from the sun.
7
tol kar par1 jo bhi Takraaya dar2 o diivaar se
himmateN3 us ki ilaaj4-e qaid5-e zindaaN6 ho gaiiN 1.par tolna is an expression meaning poised to take flight 2.door 3.courage 4.cure, remedy 5.confinement 6.prison, cage
The imagery of a bird getting ready for flight is used to mean a human ready to fight (even in prison). The courage of the bird that takes wing and bangs against the door and walls becomes the cure of its confinement in the cage.
8
Khizr1, apna raah2-e ulfat3 meN qadam4 rakh kar to dekh
manzileN4 hi vo nahiN hoNgi jo aasaaN ho gaiiN 1.legendary wise man – see notes 2.path 3.love 4.step 5.destinations
Khizr is a legendary man mentioned in the Bible and the qur’aan. He has discovered the fountain of immortality, does not/will not die, is an old man and wise not only because of his age but also because he is very fond of reading. This she’r represents the classic conflict between reason/wisdom and passion/love. The implication is that you cannot understand god by reason but only through love. Thus, O Khizr, step into the path of love. These are not destinations that are easy to get to.
9
Khaak1 se, aab2 o hava, ya aag3 se uTTheN, falak4
vo zideN5 jo baa’as6-e taKhliiq7-e insaaN ho gaiiN 1.dust, clay 2.water 3.fire 4.pen-name of the poet 5.opposites 6.basis 7.creation
Clay, water, air, fire were considered basic elements/building blocks out of which humans (and everything else) is supposed to have been made. These are also opposites, giving humans opposite characteristics/emotions e.g., love and anger. O falak, whatever elements (fire, water, air or earth) from which they rise, these opposites became the basis of creation of humans.
heera lal falak dehlavi (1920?-1982+?). I can only make an educated guess about his birth and death. A collection of his Ghazal was published posthumously in 1982 by his shaagird. The book mentions beKhud dehlavi (1863-1955) as his ‘inspirational ustaad’ and dedicates it to him. He was a minor official in the dehli court system. In the book he describes his encounter with beKhud dehlavi when he (falak) was still a young man. The book says that he started composing in 1940. He has several Ghazal composed in the zamin of Ghalib, this is one of a series linked to the corresponding radeef in ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’. It also is a part of a sub-grouping of ustaad-shaagird chains. daaGh dehlavi can be considered to be a ‘shaagird in spirit’ of Ghalib, beKhud dehlavi was a shaagird of daaGh and heera lal falak of beKhud. See Ghazal in the same radeef by all three.
1
shab1 ko jab dekha to garduuN2 se gurezaaN3 ho gaiiN
shams4 ki kirneN bhi taariiki5 meN pinhaaN6 ho gaiiN
1.evening, night 2.sky 3.run away, depart 4.sun 5.darkness 6.hidden
This is a straightforward statement about the disappearance of the rays of sun from the sky at night. I don’t see any deeper meaning in it – just a nice construction using the radeef/qaafiya of Ghalib’s Ghazal.
2
bastiyaaN1 meri tamannaaoN2 ki viiraaN3 ho gaiiN
jaane4 kya kya hastiyaaN5 nazroN6 se pinhaaN7 ho gaiiN
1.settlements, homes 2.desires 3.desolate 4.kaun jaane, who knows 5.personalities 6.eyes 7.hidden
The poet mourns the passing of his elders. His hopes and desires are associated with them. When they pass away, the home of desires becomes desolate. Who knows how many personalities are now hidden from my eyes.
3
haaye1 vo gul2, jis ko gulshan3 se juda4 hona paRa
pattiyaaN murjha5 ke TooTiiN aur pareshaaN6 ho gaiiN
1.alas, pity 2.rose 3.garden 4.separate, depart 5.wilt, dry up 6.scatter
Pity the rose that has to depart the garden (picked before its time by the flower picker). Its petals wilt, fall off and scatter.
4
tum to aa baiThe ho ghar meN dil kisii ka toR kar
tum ko un ki kya Khabar1 aaNkheN jo giryaaN2 ho gaiiN
1.news, awareness, knowledge 2.weeping
You, O beloved, have come back home, breaking somone’s (the poet/lover’s) heart. Are you even aware of the eyes that you have caused to shed tears.
5
us ke kooche1 meN chala huN le ke dil phir ek baar
jis ki nazreN2 mere haq3 meN tiir o paikaaN4 ho gaiiN
1.lane 2.glances 3.for me 4.sharp tip of an arrow
I return once again to the lane of the one whose glances have been like sharp arrow for me.
6
ye bataane ko keh hum par raNg haiN bikhre1 hue
shams2 ki raNgiiniyaaN phooloN meN uryaaN3 ho gaiiN
1.scattered, spread 2.sun 3.naked, unveiled, visible
There are many colours scattered in the rays of the sun. Just to show off that they have so many colours, they unveil themselves among flowers i.e., flowers derive their colours from the sun.
7
tol kar par1 jo bhi Takraaya dar2 o diivaar se
himmateN3 us ki ilaaj4-e qaid5-e zindaaN6 ho gaiiN
1.par tolna is an expression meaning poised to take flight 2.door 3.courage 4.cure, remedy 5.confinement 6.prison, cage
The imagery of a bird getting ready for flight is used to mean a human ready to fight (even in prison). The courage of the bird that takes wing and bangs against the door and walls becomes the cure of its confinement in the cage.
8
Khizr1, apna raah2-e ulfat3 meN qadam4 rakh kar to dekh
manzileN4 hi vo nahiN hoNgi jo aasaaN ho gaiiN
1.legendary wise man – see notes 2.path 3.love 4.step 5.destinations
Khizr is a legendary man mentioned in the Bible and the qur’aan. He has discovered the fountain of immortality, does not/will not die, is an old man and wise not only because of his age but also because he is very fond of reading. This she’r represents the classic conflict between reason/wisdom and passion/love. The implication is that you cannot understand god by reason but only through love. Thus, O Khizr, step into the path of love. These are not destinations that are easy to get to.
9
Khaak1 se, aab2 o hava, ya aag3 se uTTheN, falak4
vo zideN5 jo baa’as6-e taKhliiq7-e insaaN ho gaiiN
1.dust, clay 2.water 3.fire 4.pen-name of the poet 5.opposites 6.basis 7.creation
Clay, water, air, fire were considered basic elements/building blocks out of which humans (and everything else) is supposed to have been made. These are also opposites, giving humans opposite characteristics/emotions e.g., love and anger. O falak, whatever elements (fire, water, air or earth) from which they rise, these opposites became the basis of creation of humans.
