For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
بغاوت کی ہے رگھوبیر سرن دِواکر راہیؔ
۱
مجھ کو معلوم ہے راہیؔ کہ شرارت کی ہے
گُفتگُو تُم نے جو اُن سے مری بابت کی ہے
۲
ایک ناصح جو ہے باطِن میں مرے اے ناصح
میں تری کچھ نہ سُنُوں اُس نے نصیحت کی ہے
۳
کر کے تذلیل مرے شوقِ بتاں کی اے شیخ
تو نے اِنسان کی فطرت سے بغاوت کی ہے
۴
ہم نے باتوں سے نہیں بلکہ جنابِ زاہد
خدمتِ خلقِ خدا کر کے عبادت کی ہے
۵
مجھ کو رسوائی کا کچھ خوف نہیں ہے لیکن
میں نے عِزّت نہیں بیچی ہے محبت کی ہے
۶
حق کی آواز اُٹھائی ہے بِلا خوف و لحاظ
یہ بغاوت ہے تو ہاں ہم نے بغاوت کی ہے
۷
میرا دعویٰ ہے کہ شعروں میں بھی میں نے راہیؔ
حق و اِنصاف کی بے خوف حمایت کی ہے
बग़ावत की है – रघुबीर सरन दिवाकर राहि
१
मुझ को मालूम है राहि के शरारत की है
गुफ़्तुगू तुम ने जो उन से मेरी बाबत की है
२
एक नासेह जो है बातिन में मेरे अए नासेह
मैं तेरी कुछ न सुनूं उस ने नसीहत की है
३
कर के तज़्लील मेरे शौक़-ए बुताँ की अए शैख़
तू ने इंसान की फ़ितरत से बग़ावत की है
४
हम ने बातौं से नहीं बल्के जनाब-ए ज़ाहेद
ख़िदमत-ए ख़ल्क़-ए ख़ुदा कर के इबादत की है
५
मुझ को रुस्वाई का कुछ ख़ौफ़ नहीं है लैकिन
मैं ने इज़्ज़त नहीं बेची है मुहब्बत की है
६
हक़ की आवाज़ उठाई है बिला ख़ौफ़ ओ लेहाज़
ये बग़ावत है तो हाँ हम ने बग़ावत की है
७
मेरा दावा है के शे’रौं में भी मैं ने राहि
हक़ ओ इंसाफ़ की बे-ख़ौफ़ हिमायत की है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raghubir saran divaakar raahi (1914-1968), rampur. Three Ghazal collections with hundreds of Ghazal in each. Born in amroha, learnt urdu and faarsi at school. BA, LLB from meeraTh. District Information Officer, UP. shaa’eri was in addition to his ‘day job’. Posted to and retired in rampur, 1954 and started law practice. Editor of hindi magazines. Very secular and makes much fun of the shaiKh and brahman.
1
mujh ko m’aaloom1 hai raahi2 keh sharaarat3 kii hai
guftuguu4 tum ne jo unn se meri baabat5 kii hai 1.knowledge, realization 2.pen-name of the poet 3.mischief 4.conversation 5.in regard to
The poet, assuming the role of an alter-ego, is talking to himself. I know that you have created mischief, O raahi, by talking to her about me. Thus, the poet/lover is the alter ego and raahi the person has talked to the beloved about him. What the subject of the conversation was, is not explicity stated but contextually it must be to speak of his love. This has caused the beloved to get upset and has caused mischief.
2
ek naaseh1 jo hai baatin2 meN mere aye naaseh1
maiN teri kuchh na sunooN uss ne naseehat3 kii hai 1.moralizer, adviser, disciplinarian 2.inside 3.advice, instruction
The poet has an internal adviser (his conscience) that he considers good and would readily listen to. He also has an external adviser who is a moralist, disciplinarian and a prude. This moralist has approached the poet with some advice/criticism. He says, I have an internal adviser who has advised me never to listen to anything you say.
3
kar ke tazleel1 mere shauq2-e butaaN3 ki aye shaiKh
tu ne insaan ki fitrat4 se baGhaavat5 kii hai 1.insult 2.desire, love 3.idols 4.nature, character 5.revolution, turn upside down
This she’r has a very delightful use of the word ‘but’ with its two meanings … idol and beloved. Thus, by insulting my love of idols, O shaiKh, you are turning human nature upside down – going against human nature. The shaiKh raves and rants against idol worship and/or pontificates about staying away from women – ‘the beloved’. In either case, but particularly in the latter case, the shaiKh is going against human nature.
4
hum ne baatoN se nahiN balkeh1 janaab2-e zaahid3
Khidmat4-e Khalq5-e Khuda kar ke ibaadat6 kii hai 1.instead of 2.honourable 3.preacher 4.service 5.humanity 6.worship
Here ‘hum’ could be people outside the circle of orthodoxy, or the circle of poets. There is an implicatied accusation that the shaiKh offers only ritual worship with words. Not in empty words, but O honourable preacher, we have offered worship through service to mankind.
5
mujh ko rusvaai1 ka kuchh Khauf2 nahiN hai laikin3
maiN ne izzat4 nahiN bechi hai muhabbat kii hai 1.blame, disgrace 2.fear 3.but 4.honour, self-respect
I am not fearful of being blamed/disgraced, but I have not sold my honour, I have loved. Why would there be disgrace; who has he loved; why is there a question of selling honour. Here is my interpretation … he does not participate in hypocritical, ritualistic worship. Participating in this is hyprocritical and tantamount to selling honour. This can be a cause for people to blame him. But he is not afraid of such blame. He does not feel disgraced by it, because he has offered ‘real love’ … his ‘real love’ might be ‘Khidmat-e Khalq-service to mankind’ or love of humanity, or spiritual love.
6
haq1 ki aavaaz uThaai hai bila2 Khauf3 o lehaaz4
ye baGhaavat5 hai to haaN hum ne baGhaavat5 kii hai 1.truth 2.without 3.fear 4.consideration (of favours) 5.rebellion
I have always raised the voice of truth without fear or favour. If this is rebellion then, I have been a rebel.
7
mera d’aava1 hai keh she’roN meN bhi maiN ne raahi2
haq3 o insaaf4 ki be-Khauf5 himaa’et6 kii hai 1.claim, assertion 2.pen-name of the poet 3.truth 4.justice 5.fearlessly 6.support, help
O raahi, I claim that even in my verse/nazm/Ghazal, I have stood on the side of truth and justice.
raghubir saran divaakar raahi (1914-1968), rampur. Three Ghazal collections with hundreds of Ghazal in each. Born in amroha, learnt urdu and faarsi at school. BA, LLB from meeraTh. District Information Officer, UP. shaa’eri was in addition to his ‘day job’. Posted to and retired in rampur, 1954 and started law practice. Editor of hindi magazines. Very secular and makes much fun of the shaiKh and brahman.
1
mujh ko m’aaloom1 hai raahi2 keh sharaarat3 kii hai
guftuguu4 tum ne jo unn se meri baabat5 kii hai
1.knowledge, realization 2.pen-name of the poet 3.mischief 4.conversation 5.in regard to
The poet, assuming the role of an alter-ego, is talking to himself. I know that you have created mischief, O raahi, by talking to her about me. Thus, the poet/lover is the alter ego and raahi the person has talked to the beloved about him. What the subject of the conversation was, is not explicity stated but contextually it must be to speak of his love. This has caused the beloved to get upset and has caused mischief.
2
ek naaseh1 jo hai baatin2 meN mere aye naaseh1
maiN teri kuchh na sunooN uss ne naseehat3 kii hai
1.moralizer, adviser, disciplinarian 2.inside 3.advice, instruction
The poet has an internal adviser (his conscience) that he considers good and would readily listen to. He also has an external adviser who is a moralist, disciplinarian and a prude. This moralist has approached the poet with some advice/criticism. He says, I have an internal adviser who has advised me never to listen to anything you say.
3
kar ke tazleel1 mere shauq2-e butaaN3 ki aye shaiKh
tu ne insaan ki fitrat4 se baGhaavat5 kii hai
1.insult 2.desire, love 3.idols 4.nature, character 5.revolution, turn upside down
This she’r has a very delightful use of the word ‘but’ with its two meanings … idol and beloved. Thus, by insulting my love of idols, O shaiKh, you are turning human nature upside down – going against human nature. The shaiKh raves and rants against idol worship and/or pontificates about staying away from women – ‘the beloved’. In either case, but particularly in the latter case, the shaiKh is going against human nature.
4
hum ne baatoN se nahiN balkeh1 janaab2-e zaahid3
Khidmat4-e Khalq5-e Khuda kar ke ibaadat6 kii hai
1.instead of 2.honourable 3.preacher 4.service 5.humanity 6.worship
Here ‘hum’ could be people outside the circle of orthodoxy, or the circle of poets. There is an implicatied accusation that the shaiKh offers only ritual worship with words. Not in empty words, but O honourable preacher, we have offered worship through service to mankind.
5
mujh ko rusvaai1 ka kuchh Khauf2 nahiN hai laikin3
maiN ne izzat4 nahiN bechi hai muhabbat kii hai
1.blame, disgrace 2.fear 3.but 4.honour, self-respect
I am not fearful of being blamed/disgraced, but I have not sold my honour, I have loved. Why would there be disgrace; who has he loved; why is there a question of selling honour. Here is my interpretation … he does not participate in hypocritical, ritualistic worship. Participating in this is hyprocritical and tantamount to selling honour. This can be a cause for people to blame him. But he is not afraid of such blame. He does not feel disgraced by it, because he has offered ‘real love’ … his ‘real love’ might be ‘Khidmat-e Khalq-service to mankind’ or love of humanity, or spiritual love.
6
haq1 ki aavaaz uThaai hai bila2 Khauf3 o lehaaz4
ye baGhaavat5 hai to haaN hum ne baGhaavat5 kii hai
1.truth 2.without 3.fear 4.consideration (of favours) 5.rebellion
I have always raised the voice of truth without fear or favour. If this is rebellion then, I have been a rebel.
7
mera d’aava1 hai keh she’roN meN bhi maiN ne raahi2
haq3 o insaaf4 ki be-Khauf5 himaa’et6 kii hai
1.claim, assertion 2.pen-name of the poet 3.truth 4.justice 5.fearlessly 6.support, help
O raahi, I claim that even in my verse/nazm/Ghazal, I have stood on the side of truth and justice.
