For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
بے نام و نشاں آج کی رات۔حسرتؔ موہانی
۱
برسرِ لطف ہے وہ جانِ جہاں آج کی رات
دیدنی ہے یہ مُروّت کا سماں آج کی رات
۲
کھنچ کے آ جائے خود آغوشِ تمنّا میں جو حسن
پیریِ عشق بھی ہو جائے جواں آج کی رات
۳
بے کہے اُن پہ ہے روشن میرے دِل کی حالت
بے زبانی ہوئی جاتی ہے زباں آج کی رات
۴
شوق کی حد میں ہے باوصفِ لِقا، شوقِ لِقا
الغرض شوق ہے بے نام و نشاں آج کی رات
۵
شوق کا شکوۂ رنگیں بھی نہ ہوگا شاید
حسن کی خاطرِ نازک پہ گراں آج کی رات
۶
کیا عجب ہے کہ مریضانِ ہوس کے حق میں
خود وہ ہو جائیں مسیحائے زماں آج کی رات
۷
کیوں نہ ہو اہلِ ریا سر بہ گریبانِ ملال
کامرانی ہے نصیبِ دگراں آج کی رات
۸
اِلتفات اُن کی نگاہوں کا ستم ہے حسرتؔ
شُکر بھی دِل کی زباں پر ہے فغاں آج کی رات
आज कि रात – हस्रत मोहानी
१
बर-सर-ए लुत्फ़ है वो जान-ए जहां आज कि रात
दीदनी है ये मुरव्वत का समां आज कि रात
२
खिंच के आ जाए ख़ुद आग़ोश-ए तमन्ना में जो हुस्न
पीरी-ए इश्क़ भी हो जाए जवां आज कि रात
३
बे-कहे उन पे है रौशन मेरे दिल कि हालत
बे-ज़बानी हुई जाती है ज़बां आज कि रात
४
शौक़ कि हद्द में है बा-वस्फ़-ए लेक़ा, शौक़-ए लेक़ा
अल्ग़रज़ शौक़ है बे-नाम ओ निशां आज कि रात
५
शौक़ का शिक्वा-ए रंगीं भी न होगा शायद
हुस्न की ख़ातर-ए नाज़ुक पे गिरां आज की रात
६
क्या अजब है के मरीज़ान-ए हवस के हक़ में
ख़ुद वो हो जाएं मसीहा-ए ज़मां आज की रात
७
क्यूं न हो अहल-ए रिया सर-बा-गरिबान-ए मलाल
कामरानी है नसीब-ए दिगराँ आज की रात
८
इल्तेफ़ात उन कि निगाहौं का सितम है हस्रत
शुक्र भी दिल कि ज़बां पर है फ़ुग़ां आज कि रात
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. hasrat mohani (1878-1951), freedom fighter who was jailed several times. He was a very devout, observant muslim, known as “maulana” for his orthodox practice. He went to hajj several times as well as to baGhdaad, najaf and karbala on pilgrimage. What is unusual is that he also did pilgrimages to mathura and nandgaam several times and wrote Ghazal style paens to krishn as well bhajans in the style of meera baaii. He also wrote bhajan style paens to sufi scholars/saints in colloquial language. At the same time, he declared himself to be a socialist/communist. This is linked with a series of Ghazal/nazm to icon ‘aaj ki raat’ on the ‘radeef-refrain’ page.
1
bar-sar1-e lutf2 hai vo jaan-e-jahaaN3 aaj ki raat
diidni4 hai ye muravvat5 ka samaaN6 aaj ki raat 1.engaged in, busy 2.enjoyment 3.life of the world, beloved 4.worth seeing 5.polite consideration, regard 6.scene, atmosphere
Normally the beloved is aloof and keeps all admirers away. But this seems to be a special night when she is in a mood to have fun. She is being considerate of the admirers around her and the scene is worth seeing.
2
khiNch ke aa jaaye Khud aaGhosh1-e tamanna2 meN jo husn3
piiri4-e ishq5 bhi ho jaaye javaaN aaj ki raat 1.lap, embrace 2.desire 3.beauty 4.old age, infirmity 5.love
In urdu poetic tradition ‘husn-beauty’ is used for the beloved and ‘tamanna-desire and ishq-love’ are used for the poet/lover. Thus, if the beloved were to willingly come into the poet/lover’s embrace then even the old lover will turn young tonight.
3
be-kahe1 un pe hai raushan2 mere dil ki haalat3
be-zabaani4 hui jaati hai zabaaN5 aaj ki raat 1.without saying 2.explicit, known 3.condition 4.tonguelessness i.e., silence 5.tongue, sound i.e. expression
Without saying anything my condition is known to her. Silence itself has become an effective expression (of feelings) tonight.
4
shauq1 ki hadd2 meN hai ba-vasf3-e leqa4, shauq1-e leqa4
alGharaz5 shauq hai be-naam-o-nishaaN6 aaj ki raat 1.desire, love 2.limits, bounds 3.in praise of 4.image, face, beauty – beloved 5.after all 6.without name or identity
‘shauq-e leqa’ is love of beauty/beloved and this is personfied in the poet/lover. The poet/lover is within the limits/conventions of love i.e., it is restrained about its own ego and is devoted exclusively to the praise of beauty/beloved (of course, the beloved can be god). After all the lover remains obscure/unobtrusive tonight.
5
shauq1 ka shikvah2-e raNgiiN3 bhi na hoga shaa’ed4
husn5 ki Khaatar6-e naazuk7 pe giraaN8 aaj ki raat 1.desire, passion (of the poet/lover) 2.complaint 3.colourful, intense 4.perhaps 5.beauty, beloved 6.heart, soul 7.delicate, fragile 8.heavy, disagreeable
Normally the beloved gets annoyed if the lover expresses his desire/love. But this appears to be a celebratory night when a lot is forgiven. Perhaps tonight even the intense expression of love by the poet/lover will not be disagreeable to the delicate heart/soul of the beloved.
6
kya ajab1 hai keh mareezan2-e havas3 ke haq4 meN
Khud voh ho jaa’eN masiihaa5-e zamaaN6 aaj ki raat 1.unusual, surprising 2.sick, stricken 3.lust, love 4.for the sake of 5.healer 6.times, world
Normally the beloved would have nothing to do with her admirers, particularly those she perceives as stricken with lust. They may be sick with love of her, but she would show no sympathy. But tonight appears to be different, appears to be special. It will not be surprising if tonight she becomes a healer/consoler of those sick with love.
7
kyuN na ho ahl-e-riya1 sar-ba-garebaan2-e malaal3
kaamraani4 hai naseeb5-e digaraaN6 aaj ki raat 1.hypocrites 2.head sunk into the collar i.e., ashamed 3.regret, melancholy 4.victory, success 5.fate of, granted to 6.others
The poet is a ‘true lover’. His rivals are hypocrites, merely lustful. Why would they not be depressed and ashamed tonight, because victory/success belongs to someone else i.e., to the sincere/true lover.
8
iltefaat1 un ki nigaahauN2 ka sitam3 hai hasrat4
shukr5 bhi dil ki zabaaN par hai fuGhaaN6 aaj ki raat 1.attention, civility 2.eyes 3.cruelty 4.pen-name of the poet 5.thanks, gratitude 6.wail
Even the cruelty/reprimand in her eyes is enjoyable because of the attention she gives me, O hasrat. In the language of the heart, even the wail of pain becomes an expression of gratitude tonight.
hasrat mohani (1878-1951), freedom fighter who was jailed several times. He was a very devout, observant muslim, known as “maulana” for his orthodox practice. He went to hajj several times as well as to baGhdaad, najaf and karbala on pilgrimage. What is unusual is that he also did pilgrimages to mathura and nandgaam several times and wrote Ghazal style paens to krishn as well bhajans in the style of meera baaii. He also wrote bhajan style paens to sufi scholars/saints in colloquial language. At the same time, he declared himself to be a socialist/communist. This is linked with a series of Ghazal/nazm to icon ‘aaj ki raat’ on the ‘radeef-refrain’ page.
1
bar-sar1-e lutf2 hai vo jaan-e-jahaaN3 aaj ki raat
diidni4 hai ye muravvat5 ka samaaN6 aaj ki raat
1.engaged in, busy 2.enjoyment 3.life of the world, beloved 4.worth seeing 5.polite consideration, regard 6.scene, atmosphere
Normally the beloved is aloof and keeps all admirers away. But this seems to be a special night when she is in a mood to have fun. She is being considerate of the admirers around her and the scene is worth seeing.
2
khiNch ke aa jaaye Khud aaGhosh1-e tamanna2 meN jo husn3
piiri4-e ishq5 bhi ho jaaye javaaN aaj ki raat
1.lap, embrace 2.desire 3.beauty 4.old age, infirmity 5.love
In urdu poetic tradition ‘husn-beauty’ is used for the beloved and ‘tamanna-desire and ishq-love’ are used for the poet/lover. Thus, if the beloved were to willingly come into the poet/lover’s embrace then even the old lover will turn young tonight.
3
be-kahe1 un pe hai raushan2 mere dil ki haalat3
be-zabaani4 hui jaati hai zabaaN5 aaj ki raat
1.without saying 2.explicit, known 3.condition 4.tonguelessness i.e., silence 5.tongue, sound i.e. expression
Without saying anything my condition is known to her. Silence itself has become an effective expression (of feelings) tonight.
4
shauq1 ki hadd2 meN hai ba-vasf3-e leqa4, shauq1-e leqa4
alGharaz5 shauq hai be-naam-o-nishaaN6 aaj ki raat
1.desire, love 2.limits, bounds 3.in praise of 4.image, face, beauty – beloved 5.after all 6.without name or identity
‘shauq-e leqa’ is love of beauty/beloved and this is personfied in the poet/lover. The poet/lover is within the limits/conventions of love i.e., it is restrained about its own ego and is devoted exclusively to the praise of beauty/beloved (of course, the beloved can be god). After all the lover remains obscure/unobtrusive tonight.
5
shauq1 ka shikvah2-e raNgiiN3 bhi na hoga shaa’ed4
husn5 ki Khaatar6-e naazuk7 pe giraaN8 aaj ki raat
1.desire, passion (of the poet/lover) 2.complaint 3.colourful, intense 4.perhaps 5.beauty, beloved 6.heart, soul 7.delicate, fragile 8.heavy, disagreeable
Normally the beloved gets annoyed if the lover expresses his desire/love. But this appears to be a celebratory night when a lot is forgiven. Perhaps tonight even the intense expression of love by the poet/lover will not be disagreeable to the delicate heart/soul of the beloved.
6
kya ajab1 hai keh mareezan2-e havas3 ke haq4 meN
Khud voh ho jaa’eN masiihaa5-e zamaaN6 aaj ki raat
1.unusual, surprising 2.sick, stricken 3.lust, love 4.for the sake of 5.healer 6.times, world
Normally the beloved would have nothing to do with her admirers, particularly those she perceives as stricken with lust. They may be sick with love of her, but she would show no sympathy. But tonight appears to be different, appears to be special. It will not be surprising if tonight she becomes a healer/consoler of those sick with love.
7
kyuN na ho ahl-e-riya1 sar-ba-garebaan2-e malaal3
kaamraani4 hai naseeb5-e digaraaN6 aaj ki raat
1.hypocrites 2.head sunk into the collar i.e., ashamed 3.regret, melancholy 4.victory, success 5.fate of, granted to 6.others
The poet is a ‘true lover’. His rivals are hypocrites, merely lustful. Why would they not be depressed and ashamed tonight, because victory/success belongs to someone else i.e., to the sincere/true lover.
8
iltefaat1 un ki nigaahauN2 ka sitam3 hai hasrat4
shukr5 bhi dil ki zabaaN par hai fuGhaaN6 aaj ki raat
1.attention, civility 2.eyes 3.cruelty 4.pen-name of the poet 5.thanks, gratitude 6.wail
Even the cruelty/reprimand in her eyes is enjoyable because of the attention she gives me, O hasrat. In the language of the heart, even the wail of pain becomes an expression of gratitude tonight.
