Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jitendra mohan sinha rahbar (1911-1993), bijnaur, UP. Grew up in an orthodox arya samaaji family with emphasis on learning hindi and sanskrit, but his father himself knew urdu and corresponded with his family in urdu. Uncle was shaa’er. Learnt English at school and taught himself urdu and later blossomed into an urdu shaa’er. Jailed for participating in the freedom movement. Upon release, taught in a school in rural UP and later English literature in a college in lukhnow.
1
nah bhooli sheva¹-e barbaad-kun² baad³-e bahaar⁴ apna
gareybaaN⁵ ho gaya phir chaak⁶ daaman⁷ taar-taar⁸ apna    1.nature, character 2.destruction creating 3.breeze 4.spring 5.shirt front, collar 6.torn 7.hem of the robe 8.shreds, threads
It is customary for the lover to miss the beloved in spring and get distraught/mad with passion. He would then tear his shirt and robe and go about like majnuN. Such is the destructive nature of the spring breeze that his collar is now torn and robe shredded.
2
nazar¹ aaye naye andaaz² kuchh tiflauN³ ke gulshan⁴ meN
naya ek mo’jeza⁵ dikhla gayi fasl⁶-e bahaar⁷ apna    1.seen 2.style, coquetry 3.young (probably meaning the beloved at an adolescent stage) 4.garden 5.miracle 6.season 7.spring
The beloved, in budding youth, can be seen prancing in the garden in a new style. This too is a new miracle that spring shows us.
3
tasavvur¹ laala² o gul³ ka hameN bhaata⁴ nahiN laikin
raha karta hai dil vaqf⁵-e Khayaal⁶-e ruu⁷-e yaar⁸ apna    1.imagination 2.tulip 3.rose 4.pleases 5.dedicated to, reserved for 6.thoughts 7.face, countenance 8.friend, beloved
Imagining the beauty of the rose and tulip does not please me much because my thoughts are dedicated to thinking of the beauty of the countenance of the beloved.
4
kisi ki pursish¹-e paiham² ne yeh tufaaN uThaaya hai
tan³-e har-muu⁴ hua hai aek chashm⁵-e intezaar⁶ apna    1.asking about well-being 2.repeated 3.body 4.every follicle/hair of the body 5.eyes 6.waiting, anticipation
The imagery is that of the poet/lover on his death bed. The beloved has come a few times asking about him. Her frequent visits have raised a storm of passion. Every follicle of hair on his body is curled up (perhaps due to the heat of passion) as if it were an eye looking out for the beloved to come. Ghalib likens curled up hair to links of a chain …
muu-e aatish-diida hai har halqa yaaN zanjir ka
5
tumhaaray vaada¹-e farda² pe kya hota yaqiiN³ laikin
zamiir⁴-e muztarib⁵ par kuchh nahiN hai eKhtiyaar⁶ apna    1.promise 2.future 3.trust 4.inner heart 5.restless 6.control
The beloved is notorious about promising to come in the future but never keeping her promise. How can I trust your promise of a future get together, but I have no control over my restless heart i.e., it always falls for your promise in false hope.
6
usool¹-e ustuvaari² hi mujhe manzoor³ hai hamdam⁴
usi ka saNg-e-dar⁵ hai be-qaraari⁶ meN qaraar⁷ apna    1.principles 2.steadfast/strong (devotion/love) 3.acceptable 4.friend 5.stone threshold 6.restlessness 7.comfort
O my friend, I only subscribe to the principle of steadfast devotion/love. In restlessness and sorrow, it is his/her threshold that gives me comfort. Of course, this could apply to the beloved as well as to the divine.
7
gulsitaan¹-e vatan² ko hai faroGh³ us se jo yeh samjhay
ke har ek barg⁴ o gul⁵ apna hai har ek Khas⁶ o Khaar⁷ apna    1.garden 2.homeland 3.brilliance, respect, dignity 4.leaf, petal 5.rose 6.straw 7.thorn
The dignity of the homeland (which is like a garden) is because of those who think that every rose and petal as well as every bit of straw and sand belong here. This is a beautiful stand against bigotry.
8
vafa¹ hai raah² apni aur ulfat³ rasm⁴-e rahbar⁵
kisi ke aashiqoN⁶ meN hum bhi karte haiN shumaar⁷ apna    1.faith, fidelity 2.path 3.love 4.tradition 5.pen-name of the poet, guide, leader 6.lovers 7.counting
My path is that of fidelity and love is the tradition of rahbar. I count myself among the lovers of that special someone (the beloved).
9
kahaaN tauba¹ ko duuN dil meN jagah jab paarsaaii² ne
bana rakkha hai har goshay³ meN ek daa’em⁴ mazaar⁵ apna    1.penitence, appeal for forgiveness 2.chastity, virtue (used here to mean self-righteousness) 3.corner 4.permanent 5.tomb
Where can I find room for humble penitence in my heart when a sense of self-righteousness has buried itself permanently in every corner.
10
bahut ehsaas¹ hai isyaaN² ka rahbar³ go⁴ meray dil meN
kareemi⁵ par bahut us ki siva⁶ hai e’tebaar⁷ apna    1.sense, feeling 2.sin, transgression 3.pen-name of the poet 4.even though 5.benevolence, kindness 6.more, greater 7.trust
I have a strong feeling of my transgressions O rahbar, even though my trust in god’s kindness/forgiveness is greater.