Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. MA English Literature. Learnt urdu and faarsi at home. First venture into poetry translation of parts of iqbal’s ‘payaam-e mashriq’ into English. First urdu nazm published 1925. Ardent urdu lover as a language of the people. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. This is a Ghazal not typical of mulla because it is short and has several ash’aar that are purely romance themed. This is a Ghazal not typical of mulla because it is short and has several ash’aar that are purely romance themed.
1
ufaq¹-e dah’r² pe ek mahr³-e daraKhshaaN⁴ nikla
maiN ne dekha to charaaGh⁵-e tah⁶-e daamaaN⁷ nikla     1.horizon 2.world 3.sun 4.bright 5.lamp 6.under 7.hem of the garment
For something to be under the hem of the garment means that it has been known to or in the possession of the garment wearer all the time. So, the bright sun that emerged on the horizon turned out to be something he had always had but had not realized that he had it. The bright sun here is symbolic of universal love and/or knowledge. It was always in his heart, he just had not realized it. Thus, you don’t have to go far looking for happiness, it lies in universal love.
2
na chhupa par na chhupa Khoon-e shahiidaaN¹-e vafa²
Ghunche-Ghunche³ meN ayaaN⁴ raaz⁵-e gulistaaN⁶ nikla     1.martyrs in the cause of 2.steadfast love, fidelity 3.every bud 4.evident, manifest 5.secret 6.garden
The blood of the martyrs of steadfast love could not be hidden. They had been killed because they openly declared their love and remained firm in their resolve. What was the object of their love. We have to decide. The secret of the beauty of the garden is evident in every bud. The implication is that every bud/flower draws its colour from the colour of the blood of martyrs. This could be martyrs/heroes who were steadfast in universal love, truth and justice, mystic knowledge. The field is left open for us.
3
teri ujRi¹ hui jannat² ko basaane³ vaala
vahi Ghusse⁴ meN nikaala hua insaaN nikla    1.desolate 2.heaven 3.resettle, rebuild 4.anger
The story is that Adam and Eve lived in heaven until they disobeyed the one stricture that god had placed on them. For their transgression, they were expelled from heave to earth where humans proliferated as a result. Some of these humans were allowed back in heaven as a reward to lives lived well. They are the ones who resettled and rebuilt god’s heaven – the progeny of the same Adam and Eve who were expelled in anger. I think that the intent is just to poke fun at the story with all its anamolies.
4
taKhta¹-e mashq²-e nigaah³-e Ghalat-andaaz⁴ sahi⁵
shukr⁶ hai dil kisi Khidmat⁷ ke to shaayaaN⁸ nikla     1.board, target 2.practice 3.glance 4.wrong intent, mischievous 5.it may be so 6.thanks 7.service 8.worthy of
Here the heart of the lover is the ‘taKhta-e mashq’ (target practice) of the beloved’s arrows-coquettish, side-long glances. The lover knows that he is being used for practice, but he is still thankful that she has considered his heart worthy of something.
5
aaj phir taaza¹ hui bazm² meN yaad³-e mulla⁴
kya tere dar⁵ se koi be sar-o-saamaaN⁶ nikla     1.fresh, renewed 2.gathering 3.memories 4.pen-name of the poet 5.door 6.devoid of all possessions, helpless, despondent
Once again, in the gathering of the beloved, the throng of lovers/admirers is talking about mulla. Something has happened that has refreshed renewed their memory of him. What is it … is it that someone despondent and despairing has been thrown out of the door. The implication is that in the past mulla was thrown out and this new incident has reminded everyone of him.