For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
بُھلا بھی نہ سکوں ۔ دنیش کمار بنسل دنیشؔ
۱
ضبط کر پاؤں نہ غم، اشک بہا بھی نہ سکوں
کیا کروں گر میں اُسے دل سے بُھلا بھی نہ سکوں
۲
اس قدر خواب زمین دوز ہوئے جاتے ہیں
اپنی آنکھوں کو نیا خواب دکھا بھی نہ سکوں
۳
میری حالت پہ ترس کھا کے مجھے بھیک نہ دے
ایسا اُپکار نہ کر جو میں چُکا بھی نہ سکوں
۴
ٹھوکریں کھا کے ہی چلنے میں مزہ آتا ہے
رہ جو ہموار ہو میں پاؤں بڑھا بھی نہ سکوں
۵
جھوٹ کو جھوٹ کہوں گا ہی کہ آئینہ ہوں میں
مر ہی جاؤں جو نظر خود سے ملا بھی نہ سکوں
۶
وہ مری روح کی گہرائیوں میں رہتا ہے
جانتا ہوں میں مگر ڈھونڈ کے لا بھی نہ سکوں
۷
بس تیرے دید کی حسرت لیے آتا ہوں یہاں
کیا ہوا بزم میں گر کچھ میں سُنا بھی نہ سکوں
भुला भी न सकूँ – दिनेश कुमार बंसल दिनेश
१
ज़ब्त कर पाऊँ न ग़म, अश्क बहा भी न सकूँ
क्या करूँ गर मैं उसे दिल से भुला भी न सकूँ
२
इस क़दर ख़्वाब ज़मीन-दोज़ हुए जाते हैं
अपनी आँखों को नया ख़्वाब दिखा भी न सकूँ
३
मेरी हालत पे तरस खा के मुझे भीख न दे
ऐसा उपकार न कर जो मैं चुका भी न सकूँ
४
ठोकरें खा के ही चलने में मज़ा आता है
राह जो हमवार हो मैं पाँव बढ़ा भी न सकूँ
५
झूठ को झूठ कहूँगा ही कि आईना हूँ मैं
मर ही जाऊँ जो नज़र ख़ुद से मिला भी न सकूँ
६
वो मेरी रूह की गहराइयों में रहता है
जानता हूँ मैं मगर ढूँढ के ला भी न सकूँ
७
बस तेरे दीद की हसरत लिए आता हूँ यहाँ
क्या हुआ बज़्म में गर कुछ मैं सुना भी न सकूँ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. dinesh kumar bansal dinesh (1977-living). kaithal, haryana. kurukshetra univesity. haryana department of education. Interested in Ghazal from childhood. Heard them avidly on TV and radio. First composition in 2005. Received much encouragement, but then got busy in building a career. Started again in 2014. Participated in mushaa’era, published in magazines. Collection published in 2018. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
zabt1 kar paa’uN na Gham, ashk2 bahaa bhi na sakuuN
kya karuuN gar3 maiN use’ dil se bhulaa bhi na sakuuN 1.bear, self-restraint 2.tears 3.if
This expresses the poet/lover’s traditional struggle with emotional restraint. He is caught between grief that he cannot suppress, tears that he cannot shed because it will reveal his love and bring disrepute to the beloved. What can he do if he cannot forget/erase memories of a loved one.
2
iss qadar1 Khwaab zamiiN-doz2 hue’ jaate’ haiN
apni aaNkhoN ko nayaa Khwaab dikhaa bhi na sakuuN 1.so much 2.buried under the ground
The imagery of buried dreams conveys despair. Because of this constant disappointment the poet reveals his inability to dream anew, suggesting that past failures or heartbreaks have extinguished his hope. Said sahir ludhiaanavi …
aao keh koii Khwaab buneN kal ke vaaste’
varna yeh raat aaj ke saNgiin daur ki
Das le gi jaan o dil ko kuchh aise’ keh jaan o dil
taa umr phir na koii hasiiN Khwaab bun sakeN
3
meri haalat1 pe taras2 khaa ke mujhe bheekh3 na de
aisaa upkaar4 na kar jo maiN chukaa5 bhi na sakuuN 1.condition 2.pity 3.alms 4.charity, obligation 5.repay
This couplet critiques pity disguised as generosity. The poet pleads for dignity over charity, fearing the burden of unrepayable favors that compromise his self-respect. Said Ghalib …
dard minnat-kash-e davaa na huaa
maiN na achchha huaa, buraa na huaa
4
ThokareN1 khaa ke hii chalne’ meN mazaa2 aata hai
rah3 jo hamvaar4 ho maiN paa’uN baRhaa bhi na sakuuN 1.stumble, get knocked 2.pleasure 3.short for raah-path 4.smooth, even
The poet finds joy in overcoming challenges, suggesting that struggle gives life meaning. A smooth path, devoid of difficulty, leaves him uninspired to move forward. Said iqbal ahmed sohail …
sail-e ravaaN se kam nahiN tab’a-e ravaaN meri
thamta hai josh raah ko hamvaar dekh kar
5
jhooT1 ko jhooT kahuuNga hii keh aaiina2 huN maiN
mar hi jaa’uN jo nazar3 Khud4 se milaa bhi na sakuuN 1.untruth 2.mirror 3.eyes 4.self
Here, the poet declares his commitment to truth – I will always call out untruth, he says. Comparing himself to a mirror (that always gives a true reflection), he emphasizes self-honesty, implying that living without integrity is akin to death. I would die if I were not be able to look at myself in the eye, or look at myself in the mirror. Said krishn bihaari noor-
chaahe sone’ ke frame meN jaR do
aa’ina jhuuT boltaa hi nahiN
6
voh meri rooh1 ki gahraaiyoN2 meN rahta hai
jaanta huN maiN magar DhoonD3 ke laa bhi na sakuuN 1.soul 2.depths 3.search, seek
This couplet reflects the poet’s awareness of a profound connection with someone (the beloved or the divine) who resides in the depths of his soul. Yet, he laments his inability to bring them into the tangible world or to comprehend them.
7
bas tere diid1 ki hasrat2 liye aata huN yahaaN
kya hua bazm3 meN gar4 kuch maiN suna bhi na sakuuN 1.sighting, looking at 2.yearning 3.gathering 4.if
I come here because of my intense yearning to catch a sight of you. What if I am unable to say anything to you. For the poet/lover, the joy of beholding the beloved outweighs the need for conversation or engagement in the crowded social gathering.
dinesh kumar bansal dinesh (1977-living). kaithal, haryana. kurukshetra univesity. haryana department of education. Interested in Ghazal from childhood. Heard them avidly on TV and radio. First composition in 2005. Received much encouragement, but then got busy in building a career. Started again in 2014. Participated in mushaa’era, published in magazines. Collection published in 2018. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
zabt1 kar paa’uN na Gham, ashk2 bahaa bhi na sakuuN
kya karuuN gar3 maiN use’ dil se bhulaa bhi na sakuuN
1.bear, self-restraint 2.tears 3.if
This expresses the poet/lover’s traditional struggle with emotional restraint. He is caught between grief that he cannot suppress, tears that he cannot shed because it will reveal his love and bring disrepute to the beloved. What can he do if he cannot forget/erase memories of a loved one.
2
iss qadar1 Khwaab zamiiN-doz2 hue’ jaate’ haiN
apni aaNkhoN ko nayaa Khwaab dikhaa bhi na sakuuN
1.so much 2.buried under the ground
The imagery of buried dreams conveys despair. Because of this constant disappointment the poet reveals his inability to dream anew, suggesting that past failures or heartbreaks have extinguished his hope. Said sahir ludhiaanavi …
aao keh koii Khwaab buneN kal ke vaaste’
varna yeh raat aaj ke saNgiin daur ki
Das le gi jaan o dil ko kuchh aise’ keh jaan o dil
taa umr phir na koii hasiiN Khwaab bun sakeN
3
meri haalat1 pe taras2 khaa ke mujhe bheekh3 na de
aisaa upkaar4 na kar jo maiN chukaa5 bhi na sakuuN
1.condition 2.pity 3.alms 4.charity, obligation 5.repay
This couplet critiques pity disguised as generosity. The poet pleads for dignity over charity, fearing the burden of unrepayable favors that compromise his self-respect. Said Ghalib …
dard minnat-kash-e davaa na huaa
maiN na achchha huaa, buraa na huaa
4
ThokareN1 khaa ke hii chalne’ meN mazaa2 aata hai
rah3 jo hamvaar4 ho maiN paa’uN baRhaa bhi na sakuuN
1.stumble, get knocked 2.pleasure 3.short for raah-path 4.smooth, even
The poet finds joy in overcoming challenges, suggesting that struggle gives life meaning. A smooth path, devoid of difficulty, leaves him uninspired to move forward. Said iqbal ahmed sohail …
sail-e ravaaN se kam nahiN tab’a-e ravaaN meri
thamta hai josh raah ko hamvaar dekh kar
5
jhooT1 ko jhooT kahuuNga hii keh aaiina2 huN maiN
mar hi jaa’uN jo nazar3 Khud4 se milaa bhi na sakuuN
1.untruth 2.mirror 3.eyes 4.self
Here, the poet declares his commitment to truth – I will always call out untruth, he says. Comparing himself to a mirror (that always gives a true reflection), he emphasizes self-honesty, implying that living without integrity is akin to death. I would die if I were not be able to look at myself in the eye, or look at myself in the mirror. Said krishn bihaari noor-
chaahe sone’ ke frame meN jaR do
aa’ina jhuuT boltaa hi nahiN
6
voh meri rooh1 ki gahraaiyoN2 meN rahta hai
jaanta huN maiN magar DhoonD3 ke laa bhi na sakuuN
1.soul 2.depths 3.search, seek
This couplet reflects the poet’s awareness of a profound connection with someone (the beloved or the divine) who resides in the depths of his soul. Yet, he laments his inability to bring them into the tangible world or to comprehend them.
7
bas tere diid1 ki hasrat2 liye aata huN yahaaN
kya hua bazm3 meN gar4 kuch maiN suna bhi na sakuuN
1.sighting, looking at 2.yearning 3.gathering 4.if
I come here because of my intense yearning to catch a sight of you. What if I am unable to say anything to you. For the poet/lover, the joy of beholding the beloved outweighs the need for conversation or engagement in the crowded social gathering.
