For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
چراغ گل کر دے ۔ عالمتاب تشنہؔ
۱
مرے سفینۂ جاں کو کھلا سمندر دے
تلاطموں کا دوشالا ہوا کی چادر دے
۲
اگر سُلگتا رہا ہوں میں آفتاب مثال
تو میرے طرّۂ دستار کو گُلِ تر دے
۳
صدف نے دیکھ لی گہرے سمندروں کی بساط
ہر ایک قطرۂ نیساں کو ظرفِ گوہر دے
۴
نہیں یہ عشق کی محرومیاں مزاج مرا
مری رگوں میں محبّت کی روشنی بھر دے
۵
اگر تجھے ہے شکستِ غنیمِ شب مقصود
مری کمان میں بھی روشنی کا لشکر دے
۶
مجھے بھی سیر کرا آج بزمِ اِمکاں کی
مری نظر کو بھی ہفت آسماں کا منظر دے
۷
قفس کو توڑ کے اُڑ جائے طائرِ افکار
مکاں کی قید اُٹھا مجھ کو لامکاں کر دے
۸
مرے شعور کو دے شہپرِ خیال کی باگ
جنونِ شوق کو یارب نویدِ محشر دے
۹
اگر نہ دور ہو یہ تیرگیِ شب تشنہؔ
تو پھر ہوا مرے دل کا چراغ گُل کر دے
चिराग़ गुल कर दे – आलमताब तिश्ना
१
मेरे सफ़ीना-ए जां को खुला समंदर दे
तलातुमौं का दोशाला हवा कि चादर दे
२
अगर सुलगता रहा हूं मैं आफ़्ताब-मिसाल
तो मेरे तुर्रा-ए दस्तार को गुल-ए तर दे
३
सदफ़ ने देख ली गहरे समंदरौं कि बिसात
हर एक क़तरा-ए नीसां को ज़र्फ़-ए गौहर दे
४
नहीं ये इश्क़ कि महरूमियां मिज़ाज मेरा
मेरी रगौं में मोहब्बत कि रौशनी भर दे
५
अगर तुझे है शिकस्त-ए ग़नीम-ए शब मक़्सूद
मेरी कमान में भी रौशनी का लश्कर दे
६
मुझे भी सैर करा आज बज़्म-ए इम्कां की
मेरी नज़र को भी हफ़्त-आस्मां का मंज़र दे
७
क़फ़स को तोढ के उढ जाए ता’एर-ए अफ़्कार
मकां का क़ैद उठा, मुझ को लामकां कर दे
८
मेरे श’ऊर को दे शहपर-ए ख़याल कि बाग
जुनुन-ए शौक़ को यारब नवीद-ए महशर दे
९
अगर न दूर हो ये तीरगी-ए शब तिश्ना
तो फिर हवा मेरे दिल का चराग़ गुल कर दे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. aalamtaab tishna (1935-1991), born in meraTh, India, migrated to pakistan in 1959 and describes it as “banbaas” given to him by the “kaikaii of the times”. But his “banbaas” separated him from his “sita-kavita” and lasted for 12 years. He began composing and reciting again with his first collection published in 1978. This beautiful Ghazal has much similarity of thought and style with parveen shaakir’s “yaarab mere sukoot ko naGhma-saraaii de” and is linked to others like it under that icon on the “radeef-Refrain” page.
1
mere safiina1-e jaaN2 ko khula samandar3 de
talaatumoN4 ka doshaala5, hava ki chaadar de 1.boat 2.spirit, life 3.sea 4.storm, agitation, restlessness 5.warm blanket/shawl
In urdu poetry ‘safiina-boat’ is often used as a symbol of bold exploration of lands across the sea or as a refuge from storms. Here he is using it to mean bold exploration across open seas. He is willing to be covered with a blanket of storms or a sheet of winds. His ‘safiina-e jaaN’ the boat of his spirit is launching on an exploration of new ideas in the face of storms of criticism/opposition.
2
agar1 sulagta2 raha huN maiN aaftaab-misaal3
to mere turra-e-dastaar4 ko gul-e-tar5 de 1.if 2.burning 3.like the sun 4.crown of the ceremonial cap 5.freshness of the rose
If I have been burning with passion constantly like the sun, then give a freshness/fragrance to the crown of my cap. This could be the passion of love, but more likely it is the passion of new ideas, passion for change. The ‘turra-e-dastaar’ could be his crowning achievement, quite possibly his verse.
3
sadaf1 ne dekh li gahre samandaroN ki bisaat2
har ek qatra3-e niisaaN4 ko zarf5-e gauhar6 de 1.oyster shell 2.spread, capacity 3.drop 4.spring rain 5.capability 6.pearl
In the urdu poetic tradition it is thought that not all but a few fortunate drops of spring rain reach the oyster shell and only these become pearls. All the others are wasted. This he attributes to the limited capacity of the ocean. He himself is the oyster converting raindrops to pearls. It could be that raindrops are rough ideas and pearls are his ash’aar, verse.
4
nahiN ye ishq ki mahroomiyaaN1 mizaaj2 mera
meri ragoN3 meN mohabbat ki raushni4 bhar de 1.deprivation 2.nature, character 3.vein 4.light
It is not in my nature to remain deprived of love. Fill my veins with the light of love.
5
agar1 tujhe hai shikast2-e Ghaniim-e-shab3 maqsood4
meri kamaan5 meN bhi raushni6 ka lashkar7 de 1.if 2.defeating, breaking 3.the enemy that is darkness 4.purpose 5.command 6.light 7.army
If you want us to break through this darkness, then give me command over the army of light. Darkness could be that of ignorance or injustice.
6
mujhe bhi sair1 kara aaj bazm2-e imkaaN3 ki
meri nazar4 ko bhi haft-aasmaaN5 ka manzar6 de 1.tour, journey 2.gathering 3.possibilities 4.sight 5.seven skies 6.view, scene
Take me through the house of possibilities. Give me a view of the expanse of the seven skies.
7
qafas1 ko toR ke uR jaaye taa’er2-e afkaar3
makaaN4 ki qaid5 uTha, mujh ko la-makaaN6 kar de 1.cage 2.bird 3.thought, reason 4.place 5.confinement, restriction 6.free of place
Let the bird of reason break through confinement of its cage. Remove the restriction of place, make me free in the wide open.
8
mere sha’oor1 ko de shahpar2-e Khayaal3 ki baag4
junoon5-e shauq6 ko yaarab7 naviid8-e mahshar9 de 1.knowledge, wisdom 2.main flying wing 3.thought, reason, imagination 4.reins, control of direction 5.passion 6.love, desire 7.god, lord 8.good tidings 9.tumult, revolution, change
Give my wisdom the reins of the wing of thought/reason/imagination. O lord, give the passion of my desire the tidings of change.
9
agar1 na duur ho ye tiiragi2-e shab3 tishna4
to phir hava, mere dil ka charaaGh5 gul6 kar de 1.if 2.darkness 3.night 4.pen-name of the poet 5.lamp 6.extinguished
O tishna, if the darkness of this night is not banished then may the breeze blow out the lamp of my heart.
aalamtaab tishna (1935-1991), born in meraTh, India, migrated to pakistan in 1959 and describes it as “banbaas” given to him by the “kaikaii of the times”. But his “banbaas” separated him from his “sita-kavita” and lasted for 12 years. He began composing and reciting again with his first collection published in 1978. This beautiful Ghazal has much similarity of thought and style with parveen shaakir’s “yaarab mere sukoot ko naGhma-saraaii de” and is linked to others like it under that icon on the “radeef-Refrain” page.
1
mere safiina1-e jaaN2 ko khula samandar3 de
talaatumoN4 ka doshaala5, hava ki chaadar de
1.boat 2.spirit, life 3.sea 4.storm, agitation, restlessness 5.warm blanket/shawl
In urdu poetry ‘safiina-boat’ is often used as a symbol of bold exploration of lands across the sea or as a refuge from storms. Here he is using it to mean bold exploration across open seas. He is willing to be covered with a blanket of storms or a sheet of winds. His ‘safiina-e jaaN’ the boat of his spirit is launching on an exploration of new ideas in the face of storms of criticism/opposition.
2
agar1 sulagta2 raha huN maiN aaftaab-misaal3
to mere turra-e-dastaar4 ko gul-e-tar5 de
1.if 2.burning 3.like the sun 4.crown of the ceremonial cap 5.freshness of the rose
If I have been burning with passion constantly like the sun, then give a freshness/fragrance to the crown of my cap. This could be the passion of love, but more likely it is the passion of new ideas, passion for change. The ‘turra-e-dastaar’ could be his crowning achievement, quite possibly his verse.
3
sadaf1 ne dekh li gahre samandaroN ki bisaat2
har ek qatra3-e niisaaN4 ko zarf5-e gauhar6 de
1.oyster shell 2.spread, capacity 3.drop 4.spring rain 5.capability 6.pearl
In the urdu poetic tradition it is thought that not all but a few fortunate drops of spring rain reach the oyster shell and only these become pearls. All the others are wasted. This he attributes to the limited capacity of the ocean. He himself is the oyster converting raindrops to pearls. It could be that raindrops are rough ideas and pearls are his ash’aar, verse.
4
nahiN ye ishq ki mahroomiyaaN1 mizaaj2 mera
meri ragoN3 meN mohabbat ki raushni4 bhar de
1.deprivation 2.nature, character 3.vein 4.light
It is not in my nature to remain deprived of love. Fill my veins with the light of love.
5
agar1 tujhe hai shikast2-e Ghaniim-e-shab3 maqsood4
meri kamaan5 meN bhi raushni6 ka lashkar7 de
1.if 2.defeating, breaking 3.the enemy that is darkness 4.purpose 5.command 6.light 7.army
If you want us to break through this darkness, then give me command over the army of light. Darkness could be that of ignorance or injustice.
6
mujhe bhi sair1 kara aaj bazm2-e imkaaN3 ki
meri nazar4 ko bhi haft-aasmaaN5 ka manzar6 de
1.tour, journey 2.gathering 3.possibilities 4.sight 5.seven skies 6.view, scene
Take me through the house of possibilities. Give me a view of the expanse of the seven skies.
7
qafas1 ko toR ke uR jaaye taa’er2-e afkaar3
makaaN4 ki qaid5 uTha, mujh ko la-makaaN6 kar de
1.cage 2.bird 3.thought, reason 4.place 5.confinement, restriction 6.free of place
Let the bird of reason break through confinement of its cage. Remove the restriction of place, make me free in the wide open.
8
mere sha’oor1 ko de shahpar2-e Khayaal3 ki baag4
junoon5-e shauq6 ko yaarab7 naviid8-e mahshar9 de
1.knowledge, wisdom 2.main flying wing 3.thought, reason, imagination 4.reins, control of direction 5.passion 6.love, desire 7.god, lord 8.good tidings 9.tumult, revolution, change
Give my wisdom the reins of the wing of thought/reason/imagination. O lord, give the passion of my desire the tidings of change.
9
agar1 na duur ho ye tiiragi2-e shab3 tishna4
to phir hava, mere dil ka charaaGh5 gul6 kar de
1.if 2.darkness 3.night 4.pen-name of the poet 5.lamp 6.extinguished
O tishna, if the darkness of this night is not banished then may the breeze blow out the lamp of my heart.
