Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. manohar lal shaarib (1920-1962) learnt urdu, farsi and arabi at home. After matriculation he worked for the agriculture department in hyderabad. He was very much a part of the progressive circle of shu’ara. ash’aar in this Ghazal reflect that and his commitment to communal harmony.
1
farq¹ daamaanoN² meN baaqi³ na garebaanoN⁴ meN
ab ke is tarah⁵ bahaar aaii gulistaanoN⁶ meN    1.difference, distinction 2.hem, border 3.remaining 4.collar 5.like, similar to 6.spring 7.gardens
The arrival of spring is a signal for mad passionate lovers to tear their shirt collars. They have torn their collars all the way down to the hem, leaving no difference between the two, such is the intensity of their passion. That is the way spring has arrived this year in the gardens.
2
jis ko DhooNDa kiya sahraaoN¹ meN viiraanoN² meN
vo mila dard³ ke maare hue insaanoN meN    1.desert 2.wilderness
The conventional picture of a lover looking for the beloved or the seeker seeking god, is often depicted as that of an obsessed man traversing the desert or wilderness. Here the poet has been looking for god through the length and breadth of the desert and wilderness. He did not find god there but found him/her among the calamity stricken people. Thus, god lives among the deprived.
3
sahn¹-e gulshan² se jo rah-rah³ ke dhuaaN uThta hai
koii sayyaad⁴ bhi shaamil⁵ hai nigahbaanoN⁶ meN    1.yard 2.garden 3.time and again, on and off 4.bird-catcher 5.included 6.guardians
Generally speaking ‘sayyaad’ is the bird-catcher that catches and cages the bulbul. And the shaa’er himself is depicted as the bulbul. Here the bird-catcher is portrayed as an all-out villain setting fires. There are supposed to be guardians of the society (especially of the powerless). But the villain has sneaked in among them. That is why we see fires on and off in the open yard of the garden. This is a sarcastic reflection on political leaders who cause havoc in the lives of the very people they are supposed to protect.
4
haaye nairaNgi¹-e raftaar²-e zamaana³ mat poochh
kitne apne bhi nazar⁴ aaye haiN begaanoN⁵ meN    1.illusion, mysteries, magic 2.speed, movement, behaviour, actions 3.times 4.sighted, seen 5.others, strangers
‘raftaar’ is also used to mean ‘ways of working’. Society has changed. Old values are no longer sacrosanct. ‘apna’ and ‘begaana’ are used in the sense of friend/comrade and ‘other/rival/enemy’. Do not ask about the mysteries of how the world works. Oh, how many ‘friends’ have we spotted among the throng of enemies.
5
aagahi¹ ishq ki takmiil²-e talab³ hai shaa’ed⁴
ek ta’ammul⁵ sa abhi hai tere diivaanoN meN   1.knowledge, awareness 2.completion, fulfilment 3.demand, desire 4.perhaps 5.delay, hesitation
Poets/lovers are not great advocates of ‘awareness/knowledge’. They would much rather deal with ‘feelings of the heart’. Also, their desire for union with the beloved is never fulfilled and they are always dealing with their feelings. They value these feelings to the point of considering them superior to union/vasl. Thus he speculates that perhaps awareness (being in control of one’s senses) can come only after fulfilment of their desire for union with the beloved. Since this is not necessarily the most desirable option, there is a hesitation among the mad/passionate lovers.
6
zamzam¹ o kausar² o tasniim² ke chashme³ phooTe
dii azaaN⁴ jhoom ke rindoN⁵ ne jo maiKhaanoN⁶ meN   1.well near the kaaba 2.legendary rivers in heaven 3.springs, rivulets 4.islamic call for prayer 5.wine-lovers 6.taverns
The waters of zamzam, kausar and tasniim are supposed to be holy/blessed/curative. Normally, azaan is called out from a minaret of a mosque. But in an act of inclusiveness, all-acceptance the patrons of the tavern call out the azaan. Heaven was so pleased with this act that springs of blessed water burst out all over the place.
7
kaafiroN¹ meN hai tere diin² ki shohrat³ shaarib⁴
aur tere kufr⁵ ke charche⁶ haiN musalmaanoN meN    1.non-believers, non-islamic 2.faith 3.fame 4.pen-name of the poet 5.non-belief, transgressions against faith 6.conversation, spreading news
O shaarib your (islamic) faith is famous among non-believers in islam and among muslims there is conversation about your non-islamic transgressions. Said another shaa’er (unknown) …
zaahid-e taNg-nazar ne mujhe kaafir jaana
aur kaafir ye samajhta hai musalmaaN huN maiN