For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
چشم کا گریاں ہونا ۔ سید عطا الرحمٰن عطاؔ کاکوی
۱
آبرو چشمِ محبت کی ہے گریاں ہونا
گوہرِ اشک کا پلکوں پہ نمایاں ہونا
۲
نگہِ رحمتِ یزداں کو بہت بھاتا ہے
زلفِ عسیاں کا بصد حسن پریشاں ہونا
۳
ننگِ پیراہنِ ہستی ہے وہ داماں اے زہد
جس کو آتا نہیں آلودۂ عصیاں ہونا
۴
سرمۂ چشم ہے وہ اہلِ بصیرت کے لیے
جس کی قسمت میں ہے خاکِ درِ جاناں ہونا
۵
تابِ نظّارہ بھی تو چشم کو بخشی ہوتی
ایسا کس کام کا جلوے کا پریشاں ہونا
۶
قِصّۂ جور و جفا میں نے بھی ناحق چھیڑا
مجھ سے دیکھا نہ گیا اُن کا پشیماں ہونا
۷
نہ سہی اُن پہ اثر دل کی کدورت تو مٹی
کارگر کچھ تو ہوا چشم کا گریاں ہونا
۸
چاندنی مہر و محبت کی تو جھٹکی ہی نہیں
داغِِ دل کو ہے میرے اور نمایاں ہونا
۹
گیسو کفر بصد ناز بلا گرداں ہے
وجد میں اُس کا نثارِ رخِ ایماں ہونا
۱۰
اشکِ رنگیں سے ہوں خود ہی گلستاں بکنار
ہو مبارک تمہیں فردوس بداماں ہونا
۱۱
کتنا اندھیر ہے دنیائے محبت میں عطاؔ
مِژّۂ حسن پہ تاروں کا چراغاں ہونا
चश्म का गिर्यां होना – सय्यद अता-उर-रहमान अता काकवी
१
आब्रू चश्म-ए मोहब्बत की है गिर्यां होना
गौहर-ए अश्क का पल्कों पे नुमायाँ होना
२
निगह-ए रहमत-ए यज़्दां को बहुत भाता है
ज़ुल्फ़-ए इस्यां का ब-सद हुस्न परेशां होना
३
नंग-ए पैराहन-ए हस्ती है वो दामाँ अए ज़ोह्द
जिस को आता नहीं आलूदा-ए इस्यां होना
४
सूर्मा-ए चश्म है वो अहल-ए बसीरत के लिए
जिसकी क़िस्मत में है ख़ाक-ए दर-ए जानां होना
५
ताब-ए नज़्ज़ारा भी तो चश्म को बख़्शी होती
ऐसा किस काम का जल्वे का परेशां होना
६
क़िस्सा-ए जौर ओ जफ़ा मैं ने भी नाहक़ छेढा
मुझ से देखा न गया उन का पशेमां होना
७
न सही उन पे असर, दिल की कदूरत तो गई
कारगर कुछ तो हुआ चश्म का गिर्यां होना
८
चाँदनी महर ओ मोहब्बत की तो छिटकी ही नहीं
दाग़-ए दिल को है मेरा और नुमायाँ होना
९
गेसू-ए कुफ़्र ब-सद नाज़ बला-गर्दां है
वज्द में उस का निसार-ए रुख़-ए ईमां होना
१०
अश्क-ए रंगीं से हूं ख़ुद ही गुलिस्तां ब-किनार
हो मुबारक तुम्हें फ़िर्दौस ब-दामां होना
११
कितना अँधेर है दुनिया-ए मोहब्बत में अता
मिज़्शा-ए हुस्न पे तारों का चराग़ां होना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ataa kaakvi-ataa-ur-rahman (1904-1998), UGC professor faarsi paTna university. Head of the Institute of Research in urdu and faarsi. Prolific writer – authored 19, compiled 82 and translated 6 books. One of his books, called nazr-e Ghalib has tributes to Ghalib by other poets and his own compositions in the zamin of Ghalib. This Ghazal is linked to ‘aadmi ko bhi mayassar nahiN insaaN hona’, Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme Index page.
1
aabru1 chashm2-e mohabbat ki hai giriyaaN3 hona
gauhar4-e ashk5 ka palkoN6 peh numaayaaN7 hona 1.honour, dignity 2.eye 3.weeping 4.pearls 5.tears 6.eye-lashes 7.emerge, appear
The dignity of the loving eye lies in weeping tears, tear drops appearing like pearls on eyelashes. This could apply to the lover weeping in sorrow because of unrequited love or it could be weeping with sorrow for the ills of all humanity.
2
nig’h1-e rahmat2-e yazdaaN3 ko bahut bhaata4 hai
zulf5-e isyaaN6 ka ba-sad7 husn8 pareshaaN9 hona 1.eye 2.benevolence 3.god 4.pleasing 5.hair 6.sining, transgression 7.with a hundred 8.beauty 9.scattered, spread
Transgression is visualised/presented as a damsel with her hair spread out. This of course, is a conventional image of the beauty of the beloved. Here transgression is presenting herself in a hundred beautiful styles and this pleases the benevolent eye of god i.e., he will forgive our transgressions.
3
naNg1-e pairaahan2-e hasti3 hai voh daamaaN4 aye zohd5
jis ko aata nahiN aaluuda6-e isyaaN7 hona 1.shame 2.garment 3.life 4.hem 5.abstinence, observing edicts 6.smeared, dirty 7.sin
Going through a situation without getting the hem of the garment dirty is to remain righteous and observant. Imagine ‘zohd-abstinece’ as a damsel wearing the garment of life and going through life without getting the hem of its robe dirty. The poet asserts that this is shameful for the ‘pairaahan-e hasti’. If you want to experience life to its full, if you don’t want to insult the opportunity of living, then you have to let the hem of your garment get dirty every now and then.
4
surma1-e chasm2 hai voh ahl3-e basiirat4 ke liye
jis ki qismat meN hai Khaak5-e dar6-e jaanaaN7 hona 1.collyrium 2.eye 3.people of 4.sight, insight, discerning 5.dust 6.door 7.beloved
It is thought that ‘surma-collyrium’ improves eyesight. For discerning/ingsightful people, the fortunate dust of the beloved’s door is like ‘surma’.
5
taab1-e nazzaara2 bhi to chashm3 ko baKhshi4 hoti
aisa kis kaam ka jalve5 ka pareshaaN6 hona 1.ability, strength, courage 2.seeing 3.eye 4.grant 5.manifestation 6.spread
This may be an allusion to the story of moosa/Moses who went up mount tuur asking to see god. When there was a manifestation in the form of a flash of lightning, he fainted. The poet implies that this was so because he did not have the courage to see. O god, you should have given the eye the courage to see. Of what use is the spreading/appearance of your manifestation if cannot be seen. This can also apply to what are considered to be everyday manifestations of the divine.
6
qissa1-e jaur2 o jafa3 maiN ne bhi naahaq4 chheRa5
mujh se dekha na gaya un ka pashemaaN6 hona 1.story 2.cruelty 3.oppression 4.unjustified, wrong 5.started 6.penitent, ashamed
In poetic convention the beloved is always cruel and oppressive towards the poet/lover. The poet started relating the story of her cruelty and oppression. The beloved felt ashamed of what she had done and poet/lover could not bear to see her penitence. He himself then regrets having started this story.
7
na sahi un peh asar1, dil ki kadoorat2 to gaii
kaargar3 kuchh to hua chashm4 ka giryaaN5 hona 1.effect 2.ill-feeling, offence 3.useful 4.eye 5.weeping
The poet/lover is sorrowful and offended by the beloved’s behaviour. He weeps, but his tears have had no effect on her. His tears were at least useful in clearing up the offended feelings in his heart.
8
chaandni mahr1 o mohabbat2 ki to chhiTki3 hi nahiN
daaGh4-e dil ko hai meray aur numaayaaN5 hona 1.kindness 2.love 3.spread, shine 4.wound 5.prominent, appear
The poet/lover carries wounds in his heart that he has bared, opened up. But it does not seem to have affected the beloved – the moonlight of her kindness/sympathy and love has not spread over him. He feels that is is necessary for the wounds of his heart to become more prominent to have an effect on her.
9
gesu1-e kufr2 ba-sad3 naaz4 balaa-gardaaN5 hai
vajd6 meN uss ka nisaar7-e ruKh8-e iimaaN9 hona 1.hair, tresses 2.non-faith, temptations 3.with a hundred 4.coquetries 5.sacrificial, demanding sacrifice 6.spiritual trance 7.devotional offering/sacrifice 8.face, beauty 9.faith
‘gesu-e kufr’ are alluring (material) temptations. With a hundred coquetries they demand sacrifice … the lover sacrifices his spiritual and material well being and goes into a frenzy of passion. But he could go into spiritual trance and offer himself as a devotional sacrifice to ‘ruKh-e iimaaN’, the beauty of faith. Thus, the two misra offer contrasting choices.
10
ashk1-e raNgiiN se huN Khud hi gulistaaN2 ba-kinaar3
ho mubaarak tumheN firdaus4 ba-daamaaN5 hona 1.tears 2.garden 3.embracing, possessing 4.heaven 5.in the hem of the garment
To hold something in the hem of the garment is to be in control/possession of that thing. The interlocuter is in ‘possession’ of i.e., is guaranteed to go to heaven. The poet says, felicitations to you for your guaranteed entry to heaven. The poet himself, on the other hand, has ‘ashk-e raNgiiN’ … colourful tears i.e., tears of blood. This makes floral patterns on his garment, and it is as if he is embracing/holding a garden. He is quite happy with this and leaves heaven to his interlocuter.
11
kitna andher1 hai duniya-e mohabbat meN ataa2
mizsha3-e husn4 peh taaroN ka charaaGhaaN5 hona 1.darkness, injustice 2.pen-name of the poet 3.eyelash 4.beauty/beloved 5.light up, shine
IF the beloved were to cry, then tears would shine like stars on her eyelashes. This would be a grave injustice in the world of love, O ataa. Thus, this is a description of a hypothetical situation.
ataa kaakvi-ataa-ur-rahman (1904-1998), UGC professor faarsi paTna university. Head of the Institute of Research in urdu and faarsi. Prolific writer – authored 19, compiled 82 and translated 6 books. One of his books, called nazr-e Ghalib has tributes to Ghalib by other poets and his own compositions in the zamin of Ghalib. This Ghazal is linked to ‘aadmi ko bhi mayassar nahiN insaaN hona’, Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme Index page.
1
aabru1 chashm2-e mohabbat ki hai giriyaaN3 hona
gauhar4-e ashk5 ka palkoN6 peh numaayaaN7 hona
1.honour, dignity 2.eye 3.weeping 4.pearls 5.tears 6.eye-lashes 7.emerge, appear
The dignity of the loving eye lies in weeping tears, tear drops appearing like pearls on eyelashes. This could apply to the lover weeping in sorrow because of unrequited love or it could be weeping with sorrow for the ills of all humanity.
2
nig’h1-e rahmat2-e yazdaaN3 ko bahut bhaata4 hai
zulf5-e isyaaN6 ka ba-sad7 husn8 pareshaaN9 hona
1.eye 2.benevolence 3.god 4.pleasing 5.hair 6.sining, transgression 7.with a hundred 8.beauty 9.scattered, spread
Transgression is visualised/presented as a damsel with her hair spread out. This of course, is a conventional image of the beauty of the beloved. Here transgression is presenting herself in a hundred beautiful styles and this pleases the benevolent eye of god i.e., he will forgive our transgressions.
3
naNg1-e pairaahan2-e hasti3 hai voh daamaaN4 aye zohd5
jis ko aata nahiN aaluuda6-e isyaaN7 hona
1.shame 2.garment 3.life 4.hem 5.abstinence, observing edicts 6.smeared, dirty 7.sin
Going through a situation without getting the hem of the garment dirty is to remain righteous and observant. Imagine ‘zohd-abstinece’ as a damsel wearing the garment of life and going through life without getting the hem of its robe dirty. The poet asserts that this is shameful for the ‘pairaahan-e hasti’. If you want to experience life to its full, if you don’t want to insult the opportunity of living, then you have to let the hem of your garment get dirty every now and then.
4
surma1-e chasm2 hai voh ahl3-e basiirat4 ke liye
jis ki qismat meN hai Khaak5-e dar6-e jaanaaN7 hona
1.collyrium 2.eye 3.people of 4.sight, insight, discerning 5.dust 6.door 7.beloved
It is thought that ‘surma-collyrium’ improves eyesight. For discerning/ingsightful people, the fortunate dust of the beloved’s door is like ‘surma’.
5
taab1-e nazzaara2 bhi to chashm3 ko baKhshi4 hoti
aisa kis kaam ka jalve5 ka pareshaaN6 hona
1.ability, strength, courage 2.seeing 3.eye 4.grant 5.manifestation 6.spread
This may be an allusion to the story of moosa/Moses who went up mount tuur asking to see god. When there was a manifestation in the form of a flash of lightning, he fainted. The poet implies that this was so because he did not have the courage to see. O god, you should have given the eye the courage to see. Of what use is the spreading/appearance of your manifestation if cannot be seen. This can also apply to what are considered to be everyday manifestations of the divine.
6
qissa1-e jaur2 o jafa3 maiN ne bhi naahaq4 chheRa5
mujh se dekha na gaya un ka pashemaaN6 hona
1.story 2.cruelty 3.oppression 4.unjustified, wrong 5.started 6.penitent, ashamed
In poetic convention the beloved is always cruel and oppressive towards the poet/lover. The poet started relating the story of her cruelty and oppression. The beloved felt ashamed of what she had done and poet/lover could not bear to see her penitence. He himself then regrets having started this story.
7
na sahi un peh asar1, dil ki kadoorat2 to gaii
kaargar3 kuchh to hua chashm4 ka giryaaN5 hona
1.effect 2.ill-feeling, offence 3.useful 4.eye 5.weeping
The poet/lover is sorrowful and offended by the beloved’s behaviour. He weeps, but his tears have had no effect on her. His tears were at least useful in clearing up the offended feelings in his heart.
8
chaandni mahr1 o mohabbat2 ki to chhiTki3 hi nahiN
daaGh4-e dil ko hai meray aur numaayaaN5 hona
1.kindness 2.love 3.spread, shine 4.wound 5.prominent, appear
The poet/lover carries wounds in his heart that he has bared, opened up. But it does not seem to have affected the beloved – the moonlight of her kindness/sympathy and love has not spread over him. He feels that is is necessary for the wounds of his heart to become more prominent to have an effect on her.
9
gesu1-e kufr2 ba-sad3 naaz4 balaa-gardaaN5 hai
vajd6 meN uss ka nisaar7-e ruKh8-e iimaaN9 hona
1.hair, tresses 2.non-faith, temptations 3.with a hundred 4.coquetries 5.sacrificial, demanding sacrifice 6.spiritual trance 7.devotional offering/sacrifice 8.face, beauty 9.faith
‘gesu-e kufr’ are alluring (material) temptations. With a hundred coquetries they demand sacrifice … the lover sacrifices his spiritual and material well being and goes into a frenzy of passion. But he could go into spiritual trance and offer himself as a devotional sacrifice to ‘ruKh-e iimaaN’, the beauty of faith. Thus, the two misra offer contrasting choices.
10
ashk1-e raNgiiN se huN Khud hi gulistaaN2 ba-kinaar3
ho mubaarak tumheN firdaus4 ba-daamaaN5 hona
1.tears 2.garden 3.embracing, possessing 4.heaven 5.in the hem of the garment
To hold something in the hem of the garment is to be in control/possession of that thing. The interlocuter is in ‘possession’ of i.e., is guaranteed to go to heaven. The poet says, felicitations to you for your guaranteed entry to heaven. The poet himself, on the other hand, has ‘ashk-e raNgiiN’ … colourful tears i.e., tears of blood. This makes floral patterns on his garment, and it is as if he is embracing/holding a garden. He is quite happy with this and leaves heaven to his interlocuter.
11
kitna andher1 hai duniya-e mohabbat meN ataa2
mizsha3-e husn4 peh taaroN ka charaaGhaaN5 hona
1.darkness, injustice 2.pen-name of the poet 3.eyelash 4.beauty/beloved 5.light up, shine
IF the beloved were to cry, then tears would shine like stars on her eyelashes. This would be a grave injustice in the world of love, O ataa. Thus, this is a description of a hypothetical situation.
