For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
داغ بہ دل آفریدہ ہوں ۔ بہادر شاہ ظفرؔ
۱
مانندِ شمع عشق میں گردن بریدہ ہوں
پربل بے سرکشی کہ وہی سر کشیدہ ہوں
۲
مطلب نہ آشنا سے نہ دام و قفس سے کام
میں اِس چمن میں طائرِ رنگِ پریدہ ہوں
۳
بدلے زلالِ خضر نہ منہ کا مرے مزا
میں تلخ کام زہرِ محبّت چشیدہ ہوں
۴
مقدور کیا کہ چشم سے اک بوند بھی گرے
رکھتا مثالِ آئینہ گو آبدیدہ ہوں
۵
وحشت کے دو ہی ڈھنگ ہیں ہستی سے تا عدم
میں وحشیِ رمیدہ کہاں آرمیدہ ہوں
۶
نے شمعِ انجمن ہوں، نہ میں لالۂ چمن
پھر کیوں جہاں میں داغ بہ دل آفریدہ ہوں
۷
ہوں خاک بھی تو خاکِ رہِ پیرِ مے فروش
میں رند مشربوں میں ظفرؔ خوش عقیدہ ہوں
दाग़ ब दिल आफ़्रीदा हूँ – बहादुर शाह ज़फ़र
१
मानिंद-ए शम’अ इश्क़ में गर्दन बुरीदा हूँ
परबल बे-सरकशी के वही सर कशीदा हूँ
२
मत्लब ना आशना से ना दाम ओ क़फ़स से काम
मैं इस चमन में ताएर-ए रंग-ए परीदा हूँ
३
बदले ज़लाल-ए ख़िज़्र ना मुंह का मेरे मज़ा
मैं तल्ख़ काम-ए ज़हर-ए मोहब्बत चशीदा हूँ
४
मक़्दूर क्या के चश्म से एक बूंद भी गिरे
रखता मिसाल-ए आईना गो आबदीदा हूँ
५
वहशत के दो ही ढंग हैं हस्ती से ता अदम
मैं वहशी-ए रमीदा कहाँ आरमीदा हूँ
६
ने शम’अ-ए अंजुमन हूँ, ना मैं लाला-ए चमन
फिर क्यूं जहां में दाग़-ब-दिल आफ़्रीदा हूँ
७
हूँ ख़ाक भी तो ख़ाक-ए रह-ए पीर-ए मयफ़रोश
मैं रिंद मुशरिबों में ज़फ़र ख़ुश अक़ीदा हूँ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. bahaadur shaah zafar (1775-1862) became titular/nominal emperor of India in 1837. He was a scholar of faarsi and arabi and started composing at an early age. zauq and after zauq’s death in 1854, Ghalib became his ustaad. zafar used to hold frequent mushaa’era in the Red Fort. This Ghazal, in the same style of Ghalib’s maiN andaleeb-e gulshan-e na-aafriida huN, is linked to several others of the same style under ‘Ghalib peshrau o ham-asar’.
1
maanind1-e sham’a ishq meN gardan-buriida2 huN
parbal3 be-sarkashi4 keh vahi sar-kashiida5 huN 1.like, similar to 2.neck cut off 3.might, power 4.without arrogance 5.head held high
Before lighting a candle its head is clipped off to discard the earlier burnt portion. The burning of the candle is considered a sign of love … it burns in love … and when the top is clipped, it burns brighter. Thus, just like a candle, I too, burn in love with my head cut off (this could mean, losing my mind in intensity of passion). I am mighty, but without arrogance, still holding my head high.
2
matlab1 na aashna2 se na daam3 o qafas4 se kaam
maiN is chaman5 meN taa’er6-e raNg7-e pariida8 huN 1.concern 2.friend, intimate, relationships 3.net, trap 4.cage 5.garden – used to mean this world 6.bird 7.in the style of 8.flight
I do not seek intimate relationships/attachments nor do I want to have anything to do with getting trapped or caged (in the tempations of this material world). In this garden/world I am like a bird in flight (with a very brief sojourn).
3
badle zulaal1-e Khizr2 na muNh ka mere maza3
maiN talKh4 kaam5-e zahr6-e muhabbat chashiida7 huN 1.nectar 2.legendary old man who found the nectar of immortality, symbol of long life, wisdom and guide 3.tast 4.bitter 5.throat 7.tasted
Even the nectar of immortality, of Khizr, will not change the taste of my mouth i.e., I would not want a long life on this earth because I have tasted the bitter poison of love. The only reason I can think of that he calls love a bitter poison is that it causes pain, and such pain is valued.
4
maqdoor1 kya keh chashm2 se ek booNd3 bhi gire
rakhta misaal4-e aaiina go5 aab-diida6 huN 1.capability, strength 2.eye 3.drop 4.example, similar 5.even though 6.tearful eyes
I have difficulty interpreting this. Here is a possible interpretation. I have clear eyes that reflect like mirrors. They reflect the misery of the world, and my eyes are tearful. But I have the capability/strength to hold back my tears and not let even a single tear drop.
5
vahshat1 ke do hi DhaNg2 haiN hasti3 se ta4 ‘adam5
maiN vahshi6-e ramiida7 kahaaN aaramiida8 huN 1.passionate madness 2.styles, varieties 3.existence, beginning 4.to (as in from this to that) 5.non-existence, end 6.wild animal 7.running 8.comfortable, not running
There are only two styles of passionate from beginning to end – either running/wandering through the wilderness or sitting in seclusion. The second misra has two exactly opposite interpretations depending on whether you break after ramiida or after kahaaN. In the first reading – I am a wild running animal, how can I remain in seclusion. In the second, opposite reading – how can I be a wild running animal, I sit in seclusion.
6
ne sham’a-e anjuman1 huN, na maiN lala2-e chaman
phir kyuN jahaaN meN daaGh-ba-dil3 aafriida4 huN 1.gathering 2.tulip, red 3.wounded heart 4.created
I am neither the shining light/lamp of the gathering nor am I the tulip of the garden. Why is it then that I have been created in this world with a wounded/sad heart. Said Ghalib …
hum kahaaN ke daana the, kis hunar meN yakta the
be-sabab hua Ghalib dushman aasmaaN apna
7
huN Khaak1 bhi to Khaak2-e rah3-e piir4-e mai-farosh5
maiN rind6 mushriboN7 meN zafar8 Khush-aqiida9 huN 1.dust, nothing, no value 2.dust 3.path 4.senior, respected 5.wine seller, tavern keeper 6.wine lover/drinker 7.wine drinkers 8.penname of the poet 9.person of good faith
‘piir-e mai-farosh’ is used to mean ‘piir-e muGhaaN’ – the chief wine maker. Traditionally this used to be the head priest in a Zoroastrian temple and was used as a symbol of a highly respected/revered figure. Thus, even if I am nothing but dust, I am the dust of the path of the revered piir-e muGhaaN. O zafar, I am a patron of the tavern and among all patrons (wine lovers), I am of good faith (sincere in my feelings of sufiyaana love).
bahaadur shaah zafar (1775-1862) became titular/nominal emperor of India in 1837. He was a scholar of faarsi and arabi and started composing at an early age. zauq and after zauq’s death in 1854, Ghalib became his ustaad. zafar used to hold frequent mushaa’era in the Red Fort. This Ghazal, in the same style of Ghalib’s maiN andaleeb-e gulshan-e na-aafriida huN, is linked to several others of the same style under ‘Ghalib peshrau o ham-asar’.
1
maanind1-e sham’a ishq meN gardan-buriida2 huN
parbal3 be-sarkashi4 keh vahi sar-kashiida5 huN
1.like, similar to 2.neck cut off 3.might, power 4.without arrogance 5.head held high
Before lighting a candle its head is clipped off to discard the earlier burnt portion. The burning of the candle is considered a sign of love … it burns in love … and when the top is clipped, it burns brighter. Thus, just like a candle, I too, burn in love with my head cut off (this could mean, losing my mind in intensity of passion). I am mighty, but without arrogance, still holding my head high.
2
matlab1 na aashna2 se na daam3 o qafas4 se kaam
maiN is chaman5 meN taa’er6-e raNg7-e pariida8 huN
1.concern 2.friend, intimate, relationships 3.net, trap 4.cage 5.garden – used to mean this world 6.bird 7.in the style of 8.flight
I do not seek intimate relationships/attachments nor do I want to have anything to do with getting trapped or caged (in the tempations of this material world). In this garden/world I am like a bird in flight (with a very brief sojourn).
3
badle zulaal1-e Khizr2 na muNh ka mere maza3
maiN talKh4 kaam5-e zahr6-e muhabbat chashiida7 huN
1.nectar 2.legendary old man who found the nectar of immortality, symbol of long life, wisdom and guide 3.tast 4.bitter 5.throat 7.tasted
Even the nectar of immortality, of Khizr, will not change the taste of my mouth i.e., I would not want a long life on this earth because I have tasted the bitter poison of love. The only reason I can think of that he calls love a bitter poison is that it causes pain, and such pain is valued.
4
maqdoor1 kya keh chashm2 se ek booNd3 bhi gire
rakhta misaal4-e aaiina go5 aab-diida6 huN
1.capability, strength 2.eye 3.drop 4.example, similar 5.even though 6.tearful eyes
I have difficulty interpreting this. Here is a possible interpretation. I have clear eyes that reflect like mirrors. They reflect the misery of the world, and my eyes are tearful. But I have the capability/strength to hold back my tears and not let even a single tear drop.
5
vahshat1 ke do hi DhaNg2 haiN hasti3 se ta4 ‘adam5
maiN vahshi6-e ramiida7 kahaaN aaramiida8 huN
1.passionate madness 2.styles, varieties 3.existence, beginning 4.to (as in from this to that) 5.non-existence, end 6.wild animal 7.running 8.comfortable, not running
There are only two styles of passionate from beginning to end – either running/wandering through the wilderness or sitting in seclusion. The second misra has two exactly opposite interpretations depending on whether you break after ramiida or after kahaaN. In the first reading – I am a wild running animal, how can I remain in seclusion. In the second, opposite reading – how can I be a wild running animal, I sit in seclusion.
6
ne sham’a-e anjuman1 huN, na maiN lala2-e chaman
phir kyuN jahaaN meN daaGh-ba-dil3 aafriida4 huN
1.gathering 2.tulip, red 3.wounded heart 4.created
I am neither the shining light/lamp of the gathering nor am I the tulip of the garden. Why is it then that I have been created in this world with a wounded/sad heart. Said Ghalib …
hum kahaaN ke daana the, kis hunar meN yakta the
be-sabab hua Ghalib dushman aasmaaN apna
7
huN Khaak1 bhi to Khaak2-e rah3-e piir4-e mai-farosh5
maiN rind6 mushriboN7 meN zafar8 Khush-aqiida9 huN
1.dust, nothing, no value 2.dust 3.path 4.senior, respected 5.wine seller, tavern keeper 6.wine lover/drinker 7.wine drinkers 8.penname of the poet 9.person of good faith
‘piir-e mai-farosh’ is used to mean ‘piir-e muGhaaN’ – the chief wine maker. Traditionally this used to be the head priest in a Zoroastrian temple and was used as a symbol of a highly respected/revered figure. Thus, even if I am nothing but dust, I am the dust of the path of the revered piir-e muGhaaN. O zafar, I am a patron of the tavern and among all patrons (wine lovers), I am of good faith (sincere in my feelings of sufiyaana love).
