For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
دردِ تمنّا کہیں جسے ۔ تلوک چند محرومؔ
۱
پہلو میں دل ہے درد کی دنیا کہیں جسے
پر اس قدر اُجاڑ کہ صحرا کہیں جسے
۲
وہ رعبِ حسن تھا کہ بَن آئی نہ ہم سے بات
یوں حالِ دل کہا کہ نہ کہنا کہیں جسے
۳
آنکھوں سے دیکھنے کو تو اب بھی ہیں دیکھتے
تھی اور چیز ذوقِ تماشا کہیں جسے
۴
مانندِ ماہ اُس کا فلک پر دماغ ہو
جھوٹوں بھی تابِ حسن میں تم سا کہیں جسے
۵
سب آپ کے تغافل و جور و جفا بجا
ہے ایک اپنا شکوہ کہ بے جا کہیں جسے
۶
ذوقِ سخن کے دن بھی تھے شاید وہی کہ جب
دل میں کسک تھی دردِ تمنّا کہیں جسے
۷
محرومؔ شاعروں میں بہت نامور نہیں
اتنا ضرور ہے کہ سب اچھا کہیں جسے
दर्द-ए तमन्ना कहें जिसे – तिलोक चन्द महरूम
१
पहलू में दिल है दर्द की दुनिया कहें जिसे
पर इस क़दर उजाढ के सहरा कहें जिसे
२
वो रो’ब-ए हुस्न था के बन आई न हम से बात
यूँ हाल-ए दिल कहा के न कहना कहें जिसे
३
आँखौं से देखने को तो अब भी हैं देखते
थी और चीज़ ज़ौक़-ए तमाशा कहें जिसे
४
मानिन्द-ए माह उस का फ़लक पर दमाग़ हो
झूटौं भी ताब-ए हुस्न में तुम सा कहें जिसे
५
सब आप के तग़ाफ़ुला-ओ-जौर-ओ-जफ़ा बजा
है एक अपना शिक्वा के बेजा कहें जिसे
६
ज़ौक़-ए सुख़न के दिन भी थे शा’एद वही के जब
दिल में कसक थी दर्द-ए तमन्ना कहें जिसे
७
महरूम शा’एरौं में बहुत नामवर नहीं
इतना ज़रूर है के सब अच्छा कहें जिसे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. tilok chand mahroom (1887-1955) and his son jagan nath azad are an illustrious father-son team of urdu shu’ara. From miaNvaali (now in pakistan), they migrated to India in 1948, after unsuccessfully trying to remain in lahore. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s ‘tujh sa kaheN jise’ and is linked to it in the page ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
pahlu1 meN dil hai dard2 ki duniya3 kaheN jise
par is qadar4 ujaaR5 ke sahra6 kaheN jise 1.side 2.pain, anguish 3.world 4.so much 5.desolate 6.desert
The poet describes the heart as a ‘dard ki duniya’ (world of pain) nestled within the ‘pahlu’ (side/bosom). However, this world is so ‘ujaaR’ (desolate) that it resembles a ‘sahra’ (desert). This conveys the immense loneliness and desolation that pain brings.
2
voh rau’b1-e husn tha ke ban2 aaii na hum se baat
yuN haal3-e dil kahaa ke na kahnaa kaheN jise 1.awe, majesty 2.na ban aaii-could not accomplish 3.state, condition
The ‘rau’b-e husn’ (awe of beauty) was so overwhelming that the poet/lover couldn’t express his feelings. The ‘haal-e dil’ (state of the heart) was conveyed in such a way that it might as well have been unsaid. This encapsulates the struggle of unspoken emotions.
3
aaNkhoN se dekhne ko to ab bhi haiN dekhte
thii aur chiiz zauq1-e tamaashaa2 kaheN jise 1.taste, pleasure, desire 2.spectacle
Although the eyes still see, the ‘zauq-e tamaashaa’ (the taste for spectacle) is something entirely different. The poet laments the loss of that unique joy and wonder once felt in witnessing beauty, perhaps this is onset of old age or loss of skill/appreciation.
4
maanind1-e maah2 uss kaa falak3 par damaaGh4 ho
jhuuToN bhi taab5-e husn6 meN tum saa kaheN jise 1.like, resembling 2.moon 3.sky 4.mind but also-pride 5.radiance 6.beauty
The moon is unduly/undeservedly proud of its beauty. Its pride is sky high. Even if we lie, how can we call it equal to you (O beloved) in the radiance of beauty. Alternatively, even in feigned exaggeration, we were to say to someone that the radiance of their beauty is like yours, then their pride would go sky high like the moon.
5
sab aap ke taGhaaful1 o jaur2 o jafaa3 bajaa
hai ek apnaa shikva4 keh bejaa5 kaheN jise 1.neglect 2.oppression 3.cruelty 4.complaint 5.unjustified
The beloved’s ‘taGhaaful’ (indifference, neglect), ‘jaur’ (oppression), and ‘jafaa’ (cruelty) are all deemed justified by the poet. However, his own ‘shikva’ (complaint) is the only thing he fears might be ‘bejaa’ (unjustified). Either this is a sarcastic comment of it reflects the poet’s deep humility and devotion.
6
zauq1-e suKhan ke din bhi the shaa’ed vahi keh jab
dil meN kasak2 thii dard-e tamanna3 kaheN jise 1.taste, zeal 2.twinge, ache 3.desire
The poet reminisces about a time when ‘zauq-e suKhan’ (zeal for poetry) thrived, coinciding with a ‘kasak’ (ache) in the heart—a ‘dard-e tamanna’ (pain of desire). It suggests that creativity and pain of longing are intertwined. It implies that the poet seems to have lost it now.
7
mahruum1 shaa’eroN meN bahut naamvar2 nahiiN
itnaa zaruur hai keh sab achchhaa kaheN jise 1.deprived, modest (used as a pen-name) 2.famous
The poet humbly admits he isn’t a ‘naamavar’ (famous) poet among his peers. Yet, he takes solace at least he is known as ‘achchhaa’ (good). This reflects self-awareness and contentment with modest recognition.
tilok chand mahroom (1887-1955) and his son jagan nath azad are an illustrious father-son team of urdu shu’ara. From miaNvaali (now in pakistan), they migrated to India in 1948, after unsuccessfully trying to remain in lahore. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s ‘tujh sa kaheN jise’ and is linked to it in the page ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
pahlu1 meN dil hai dard2 ki duniya3 kaheN jise
par is qadar4 ujaaR5 ke sahra6 kaheN jise
1.side 2.pain, anguish 3.world 4.so much 5.desolate 6.desert
The poet describes the heart as a ‘dard ki duniya’ (world of pain) nestled within the ‘pahlu’ (side/bosom). However, this world is so ‘ujaaR’ (desolate) that it resembles a ‘sahra’ (desert). This conveys the immense loneliness and desolation that pain brings.
2
voh rau’b1-e husn tha ke ban2 aaii na hum se baat
yuN haal3-e dil kahaa ke na kahnaa kaheN jise
1.awe, majesty 2.na ban aaii-could not accomplish 3.state, condition
The ‘rau’b-e husn’ (awe of beauty) was so overwhelming that the poet/lover couldn’t express his feelings. The ‘haal-e dil’ (state of the heart) was conveyed in such a way that it might as well have been unsaid. This encapsulates the struggle of unspoken emotions.
3
aaNkhoN se dekhne ko to ab bhi haiN dekhte
thii aur chiiz zauq1-e tamaashaa2 kaheN jise
1.taste, pleasure, desire 2.spectacle
Although the eyes still see, the ‘zauq-e tamaashaa’ (the taste for spectacle) is something entirely different. The poet laments the loss of that unique joy and wonder once felt in witnessing beauty, perhaps this is onset of old age or loss of skill/appreciation.
4
maanind1-e maah2 uss kaa falak3 par damaaGh4 ho
jhuuToN bhi taab5-e husn6 meN tum saa kaheN jise
1.like, resembling 2.moon 3.sky 4.mind but also-pride 5.radiance 6.beauty
The moon is unduly/undeservedly proud of its beauty. Its pride is sky high. Even if we lie, how can we call it equal to you (O beloved) in the radiance of beauty. Alternatively, even in feigned exaggeration, we were to say to someone that the radiance of their beauty is like yours, then their pride would go sky high like the moon.
5
sab aap ke taGhaaful1 o jaur2 o jafaa3 bajaa
hai ek apnaa shikva4 keh bejaa5 kaheN jise
1.neglect 2.oppression 3.cruelty 4.complaint 5.unjustified
The beloved’s ‘taGhaaful’ (indifference, neglect), ‘jaur’ (oppression), and ‘jafaa’ (cruelty) are all deemed justified by the poet. However, his own ‘shikva’ (complaint) is the only thing he fears might be ‘bejaa’ (unjustified). Either this is a sarcastic comment of it reflects the poet’s deep humility and devotion.
6
zauq1-e suKhan ke din bhi the shaa’ed vahi keh jab
dil meN kasak2 thii dard-e tamanna3 kaheN jise
1.taste, zeal 2.twinge, ache 3.desire
The poet reminisces about a time when ‘zauq-e suKhan’ (zeal for poetry) thrived, coinciding with a ‘kasak’ (ache) in the heart—a ‘dard-e tamanna’ (pain of desire). It suggests that creativity and pain of longing are intertwined. It implies that the poet seems to have lost it now.
7
mahruum1 shaa’eroN meN bahut naamvar2 nahiiN
itnaa zaruur hai keh sab achchhaa kaheN jise
1.deprived, modest (used as a pen-name) 2.famous
The poet humbly admits he isn’t a ‘naamavar’ (famous) poet among his peers. Yet, he takes solace at least he is known as ‘achchhaa’ (good). This reflects self-awareness and contentment with modest recognition.
