duniya mere aage – mirza Ghalib

Click on any she’r for meanings and discussion.

1
baaziicha¹-e-atfaal² hai duniya mere aage
hotaa hai shab-o-roz³ tamaashaa⁴ mere aage1.play, game 2.infants, children 3.night and day 4.show
Ghalib had a strong streak of Sufi tasavvuf – mysticism in him. This Ghazal should be interpreted from a Sufi mystic point of view (among other possibilities). The world is a pretense, a play of make belief (like children). Reality is something else.

2
ik khel hai aurang-e-sulaimaaN¹ mere nazdiik
ik baat² hai ejaaz-e-masiihaa³ mere aage1.Solomon’s throne 2.talk, mere talk, fable 3.miracles of Jesus
Solomon had domain over all creation. Jesus raised the dead to life. But even these are nothing but mere play or “talk” to the mystic.

3
juz¹ naam² nahiiN soorat-e-aalam³ mujhe manzoor⁴
juz vahm⁵ nahiiN hastii-e-ashyaa⁶ mere aage1.except for 2.name, superficiality 3.appearance of the world 4.acceptable 5.illusion 6.existence of matter
Sufi tasavvuf shares the concept of vahdat-ul-vujood with advaita philosophy. What we see is mere reflection of the many aspects of reality. Reality is vahdat – one-ness, unity of creator and creation. I do not accept that the world is real. It is only a name given to our perceptions. All matter is illusory.

4
hotaa hai nihaaN¹ gard² meN sehraa³ mere hote⁴
ghistaa⁵ hai jabiiN⁶ Khaak⁷ pe daryaa⁸ mere aage1.hidden 2.dust/sand 3.desert 4.when I am around 5.rubs 6.forehead 7.dust/sand 8.sea, ocean
“darya and sehra” are important elements earth/clay and water in the tradition of creation. This basic element too disappears in the dust before me – the “me” here is the sufi mystic – the higher human. Water too pays homage to me.

5
mat poochh¹ ke kyaa haal² hai meraa tere piichhe³
tuu dekh⁴ ke kyaa raNg⁵ hai teraa mere aage1.don’t ask 2.condition 3.behind you, when you are not around, when I am separated from you 4.look/consider 5.colour/condition
A common interpretation is that the poet/lover is complaining about the behaviour of the beloved. My condition is so bad when I am away from you, don’t even ask about it. Just consider what your condition/mood is when I am around – you are so angry/cruel that no wonder my condition is bad. You don’t have to ask – it is self-evident. But consider the mystical possibility that the “beloved” is god and the poet/lover is complaining about god.

6
sach kahte ho Khud-biin¹-o-Khud-aaraa² huN na kyuN hooN³
baiThaa hai but⁴-e aaiinah-siimaa⁵ mere aage1.self regarding 2.self adorning 3.why should I not be, why is surprising 4.idol/beloved 5.silvery mirror
Again, the conventional interpretation is that the beloved (idol) is beautiful with a clear forehead like a mirror (as sign of beauty in poetic convention). You are right, I am self regarding and self absorbed and why not. I sit before an idol who is beautiful and radiant like a polished mirror. But then, god is beautiful and looking at god is like looking into a mirror – re-inforcing the Sufi/advaita concept of unity of creator and creation.

7
phir¹ dekhiye andaaz²-e gul-afshaanii³-e guftaar⁴
rakh de koii paimaanah⁵-e sahbaa⁶ mere aage1.then and only then 2.style 3.rose (petal) scattering 4.speech, poetry 5.flask/cup 6.wine
Recall that each she’r in a Ghazal can be independent in theme. This is an oft quoted she’r and surely Ghalib is showering much deserved praise on his own poetry. Then and only then can you see/hear the rose-petal scattering style of my speech/poetry – when someone places a flask of wine before me.

8
nafrat¹ kaa gumaaN² guzre³ hai maiN rashk⁴ se guzraa
kyuNkar⁵ kahooN lo naam na un kaa mere aage1.hatred 2.suspicion 3.passes, happens 4.envy 5.how
When they mention her name before me, I get so envious/jealous that people suspect/are mistaken that it is hatred. How can I ask them not to mention her name before me! But this is a rather simplistic explanation. For a rich combination of possible interpretations see http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00ghalib/208/208_08.html

9
iimaaN¹ mujhe roke hai jo khaiNche² hai mujhe kufr³
ka’bah⁴ mere piichhe hai kaliisaa⁵ mere aage1.faith, virtue 2.pull, tempt 3.forbidden pleasures 4.Kaaba, used metaphorically for faith 5.church, used metaphorically for unfaith
Faith stops him, temptation pulls him. A classic struggle, leaving us to imagine what the consequences are. But is Ghalib declaring that he is torn and confused between the two or is he saying that they are both available to me and I choose one sometimes and the other at other times – both are equal/acceptable.

10
aashiq¹ huN pah mashuuq-farebii² hai miraa kaam
majnuuN ko buraa kahtii hai lailaa mere aage³ 1.lover 2.deceiving the beloved 3.before me, compared to me
Ghalib is turning tables on the traditional lover-beloved roles. Here the lover is an expert at deceiving the beloved and has her believing that he is an exemplary lover, deeply in love with her. Seeing this even Laila is jealous and upbraids Majnun comparing him to the poet/lover.

11
Khush hote haiN par vasl¹ meN yuuN² mar nahiiN jaate
aaii shab-e hijraaN³ ki tamannaa⁴ mere aage1.union (with the beloved) 2.like this 3.night(s) of separation (from the beloved) 4.desire, longing
The desire/longing during nights of separation is that the lover would die of joy upon union with the beloved. Union comes about and the lover dies of joy. The poet/lover admonishes himself saying – look it is OK to be happy on achieving union, but you should not die like this.

12
hai mauj-zan¹ ek qulzum-e-KhooN², kaash³ yihii ho⁴
aataa hai abhii dekhiye kyaa kyaa mere aage1.wave creating 2.ocean of blood 3.I wish 4.this be true
Calamities are coming at me like an ocean of blood. I hope my anticipation/perception is correct. I am ready for more calamities. The tradition is that there is pleasure in suffering because it is a “gift” from the beloved/god.

13
go haath ko junbish¹ nahiiN aaNkhoN meN to dam hai
rahne do abhii saaGhar-o-miinaa² mere aage1. movement 2.wine and flask
His hands are too weak to move; he is dying. But he can still see and derive pleasure from sight.

14
ham-peshah¹-o-ham-mashrab²-o-ham-raaz³ hai meraa
Ghaalib ko buraa kyuuN kaho achchhaa mere aage1.same profession 2.same thought 3.confidant There are two spots where you can place a comma. If a comma is placed after “kyuN” then, “why do you say bad things about Ghalib, say good things about him in front of me”. If the comma is placed after “kaho” then, “why do you say bad things about Ghalib, and that too before me!”.

duniya mere aage – Raina’s Rendition

1
This puny world performs to me each night, each puny day
A sanctuary where I can see the children at their play
2
Sulaiman’s mighty throne is but a playful thing to me
And Christ enshrined in miracles, a mythical entity
4
The desert crumbles down to dust when I should so decree
And upon the dust the river wide does rub its brow to me
5
Ask not how in loneliness I languish in your love
Rather, see how, in front of me, you undermine the vow
9
Conscience holds me back from sin, Temptation drags me on
The Idols lie in front of me, behind me the holy Dawn
10
A lover, yes, but every Eve lays sieve unto my heart
Devout Laila, in my presence, calls majnun an upstart
11
Indeed the joy of togetherness excites exceptionally
But the death I had wished in separation arrived through ecstasy
12
If only this flood of turbulent tears were to be misery’s end
But, watch out and see the catastrophe that love does sure portend
13
Decrepitude wastes my hands, no doubt, but my eyes do yet defy
Then stay the cup before me still, let me but glut the eye
14
Friend and fellow and confidant, and better than that is he
Then call Ghalib no slandersous names, no, not in front of me