Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sv bhajan taalib shaahabaadi (1924-xxxx) MA, MOL, PhD. PhD from tehraan university, research on chishtia order. Served as pastor in lukhnau, dehli and hyderabad. Grandfather had converted to Christianity. Worked in hyderabad for many years running the Henry Martyn Institute of Islamic Studies and translating the Bible into urdu. Family origins in multan, sialkoT and lahore.
1
aaj pur-auj¹ hai arzaani²-e samaan³-e nishaat⁴
jism⁵ raqsaaN⁶ hai mera, rooh⁷ Ghazal gaati hai
chaand ne aaj saNvaara⁸ hai jo siimiiN⁹ chehra
raat beKhud¹⁰ hai sitaaroN ko haNsii aati hai 1.at the climax of its peak 2.abundance 3.means, arrangements 4.joy, pleasure 5.body 6.dances 7.soul 8.adorned 9.silvery 10.ecstatic, lost in reverie, in a trance
Today, the world is at the peak of abundance of the means of joy and festivity. The body dances with joy, and the soul sings Ghazal. The moon has adorned its silvery face tonight and the night, overwhelmed with ecstasy, is in a trance, bringing laughter to the stars (twinkling of stars). This stanza celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, reflecting universal joy. The poet uses grand imagery to convey the ecstatic harmony of the body and soul, symbolizing the spiritual and physical worlds joining in celebration. The celestial imagery of the moon and stars is probably about the fable of the three kings following the brightest star to find their way to the manger in Bethlehem.
2
kaarvaaN¹ ban ke chalaa jazba²-e diidaar³-e jamaal⁴
farsh⁵ par diida⁶-e anjum⁷ ki ziya-baari⁸ hai
aaj fitrat⁹ ne sajaaya¹⁰ hai shabistaan¹¹-e jahaaN¹²
kis shahanshaah ki aamad¹³ ki ye tayyaari¹⁴ hai 1.traveling group 2.passion, longing 3.see, witness 4.beauty, glory 5.floor, earth 6.eyes 7.stars 8.raining radiance/light 13.arrival 14.preparations
The caravan of longing to witness (divine) glory sets out, the radiance of the stars illuminates the earth. Today, nature has adorned the world’s chamber of night; for which king’s arrival is this grand preparation? This stanza portrays the anticipation of Christ’s birth. The “caravan of longing” symbolizes humanity’s collective yearning for divine grace or the three kings setting out following the shining star. The stars’ radiance and nature’s adornment create a celestial stage for the arrival of Jesus, described as the ‘shahanshaah,’ underscoring the universality and majesty of this event.
3
jazba¹-e dil meN kashish² Khoob³ hai aye saaz⁴-e hayaat⁵
raNg bharta hai koi noor⁶ se viiraanoN⁷ meN
kyuN na ho shauq⁸ se is raat zamiiN-bos⁹ falak¹⁰
jo tha Khaaliq¹¹ vahi maKhluuq¹² hai insaanoN meN 1.passion 2.attracting, captivating 3.good, strong 4.melody 5.life 6.(divine) light 7.wilderness, desolation 8.desire, love 9.kissing the earth 10.skies, heaven 11.creator 12.creation
The heart is filled with a strong/irresistable captivating passion, O melody of life; a divine light fills even the barren lands with colourful beauty; why wouldn’t heavens not bow down to the earth in loving reverence when the creator has taken the form of the created among humans on earth? Here, the poet reflects on the mystery of the incarnation, where god is thought to have taken human form through Jesus Christ.
4
dardmandoN¹ ki duaa² pahuNchi³ sar⁴-e baab⁵-e qubool⁶
sarvar⁷-e kaun-o-makaaN⁸ aaye masiiha⁹ ban kar
shaam¹⁰-e Ghurbat¹¹ ko kiya husn-e-azal¹² ne raushan¹³
ham gunahgaaroN¹⁴ ki bakhshish¹⁵ ka sahaara¹⁶ ban kar 1.distressed 2.prayers 3.reached 4.head, top, high 5.door 6.acceptance 7.owner, master 8.space and time, universe 9.healer, saviour 10.night 11.exile, banishment 12.eternal beauty 13.light up 14.sinners 15.forgiveness 16.support, means
The prayers of the distressed reached high to the door of salvation; the master of the universe came as a saviour. The eternal beauty illuminated the night of banishment, becoming the means for the forgiveness of us sinners. The ‘night of banishment’ probably symbolizes the exile from heaven for the ‘original sin’.