For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اک سنگِ گراں اور ۔ کرشن گوپال مغمومؔ
۱
میں ہوں تو چمن میں ہے ابھی رسمِ فغاں اور
صیّاد کو گُزرے گا مرا شور گراں اور
۲
عرفانِ سفر جب سے ہوا ہے مجھے حاصل
دیتا ہے مرا دل مجھے منزل کا نشاں اور
۳
موجودہ بہاروں سے جو برہم ہیں وہ سُن لیں
آئے گی بہار اور تو آئے گی خزاں اور
۴
ہیں لرزہ بر اندام مہ و انجم و خورشید
اے کاش میرا عزمِ تصادم ہو جواں اور
۵
یوں ہی ستمِ بادِ بہاراں کوئی کم تھا
گُل تو نے کھلائے ہیں یہ کیا بادِ خزاں اور
۶
کچھ فائدہ حاصل نہ ہوا ضبطِ فغاں سے
رکنے سے مچلتے ہیں میرے اشکِ رواں اور
۷
ہاں ہاں نظر انداز ہمیں شوق سے کر دے
اے حسن تجھے دیکھنے والے ہیں کہاں اور
۸
اِنسان نے دیوارِ روایات تو ڈھا دی
رستے میں تعصُّب کا ہے اک سنگِ گراں اور
۹
مغمومؔ تجھے خامیٔ مشرب نہیں زیبا
کر حوصلۂ پیرویِ پیرِ مغاں اور
एक संग-ए गिरां और – क्रिष्ण गोपाल मग़्मूम
१
मैं हुं तो चमन में है अभी रस्म-ए फ़ुग़ां और
सय्याद को गुज़्रेगा मेरा शोर गिरां और
२
इर्फ़ान-ए सफ़र जब से हुआ है मुझे हासिल
देता है मेरा दिल मुझे मंज़िल का निशां और
३
मौजूदा बहारौं से जो बरहम हैं वो सुन लें
आएगी बहार और तो आएगी ख़िज़ां और
४
हैं लर्ज़ा-बर-अंदाम मह ओ अंजुम ओ ख़ुर्शीद
अए काश मेरा अज़्म-ए तसादुम हो जवां और
५
यूं हि सितम-ए बाद-ए बहारां कोई कम था
गुल तू ने खिलाए हैं ये क्या बाद-ए ख़िज़ां और
६
कुछ फ़ाएदा हासिल न हुआ ज़ब्त-ए फ़ुग़ां से
रुकने से मचलते हैं मेरे अश्क-ए रवां और
७
हां हां नज़र-अंदाज़ हमें शौक़ से कर दे
अए हुस्न तुझे देखने वाले हैं कहां और
८
इन्सान ने दीवार-ए रिवायात तो ड़ा दी
रस्ते में ता’अस्सुब का है एक संग-ए गिरां और
९
मग़्मूम तुझे ख़ामि-ए मुश्रिब नहीं ज़ेबा
कर हौस्ला-ए पैरवी-ए पीर-ए मुग़ां और
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. krishn gopal baada maGhmum (1916-xxxx), aTak district (now in pakistan). His father was a scholar of urdu and faarsi and grandfather (tulsidas) was also an urdu shaa’er. Ill-treatment by his stepmother drove him to seclusion and reading. All the books at home including religious texts were in urdu. He read up all of them and learnt to write too. Interest in shaa’eri started from childhood. In college he was a class fellow of jagan nath azad and through him became a disciple of tilok chand mahroom. Continued education including for the Public Service Commission exam. Worked for the government of panjab and later haryana, retiring in 1974. At least 10 collections of his shaa’eri including Ghazal, rubaaii and nazm. This Ghazal, composed in the zamin of Ghalib’s, ‘kahte haiN keh Ghalib ka andaaz-e bayaaN aur’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
maiN huN to chaman meN hai abhi rasm1-e fuGhaaN2 aur
sayyaad3 ko guzrega4 mera shor giraaN5 aur 1.tradition 2.wailing, crying 3.bird-catcher, captor 4.happen to, experienced by 5.heavy, disagreeable
Traditionally, the poet is presented as a bird who has been captured and caged by the bird-catcher. He wails sorrowfully – singing of his home/nest. Thus, as long as I live, the tradition of wailing will be maintained. My loud crying will be disagreeable to my captor/birdcatcher for a while longer yet.
2
irfaan1-e safar2 jab se hua hai mujhe haasil3
deta hai mera dil mujhe manzil4 ka nishaaN5 aur 1.mystic knowledge 2.journey (of love and/or mysticism) 3.obtained, gained, achieved 4.destination 5.clue, direction
Ever since I have achieved some knowledge of the journey of mysticism/universal love, my heart points me towards my destination even more.
3
maujooda1 bahaaroN2 se jo barham3 haiN vo sun leN
aayegi bahaar2 aur to aayegi KhizaaN4 aur 1.present, current 2.springs 3.confused 4.autumn, dry season
This could be a reference to the sufi/mystical tradition/teaching of not being tempted by earthly things. Thus, those who are confused about present day attractions, beware that if there is spring now, then the dry season of falling leaves is sure to follow.
4
haiN larza-bar-andaam1 mah2 o anjum3 o Khurshiid4
aye kaash5 mera azm6-e tasaadum7 ho javaaN8 aur 1.bodies trembling in fear 2.moon 3.stars 4.sun 5.wish, intense desire 6.determination, resolve 7.confrontation, war 8.rejuvenated, youthful, strong
The sun, moon and stars i.e., all celestial bodies are trembling in fear (I cannot figure out why this might be). The poet has an intense desire that his determination to confront should become stronger. Confront whom? Why? Any help anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated. This Ghazal is not dated but the collection was published in 1989. I venture to guess that this may be about space flights and may be celebrating human achievement in reaching outer space.
5
yuN hi sitam1-e baad2-e bahaaraaN3 koi kam tha
gul tuu ne khilaaye4 haiN ye kya baad-e-saba5 aur 1.cruelty, tyranny 2.breeze 3.spring 4.gul khilaana is an expression meaning created mischief 5.morning breeze
Here ‘gul khilaana’ meaning ‘causing mischief’ is nicely juxtaposed with the literal meaning ‘making flowers bloom’. When spring arrives the poet/lover gets miserable because he misses the company of the beloved i.e., the spring breeze blows in misery. On top of it, if the morning breeze causes roses to bloom, it creates even more mischief.
6
kuchh faa’eda1 haasil2 na hua zabt3-e fuGhaaN4 se
rukne se machalte haiN mere ashk5-e ravaaN6 aur 1.benefit 2.available, get 3.control 4.wailing 5.tears 6.flowing
It is poetic convention for the lover to control his wailing in public so as not to malign the reputation of the beloved. Here he says that there is no benefit in controlling his wailing. When he does that his flowing tears get even more restless i.e., they flow even more. Thus, the public would find out the reason for his sorrow anyway.
7
haaN haaN nazar-andaaz1 hameN shauq2 se kar de
aye husn3 tujhe dekhne vaale haiN kahaaN aur 1.ignore 2.with pleasure 3.beauty, beloved
O beloved, go ahead and ignore me with pleasure, but remember, where else can you find someone who would look at you with love like I do.
8
insaan1 ne diivaar-e rivaayaat2 to Dhaa3 dii
raste meN ta’assub4 ka hai ek saNg5-e giraaN6 aur 1.humans 2.traditions, rules, laws 3.break, demolish 4.prejudice, bigotry 5.rock 6.large
This probably refers to the rules of colonialism. Thus, we have demolished the walls of colonialism that confined us. Now there is a large rock of bigotry still in the way.
9
maGhmuum1 tujhe Khaami2-e mashrab3 nahiN zeba4
kar hausla5-e pairavi6-e piir-e-muGhaaN7 aur 1.pen-name of the poet 2.immaturity, weakness 3.to drink but also means religion, disposition, temper 4.becoming, befitting 5.courage 6.advocacy 7.senior wine-maker
In urdu poetic tradition the maikada-tavern is symbolic of a liberal/open/welcoming space as opposed to the confines of dayr of haram – temple and mosque. ‘piir-e-muGhaaN’ serves the wine of love. Thus, O maGhmum, the immaturity of faith does not befit you. Gather up the courage for the advocacy of the piir-e-muGhaaN, the chief wine-maker.
krishn gopal baada maGhmum (1916-xxxx), aTak district (now in pakistan). His father was a scholar of urdu and faarsi and grandfather (tulsidas) was also an urdu shaa’er. Ill-treatment by his stepmother drove him to seclusion and reading. All the books at home including religious texts were in urdu. He read up all of them and learnt to write too. Interest in shaa’eri started from childhood. In college he was a class fellow of jagan nath azad and through him became a disciple of tilok chand mahroom. Continued education including for the Public Service Commission exam. Worked for the government of panjab and later haryana, retiring in 1974. At least 10 collections of his shaa’eri including Ghazal, rubaaii and nazm. This Ghazal, composed in the zamin of Ghalib’s, ‘kahte haiN keh Ghalib ka andaaz-e bayaaN aur’ and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
maiN huN to chaman meN hai abhi rasm1-e fuGhaaN2 aur
sayyaad3 ko guzrega4 mera shor giraaN5 aur
1.tradition 2.wailing, crying 3.bird-catcher, captor 4.happen to, experienced by 5.heavy, disagreeable
Traditionally, the poet is presented as a bird who has been captured and caged by the bird-catcher. He wails sorrowfully – singing of his home/nest. Thus, as long as I live, the tradition of wailing will be maintained. My loud crying will be disagreeable to my captor/birdcatcher for a while longer yet.
2
irfaan1-e safar2 jab se hua hai mujhe haasil3
deta hai mera dil mujhe manzil4 ka nishaaN5 aur
1.mystic knowledge 2.journey (of love and/or mysticism) 3.obtained, gained, achieved 4.destination 5.clue, direction
Ever since I have achieved some knowledge of the journey of mysticism/universal love, my heart points me towards my destination even more.
3
maujooda1 bahaaroN2 se jo barham3 haiN vo sun leN
aayegi bahaar2 aur to aayegi KhizaaN4 aur
1.present, current 2.springs 3.confused 4.autumn, dry season
This could be a reference to the sufi/mystical tradition/teaching of not being tempted by earthly things. Thus, those who are confused about present day attractions, beware that if there is spring now, then the dry season of falling leaves is sure to follow.
4
haiN larza-bar-andaam1 mah2 o anjum3 o Khurshiid4
aye kaash5 mera azm6-e tasaadum7 ho javaaN8 aur
1.bodies trembling in fear 2.moon 3.stars 4.sun 5.wish, intense desire 6.determination, resolve 7.confrontation, war 8.rejuvenated, youthful, strong
The sun, moon and stars i.e., all celestial bodies are trembling in fear (I cannot figure out why this might be). The poet has an intense desire that his determination to confront should become stronger. Confront whom? Why? Any help anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated. This Ghazal is not dated but the collection was published in 1989. I venture to guess that this may be about space flights and may be celebrating human achievement in reaching outer space.
5
yuN hi sitam1-e baad2-e bahaaraaN3 koi kam tha
gul tuu ne khilaaye4 haiN ye kya baad-e-saba5 aur
1.cruelty, tyranny 2.breeze 3.spring 4.gul khilaana is an expression meaning created mischief 5.morning breeze
Here ‘gul khilaana’ meaning ‘causing mischief’ is nicely juxtaposed with the literal meaning ‘making flowers bloom’. When spring arrives the poet/lover gets miserable because he misses the company of the beloved i.e., the spring breeze blows in misery. On top of it, if the morning breeze causes roses to bloom, it creates even more mischief.
6
kuchh faa’eda1 haasil2 na hua zabt3-e fuGhaaN4 se
rukne se machalte haiN mere ashk5-e ravaaN6 aur
1.benefit 2.available, get 3.control 4.wailing 5.tears 6.flowing
It is poetic convention for the lover to control his wailing in public so as not to malign the reputation of the beloved. Here he says that there is no benefit in controlling his wailing. When he does that his flowing tears get even more restless i.e., they flow even more. Thus, the public would find out the reason for his sorrow anyway.
7
haaN haaN nazar-andaaz1 hameN shauq2 se kar de
aye husn3 tujhe dekhne vaale haiN kahaaN aur
1.ignore 2.with pleasure 3.beauty, beloved
O beloved, go ahead and ignore me with pleasure, but remember, where else can you find someone who would look at you with love like I do.
8
insaan1 ne diivaar-e rivaayaat2 to Dhaa3 dii
raste meN ta’assub4 ka hai ek saNg5-e giraaN6 aur
1.humans 2.traditions, rules, laws 3.break, demolish 4.prejudice, bigotry 5.rock 6.large
This probably refers to the rules of colonialism. Thus, we have demolished the walls of colonialism that confined us. Now there is a large rock of bigotry still in the way.
9
maGhmuum1 tujhe Khaami2-e mashrab3 nahiN zeba4
kar hausla5-e pairavi6-e piir-e-muGhaaN7 aur
1.pen-name of the poet 2.immaturity, weakness 3.to drink but also means religion, disposition, temper 4.becoming, befitting 5.courage 6.advocacy 7.senior wine-maker
In urdu poetic tradition the maikada-tavern is symbolic of a liberal/open/welcoming space as opposed to the confines of dayr of haram – temple and mosque. ‘piir-e-muGhaaN’ serves the wine of love. Thus, O maGhmum, the immaturity of faith does not befit you. Gather up the courage for the advocacy of the piir-e-muGhaaN, the chief wine-maker.
