For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اعزازِ کج کلاہی دے ۔ رام اوتار گپتا مضطرؔ
۱
ہزار تو مجھے الزامِ کم نگاہی دے
میری نظر کو مگر ظرفِ سربراہی دے
۲
کھڑا ہوں رُو بہ رُو اُس کے میں تائبِ عصیاں
اے میرے اشکِ ندامت میری گواہی دے
۳
اب اور زہرِ شبِ غم پیا نہیں جاتا
چراغِ صبح کی لَو ہوں مجھے بجھا ہی دے
۴
کہاں تک آہ رگِ جاں میں کروٹیں بدلے
چھری کو حلق پہ جنبش میرے الٰہی دے
۵
چہار سمت نظارے ہیں بے لباسی کے
میرے خدا مجھے توفیقِ بے گناہی دے
۶
نہ ظلم و جبر سے مرعوب ہو جھکے نہ کہیں
جو سر دیا ہے تو اعزازِ کج کلاہی دے
एज़ाज़-ए कज कुलाही दे – राम अवतार गुप्ता मुज़्तर
१
हज़ार तू मुझे इल्ज़ाम-ए कम निगाही दे
मेरी नज़र को मगर ज़र्फ़-ए सरबराही दे
२
खढा हुं रू-ब-रू उस के मैं ता’एब-ए इस्यां
अए मेरे अश्क-ए निदामत मेरी गवाही दे
३
अब और ज़हर-ए शब-ए ग़म पिया नहीं जाता
चराग़-ए सुबह की लौ हुं, मुझे बझा ही दे
४
कहां तक आह रग-ए जां में करवटें बदले
छुरी को हल्क़ पे जुंबिश मेरे इलाही दे
५
चहार सम्त नज़ारे हैं बे लिबासी के
मेरे ख़ुदा मुझे तौफ़ीक़-ए बे-गुनाही दे
६
न ज़ुल्म ओ जब्र से मर’ऊब हो झुके न कहीं
जो सर दिया है तो एज़ाज़-ए कज कुलाही दे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raam avtaar gupta muztar sundailvi (1936-xxxx) was a well recognized poet in both urdu and hindi. He was exposed to the Progressive Writers’ Association but explicitly chose to be apolitical. His compositions are classical romantic in their themes. His work is published in two collections – seepiyoN ka samandar and safeer-e aaKhir-e shab. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal ‘naGhma-saraaii de’ on the Refrain page.
1
hazaar tu mujhe ilzaam1-e kam-nigaahi2 de
meri nazar3 ko magar4 zarf5-e sarbaraahi6 de 1.accusation, blame 2.shortsightedness 3.eyes, sight 4.but 5.capacity, capability 6.guiding, leading
The ‘tu’ to whom this she’r is addressed is probably god. So, god is blaming him for shortsightedness which implies inability to provide guidance to others. In the second misra he prays/asks – even though you blame me for shortsightdness, grant my vision the capability to lead/guide. Thus, it seems he is accepting his limitation of sight and is praying for the capacity to see far and lead.
2
khaRa huN ru-ba-ru1 us ke maiN taa’eb2-e isyaaN3
aye mere ashk4-e nadaamat5 meri gavaahi6 de 1.face to face 2.remorseful, penitent 3.sins 4.tears 5.regret, remorse 6.witness
The poet is presented before god on the day of judgment and stands face to face, repentent of his sins. He asks his tears to bear witness of his penitence so god may forgive him.
3
ab aur zahr1-e shab2-e Gham piya nahiN jaata
charaaGh3-e sub’h ki lau4 huN, mujhe bujha5 hi de 1.poison 2.night of 3.lamp 4.flame 5.extinguished
charaaGh-e sub’h – is a lamp that has been buring all night long into the wee hours of the morning. It is often used to describe a person towards the end of his life. Also, in the first misra, life itself is described as shab-e Gham – night of sorrow. Thus, I cannot keep drinking the poison of the sorrow of life. I am at the last stage of my life, go ahead and let me die … extinguish this lamp.
4
kahaaN tak aah1 rag-e-jaaN2 meN karvaTeN badle3
chhuri ko halq4 pe jumbish5 mere ilaahi6 de 1.sigh 2.vein of life, jugular vein 3.turning sides restlessly 4.throat 5.move across 6.god
This is the same thought as the previous she’r. The poet has borne the sorrow of life for a long time. His sorrow/sigh has been throbbing restlessly in his jugular vein i.e., every moment of his life. He beseeches god to let the knife move across his throat and cut off the jugular vein.
5
chahaar samt1 nazaare2 haiN be-libaasi3 ke
mere Khuda mujhe taufiiq4-e be-gunaahi5 de 1.directions 2.scenes 3.nakedness 4.ability, divine grace 5.righteousness
Nakedness – be-libaasi is used here to imply shameful immorality. Whichever way he turns he sees transgressions and wrongful behavious. He prays, my god give me the ability to be righteous/virtuous.
6
na zulm1 o jabr2 se mar’oob3 ho jhuke na kahiiN
jo sar diya hai to e’zaaz4-e kaj-kulaahi5 de 1.torture, injustice 2.oppression 3.fearful of 4.honour 5.literally slanted cap – sign of defiance, rebellion
So that it may not bow down, in fear of injustice and oppression, if you have given me a head, then also grant me the honour/courage to be defiant.
raam avtaar gupta muztar sundailvi (1936-xxxx) was a well recognized poet in both urdu and hindi. He was exposed to the Progressive Writers’ Association but explicitly chose to be apolitical. His compositions are classical romantic in their themes. His work is published in two collections – seepiyoN ka samandar and safeer-e aaKhir-e shab. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal ‘naGhma-saraaii de’ on the Refrain page.
1
hazaar tu mujhe ilzaam1-e kam-nigaahi2 de
meri nazar3 ko magar4 zarf5-e sarbaraahi6 de
1.accusation, blame 2.shortsightedness 3.eyes, sight 4.but 5.capacity, capability 6.guiding, leading
The ‘tu’ to whom this she’r is addressed is probably god. So, god is blaming him for shortsightedness which implies inability to provide guidance to others. In the second misra he prays/asks – even though you blame me for shortsightdness, grant my vision the capability to lead/guide. Thus, it seems he is accepting his limitation of sight and is praying for the capacity to see far and lead.
2
khaRa huN ru-ba-ru1 us ke maiN taa’eb2-e isyaaN3
aye mere ashk4-e nadaamat5 meri gavaahi6 de
1.face to face 2.remorseful, penitent 3.sins 4.tears 5.regret, remorse 6.witness
The poet is presented before god on the day of judgment and stands face to face, repentent of his sins. He asks his tears to bear witness of his penitence so god may forgive him.
3
ab aur zahr1-e shab2-e Gham piya nahiN jaata
charaaGh3-e sub’h ki lau4 huN, mujhe bujha5 hi de
1.poison 2.night of 3.lamp 4.flame 5.extinguished
charaaGh-e sub’h – is a lamp that has been buring all night long into the wee hours of the morning. It is often used to describe a person towards the end of his life. Also, in the first misra, life itself is described as shab-e Gham – night of sorrow. Thus, I cannot keep drinking the poison of the sorrow of life. I am at the last stage of my life, go ahead and let me die … extinguish this lamp.
4
kahaaN tak aah1 rag-e-jaaN2 meN karvaTeN badle3
chhuri ko halq4 pe jumbish5 mere ilaahi6 de
1.sigh 2.vein of life, jugular vein 3.turning sides restlessly 4.throat 5.move across 6.god
This is the same thought as the previous she’r. The poet has borne the sorrow of life for a long time. His sorrow/sigh has been throbbing restlessly in his jugular vein i.e., every moment of his life. He beseeches god to let the knife move across his throat and cut off the jugular vein.
5
chahaar samt1 nazaare2 haiN be-libaasi3 ke
mere Khuda mujhe taufiiq4-e be-gunaahi5 de
1.directions 2.scenes 3.nakedness 4.ability, divine grace 5.righteousness
Nakedness – be-libaasi is used here to imply shameful immorality. Whichever way he turns he sees transgressions and wrongful behavious. He prays, my god give me the ability to be righteous/virtuous.
6
na zulm1 o jabr2 se mar’oob3 ho jhuke na kahiiN
jo sar diya hai to e’zaaz4-e kaj-kulaahi5 de
1.torture, injustice 2.oppression 3.fearful of 4.honour 5.literally slanted cap – sign of defiance, rebellion
So that it may not bow down, in fear of injustice and oppression, if you have given me a head, then also grant me the honour/courage to be defiant.
