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Recitation
گوتم بدھ ۔ سیماب اکبرآبادی
۱
حُسن جب افسردہ پھولوں کی طرح پامال تھا
جب محبت کا غلط دنیا میں استعمال تھا
۲
بے خودی کے نام پر جب دورِ جامِ بادہ تھا
جب تجلِّیٔ حقیقت سے ہر اک دل سادہ تھا
۳
زیست کا اور موت کا اِدراک دنیا کو نہ تھا
ظلم کا احساس جب بے باک دنیا کو نہ تھا
۴
بند آنکھیں کر کے اس دنیا کے مکروہات سے
تو نے حاصل کی ضیائے دل، تجلّیات سے
۵
برف زاروں کو ترے انفاس نے گرما دیا
تیرے استغنا نے تخت سلطنت ٹھکرا دیا
۶
یاد تیری آج بھی ہندوستاں میں تازہ ہے
چین، جاپان اور تبت تک ترا آوازہ ہے
۷
روشنی جس کی نہ ہوگی ماند وہ مشعل ہے تو
سر زمینِ ہند کا عرفانیٔ اول ہے تو
गौतम बुद्ध – सीमाब अक्बराबादी
१
हुस्न जब अफ़्सुर्दा फूलों की तरह पामाल था
जब मोहब्बत का ग़लत दुनिया में इस्ते’माल था
२
बे-ख़ुदी के नाम पर जब दौर-ए-जाम-ए-बादा था
जब तजल्ली-ए-हक़ीक़त से हर एक दिल सादा था
३
ज़ीस्त का और मौत का इद्राक दुनिया को न था
ज़ुल्म का एहसास जब बे-बाक दुनिया को न था
४
बंद आँखें कर के इस दुनिया के मक्रूहात से
तू ने हासिल की ज़िया-ए-दिल, तजल्लियात से
५
बर्फ़-ज़ारों को तेरे अन्फ़ास ने गरमा दिया
तेरे इस्तेग़्ना ने तख़्त-ए-सल्तनत ठुकरा दिया
६
याद तेरी आज भी हिंदुस्ताँ में ताज़ा है
चीन, जापान और तिब्बत तक तेरा आवाज़ा है
७
रौशनी जिस की न होगी मांद वो मश’अल है तू
सर-ज़मीन-ए-हिंद का इरफ़ानी-ए-अव्वल है तू
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic translation of the whole qur’aan. This is an ode to gautam buddh.
1
husn1 jab afsurda2 phooloN ki tarah paamaal3 thaa
jab mohabbat ka Ghalat duniya meN istemaal4 tha 1.beauty, concept of god 2.wilted 3.trampled 4.use
When the concept of god was wilted like trampled flowers. When the concept of love was misunderstood and misused …
2
be-Khudi1 ke naam par jab daur2-e jaam-e-baada3 tha
jab tajalli4-e haqiqat5 se har ek dil saada6 tha 1.intoxication, mystic trance 2.circulating 3.cup of wine 4.brilliance 5.truth 6.plain, ignorant
When being drunk with love of the divine/mystic trance was misunderstood as circulating cups of wine and getting intoxicated. When hearts were devoid of the brilliance of truth …
3
ziist1 ka aur maut ka idraak2 duniya ko na tha
zulm3 ka ehsaas4 jab be-baak5 duniya ko na tha 1.life 2.knowledge, understanding 3.oppression 4.awareness 5.used here to mean uncaring
When the world did not understand the meaning of life and death. When the world was not aware of, did not care about oppression …
4
band aaNkheN kar ke is duniya ke makroohaat1 se
tu ne haasil2 ki ziyaa-e-dil3, tajalliyyaat4 se 1.disgusting, things to be avoided 2.obtain 3.light of love 4.enlightenment
You closed your eyes to the hateful things of this world and obtained the light of love through enlightenment. “Closing eyes” can mean turn away from but also perhaps meditation.
5
barf-zaaroN1 ko tere anfaas2 ne garma diya
tere istiGhnaa3 ne taKht-e-saltanat4 Thukraa5 diya 1.ice fields i.e. cold-hearted societies 2.breath 3.contentment, not needing 4.royal throne 5.rejected
Your breath warmed up the cold-hearted. You did not desire any material comforts and rejected the royal throne.
6
yaad teri aaj bhi hindustaaN meN taaza1 hai
chiin, jaapaan aur tibbat tak tera aavaaza2 hai 1.fresh 2.declaration, teaching
Your memory is still fresh in India. Your word has spread to China, Japan and Tibet.
7
raushni jis ki na hogi maaNd1 vo mash’al2 hai tu
sar-zamin-e-hind ka irfaani-e-avval3 hai tu 1.dull 2.torch 3.first to be enlightened
You are the torch whose brilliance will never be dulled. You are the first enlightened person to rise from the land of hind.
syed aashiq husain seemab akbarabadi (1880-1951) was a scholar of farsi and arabi in addition to urdu. A progressive poet of secular outlook who wrote nazm of socialist themes as well odes to krishn and buddh. He also did a poetic translation of the whole qur’aan. This is an ode to gautam buddh.
1
husn1 jab afsurda2 phooloN ki tarah paamaal3 tha
jab mohabbat ka Ghalat duniya meN istemaal4 tha
1.beauty, concept of god 2.wilted 3.trampled 4.use
When the concept of god was wilted like trampled flowers. When the concept of love was misunderstood and misused …
2
be-Khudi1 ke naam par jab daur2-e jaam-e-baada3 tha
jab tajalli4-e haqiqat5 se har ek dil saada6 tha
1.intoxication, mystic trance 2.circulating 3.cup of wine 4.brilliance 5.truth 6.plain, ignorant
When being drunk with love of the divine/mystic trance was misunderstood as circulating cups of wine and getting intoxicated. When hearts were devoid of the brilliance of truth …
3
ziist1 ka aur maut ka idraak2 duniya ko na tha
zulm3 ka ehsaas4 jab be-baak5 duniya ko na tha
1.life 2.knowledge, understanding 3.oppression 4.awareness 5.used here to mean uncaring
When the world did not understand the meaning of life and death. When the world was not aware of, did not care about/was not sensitive to oppression …
4
band aaNkheN kar ke is duniya ke makroohaat1 se
tu ne haasil2 ki ziyaa-e-dil3, tajalliyyaat4 se
1.disgusting, things to be avoided 2.obtain 3.light of love 4.enlightenment
You closed your eyes to the hateful things of this world and obtained the light of love through enlightenment. “Closing eyes” can mean turn away from but also perhaps meditation.
5
barf-zaaroN1 ko tere anfaas2 ne garma diya
tere istiGhnaa3 ne taKht-e-saltanat4 Thukraa5 diya
1.ice fields i.e. cold-hearted societies 2.breath 3.contentment, not needing 4.royal throne 5.rejected
Your breath warmed up the cold-hearted. You did not desire any material comforts and rejected the royal throne.
6
yaad teri aaj bhi hindustaaN meN taaza1 hai
chiin, jaapaaN aur tibbat tak tera aavaaza2 hai
1.fresh 2.declaration, teaching
Your memory is still fresh in India. Your word has spread to China, Japan and Tibet.
7
raushni jis ki na hogi maaNd1 vo mash’al2 hai tu
sar-zamin-e-hind ka irfaani-e-avval3 hai tu
1.dull 2.torch 3.first to be enlightened
You are the torch whose brilliance will never be dulled. You are the first enlightened person to rise from the land of hind.
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