Ghazal hoti hai – shiv dayal sahaab

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.

تو غزل ہوتی ہے ۔ شِو دیال سحاب

۱

میرؔ کا سوزِ بیاں ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے

داغؔ کا لطفِ زباں ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے

۲

دل تو روئے مگر آنکھوں میں تبسم جھلکے

یہ اگر رنگِ فغاں ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے

۳

دوست کی یاد میں جذبات پہ آتا ہے نِکھار

ہِجر کی رات جواں ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے

۴

یک نفس سوز سے ممکن نہیں تکمیل غزل

ہر نفس شعلہ بجاں ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے

۵

ہاں اُچٹتی سی نظر بھی ہے کوئی چیز مگر

یہی نشتر رگِ جاں ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے

۶

صادق العشق ہی یہ نکتہ سمجھتے ہیں سحابؔ

حُسن دل کا نِگراں ہو تو غزل ہوتی ہے

तो ग़ज़ल होती है – शिव दयाल सहाब

मीर का सोज़-ए-बयाँ हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है

दाग़ का लुत्फ़-ए-ज़बाँ हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है

दिल तो रोए मगर आँखों में तबस्सुम झलके

ये अगर रंग-ए-फ़ुग़ाँ हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है

दोस्त की याद में जज़्बात पे आता है निखार

हिज्र की रात जवाँ हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है

यक नफ़स-सोज़ से मुमकिन नहीं तक्मील-ए-ग़ज़ल

हर-नफ़स शो’ला-ब-जाँ हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है

हाँ उचटती सी नज़र भी है कोई चीज़ मगर

यही नश्तर रग-ए-जाँ हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है

सादिक़-उल-इश्क़ ही ये नुक्ता समझते हैं सहाब

हुस्न दिल का निगराँ हो तो ग़ज़ल होती है

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shiv dayal sahaab – I cannot date him exactly, but “ishrat-e Gham”, his first divan, was published in 1971. He was a shaagird of panDit mela ram vafa (1895-1980). Introductions/testimonials written in this book recall sahaab’s 25 years of service to urdu, which places him as a young poet in the mid 1940s. He was editor of ‘milaap’ in chandigaRh. As his own introduction, he writes that he did not receive ‘shaa’eri’ as his ‘viraasat’ but was happy that it became a ‘viraasat’ that he is leaving for his progeny. His son, ashok narula, published his divan even before his father. This is one of several Ghazal with the theme and radeef qaafiya ‘Ghazal hoti hai’. Enter ‘Ghazal hoti hai’ in the search box to enjoy all of them.
1
mir1 ka soz-e-bayaaN2 ho to Ghazal hoti hai
daaGh3 ka lutf-e-zabaaN4 ho to Ghazal hoti hai    
1.mir taqi mir (1722-1810) 2.fire/pain/passion of versification 3.daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905) 4.pleasure/finesse/etiquette of speech
If you can equal/copy/recreate the passion of versification of mir taqi mir and the finesse of daaGh dehlavi, only then, might you be able to compose a Ghazal.

2
dil to roye magar aaNkhoN meN tabassum1 jhalke2
ye agar raNg-e-fuGhaaN3 ho to Ghazal hoti hai    
1.smile, joy 2.shine, glitter 3.style of wailing/mourning
If the style of your mourning is such that you keep your tears hidden (in your heart) and yet your eyes shine with joy, then you can compose a Ghazal.

3
dost1 ki yaad meN jazbaat2 pe aata hai nikhaar3
hijr4 ki raat javaaN ho to Ghazal hoti hai    
1.friend, beloved 2.sentiments, emotions 3.freshness 4.separation
Memories of the beloved keep emotions fresh and strong. If you can retain this vigour during dark nights of separation (from the beloved) only then can you compose a Ghazal.

4
yak nafas1-e soz2 se mumkin nahiN takmeel3-e-Ghazal
har-nafas sho’la-ba-jaaN4 ho to Ghazal hoti hai  
1.breath 2.fire, passion 3.completion 4.fiery/passionate life
One passionate breath is not enough to complete a Ghazal. If every breath is passionate only then can you write a Ghazal.

5
haaN uchaTti1 si nazar2 bhi hai koi chiiz magar
yahi nashtar3 rag-e-jaaN4 ho to Ghazal hoti hai    
1.casual, fleeting 2.glance 3.knife 4.jugular vein
The beloved, if ever, bestows just a casual glance at the lover. Even this is something. But if that dagger (glance) can itself become the jugular vein (life sustaining) then you can write a Ghazal. Normally a dagger slits the jugular vein. Here it becomes the jugular vein i.e. the poet/lover is so devoted that he lives for that dagger/glance.

6
saadiq-ul-ishq1 hi ye nukta2 samajhte haiN sahaab3
husn4 dil ka nigaraaN5 ho to Ghazal hoti hai  
1.true/genuine lovers 2.point 3.pen name of the poet 4.beauty/beloved 5.guardian
Only true lovers understand this point, O, sahaab. When beauty/beloved herself becomes the guardian/keeper of the heart (of the poet/lover), then you can compose a Ghazal.

shiv dayal sahaab – I cannot date him exactly, but “ishrat-e Gham”, his first divan, was published in 1971.  He was a shaagird of panDit mela ram vafa (1895-1980).  Introductions/testimonials written in this book recall sahaab’s 25 years of service to urdu, which places him as a young poet in the mid 1940s.  He was editor of ‘milaap’ in chandigaRh.  As his own introduction, he writes that he did not receive ‘shaa’eri’ as his ‘viraasat’ but was happy that it became a ‘viraasat’ that he is leaving for his progeny.  His son, ashok narula, published his divan even before his father.  This is one of several Ghazal with the theme and radeef qaafiya ‘Ghazal hoti hai’.  Enter ‘Ghazal hoti hai’ in the search box to enjoy all of them.
1
mir1 ka soz-e-bayaaN2 ho to Ghazal hoti hai
daaGh3 ka lutf-e-zabaaN4 ho to Ghazal hoti hai

1.mir taqi mir (1722-1810) 2.fire/pain/passion of versification 3.daaGh dehlavi (1831-1905) 4.pleasure/finesse/etiquette of speech

If you can equal/copy/recreate the passion of versification of mir taqi mir and the finesse of daaGh dehlavi, only then, might you be able to compose a Ghazal.
2
dil to roye magar aaNkhoN meN tabassum1 jhalke2
ye agar raNg-e-fuGhaaN3 ho to Ghazal hoti hai

1.smile, joy 2.shine, glitter 3.style of wailing/mourning

If the style of your mourning is such that you keep your tears hidden (in your heart) and yet your eyes shine with joy, then you can compose a Ghazal.
3
dost1 ki yaad meN jazbaat2 pe aata hai nikhaar3
hijr4 ki raat javaaN ho to Ghazal hoti hai

1.friend, beloved 2.sentiments, emotions 3.freshness 4.separation

Memories of the beloved keep emotions fresh and strong.  If you can retain this vigour during dark nights of separation (from the beloved) only then can you compose a Ghazal.
4
yak nafas1-e soz2 se mumkin nahiN takmeel3-e-Ghazal
har-nafas sho’la-ba-jaaN4 ho to Ghazal hoti hai

1.breath 2.fire, passion 3.completion 4.fiery/passionate life

One passionate breath is not enough to complete a Ghazal.  If every breath is passionate only then can you write a Ghazal.
5
haaN uchaTti1 si nazar2 bhi hai koi chiiz magar
yahi nashtar3 rag-e-jaaN4 ho to Ghazal hoti hai

1.casual, fleeting 2.glance 3.knife 4.jugular vein

The beloved, if ever, bestows just a casual glance at the lover.  Even this is something.  But if that dagger (glance) can itself become the jugular vein (life sustaining) then you can write a Ghazal.  Normally a dagger slits the jugular vein.  Here it becomes the jugular vein i.e. the poet/lover is so devoted that he lives for that dagger/glance.
6
saadiq-ul-ishq1 hi ye nukta2 samajhte haiN sahaab3
husn4 dil ka nigaraaN5 ho to Ghazal hoti hai

1.true/genuine lovers 2.point 3.pen name of the poet 4.beauty/beloved 5.guardian

Only true lovers understand this point, O, sahaab.  When beauty/beloved herself becomes the guardian/keeper of the heart (of the poet/lover), then you can compose a Ghazal.

Key Search Words: