For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
غزل کا ہے انداز ۔ پریم چندر سریواستو مظہرؔ
۱
حسن افزا اگر ہیں غمزہ و ناز
روح کی تازگی ہے زیرِ نیاز
۲
عرش ہی کو اُڑا کے لے آئی
بیخودی بھی ہے کیا کرشمہ ساز
۳
عقل کو بھی دِکھائے کچھ جلوے
عشق کو پر بنا لیا ہمراز
۴
دیکھ انجام لغزشِ دِل کا
پوچھ مت دلفریبیِ آغاز
۵
ہم بھی پہنچیں گے تھوڑی دیر سہی
لیکن آسان ہے یہ راہِ مجاز
۶
یوں تو ہونے کو لاکھ رشتے ہیں
کیوں مگر جائیے گا دور دراز
۷
ایک رشتہ ہی ہے بہت مجھ کو
میں غریب اور تو غریب نواز
۸
پردۂ دہر اِک ادا ہی ہے
جیسے چھپ چھپ کے دوست دے آواز
۹
آنے لگتے ہیں عرش سے نغمے
جب کوئی چھیڑتا ہے دل کا ساز
۱۰
جانے کِس کِس سے ہو رہی ہے بات
نام کو ہی غزل کا ہے انداز
۱۱
پار کرنے کو بحرِ مرگ و زیست
بخشا مظہر کو بندگی کا جہاز
ग़ज़ल का है अंदाज़ – प्रेम चंद्र स्रिवास्तव
१
हुस्न-अफ़्ज़ा अगर हैं ग़म्ज़ा ओ नाज़
रूह की ताज़गी है ज़ेर-ए नियाज़
२
अर्श ही को उढा के ले आई
बेख़ुदी भी है क्या करिश्मा साज़
३
अक़्ल को भी दिखाए कुछ जल्वे
इश्क़ को पर बना लिया हमराज़
४
देख अंजाम लग़्ज़िश-ए दिल का
पूछ मत दिलफ़रेबी-ए आग़ाज़
५
हम भी पहुंचेंगे थोढी देर सही
लैकिन आसान है ये राह-ए मजाज़
६
यूं तो होने को लाख रिश्ते हैं
क्यूं मगर जाईयेगा दूर दराज़
७
एक रिश्ता ही है बहुत मुझ को
मैं ग़रीब और तू ग़रीब-नवाज़
८
परदा-ए दहर एक अदा ही सही
जैसे छुप छुप के दोस्त दे आवाज़
९
आने लगते हैं अर्श से नग़्मे
जब कोई छेढता है दिल का साज़
१०
जाने किस किस से हो रही है बात
नाम को ही ग़ज़ल का है अंदाज़
११
पार करने को बहर-ए मर्ग ओ ज़ीस्त
बख़्शा मज़्हर को बन्दगी का जहाज़
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. premchandr srivastav mazhar, PhD, principal of a local college, editorial board member for this booklet, chairman of the jabalpur branch of ‘anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu’. I pick this Ghazal as representative of the wide following that urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two-year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model. This is one of several Ghazal modeled after Ghalib’s “shikast ki aavaaz” https://urdushahkar.org/shikast-ki-aavaaz-ghalib-badri-raina/.
1
husn-afza1 agar haiN Ghamza2 o naaz3
rooh4 ki taazagi5 hai zer6-e niyaaz7 1.beauty enhancing 2.winking 3.coquettish style 4.soul, spirit 5.freshness 6.under, hidden behind 7.offering, prayer
If the beloved’s coquetry and style increase her beauty, then our offering to her also has a freshness of spirit hidden behind it.
2
arsh1 hi ko uRa ke lae aaii
be-Khudi2 bhi hai kya karishma-saaz3 1.sky, heaven, divine being 2.mystical trance 3.miracle making
This is a recognition of the power of mystical sufiyaana trance. It is the miracle making of my trance that it has brought down the sky/heaven/god to earth.
3
aql ko bhi dikhaaye kuchh jalve1
ishq ko par2 bana liya hamraaz3 1.manifestations 2.but 3.confidant, friend
‘jalve dikhaana’ can also mean showing off and/or showing up someone else to prove one’s own superiority. This is a traditional conflict between ‘aql’ and ‘ishq’ – intellect/knowledge vs love/belief/bhakti. The shaa’er has made ‘ishq’ his confidant and has been able to understand the divine. This way he can show up the limitations of ‘aql’.
4
dekh anjaam1 laGhzish2-e dil ka
poochh mat dilfarebi3-e aaGhaaz4 1.result 2.stumble, falter 3.deception of the heart, self-deception, illusion 4.beginning
The shaa’er is warning all potential lovers – watch out for the result of the stumbling/faltering of your heart i.e. watch for the result of falling in love. Don’t just look at the pleasant experience/self-deception of the beginning.
5
hum bhi pahuNcheNge thoRi der sahi
laikin aasaan hai ye raah1-e majaaz2 1.pathway 2.illusion, maaya, material world
The real aim of the shaa’er is to reach his ‘real’ beloved i.e. the divine spirit. But it is difficult to go through the process of loving a formless being. He says, I will eventually get there, it will take some time but this path of trying to reach him via the pathway of illusion is easier i.e. there is power in bhakti.
6
yuN to hone ko laakh rishte1 haiN
kyuN magar jaaiyega duur-daraaz2 1.relationships, alliances 2.far away
After all there are thousands of relationships (or paths to relationships) you can form. But why do you need to go far (when you can find god in the heart).
7
ek rishta hi hai bahut mujh ko
maiN Gharib aur tu Gharib-navaaz1 1.protector/nurturer of the poor
The second misra is taken directly from Ghalib’s Ghazal. One relationship is more than enough for me. I am poor/powerless and you are the protector/saviour of the poor.
8
parda-e dahr1 ek ada2 hi sahi
jaise chhup chhup ke dost3 de aavaaz 1.creation, material world 2.playful style, pretense 3.beloved
You can see god hidden behind the parda-e dahr, the veil of creation. It is as if he is teasing you and calling you from behind the curtain, like a playful beloved. Except, it is the divine beloved.
9
aane lagte haiN arsh1 se naGhme2
jab koii chheRta hai dil ka saaz3 1.sky, heaven, diving seat 2.songs 3.musical instrument, strings of a harp
When someone pulls the strings of the heart, divine music descends from heavens.
10
jaane kis kis se ho rahi hai baat
naam ko hi Ghazal ka hai andaaz1 1.style, show, appearance
The shaa’er appears to be simply reciting his Ghazal, but who knows who all he is talking to … is he talking to the beloved, to god or someone else.
11
paar karne ko bahr1-e marg2 o zeest3
baKhsha4 mazhar5 ko bandagi6 ka jahaaz7 1.ocean 2.death 3.life 4.granted 5.pen-name of poet 6.bondage, devotion 7.ship, boat
I have to cross the ocean of life and death. The shaa’er needs a ship to cross it. He has been granted a ship, a ship of devotion/bhakti.
This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. premchandr srivastav mazhar, PhD, principal of a local college, editorial board member for this booklet, chairman of the jabalpur branch of ‘anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu’. I pick this Ghazal as representative of the wide following that urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two-year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model. This is one of several Ghazal modeled after Ghalib’s “shikast ki aavaaz” https://urdushahkar.org/shikast-ki-aavaaz-ghalib-badri-raina/.
1
husn-afza1 agar haiN Ghamza2 o naaz3
rooh4 ki taazagi5 hai zer6-e niyaaz7
1.beauty enhancing 2.winking 3.coquettish style 4.soul, spirit 5.freshness 6.under, hidden behind 7.offering, prayer
If the beloved’s coquetry and style increase her beauty, then our offering to her also has a freshness of spirit hidden behind it.
2
arsh1 hi ko uRa ke lae aaii
be-Khudi2 bhi hai kya karishma-saaz3
1.sky, heaven, divine being 2.mystical trance 3.miracle making
This is a recognition of the power of mystical sufiyaana trance. It is the miracle making of my trance that it has brought down the sky/heaven/god to earth.
3
aql ko bhi dikhaaye kuchh jalve1
ishq ko par2 bana liya hamraaz3
1.manifestations 2.but 3.confidant, friend
‘jalve dikhaana’ can also mean showing off and/or showing up someone else to prove one’s own superiority. This is a traditional conflict between ‘aql’ and ‘ishq’ – intellect/knowledge vs love/belief/bhakti. The shaa’er has made ‘ishq’ his confidant and has been able to understand the divine. This way he can show up the limitations of ‘aql’.
4
dekh anjaam1 laGhzish2-e dil ka
poochh mat dilfarebi3-e aaGhaaz4
1.result 2.stumble, falter 3.deception of the heart, self-deception, illusion 4.beginning
The shaa’er is warning all potential lovers – watch out for the result of the stumbling/faltering of your heart i.e. watch for the result of falling in love. Don’t just look at the pleasant experience/self-deception of the beginning.
5
hum bhi pahuNcheNge thoRi der sahi
laikin aasaan hai ye raah1-e majaaz2
1.pathway 2.illusion, maaya, material world
The real aim of the shaa’er is to reach his ‘real’ beloved i.e. the divine spirit. But it is difficult to go through the process of loving a formless being. He says, I will eventually get there, it will take some time but this path of trying to reach him via the pathway of illusion is easier i.e. there is power in bhakti.
6
yuN to hone ko laakh rishte1 haiN
kyuN magar jaaiyega duur-daraaz2
1.relationships, alliances 2.far away
After all there are thousands of relationships (or paths to relationships) you can form. But why do you need to go far (when you can find god in the heart).
7
ek rishta hi hai bahut mujh ko
maiN Gharib aur tu Gharib-navaaz1
1.protector/nurturer of the poor
The second misra is taken directly from Ghalib’s Ghazal. One relationship is more than enough for me. I am poor/powerless and you are the protector/saviour of the poor.
8
parda-e dahr1 ek ada2 hi sahi
jaise chhup chhup ke dost3 de aavaaz
1.creation, material world 2.playful style, pretense 3.beloved
You can see god hidden behind the parda-e dahr, the veil of creation. It is as if he is teasing you and calling you from behind the curtain, like a playful beloved. Except, it is the divine beloved.
9
aane lagte haiN arsh1 se naGhme2
jab koii chheRta hai dil ka saaz3
1.sky, heaven, diving seat 2.songs 3.musical instrument, strings of a harp
When someone pulls the strings of the heart, divine music descends from heavens.
10
jaane kis kis se ho rahi hai baat
naam ko hi Ghazal ka hai andaaz1
1.style, show, appearance
The shaa’er appears to be simply reciting his Ghazal, but who knows who all he is talking to … is he talking to the beloved, to god or someone else.
11
paar karne ko bahr1-e marg2 o zeest3
baKhsha4 mazhar5 ko bandagi6 ka jahaaz7
1.ocean 2.death 3.life 4.granted 5.pen-name of poet 6.bondage, devotion 7.ship, boat
I have to cross the ocean of life and death. The shaa’er needs a ship to cross it. He has been granted a ship, a ship of devotion/bhakti.
