For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
bharati vishwanathan
گِلا نہ ہوا ۔ حسرت موہانی
تجھ کو پاسِ وفا ذرا نہ ہوا
ہم سے پھر بھی ترا گِلا نہ ہوا
ایسے بگڑے کہ پھر جفا بھی نہ کی
دُشمنی کا بھی حق ادا نہ ہوا
جانِ عاشق نثارِ دوست ہوئی
شادئِ مرگ کا بہانہ ہوا
کٹ گئی احتیاطِ عشق میں عمر
ہم سے اِظہارِ مُدّعا نہ ہوا
تیرے اِس التفات کا ہوں غلام
جو ہوا بھی تو برملا نہ ہوا
حسن کی شان سادگی سے بڑھی
طرّۂ زلف گر دوتا نہ ہوا
کچھ عجب چیز ہے وہ چشمِ سیاہ
تیر جس کا کبھی خطا نہ ہوا
روبروُ اُن کے کچھ نہیں معلوم
کیا ہوا بیخودی میں کیا نہ ہوا
حیف ہے اُس کی بادشاہی پر
تیرے کوچے کا جو گدا نہ ہوا
خُم کے خُم غیر لے گئے ساقی
ہم کو اِک جام بھی عطا نہ ہوا
مر مِٹے ہم تو مِٹ گئے سب رنج
یہ بھی اچھا ہوا بُرا نہ ہوا
ڈر گیا اُس نگاہِ برہم سے
دِل کو یارائے التجا نہ ہوا
جب تلک میرے دِل میں جان رہی
درد مایوسِ مرحبا نہ ہوا
مِل گئی مجھ کو صبرِ عشق کی داد
وہ جو شرمندۂ جفا نہ ہوا
قانعِ رنجِ عشق تھا حسرت
عیشِ دُنیا سے آشنا نہ ہوا
गिला न हुआ – हस्रत मोहनी
तुझ को पास-ए वफ़ा ज़रा न हुआ
हम से फिर भी तेरा गिला न हुआ
ऐसे बिगड़े के फिर जफ़ा भी न कि
दुश्मनी का भी हक़ अदा न हुआ
जान-ए आशिक़ निसार-ए दोस्त हुई
शादी-ए मर्ग का बहाना हुआ
कट गई एहतिआत-ए इश्क़ में उम्र
हम से इज़्हार-ए मुद्दुआ न हुआ
तेरे इस इल्तेफ़ात का हूं ग़ुलाम
जो हुआ भी तो बरमला न हुआ
हुस्न कि शान सादगी से बढ़ी
तुर्रा-ए ज़ुल्फ़ गर दो-ता न हुआ
कुछ अजब चीज़ है वो चश्म-ए सियाह
तीर जिस का कभी ख़ता न हुआ
रू-ब-रू उन के कुछ नहीं मालूम
क्या हुआ बे-ख़ुदी में क्या न हुआ
हैफ़ है उस कि बादशाही पर
तेरे कूचे का जो गदा न हुआ
ख़ुम के ख़ुम ग़ैर ले गए साक़ी
हम को एक जाम भी अता न हुआ
मर मिटे हम तो मिट गए सब रंज
ये भी अच्छा हुआ बुरा न हुआ
डर गया उस निगाह-ए बरहम से
दिल को यारा-ए इल्तेजा न हुआ
जब तलक मेरे दिल में जान रही
दर्द मायूस-ए मरहबा न हुआ
मिल गई मुझ को सब्र-ए इश्क़ कि दाद
वो जो शर्मिन्दा-ए जफ़ा न हुआ
क़ान’अ-ए रंज-ए इश्क़ था हस्रत
ऐश-ए दुनिया से आश्ना न हुआ
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. maulana hasrat mohani (1878-1951) was a prolific poet, freedom fighter, scholar of urdu, faarsi and arabi, member of the constituent assembly and krishn bhakt who regularly went to brindavan and composed odes to krishn in urdu. This can be considered a tribute to Ghalib because it is composed in the same meter as Ghalib’s Ghazal … dard minnat kash-e davaa na hua.
tujh ko paas1-e vafa2 zara na hua
hum se phir bhi tera gila3 na hua1.consideration of, respect for 2.fidelity, faith 3.complaint
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is always faithless, without any consideration for the fidelity of the lover. But still the lover/poet does not complain.
aise bigRe1 ke phir jafa2 bhi na ki
dushmani ka bhi haq3 ada na hua1.got offended/angry 2.cruelty 3.rights
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is always annoyed (or feigns annoyance) with the lover. She is cruel (or feigns cruelty) to him. But this time, she got so offended that she even stopped being cruel to the poet/lover. She did not even fulfil the obligations of enmity.
jaan-e-aashiq1 nisaar-e-dost2 hui
shaadi-e-marg3 ka bahaana4 hua1.life of the poet/lover 2.sacrificial offering to the beloved 3.celebration of death 4.excuse
In urdu poetic tradition, it is high honour for the poet/lover to offer his life as a sacrifice to the beloved. This was doubly good because it is gave the beloved an excuse to celebrate his death.
kaT gayii ehtiyaat-e-ishq1 meN umr
hum se izhaar-e-muddua2 na hua1.carefully hiding love 2.expressing desire
The poet/lover spent all his life carefully hiding his love so as not to malign her name. He could not bring himself to express his love.
tere is iltefaat1 ka huN Ghulaam2
jo hua bhi to barmala3 na hua1.favours, gifts 2.slave of, obliged for 3.openly, in public
This could be interpreted as either sarcastic or very sincere. I am much obliged to you for your favours. Whatever you did, you did not do openly. If she had done it openly, it would have established him as the favoured lover, thus a source of pride. But because the poet/lover does not consider himself worthy, he is happy that she did not do it openly, thus saving her reputation.
husn ki shaan1 saadagi2 se baRhi
turra3-e zulf4 gar5 do-ta6 na hua1.grandeur 2.simplicity 3.crown, crest, peak 4.hair 5.if 6.curved
Beauty would be even more beautiful, if it were plain/simple/unadorned. If the crown of the hair-do fluffed up into many strings would surely spoil it.
kuchh ajab1 cheez hai vo chashm-e-siyaah2
tiir jis ka kabhi Khata3 na hua1.strange, mysterious 2.dark eyes 3.mistake, miss its target
These dark eyes are mysterious. They never miss their target.
roo-ba-roo1 un ke kuchh nahiN maaloom
kya hua be-Khudi2 meN kya na hua1.face to face 2.forgetfulness, drunkenness
The poet/lover is either drunk (or more likely) lost his senses when confronted by her beauty. In that dazed/drunken state he may have committed all kinds of foolish/offensive acts.
haif1 hai us ki baadshaahi par
tere kooche2 ka jo gada3 na hua1.shame on 2.street 3.beggar, mendicant
This applies both to the beloved and to god. Shame on the pride/conceit of him who does not come begging at your door.
Khum1 ke Khum Ghair2 le gaye saaqi
hum ko ek jaam3 bhi ata4 na hua1.flask, barrell 2.other, stranger 3.cup 4.granted
Others made off with flask after flask of wine, O saaqi. We were not given even a cupful.
mar miTe hum to miT gaye sub ranj
ye bhi achchha hua bura na huaWhen the poet/lover died and effaced, then all sorrows also disappeared, because heart of the poet/lover is the seat of all sorrow. He is proud to host them. This has echoes of Ghalib’s she’r (https://urdushahkar.org/dard-minnat-kash-e-dava-ghalib/)
dard minnat-kash-e dava na hua
maiN na achcha hua, bura na hua
Dar gaya us nigaah-e-barham1 se
dil ko yaara2-e iltejaa3 na hua1.angry looks 2.friendship, familiarity 3.appeal
Normally, if the beloved were to look angrily at the poet/lover, he might appeal. But he got so scared that he could not bring up courage to do it (he could not make friends with Appeal – personified in this she’r).
jab talak mere dil meN jaan rahi
dard mayoos1-e marhaba2 na hua1.disappointed 2.welcome
The poet/lover always welcomes pain (it is to be treasured and valued because it is bestowed by the beloved). As long as he lived, pain was not disappointed because it always found a welcoming place – the poet/lover’s heart.
mil gayii mujh ko sabr1-e ishq2 ki daad3
vo jo sharminda4-e jafa5 na hua1.forbearance, patience 2.(pain of) love 3.praise 4.ashamed of 5.cruelty
The beloved is always cruel to the poet/lover. The fact that she did not withhold (was not ashamed of) her cruelty is praise for the forbearance/patience of the poet/lover.
qaan’a1-e ranj-e-ishq2 tha hasrat
aish3-e duniya se aashna4 na hua1.satisfied with 2.sorrow of love 3.luxury 4.familiar with
This could also apply to god/universal love in the sufi sense. Thus, hasrat was satisfied with the sorrow of love (of god/humanity). He did not indulge in luxuries of this world.
maulana hasrat mohani (1878-1951) was a prolific poet, freedom fighter, scholar of urdu, faarsi and arabi, member of the constituent assembly and krishn bhakt who regularly went to brindavan and composed odes to krishn in urdu. This can be considered a tribute to Ghalib because it is composed in the same meter as Ghalib’s Ghazal … dard minnat kash-e davaa na hua.
tujh ko paas1-e vafa2 zara na hua
hum se phir bhi tera gila3 na hua
1.consideration of, respect for 2.fidelity, faith 3.complaint
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is always faithless, without any consideration for the fidelity of the lover. But still the lover/poet does not complain.
aise bigRe1 ke phir jafa2 bhi na ki
dushmani ka bhi haq3 ada na hua
1.got offended/angry 2.cruelty 3.rights
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is always annoyed (or feigns annoyance) with the lover. She is cruel (or feigns cruelty) to him. But this time, she got so offended that she even stopped being cruel to the poet/lover. She did not even fulfil the obligations of enmity.
jaan-e-aashiq1 nisaar-e-dost2 hui
shaadi-e-marg3 ka bahaana4 hua
1.life of the poet/lover 2.sacrificial offering to the beloved 3.celebration of death 4.excuse
In urdu poetic tradition, it is high honour for the poet/lover to offer his life as a sacrifice to the beloved. This was doubly good because it is gave the beloved an excuse to celebrate his death.
kaT gayii ehtiyaat-e-ishq1 meN umr
hum se izhaar-e-muddua2 na hua
1.carefully hiding love 2.expressing desire
The poet/lover spent all his life carefully hiding his love so as not to malign her name. He could not bring himself to express his love.
tere is iltefaat1 ka huN Ghulaam2
jo hua bhi to barmala3 na hua
1.favours, gifts 2.slave of, obliged for 3.openly, in public
This could be interpreted as either sarcastic or very sincere. I am much obliged to you for your favours. Whatever you did, you did not do openly. If she had done it openly, it would have established him as the favoured lover, thus a source of pride. But because the poet/lover does not consider himself worthy, he is happy that she did not do it openly, thus saving her reputation.
husn ki shaan1 saadagi2 se baRhi
turra3-e zulf4 gar5 do-ta6 na hua
1.grandeur 2.simplicity 3.crown, crest, peak 4.hair 5.if 6.curved
Beauty would be even more beautiful, if it were plain/simple/unadorned. If the crown of the hair-do fluffed up into many strings would surely spoil it.
kuchh ajab1 cheez hai vo chashm-e-siyaah2
tiir jis ka kabhi Khata3 na hua
1.strange, mysterious 2.dark eyes 3.mistake, miss its target
These dark eyes are mysterious. They never miss their target.
roo-ba-roo1 un ke kuchh nahiN maaloom
kya hua be-Khudi2 meN kya na hua
1.face to face 2.forgetfulness, drunkenness
The poet/lover is either drunk (or more likely) lost his senses when confronted by her beauty. In that dazed/drunken state he may have committed all kinds of foolish/offensive acts.
haif1 hai us ki baadshaahi par
tere kooche2 ka jo gada3 na hua
1.shame on 2.street 3.beggar, mendicant
This applies both to the beloved and to god. Shame on the pride/conceit of him who does not come begging at your door.
Khum1 ke Khum Ghair2 le gaye saaqi
hum ko ek jaam3 bhi ata4 na hua
1.flask, barrell 2.other, stranger 3.cup 4.granted
Others made off with flask after flask of wine, O saaqi. We were not given even a cupful.
mar miTe hum to miT gaye sub ranj
ye bhi achchha hua bura na hua
When the poet/lover died and effaced, then all sorrows also disappeared, because heart of the poet/lover is the seat of all sorrow. He is proud to host them. This has echoes of Ghalib’s she’r (https://urdushahkar.org/dard-minnat-kash-e-dava-ghalib/)
dard minnat-kash-e dava na hua
maiN na achcha hua, bura na hua
Dar gaya us nigaah-e-barham1 se
dil ko yaara2-e iltejaa3 na hua
1.angry looks 2.friendship, familiarity 3.appeal
Normally, if the beloved were to look angrily at the poet/lover, he might appeal. But he got so scared that he could not bring up courage to do it (he could not make friends with Appeal – personified in this she’r).
jab talak mere dil meN jaan rahi
dard mayoos1-e marhaba2 na hua
1.disappointed 2.welcome
The poet/lover always welcomes pain (it is to be treasured and valued because it is bestowed by the beloved). As long as he lived, pain was not disappointed because it always found a welcoming place – the poet/lover’s heart.
mil gayii mujh ko sabr1-e ishq2 ki daad3
vo jo sharminda4-e jafa5 na hua
1.forbearance, patience 2.(pain of) love 3.praise 4.ashamed of 5.cruelty
The beloved is always cruel to the poet/lover. The fact that she did not withhold (was not ashamed of) her cruelty is praise for the forbearance/patience of the poet/lover.
qaan’a1-e ranj-e-ishq2 tha hasrat
aish3-e duniya se aashna4 na hua
1.satisfied with 2.sorrow of love 3.luxury 4.familiar with
This could also apply to god/universal love in the sufi sense. Thus, hasrat was satisfied with the sorrow of love (of god/humanity). He did not indulge in luxuries of this world.
Key Search Words: romantic, romance, beauty of the beloved, sufi allegory, universal love
