Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sardar genDa singh mashriqi (1857-1909), born in roopaR, panjab. Studied English and faarsi through middle school but could not go further in formal schooling because of family financial conditions. Worked for magazines, then the government in clerical and accountancy jobs and continued to learn urdu on his own, writing magazine articles and nazm, many of them nationalist. He joined the Indian National Congress in its inaugural meeting in 1885. In 1903, daaGh dehlavi accepted him as a shaagird. In spite of their very short association, he acknowledges daaGh as his ustaad. mashriqi’s diivaan was compiled and published by his grandson in 1989. There are also book length translations of sikh religious books in faarsi in poetic format as well as a book length collection of odes to sikh religious figures. This Ghazal is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
kheeNch seene se kamaaN-abru¹ na paikaaN² tiir ka
us meN dil lapTa hua hai aashiq³-e dilgiir⁴ ka   1.eyebrow arched like a bow 2.tip of the arrow 3.lover 4.heart-broken, sorrowful
The words ‘kamaaN-abru’ while literally referring to the arched eyebrow are probably used to mean the beloved herself. In poetic convention she is known to shoot arrows at her lovers and the arrow tips penetrate the heart. If she pulls the arrow out for re-use, then the lover is afraid that his heart which is tangled with the arrow tip will be ripped even further. Thus, O kamaaN-abru (beloved) do not pull the arrow out. The heart of the sorrowful lover is enmeshed in the arrow-tip.
2
kyuN ziyaada ho na zindaaN¹ meN pareshaani meri
halqa²-e kaakul³ hai har halqa⁴ meri zanjiir ka     1.prison 2.circle, ring 3.curly forelocks 4.link of the chain
Why should my distress not increase in bondage. Every link of the chain that binds me is a ring of the forelocks of the beloved’s hair.
3
hai shariifoN¹ par raziiloN² ko sharaf³ deta falak⁴
phir⁵ gaya hai aaj kal shaa’ed⁶ dimaaGh us piir⁷ ka    1.honourable, exalted 2.low, vile, bad 3.preference 4.sky, fate 5.turned around 6.perhaps 7.elder, senior, old man
In urdu poetic tradition the sky is referred to as ‘piir’ – old, venerated and is also considered to be the dispenser of fate. It appears that these days fate is giving preference (showing favours) to the low and vile compared to the noble and honourable. Perhaps the old man has gone mad. This appears to be purely an exercise in ‘qaafiya-bandi’.
4
hai kushood-e-kaar¹ jin ka munhasir² taqdiir³ par
kab uThaate haiN vo ehsaaN⁴ naaKhun-e-tadbiir⁵ ka     1.an expression meaning success of effort 2.dependent 3.fate 4.obligation 5.an expression meaning hard work of plan of action (literally using fingernails to complete a task)
When the success of their effort depends on fate, why would anyone take on the obligation of the plan of hard work.
5
aye mahavvis¹ kyuN tujh ko is qadar² us ki talaash
Khaaksaari³ ke siva⁴ nusKha⁵ nahiN eksiir⁶ ka    1.alchemist, greedy 2.so much 3.humility 4.except for 5.formula 6.elixir, remedy
O alchemist, why do you spend so much effort looking for it – except for humility/acceptance (of fate) there is no formula for an effective remedy.
6
tukRe tukRe phaaR kar aage raqiiboN¹ ke kiye
us ne kya Khaaka² uRaaya hai meri tasviir ka     1.rivals 2.sketch, picture, summary
The beloved has a picture of the poet/lover. She tears it up into pieces in front of his rivals. This amounts a summary of what she thinks of him. Ordinarily the phrase is ‘Khaaka khaiNchna’. ‘Khaaka uRaana’ gives it the additional feature of ‘mazaaq uRaana’ – make fun of.
7
juu¹-e KhooN ham ne banaaii dil ki, teGh²-e ishq se
kaaTna mushkil na tha farhaad³, juu¹-e shiir⁴ ka   1.river 2.sword 3.of shiriN-farhaad legend 4.milk
This has reference to the story of shiriN-farhaad, in which farhaad was set an impossible task of digging a channel through a mountain and making a river of milk flow through it. In his passion, he set about doing this, but ended up killing himself because of a false rumour that shirin was dead. Here, the poet considers farhaad to have been unsuccessful in completing his task. He compares himself favourably with farhaad and says, look I made a river of blood flow from my heart with the sword of love. It should not have been so difficult for you to dig a channel of milk.
8
yaad zindaaN¹ meN mujhe aati hai jab zulf²-e siyaah³
saaNp aata hai nazar⁴ halqa⁵ har ek zanjiir ka    1.prison 2.hair 3.dark 4.appear, look like 5.ring, link of the chain
The mad passionate lover has been chained and put in prison like majnuN. There he remembers the long dark hair of the beloved. Every link of the chain appears to him like a snake – chaining him just like the beloved’s hair captured him.
9
yaad zindaaN¹ meN mujhe aati hai jab zulf²-e siyaah³
saaNp aata hai nazar⁴ halqa⁵ har ek zanjiir ka    1.prison 2.hair 3.dark 4.appear, look like 5.ring, link of the chain
The mad passionate lover has been chained and put in prison like majnuN. There he remembers the long dark hair of the beloved. Every link of the chain appears to him like a snake – chaining him just like the beloved’s hair captured him.
10
sae’r¹ ko sahn²-e chaman meN jab gaya vo rashk³-e gul⁴
andaleeboN⁵ meN tha aalam⁶ bulbul⁷-e tasviir ka    1.stroll 2.yard, field 3.envy 4.rose 5.nightingale 6.condition 7.nightingale
The beloved is so beautiful that she is the ‘envy of the rose’. She comes out for a stroll in the garden. The nightingale usually sings loves songs to the rose. But seeing the beloved they are so stunned that their condition is reduced to a silent picture.
11
bosa¹ de do Khwaab² meN bosa liya tha raat ko
ye nahiN vo Khwaab jo mohtaaj³ hai taa’biir⁴ ka   1.kiss 2.dream 3.deprived of 4.fulfilment
The poet/lover demands of the beloved – give me a kiss, I got a kiss from you in my dream last night and this is not a dream that is deprived of fulfilment.
12
saiNkRoN hotay haiN bismil¹ ek ishaara² ho agar³
tere abru⁴ meN asar⁵ hai kya dam⁶-e shamshiir⁷ ka   1.sacrificed, slaughtered 2.hint, indication 3.if 4.eyebrow 5.effect 6.sharp edge 7.sword
Thousands will be happy to be slaughtered if there is even the slightest hint from you. Your eyebrows have the effect of the sharp edge of a sword.
13
tere aashiq¹ chhoR kar maqtal² ko jaa’eNge kahaaN
halqa³-e gardan hai halqa jauhar⁴-e shamshiir⁵ ka    1.lovers 2.slaughterhouse 3.circle, ring 4.sharp edge, shine, sparkle 5.curved sword
Here the sword is curved like the arched eyebrow of the beloved. It also shines/sparkles with beauty (or perhaps anger) like a jewel. This has become like a ring around the necks of lovers. They are captivated. How can they leave the slaughterhouse and go anywhere even though they know full well that they will be slaughtered.
14
sunte haiN dil aaj us ka sub’h se hai muztarib¹
ye asar² be-shak³ hai mere naala⁴-e shabgiir⁵ ka   1.restless 2.effect 3.without a doubt 4.wailing 5.night conquering, lasting all night long
I hear that she has been restless all day since morning. Surely, this is the effect of my all night wailing.
15
mashriqi¹ har dam² na kyuN nikle jigar³ se aah⁴-e sard⁵
dil meN apne hai tasavvur⁶ ek but⁷-e kashmiir ka    1.pen-name of the poet 2.breath, moment 3.liver/heart 4.sigh 5.cold 6.imagination 7.idol
Apparently, during the time of the poet too, kashmiri women had a reputation of their beauty. Thus, O mashriqi, why should every breath emanating from my heart not be a cold long-drawn sigh. After all, the image that I carry in my heart is that of the idol of kashmir.