For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
حرفِ مکرّر نہیں ہے تو ۔ جگن ناتھ آزاد
۱
ثانی ترا پھر آ نہ سکے گا جہان میں
لوحِ جہاں پہ حرفِ مکرّر نہیں ہے تو
۲
تیرے ہی دم سے خاکِ وطن آسماں ہے آج
رُتبے میں مہر و ماہ سے کمتر نہیں ہے تو
۳
تیرا ہر ایک شعر ستاروں کا کارواں
کیا آسمان کے بھی برابر نہیں ہے تو
۴
نازاں ادب ہے تجھ پہ تفکّر کو تجھ پہ ناز
ہے فلسفی بھی، محض سخنور نہیں ہے تو
۵
ایماں کو جس سے بیر ہو مذہب کو جس سے ضد
بتخانۂ وطن کا وہ آذر نہیں ہے تو
हर्फ़-ए मुकर्रर नहीं है तू – जगन्नाथ आज़ाद
१
सानी तेरा फिर आ न सकेगा जहान में
लौह-ए जहां पे हर्फ़-ए मुकर्रर नहीं है तू
२
तेरे ही दम से ख़ाक-ए वतन आस्मां है आज
रुत्बे में महर ओ माह से कम्तर नहीं है तू
३
तेरा हर एक शे’र सितारौं का कार्वां
क्या आस्मान के भी बराबर नहीं है तू
४
नाज़ां अदब है तुझ पे तफ़क्कुर को तुझ पे नाज़
है फ़ल्सफ़ी भी, महज़ सुख़न्वर नहीं है तू
५
ईमां को जिस से बैर हो मज़्हब को जिस से ज़िद्द
बुतख़ाना-ए वतन का वो आज़र नहीं है तू
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jagan nath azad (1918-2004), born in miyaaNvaali (now in pakistan) was the son of another great poet, tilok chand mahroom. He has written with much passion about hindu-muslim and India-pakistan accord. This is a great tribute to mirza Ghalib. He skillfully uses Ghalib’s own words to craft a tribute.
1
saani1 tera phir aa na sakega jahaan meN
lauh2-e jahaaN pe harf3-e mukarrar4 nahiN hai tu 1.copy, equal 2.page, record, history 3.word 4.repeated, unnecessary
There will not be another one like you in this world. On the page of history, you are not a reduntant word (this is borrowed from Ghalib’s own she’r).
2
tere hi dam5 se Khaak6-e vatan aasmaaN hai aaj
rutbe7 meN mahr8 o maah9 se kamtar10 nahiN hai tu 5.strength 6.dust 7.status, dignity 8.sun 9.moon 10.less than
It is because of your strength/dignity that the dust of the homeland rises to the status of the sky. You are no less than the moon and stars in status. This again is borrowed from Ghalib’s own misra. Please see ‘harf-e mukarrar nahiN huN maiN’.
3
tera har ek she’r sitaaroN ka kaarvaaN
kya aasmaan ke bhi baraabar nahiN hai tu Every couplet of yours is like a caravan of stars, a constellation. How can we not say that your status is as high as the sky/heaven.
4
naazaaN1 adab2 hai tujh pe tafakkur3 ko tujh pe naaz4
hai falsafi bhi, mahz5 suKhanvar6 nahiN hai tu 1.proud 2.literature 3.thought, reason 4.pride 5.only, merely 6.poet, wordsmith
Literature is proud of you, Reason takes pleasure. You are a philosopher as well, not merely a wordsmith.
5
eemaaN7 ko jis se bair8 ho mazhab9 ko jis se zidd10
butKhaana11-e vatan ka vo aazar12 nahiN hai tu 7.faith 8.conflict 9.religion 10.opposition 11.idol house 12.name of the father of ibrahim
The last she’r has a reference to the story of aazar, the father of ibrahim who declared monotheism. aazar continued to be an idolater and idol-maker. In poetry he is used as a symbol of opposition to faith. Thus, jagan nath aazad says that even though Ghalib made/crafted idols with his words, he is an idol-maker to whom faith and religion are not opposed.
jagan nath azad (1918-2004), born in miyaaNvaali (now in pakistan) was the son of another great poet, tilok chand mahroom. He has written with much passion about hindu-muslim and India-pakistan accord. This is a great tribute to mirza Ghalib. He skillfully uses Ghalib’s own words to craft a tribute.
1
saani1 tera phir aa na sakega jahaan meN
lauh2-e jahaaN pe harf3-e mukarrar4 nahiN hai tu
1.copy, equal 2.page, record, history 3.word 4.repeated, unnecessary
There will not be another one like you in this world. On the page of history, you are not a reduntant word (this is borrowed from Ghalib’s own she’r).
2
tere hi dam5 se Khaak6-e vatan aasmaaN hai aaj
rutbe7 meN mahr8 o maah9 se kamtar10 nahiN hai tu
5.strength 6.dust 7.status, dignity 8.sun 9.moon 10.less than
It is because of your strength/dignity that the dust of the homeland rises to the status of the sky. You are no less than the moon and stars in status. This again is borrowed from Ghalib’s own misra. Please see ‘harf-e mukarrar nahiN huN maiN’.
3
tera har ek she’r sitaaroN ka kaarvaaN
kya aasmaan ke bhi baraabar nahiN hai tu
Every couplet of yours is like a caravan of stars, a constellation. How can we not say that your status is as high as the sky/heaven.
4
naazaaN1 adab2 hai tujh pe tafakkur3 ko tujh pe naaz4
hai falsafi bhi, mahz5 suKhanvar6 nahiN hai tu
1.proud 2.literature 3.thought, reason 4.pride 5.only, merely 6.poet, wordsmith
Literature is proud of you, Reason takes pleasure. You are a philosopher as well, not merely a wordsmith.
5
eemaaN7 ko jis se bair8 ho mazhab9 ko jis se zidd10
butKhaana11-e vatan ka vo aazar12 nahiN hai tu
7.faith 8.conflict 9.religion 10.opposition 11.idol house 12.name of the father of ibrahim
The last she’r has a reference to the story of aazar, the father of ibrahim who declared monotheism. aazar continued to be an idolater and idol-maker. In poetry he is used as a symbol of opposition to faith. Thus, jagan nath aazad says that even though Ghalib made/crafted idols with his words, he is an idol-maker to whom faith and religion are not opposed.
