madd’ham hoti jaati hai-jigar muradabadi

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

ہوتی  جاتی  ہے  ۔  جگر  مراد  آبادی

۱

طبیعت  ان  دنوں  بیگانۂ  غم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

مرے  حصے  کی  گویا  ہر  خوشی  کم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

۲

سحر  ہونے  کو  ہے  بیدار  شبنم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

خوشی  منجملۂ  اسباب  ماتم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

۳

قیامت  کیا  یہ  اے  حسن  دو  عالم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

کہ  محفل  تو  وہی  ہے  دلکشی  کم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

۴

وہی  مے  خانہ  و  صہبا  وہی  ساغر  وہی  شیشہ

مگر  آواز  نوشا  نوش  مدھم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

۵

وہی  ہیں  شاہد  و  ساقی  مگر  دل  بجھتا  جاتا  ہے

وہی  ہے  شمع  لیکن  روشنی  کم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

۶

وہی  شورش  ہے  لیکن  جیسے  موج  تہ  نشیں  کوئی

وہی  دل  ہے  مگر  آواز  مدھم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

۷

وہی  ہے  زندگی  لیکن  جگرؔ  یہ  حال  ہے  اپنا

کہ  جیسے  زندگی  سے  زندگی  کم  ہوتی  جاتی  ہے

होती जाती है – जिगर मुरादाबादी

तबीअत इन दिनों बेगाना-ए-ग़म होती जाती है

मिरे हिस्से की गोया हर ख़ुशी कम होती जाती है

सहर होने को है बेदार शबनम होती जाती है

ख़ुशी मंजुमला-ए  अस्बाब-ए मातम होती जाती है

क़यामत क्या ये ऐ हुस्न-ए-दो-आलम होती जाती है

कि महफ़िल तो वही है दिल-कशी कम होती जाती है

वही मय-ख़ाना-ओ-सहबा वही साग़र वही शीशा

मगर आवाज़-ए-नोशा-नोश मद्धम होती जाती है

वही हैं शाहिद-ओ-साक़ी मगर दिल बुझता जाता है

वही है शम्अ’ लेकिन रौशनी कम होती जाती है

वही शोरिश है लेकिन जैसे मौज-ए-तह-नशीं कोई

वही दिल है मगर आवाज़ मद्धम होती जाती है

वही है ज़िंदगी लेकिन ‘जिगर’ ये हाल है अपना

कि जैसे ज़िंदगी से ज़िंदगी कम होती जाती है

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jigar muradabadi (1890-1961) was a profilic poet of sufiyaana, romantic and musical Ghazal. Many of his compositions have been put to music and sung by great singers. This is one of several Ghazal in the radeef ‘hoti jaati hai’ and is linked to that icon on the Refrain page.

1
tabiyat1 in dinoN begaana2-e Gham hoti jaati hai
mere hisse ki goya3 har Khushi kam hoti jaati hai
1.condition, mood 2.unfamiliar, stranger, insensitive 3.as if
There are two opposite interpretations possible … In one, “Gham” is used as the pain of love, sufiyaana love. But such a “Gham” is also the sufi’s “Khushi” to be treasured. Thus, for some reason the old sufi is losing the ardour of love and is becoming a stranger to “Gham”. In the other interpretation … these days the mood of the poet has become less familiar with, insensitive to sorrow. That does not mean that he is experiencing good fortune and is happy. Quite the opposite. Said, mirza Ghalib …
ranj se Khoogar hua insaaN to miT jaata hai ranj
mushkileN itni paRiN mujh pe ke aasaaN ho gaiiN
If sorrow becomes second nature to a person, it gets erased
I suffered so many calamities that they became easy (to bear)
In the case of jigar too, it has been as if his share of happiness/good fortune has been reduced. He is getting used to sorrow and feels less of it.

2
sahar1 hone ko hai bedaar2 shabnam3 hoti jaati hai
Khushi minjumla4-e asbaab5-e maatam6 hoti jaati hai
1.dawn 2.awake 3.dew drops 4.in totality 5.means, enablers 6.mourning
Dawn is about to break out. This should normally be a sign of happiness. But along with dawn, dew is ‘waking up’ (becoming visible). Metaphorically ‘dew’ is tear drops. Thus, happiness itself is becoming the total requirement and enabler of mourning.

3
qayamat1 kya ye aye husn2-e do-aalam3 hoti jaati hai
ke mahfil4 to vahi hai dil-kashi5 kam hoti jaati hai
1.used in the sense of calamity 2.beauty 3.two worlds, here and hereafter 4.gathering 5.pleasure
‘husn-e do-aalam’ is god. The poet/sufi appeals/protests to god about the calamity that is falling on him. He is getting old and can no longer enjoy the pleasure of life that he used to.

4
vahi mai-Khaana1 o sahba2 vahi saaGhar3 vahi shisha
magar aawaz-e nosha-nosh4 maddham hoti jaati hai
1.tavern 2.wine 3.cup 4.eat-drink, tinkling of cups
The tavern, the wine the bottle and the cup are all the same as before but the enthusiastic encouragement of each other to eat/drink, the tinkling of cups … all are much subdued now.

5
vahi haiN shaahid1 o saaqi magar dil bujhta jaata hai
vahi hai shama’ laikin raushni kam hoti jaati hai
1.beauty, beloved
In the gathering the saaqi, the beloved are the same as before. The lamp (the focus of the gathering, the beloved) is also the same but the lustre is reduced … either because the poet himself is getting too old or both the poet and the beloved are getting old.

6
vahi shorish1 hai laikin jaise mauj2-e tah-nashiN3 koi
vahi dil hai magar aavaaz maddham hoti jaati hai
1.madness, frenzy (of love) 2.wave, upwelling 3.deep, at the bottom
The frenzy of love is the same as before, but it is like an upwelling deep inside (hidden). The heart is the same, but its call is much subdued.

7
vahi hai zindagi laikin jigar ye haal1 hai apna
ke jaise zindagi2 se zindagi3 kam hoti jaati hai
1.condition 2.used as “the activity of living” 3.used as “life span”
It is the same life as before, but the condition (age) of the poet has changed, so much so that the activity of living itself feels like a burden that brings the poet nearer the end.

jigar muradabadi (1890-1961) was a profilic poet of sufiyaana, romantic and musical Ghazal.  Many of his compositions have been put to music and sung by great singers.   This is one of several Ghazal in the radeef ‘hoti jaati hai’ and is linked to that icon on the Refrain page.
1
tabiyat1 in dinoN begaana2-e Gham hoti jaati hai
mere hisse ki goya3 har Khushi kam hoti jaati hai

1.condition, mood 2.unfamiliar, stranger, insensitive 3.as if

There are two opposite interpretations possible … In one, “Gham” is used as the pain of love, sufiyaana love.  But such a “Gham” is also the sufi’s “Khushi” to be treasured.  Thus, for some reason the old sufi is losing the ardour of love and is becoming a stranger to “Gham”.  In the other interpretation … these days the mood of the poet has become less familiar with, insensitive to sorrow.  That does not mean that he is experiencing good fortune and is happy.  Quite the opposite.  Said, mirza Ghalib …
ranj se Khoogar hua insaaN to miT jaata hai ranj
mushkileN itni paRiN mujh pe ke aasaaN ho gaiiN
If sorrow becomes second nature to a person, it gets erased
I suffered so many calamities that they became easy (to bear)
In the case of jigar too, it has been as if his share of happiness/good fortune has been reduced.  He is getting used to sorrow and feels less of it.
2
sahar1 hone ko hai bedaar2 shabnam3 hoti jaati hai
Khushi minjumla4-e asbaab5-e maatam6 hoti jaati hai

1.dawn 2.awake 3.dew drops 4.in totality 5.means, enablers 6.mourning

Dawn is about to break out.  This should normally be a sign of happiness.  But along with dawn, dew is ‘waking up’ (becoming visible).  Metaphorically ‘dew’ is tear drops.  Thus, happiness itself is becoming the total requirement and enabler of mourning.
3
qayamat1 kya ye aye husn2-e do-aalam3 hoti jaati hai
ke mahfil4 to vahi hai dil-kashi5 kam hoti jaati hai

1.used in the sense of calamity 2.beauty 3.two worlds, here and hereafter 4.gathering 5.pleasure

‘husn-e do-aalam’ is god.  The poet/sufi appeals/protests to god about the calamity that is falling on him.  He is getting old and can no longer enjoy the pleasure of life that he used to.
4
vahi mai-Khaana1 o sahba2 vahi saaGhar3 vahi shisha
magar aawaz-e nosha-nosh4 maddham hoti jaati hai

1.tavern 2.wine 3.cup 4.eat-drink, tinkling of cups

The tavern, the wine the bottle and the cup are all the same as before but the enthusiastic encouragement of each other to eat/drink, the tinkling of cups … all are much subdued now.
5
vahi haiN shaahid1 o saaqi magar dil bujhta jaata hai
vahi hai shama’ laikin raushni kam hoti jaati hai

1.beauty, beloved

In the gathering the saaqi, the beloved are the same as before.  The lamp (the focus of the gathering, the beloved) is also the same but the lustre is reduced … either because the poet himself is getting too old or both the poet and the beloved are getting old.
6
vahi shorish1 hai laikin jaise mauj2-e tah-nashiN3 koi
vahi dil hai magar aavaaz maddham hoti jaati hai

1.madness, frenzy (of love) 2.wave, upwelling 3.deep, at the bottom

The frenzy of love is the same as before, but it is like an upwelling deep inside (hidden).  The heart is the same, but its call is much subdued.
7
vahi hai zindagi laikin jigar ye haal1 hai apna
ke jaise zindagi2 se zindagi3 kam hoti jaati hai

1.condition 2.used as “the activity of living” 3.used as “life span”

It is the same life as before, but the condition (age) of the poet has changed, so much so that the activity of living itself feels like a burden that brings the poet nearer the end.

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