For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
عشقِ یار آہستہ آہستہ ۔ میر عثمان علی خاں
۱
ترقّی کر رہا ہے عشقِ یار آہستہ آہستہ
جُدا ہونے لگے صبر و قرار آہستہ آہستہ
۲
جو پہلو میں کسی دِن یار آ جائیگا قسمت سے
سُناؤں گا میں اپنا حالِ زار آہستہ آہستہ
۳
کیا ہے رفتہ رفتہ کام اپنا سوزِ اُلفت نے
جگر میرا ہوا ہے داغدار آہستہ آہستہ
۴
سِوا اِس کے نہیں کوئی جنوں میں مشغلہ اپنا
گریباں کے اُڑاتا ہوں میں تار آہستہ آہستہ
۵
یہی صدمے رہے کچھ دن اگر دردِ محبّت کے
نِکل جائے گی اِک دن جانِ زار آہستہ آہستہ
۶
جگر پر چوٹ کھا کر یوں چلے ہیں کُوئے قاتل سے
اُٹھاتے ہیں قدم سینہ فِگار آہستہ آہستہ
۷
شبِ فرقت کے صدموں سے نہ گھبرا اِس قدر عثماں
دِلِ مُضطر کو آئے گا قرار آہستہ آہستہ
इश्क़-ए यार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता – मीर उस्मान अली ख़ां
१
तरक़्क़ी कर रहा है इश्क़-ए यार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
जुदा होने लगे सब्र ओ क़रार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
२
जो पहलू में किसी दिन यार आ जाएगा क़िस्मत से
सुनाऊंगा मैं अपना हाल-ए ज़ार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
३
किया है रफ़्ता रफ़्ता काम अपना सोज़-ए उल्फ़त ने
जिगर मेरा हुआ है दाग़्दार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
४
सिवा इस के नहीं कोई जुनूं में मश्ग़ला अपना
गरेबां के उढाता हूं मैं तार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
५
यही सदमे रहे कुछ दिन अगर दर्द-ए मोहब्बत के
निकल जाएगी एक दिन जान-ए ज़ार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
६
जिगर पर चोट खा कर यूं चले हैं कू-ए क़ातिल से
उठाते हैं क़दम सीना फ़िगार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
७
शब-ए फ़ुर्क़त के सद्मौं से न धब्रा इस क़दर उस्मां
दिल-ए मुज़्तर को आयेगा क़रार आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. osman ali KhaaN (1886-1967), the erstwhile ruler of hyderabad was a prolific poet of considerable literary capability. His diivaan was collected and published posthumously in eight fair sized volumes. This Ghazal is linked to the series on “aahista aahista” modeled after vali dakkhani’s original. He was known to be the richest man in the world at that time and was known to have over a hundred concubines. So it is a bit amusing to see him write about unrequited love.
1
taraqqi1 kar raha hai ishq-e yaar2 aahista aahista
juda3 hone lage sabr4 o qaraar5 aahista aahista 1.progress 2.friend, beloved 3.separate 4.forbearance, patience 5.comfort, contentment
The love of the beloved is making progress gradually. How is ‘progress’ defined – as the gradual ‘separation’ of ‘forbearance and contentment’ from the poet/lover i.e. he is no longer able to bear it with patience.
2
jo pahlu1 meN kisi din yaar2 aa jaayega qismat se
sunaauNga maiN apna haal3-e zaar4 aahista aahista 1.embrace, by the side 2.beloved 3.condition 4.sorrowful
If one day, by good fortune, the beloved were to come by my side, then I will tell her my sorrowful condition, bit by bit.
3
kiya hai rafta-rafta1 kaam apna soz2-e ulfat3 ne
jigar4 mera hua hai daaGhdaar5 aahista aahista 1.gradually 2.fire, passion 3.love 4.liver, heart
Gradually the passion of love has done its work. My heart has become scarred by wounds little by little.
4
siva1 is ke nahiN koii junuN2 meN mashGhala3 apna
garebaaN4 ke uRaata huN maiN taar5 aahista aahista 1.except for 2.madness 3.pastime 4.collar 5.shreds, strings
The mad/passionate lover shreds his collar in distress. It is much the same with this poet/lover. Except for this, there is no other pastime for me, in my madness. Gradually, I shredded my collar in distress.
5
yahi sadme1 rahe kuchh din agar dard-e mohabbat ke
nikal jaayegi ek din jaan-e zaar2 aahista aahista 1.shock of sorrow 2.sorrowful
If the same sorrowful shocks of the pain of love keep happening, then one day this sorrowful life will depart.
6
jigar1 par choT khaa kar yuN chale haiN kuu2-e qaatil3 se
uThaate haiN qadam siina-figaar4 aahista aahista 1.liver/heart 2.street 3.killer, beloved 4.torn bosom
They leave from the street of the beloved with such a wound of their hearts, that these rent-bosom lovers can only step forward gradually/slowly.
7
shab-e-furqat1 ke sadmoN2 se na ghabra is qadar3 osmaaN
dil-e muztar4 ko aayega qaraar5 aahista aahista 1.night of separation 2.sorrows 3.so much 4.restless 5.comfort
Do not be distressed by the night of separation so much, O, osmaan. The restless heart will calm down gradually.
osman ali KhaaN (1886-1967), the erstwhile ruler of hyderabad was a prolific poet of considerable literary capability. His diivaan was collected and published posthumously in eight fair sized volumes. This Ghazal is linked to the series on “aahista aahista” modeled after vali dakkhani’s original. He was known to be the richest man in the world at that time and was known to have over a hundred concubines. So it is a bit amusing to see him write about unrequited love.
1
taraqqi1 kar raha hai ishq-e yaar2 aahista aahista
juda3 hone lage sabr4 o qaraar5 aahista aahista
1.progress 2.friend, beloved 3.separate 4.forbearance, patience 5.comfort, contentment
The love of the beloved is making progress gradually. How is ‘progress’ defined – as the gradual ‘separation’ of ‘forbearance and contentment’ from the poet/lover i.e. he is no longer able to bear it with patience.
2
jo pahlu1 meN kisi din yaar2 aa jaayega qismat se
sunaauNga maiN apna haal3-e zaar4 aahista aahista
1.embrace, by the side 2.beloved 3.condition 4.sorrowful
If one day, by good fortune, the beloved were to come by my side, then I will tell her my sorrowful condition, bit by bit.
3
kiya hai rafta-rafta1 kaam apna soz2-e ulfat3 ne
jigar4 mera hua hai daaGhdaar5 aahista aahista
1.gradually 2.fire, passion 3.love 4.liver, heart
Gradually the passion of love has done its work. My heart has become scarred by wounds little by little.
4
siva1 is ke nahiN koii junuN2 meN mashGhala3 apna
garebaaN4 ke uRaata huN maiN taar5 aahista aahista
1.except for 2.madness 3.pastime 4.collar 5.shreds, strings
The mad/passionate lover shreds his collar in distress. It is much the same with this poet/lover. Except for this, there is no other pastime for me, in my madness. Gradually, I shredded my collar in distress.
5
yahi sadme1 rahe kuchh din agar dard-e mohabbat ke
nikal jaayegi ek din jaan-e zaar2 aahista aahista
1.shock of sorrow 2.sorrowful
If the same sorrowful shocks of the pain of love keep happening, then one day this sorrowful life will depart.
6
jigar1 par choT khaa kar yuN chale haiN kuu2-e qaatil3 se
uThaate haiN qadam siina-figaar4 aahista aahista
1.liver/heart 2.street 3.killer, beloved 4.torn bosom
They leave from the street of the beloved with such a wound of their hearts, that these rent-bosom lovers can only step forward gradually/slowly.
7
shab-e-furqat1 ke sadmoN2 se na ghabra is qadar3 osmaaN
dil-e muztar4 ko aayega qaraar5 aahista aahista
1.night of separation 2.sorrows 3.so much 4.restless 5.comfort
Do not be distressed by the night of separation so much, O, osmaan. The restless heart will calm down gradually.
