For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اتنا غُرُور تھا ۔ مرزا واجد حسین یاس یگانہؔ چنگیزی
۱
جب حُسنِ بے مثال پر اِتنا غُرُور تھا
آئینہ دیکھنا تمہیں پھر کیا ضرُور تھا
۲
چُھپ چُھپ کے غیر تک تمہیں جانا ضرُور تھا
تھا پیچھے پیچھے میں بھی مگر دُور دُور تھا
۳
ملکِ عدم کی راہ تھی مُشکل سے طے ہوئی
منزل تک آتے آتے بدن چُور چُور تھا
۴
دو گھونٹ بھی نہ پی سکے اور آنکھ کُھل گئی
پھر بزمِ عیش تھی نہ وہ جامِ سُرُور تھا
۵
واعِظ کی آنکھیں کُھل گئیں پیتے ہی ساقیا
یہ جامِ مے تھا یا کوئی دریائے نُور تھا
۶
کیوں بیٹھے ہاتھ ملتے ہو اب یاسؔ کیا ہوا
اُِس بے وفا شباب پر اِتنا غرور تھا
इतना ग़ुरूर था – मिर्ज़ा वाहेद हुसैन यास यगाना चंगेज़ी
१
जब हुस्न-ए बे-मिसाल पर इतना ग़ुरूर था
आईना देखना तुम्हें फिर क्या ज़रूर था
२
छुप-छुप के ग़ैर तक तुम्हें जाना ज़रूर था
था पीछे पीछे मैं भी मगर दूर दूर था
३
मुल्क-ए अदम की राह थी मुश्किल से तय हुई
मंज़िल तक आते आते बदन चूर-चूर था
४
दो घूँट भी न पी सके और आँख खुल गई
फिर बज़्म-ए ऐश थी न वो जाम-ए सुरूर था
५
वा’एज़ की आंखें खुल गईं पीते ही साक़िया
ये जाम-ए मय था या कोई दर्या-ए नूर था
६
क्यूँ बैठे हाथ मलते हो अब यास क्या हुआ
इस बेवफ़ा शबाब पर इतना ग़ुरूर था
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza vaajid husain yaas yagaana changezi (1884-1956), azimabad/paTna. Early pen-name ‘yaas’ (despair) and later ‘yagaana’ (unmatched, unique). Egotistical, uncompromising, brusque and acerbic, he did not get along with fellow poets. For some reason he cast himself as a critic of Ghalib. He got a booklet published in which there is a lengthy preface critical of Ghalib and of his many admirers, followed by many rubaaii deriding Ghalib. But he was courageous enough to make controversial statements about religious belief and was attacked by a mob, made to ride a donkey through town, sitting backwards, with his face blackened. In spite of his derision of Ghalib, he has composed several Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib. This one is linked to ‘kitna Ghuruur tha’ on Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
jab husn1-e be-misaal2 par itnaa Ghuruur3 thaa
aa’iina dekhnaa tumheN phir kyaa zaruur4 thaa 1.beauty 2.without example, without equal 3.pride 4.necessary
Recall that Ghalib said …
aaiinah dekh apnaa-sa muNh le ke rah ga’e
saahib ko dil nah dene peh kitnaa Ghuruur thaa
Here yagaana seems to be giving a rejoinder- if you had such pride in your unequalled beauty, why was it necessary for you to look into the mirror.
2
chhup-chhup1 ke Ghair2 tak tumheN jaanaa zaruur3 thaa
thaa piichhe-piichhe4 maiN bhii magar duur-duur5 thaa 1.hiding, sercretively 2.other, rival 3.necessary 4.behind, chasing 5.distance, far away
It was necessary for you to go secretively to meet the rival. But I was behind you, even if a little further away. Thus, the jealous poet/lover chides the beloved that he knows what she has been up to.
3
mulk-e-adam1 kii raah2 thii mushkil3 se tai4 huii
manzil5 tak aate aate badan6 chuur-chuur7 thaa 1.domain of non-being, the hereafter 2.path 3.difficulty 4.traversed, travelled 5.destination 6.body 7.shattered, tired
This life is the path to the destination of the domain of non-being i.e., the next world. The path was traveresed with difficulty and by the time the destination was reached the body was tired. Beyond this literal translation, I don’t see much depth in this.
4
do ghuuNT1 bhii na pii2 sak’e aur aaNkh khul3 ga’ii
phir bazm4-e aish5 thii na voh jaam6-e suruur7 thaa 1.sips 2.drink 3.an expression used for- I learnt the real/hidden meaning 4.gathering 5.luxury, pleasures 6.cup 7.exhilaration, intoxication
This is probably a reflection on the transience of life and superficiality of material pleasures. Life is described as ‘bazm-e aish’ and ‘jaam-e suruur’- a gathering of indulgence and a cup of intoxication. After taking just two sips of this pleasure, the poet/seeker’s eyes opened to the real meaning of life. He does not quite define that.
5
vaa’ez1 kii aaNkheN khul2 ga’iiN piite hii saaqiyaa
yeh jaam3-e mai4 thaa yaa koii dariyaa5-e nuur6 thaa 1.preacher 2.eyes opened-learnt something new 3.cup 4.wine 5.river 6.light, knowledge
The preacher is known to keep talking about abstinence and the evils of drinking. But here he has been served a cup of wine by the saaqi and as soon as he drank some, his eyes opened to the secrets of the pleasure of wine. The poet wonders if this was a cup of wine or a river of light/wisdom that the preacher was served.
6
kyuN baiThe haath malte1 ho ab yaas2 kyaa huaa
iss bevafaa3 shabaab4 par itnaa Ghuruur5 thaa 1.rubbing hands, regretting 2.pen-name 3.faithless, undependable 4.youth 5.pride
Apparently, the poet, yaas was at one time proud of his youth and vigour. Now that youth is passed, he is old and frail and looks back at his wasted youth rubbing his hands in regret. The interlocuter (probably himself) what happened now, you were so proud of your youthful vigour at the time!
mirza vaajid husain yaas yagaana changezi (1884-1956), azimabad/paTna. Early pen-name ‘yaas’ (despair) and later ‘yagaana’ (unmatched, unique). Egotistical, uncompromising, brusque and acerbic, he did not get along with fellow poets. For some reason he cast himself as a critic of Ghalib. He got a booklet published in which there is a lengthy preface critical of Ghalib and of his many admirers, followed by many rubaaii deriding Ghalib. But he was courageous enough to make controversial statements about religious belief and was attacked by a mob, made to ride a donkey through town, sitting backwards, with his face blackened. In spite of his derision of Ghalib, he has composed several Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib. This one is linked to ‘kitna Ghuruur tha’ on Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
jab husn1-e be-misaal2 par itnaa Ghuruur3 thaa
aa’iina dekhnaa tumheN phir kyaa zaruur4 thaa
1.beauty 2.without example, without equal 3.pride 4.necessary
Recall that Ghalib said …
aaiinah dekh apnaa-sa muNh le ke rah ga’e
saahib ko dil nah dene peh kitnaa Ghuruur thaa
Here yagaana seems to be giving a rejoinder- if you had such pride in your unequalled beauty, why was it necessary for you to look into the mirror.
2
chhup-chhup1 ke Ghair2 tak tumheN jaanaa zaruur3 thaa
thaa piichhe-piichhe4 maiN bhii magar duur-duur5 thaa
1.hiding, sercretively 2.other, rival 3.necessary 4.behind, chasing 5.distance, far away
It was necessary for you to go secretively to meet the rival. But I was behind you, even if a little further away. Thus, the jealous poet/lover chides the beloved that he knows what she has been up to.
3
mulk-e-adam1 kii raah2 thii mushkil3 se tai4 huii
manzil5 tak aate aate badan6 chuur-chuur7 thaa
1.domain of non-being, the hereafter 2.path 3.difficulty 4.traversed, travelled 5.destination 6.body 7.shattered, tired
This life is the path to the destination of the domain of non-being i.e., the next world. The path was traveresed with difficulty and by the time the destination was reached the body was tired. Beyond this literal translation, I don’t see much depth in this.
4
do ghuuNT1 bhii na pii2 sak’e aur aaNkh khul3 ga’ii
phir bazm4-e aish5 thii na voh jaam6-e suruur7 thaa
1.sips 2.drink 3.an expression used for- I learnt the real/hidden meaning 4.gathering 5.luxury, pleasures 6.cup 7.exhilaration, intoxication
This is probably a reflection on the transience of life and superficiality of material pleasures. Life is described as ‘bazm-e aish’ and ‘jaam-e suruur’- a gathering of indulgence and a cup of intoxication. After taking just two sips of this pleasure, the poet/seeker’s eyes opened to the real meaning of life. He does not quite define that.
5
vaa’ez1 kii aaNkheN khul2 ga’iiN piite hii saaqiyaa
yeh jaam3-e mai4 thaa yaa koii dariyaa5-e nuur6 thaa
1.preacher 2.eyes opened-learnt something new 3.cup 4.wine 5.river 6.light, knowledge
The preacher is known to keep talking about abstinence and the evils of drinking. But here he has been served a cup of wine by the saaqi and as soon as he drank some, his eyes opened to the secrets of the pleasure of wine. The poet wonders if this was a cup of wine or a river of light/wisdom that the preacher was served.
6
kyuN baiThe haath malte1 ho ab yaas2 kyaa huaa
iss bevafaa3 shabaab4 par itnaa Ghuruur5 thaa
1.rubbing hands, regretting 2.pen-name 3.faithless, undependable 4.youth 5.pride
Apparently, the poet, yaas was at one time proud of his youth and vigour. Now that youth is passed, he is old and frail and looks back at his wasted youth rubbing his hands in regret. The interlocuter (probably himself) what happened now, you were so proud of your youthful vigour at the time!
