Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. urdu has a long, well established tradition, starting right from its beginning of poking fun at orthodoxy, orthodox beliefs and practics, and even at divinity. This is a collection of ash’aar reflecting playful irreverence.
1
mirza Ghalib
hum ko ma’aloom hai jannat ki haqiqat¹ laikin
dil ke Khush rakhne ko Ghalib ye Khyaal achha hai 1.reality
We know the reality of paradise (the unspoken meaning is that we know it is a fable) but it is a good thought to keep ourselved happy.
2
sunte haiN jo behisht¹ ki ta’reef² sub durust³
laikin Khuda kare vo tera jalva-gaah⁴ ho 1.paradise 2.praise 3.correct, right 4.place of display, place where I can see (you)
All the praise that we hear about heaven is just fine, but I hope to god that it is a place where you can be seen. Who is this “you”. It could be god, but then there is nothing special about being able to see god in heaven. I think that “you” is the beloved. All the other attractions of heaven may be fine, but to the poet/lover/rebel the real attraction is the ability to see the beloved.
3
kyuN na firdaus¹ meN dozaKh² ko mila leN yaarab³
sair⁴ ke vaaste⁵ thoRi si fiza⁶ aur⁷ sahi    1.heaven 2.hell 3.lord 4.sightseeing 5.for the sake of 6.atmosphere, ambience 7.used in the sense of something different
The poet/rebel is bored with the sameness of heaven (see harichand aKhter further below). There is nothing exciting going on here … all the excitement is in hell. Why not we combine the two so that we may be able to take a liesurely walk through it for a change of scene.
4
voh chiiz jis ke liye hum ko ho behisht¹ aziz²
sivaa³-e baada⁴-e gulfaam⁵-e mushk-buu⁶ kya hai 1.heaven 2.dear, desirable 3.except for 4.wine 5.rose bodied/coloured 6.fragrant like musk
This is tongue in cheek praise of stories of free availability of wine in heaven. Thus says Ghalib, the one thing for which we like heaven best is (what else but) the availability of rose coloured wine with fragrance of musk.
5
daaGh delhavi
jis meN laakhoN baras ki hooreN hoN
aisi jannat ka kya kare koi daaGh making fun of conventional stories of availability of hoories in heaven … they are of necessity millions of years old.
6
harichand aKhtar
sukuN-e-mustaqil¹, dil be-tamanna², shaiKh ki sohbat³
ye jannat hai to is jannat se dozaKh kya bura hoga 1.constant/uninterrupted tranquility 2.without any desire 3.company
Everything is tranquil and all desires are fulfilled, nothing to yearn for, no excitement. It must be a boring and monotonous place. On top of that you have the company of the shaiKh – the preacher. If this is heaven, how can hell be any worse. Also see Ghalib above on the boredom in heaven.
7
milegi shaiKh ko jannat hameN dozaKh ata¹ hoga
bas itni baat hai jis ke liye mahshar² bapa³ hoga 1.grant 2.doomsday 3.happen, spread, get arranged (to happen)
The shaiKh will get heaven and we will be sent to hell. Just for this little thing you (o god) will arrange (this elaborate charade of) doomsday!
8
lala madhav ram jauhar
ahl-e-jannat¹ mujhe lete haiN na dozaKH vaale
kis jagah jaa ke tumhaaraa ye gunahgaar² rahe    1.people in heaven 2.sinner
This is addressed to god as a sort of humorous satire … neither the people in heaven nor those in hell are willing to admit me. Where shall your sinner go now.
9
arif shafiq
dozaKh bhi kya gumaan¹ hai jannat bhii hai fareb²
in vasvasoN³ meN meri ibaadat⁴ bhi hai fareb     1.speculation, illusion 2.deception 3.superstitions 4.prayer, devotion
Hell is an illusion and heaven, a deception. Under these superstitions my prayers have also become mere rituals, trying to deceive god.
10
shahzaad vaasiq
vaa’ez¹ tumhaari jannat-o-dozaKh ki Khair² ho
rindoN³ ki kaa’enaat⁴ baRi duur tak gaii 1.preacher 2.may it be safe 3.wine lovers, rebels 4.world, domain
O preacher, may your heaven and hell be safe. The domain of the rebels/unorthodox has spread far and wide.