For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
جواب آہستہ آہستہ ۔ مرزا تقی بیگ مائلؔ دہلوی
۱
جہاں میں وہ کرے گا انقلاب آہستہ آہستہ
کہ ہے گردش میں چشمِ نیم خواب آہستہ آہستہ
۲
چمن پر چھا رہا ہے جو سحاب آہستہ آہستہ
نہ پیتا ہو کوئی گلرو شراب آہستہ آہستہ
۳
پیوں کیوں کر نہ اے ساقی شراب آہستہ آہستہ
کہ آتا ہے وہ سر مستِ شباب آہستہ آہستہ
۴
کُھلیں گے جوہرِ حسن و شباب آہستہ آہستہ
اُٹھے گا پردۂ شرم و حجاب آہستہ آہستہ
۵
تَرَشُّح ابرِ رحمت کی رہے کیوں کر نہ تربت پر
پیا کرتے تھے ہم اکثر شراب آہستہ آہستہ
۶
خدا جانے صلاحِ قتل کس کی ہے کہ دشمن سے
وہ باتیں کر رہے ہیں پُر عتاب آہستہ آہستہ
۷
ثبات اتنا بھی دنیا کو کہاں ملتا نہ آتا گر
کوئی سرمایۂ حسن و شباب آہستہ آہستہ
۸
یہ حالت تھی شبِ غم میں کہ اُتنے زور سے برسی
کہا جتنا کہ اے چشمِ پرآب آہستہ آہستہ
۹
نگاہیں بے محابا پڑ رہیں ہیں دست و بازو پر
نہ خنجر پھیر رشکِ آفتاب آہستہ آہستہ
۱۰
ملا کرتا ہے رتبہ رفتہ رفتہ خاک ہی ہو کر
کھلا کرتی ہے شانِ بُو تراب آہستہ آہستہ
जवाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता – मिर्ज़ा तक़ी बेग मा’एल देहलवी
१
जहां में वो करेगा इन्क़ेलाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
के हैं गर्दिश में चश्म-ए नीम-ख़्वाब आहिस्ता-आहिस्ता
२
चमन पर छा रहा है जो सहाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
न पीता हो कोई गुल-रू शराब आहिस्ता-आहिस्ता
३
पियूं क्यूंकर न अए साक़ी शराब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
केह आता है वो सर-मस्त-ए शबाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
४
खुलेंगी जौहर-ए हुस्न ओ शबाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
उठेगा पर्दा-ए शर्म ओ हिजाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
५
तरश्शुह अब्र-ए रहमत की रहे क्यूंकर न तुर्बत पर
पिया करते थे हम अक्सर शराब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
६
ख़ुदा जाने सलाह-ए क़त्ल किसकी है के दुश्मन से
वो बातें कर रहे हैं पुर-इताब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
७
सबात इतना भी दुनिया को कहां मिलता न आता गर
कोई सरमाया-ए हुस्न ओ शबाब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
८
ये हालत थी शब-ए ग़म में के उतने ज़ोर से
कहा जितना के अए चश्म-ए पुर-आब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
९
निगाहें बे-महाबा पढ रहीं हैं दस्त ओ बाज़ू पर
न ख़ंजर फेर रश्क-ए आफ़्ताब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
१०
मिला करता है रुतबा रफ़्ता रफ़्ता ख़ाक ही हो कर
खुला करती है शान-ए बू-तुराब आहिस्ता आहिस्ता
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza taqi beg maa’el dehlavi (1850-1931) has a large corpus with quite a few of his Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib. He started composing at the age of 14 and it is reported that he met with Ghalib several times but did not seek or receive any tutoring. Perhaps he considered that presumptuous because he was too young and Ghalib was in his final years. He moved to jaipur in 1875 and lived there until his passing. His work, scattered among many friends was collected and published as his ‘kulliyaat’ – complete works – in three volumes, under the sponsorship of the rajasthan sahitya academy. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazaliyaat on the Refrain Index page.
1
jahaaN1 meN voh karega inqelaab2 aahista aahista
keh hai gardish3 meN chashm4-e niim-Khwaab5 aahista aahista 1.world 2.change 3.movement 4.eye 5.half-asleep, dreamy
Who is voh in the first misra. It is the chashm-e niim Khwaab in the second misra. The dreamy eye (of the beloved) is going to turn this world upside down because it is moving and searching for prey. Unfortunately, this is not a progressive inqelaab but the same old lover-beloved story.
2
chaman par chhaa raha hai jo sahaab1 aahista aahista
na piita ho koii gul-ruu2 sharaab aahista aahista 1.cloud 2.rose-faced
Spring clouds are the harbinger of rejuvenation, celebration and of love and merriment (including wine drinking). In the first misra the word jo implies a speculation of the reason why … the reason why a cloud is slowly spreading over the garden is that perhaps some rose-cheeked one is drinking wine slowly.
3
piyuN kyuNkar1 na aye saaqi sharaab aahista aahista
keh aata hai voh sar-mast2-e shabaab3 aahista aahista 1.why not 2.stone drunk 3.youth
The beloved is described not just as mast-e shabaab but as sar-mast-e shabaab stone drunk in confidence about the beauty of her youth. She is coming or maybe just walking by slowly and gracefuly. Why should I not similarly slowly sip wine, O saaqi.
4
khuleN-ge1 jauhar2-e husn3 o shabaab4 aahista aahista
uThega parda5-e sharm6 o hijaab7 aahista aahista 1.will be revealed 2.qualities 3.beauty 4.youth 5.veil, curtain 6.shyness, coyness 7.hiding
Perhaps the poet/lover is consoling himself, asking himself to be a little more patient. The qualities of the beauty of the beloved’s youth will be revealed gradually. The curtain of shyness and desire to hide will be lifted slowly.
5
tarashshuh1 abr-e-rahmat2 ki rahay kyuNkar3 na turbat4 par
piya kartay thay ham aksar5 sharaab aahista aahista 1.drizzle 2.benevolent cloud 3.why not 4.grave 5.often
Why should there not be a constant light drizzle on my grave, after all I used to often drink wine slowly. Thus, the association of wine drinking and spring rains continues after death.
6
Khuda-jaan’e1 salaah2-e qatl3 kis ki hai keh dushman4 se
voh baateN kar rah’e haiN pur-itaab5 aahista aahista 1.god knows 2.advice, suggestion 3.killing 4.rival 5.full of anger
The beloved is whispering with the rival. Even though it is a conspiratorial whisper, it is evident that she is full of anger. The poet/lover speculates – god knows whose suggestion it is to kill – the poet does not say who the victim might be, but it is implied that he expects to be killed.
7
sabaat1 itna bhi duniya ko kahaaN milta na aata gar2
koii sarmaaya3-e husn4 o shabaab5 aahista aahista 1.stability, permanence 2.if 3.treasure 4.beauty 5.youth
The poet characterizes the beloved as sarmaaya-e husn o shabaab the treasure of beauty and youth. If this sarmaaya had not come aahista aahista then there would not have been any stability in the world. I thought that the convention was that the beloved caused instability and tumult. Here he says that the arrival of the beloved gives stability to the world.
8
yeh haalat1 thi shab2-e Gham3 meN keh utne zor4 se barsi5
kaha jitna keh aye chashm6-e pur-aab7 aahista aahista 1.condition 2.night of 3.sorrow (of separation) 4.intensity 5.fell as in rainfall 6.eye 7.watery, teary
Such was the condition during the night of separation, as much as I asked the teary eyes to go slow, the shed tears with even more intensity.
9
nigaaheN1 be-mahaaba2 paR rahiiN haiN dast3 o baazu4 par
na Khanjar5 pher6, rashk-e-aaftaab7 aahista aahista 1.eyes 2.unhesitating, fearless 3.hands 4.arms 5.knife 6.turn back 7.envy of the sun, beloved
The beloved is rashk-e aaftaab because of her brilliance. She has rolled up her sleeves and is getting ready to cut the throat of the lover. He can see her arms like he has never been able to see before. Perhaps he senses a possibility that the beloved is changing her mind and is turning the knife away. He begs her not to do that, because this way he can fearlessly look at her arms. There can be more gory scenarios like the sharp vs dull edge of the knife. Let us not go there.
10
mila karta hai rutba1 rafta-rafta2 Khaak3 hi ho kar
khula4 karti hai shaan5-e buu-turaab6 aahista aahista 1.status, respect 2.slowly 3.dust 4.opens up-gets revealed, is understood 5.glory 6.a name of ali ibn-e abu taalib
The poet seems to be a devotee of ali, just like Ghalib himself. Khaak ho kar can mean after death and disintegration into dust. Thus, a respectable status is achieved slowly, perhaps after being reduced to dust. Only after death will we be able to understand the glory of ali. Perhaps it is implied that only on the day of judgment will it be understood.
mirza taqi beg maa’el dehlavi (1850-1931) has a large corpus with quite a few of his Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib. He started composing at the age of 14 and it is reported that he met with Ghalib several times but did not seek or receive any tutoring. Perhaps he considered that presumptuous because he was too young and Ghalib was in his final years. He moved to jaipur in 1875 and lived there until his passing. His work, scattered among many friends was collected and published as his ‘kulliyaat’ – complete works – in three volumes, under the sponsorship of the rajasthan sahitya academy. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazaliyaat on the Refrain Index page.
1
jahaaN1 meN voh karega inqelaab2 aahista aahista
keh hai gardish3 meN chashm4-e niim-Khwaab5 aahista aahista
1.world 2.change 3.movement 4.eye 5.half-asleep, dreamy
Who is voh in the first misra. It is the chashm-e niim Khwaab in the second misra. The dreamy eye (of the beloved) is going to turn this world upside down because it is moving and searching for prey. Unfortunately, this is not a progressive inqelaab but the same old lover-beloved story.
2
chaman par chhaa raha hai jo sahaab1 aahista aahista
na piita ho koii gul-ruu2 sharaab aahista aahista
1.cloud 2.rose-faced
Spring clouds are the harbinger of rejuvenation, celebration and of love and merriment (including wine drinking). In the first misra the word jo implies a speculation of the reason why … the reason why a cloud is slowly spreading over the garden is that perhaps some rose-cheeked one is drinking wine slowly.
3
piyuN kyuNkar1 na aye saaqi sharaab aahista aahista
keh aata hai voh sar-mast2-e shabaab3 aahista aahista
1.why not 2.stone drunk 3.youth
The beloved is described not just as mast-e shabaab but as sar-mast-e shabaab stone drunk in confidence about the beauty of her youth. She is coming or maybe just walking by slowly and gracefuly. Why should I not similarly slowly sip wine, O saaqi.
4
khuleN-ge1 jauhar2-e husn3 o shabaab4 aahista aahista
uThega parda5-e sharm6 o hijaab7 aahista aahista
1.will be revealed 2.qualities 3.beauty 4.youth 5.veil, curtain 6.shyness, coyness 7.hiding
Perhaps the poet/lover is consoling himself, asking himself to be a little more patient. The qualities of the beauty of the beloved’s youth will be revealed gradually. The curtain of shyness and desire to hide will be lifted slowly.
5
tarashshuh1 abr-e-rahmat2 ki rahay kyuNkar3 na turbat4 par
piya kartay thay ham aksar5 sharaab aahista aahista
1.drizzle 2.benevolent cloud 3.why not 4.grave 5.often
Why should there not be a constant light drizzle on my grave, after all I used to often drink wine slowly. Thus, the association of wine drinking and spring rains continues after death.
6
Khuda-jaan’e1 salaah2-e qatl3 kis ki hai keh dushman4 se
voh baateN kar rah’e haiN pur-itaab5 aahista aahista
1.god knows 2.advice, suggestion 3.killing 4.rival 5.full of anger
The beloved is whispering with the rival. Even though it is a conspiratorial whisper, it is evident that she is full of anger. The poet/lover speculates – god knows whose suggestion it is to kill – the poet does not say who the victim might be, but it is implied that he expects to be killed.
7
sabaat1 itna bhi duniya ko kahaaN milta na aata gar2
koii sarmaaya3-e husn4 o shabaab5 aahista aahista
1.stability, permanence 2.if 3.treasure 4.beauty 5.youth
The poet characterizes the beloved as sarmaaya-e husn o shabaab the treasure of beauty and youth. If this sarmaaya had not come aahista aahista then there would not have been any stability in the world. I thought that the convention was that the beloved caused instability and tumult. Here he says that the arrival of the beloved gives stability to the world.
8
yeh haalat1 thi shab2-e Gham3 meN keh utne zor4 se barsi5
kaha jitna keh aye chashm6-e pur-aab7 aahista aahista
1.condition 2.night of 3.sorrow (of separation) 4.intensity 5.fell as in rainfall 6.eye 7.watery, teary
Such was the condition during the night of separation, as much as I asked the teary eyes to go slow, the shed tears with even more intensity.
9
nigaaheN1 be-mahaaba2 paR rahiiN haiN dast3 o baazu4 par
na Khanjar5 pher6, rashk-e-aaftaab7 aahista aahista
1.eyes 2.unhesitating, fearless 3.hands 4.arms 5.knife 6.turn back 7.envy of the sun, beloved
The beloved is rashk-e aaftaab because of her brilliance. She has rolled up her sleeves and is getting ready to cut the throat of the lover. He can see her arms like he has never been able to see before. Perhaps he senses a possibility that the beloved is changing her mind and is turning the knife away. He begs her not to do that, because this way he can fearlessly look at her arms. There can be more gory scenarios like the sharp vs dull edge of the knife. Let us not go there.
10
mila karta hai rutba1 rafta-rafta2 Khaak3 hi ho kar
khula4 karti hai shaan5-e buu-turaab6 aahista aahista
1.status, respect 2.slowly 3.dust 4.opens up-gets revealed, is understood 5.glory 6.a name of ali ibn-e abu taalib
The poet seems to be a devotee of ali, just like Ghalib himself. Khaak ho kar can mean after death and disintegration into dust. Thus, a respectable status is achieved slowly, perhaps after being reduced to dust. Only after death will we be able to understand the glory of ali. Perhaps it is implied that only on the day of judgment will it be understood.
