jawaharlal nehru – sikandar ali vajd

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

جواہر لال نہرو ۔ سکندر علی وجدؔ

۱

چراغِ محفلِ علم و عمل ہے نام ترا

بہارِ گُلشنِ ہندوستاں پیام ترا

۲

ملول کر نہ سکا زہرِ قید و بند تجھے

تلاشِ حسن و صداقت رہی پسند تجھے

۳

نئی حیات ملی سوزِ سعیِ پیہم سے

دھڑک رہا ہے دلِ ایشیا ترے دم سے

۴

ثمر فشاں ہے مسلسل فروتنی تیری

مسافروں کے لئے چھاؤں ہے گھنی تیری

۵

ہر ایک بیکس و بےزر تیری پناہ میں ہے

دِلوں کے زخم کا مرہم تری نگاہ میں ہے

۶

مثالِ صبح اندھیرے کی زد سے دور ہے تو

شبِ سیاہ میں تنہا مِنارِ نور ہے تو

۷

ترا جلال نگہباں نہیں تو کچھ بھی نہیں

وطن میں امن کا ساماں نہیں تو کچھ بھی نہیں

जवाहर लाल नहरू – सिकंदर अली वज्द

चराग़-ए महफ़िल-ए इल्म ओ अमल है नाम तेरा

बहार-ए गुल्शन-ए हिंदोस्तां पयाम तेरा

मलूल कर न सका ज़हर-ए क़ैद ओ बंद तुझे

तलाश-ए हुस्न ओ सदाक़त रही पसंद तुझे

नई हयात मिली सोज़-ए स’ई-ए पैहम से

धढक रहा है दिल-ए एशिया तेरे दम से

समर फ़शां है मुसल्सिल फ़रोतनी तेरी

मुसाफ़रौं के लिये छाऊं है धनी तेरी

हर एक बेकस ओ बेज़र तेरी पनाह में है

दिलौं के ज़ख़्म का मरहम तेरी निगाह में है

मिसाल-ए सुबह अंधेरे कि ज़द से दूर है तू

शब-ए सियाह में तन्हा मिनार-ए नूर है तू

तेरा जलाल निगहबां नहीं तो कुछ भी नहीं

वतन में अम्न का सामां नहीं तो कुछ भी नहीं

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sikandar ali vajd (1914-1983) was a progressive, thoughtful poet from hyderabad, and a contemporary of maKhdoom. This is a part of series of nazm composed as a tribute to nehru some during his lifetime, others upon his passing. This was composed in 1951, soon after the constitution was adopted and elections were being held under universal adult suffrage for the first time.
1
charaaGh1-e mahfil2-e ilm3 o amal4 hai naam tera
bahaar5-e gulshan6-e hindostaaN payaam7 tera  
1.lamp 2.gathering, domain 3.knowledge, wisdom 4.action 5.spring 6.garden 7.message
Your name shines like the lamp of the domain of thought and action. Your message is like the spring of the garden of hindustan.

2
malool1 kar na saka zahr2-e qaid-o-band3 tujhe
talaash4-e husn5 o sadaaqat6 rahi pasand tujhe   
1.saddened, bitter 2.poison 3.imprisonment and confinement 4.search 5.beauty 6.truth
The poison of imprisonment and confinement did not leave you bitter. You remained a lover of the search for beauty/harmony and truth.

3
naii hayaat1 mili soz2-e sa’ii3-e paiham4 se
dhaRak raha hai dil-e asia tere dum5 se   
1.life 2.fire, passion 3.effort, struggle 4.constant 5.power
We got a new life because of your passionate and constant struggle. The heart of asia throbs because of your power/influence.

4
samar-fashaaN1 hai musalsil2 farotani3 teri
musafaroN4 ke liye chhaauN hai ghani5 teri     
1.fruit showering 2.continuous, constant 3.humility 4.travelers 5.dense
Your humility/generosity always gives fruit/results/help to the needy traveler (through life), resting in your comforting shade.

5
har ek bekas1 o be-zar2 teri panaah3 meN hai
diloN ke zaKhm4 ka marham5 teri nigaah6 meN hai   
1.helpless 2.without gold/wealth, poor 3.protection, shelter 4.wound 5.balm 6.eyesight
You protect the interests of all the helpless and poor. You always keep in sight/mind the balm to cure wounded hearts.

6
misaal1-e sub’h andhere ki zad2 se duur hai tu
shab3-e siyaah4 meN tanha5 minaar-e-noor6 hai tu    
1.in the example of, like 2.confinement/control 3.night 4.dark 5.alone 6.tower of light, beacon, lighthouse
Like the brilliant dawn (knowledge, justice), you are not in the control of darkness (evil, ignorance, communalism). You are the only beacon guiding us through this dark night.

7
tera jalaal1 nigahbaaN2 nahiN to kuchh bhi nahiN
vatan3 meN amn4 ka saamaaN5 nahiN to kuchh bhi nahiN   
1.glory, dignity 2.protector 3.homeland 4.peace, harmony 5.means
If your dignity/stature had not protected, we would not have had anything. If there is no way of harmony in the homeland, than we are nothing.

sikandar ali vajd (1914-1983) was a progressive, thoughtful poet from hyderabad, and a contemporary of maKhdoom.  This is a part of series of nazm composed as a tribute to nehru some during his lifetime, others upon his passing.  This was composed in 1951, soon after the constitution was adopted and elections were being held under universal adult suffrage for the first time.
1
charaaGh1-e mahfil2-e ilm3 o amal4 hai naam tera
bahaar5-e gulshan6-e hindostaaN payaam7 tera

1.lamp 2.gathering, domain 3.knowledge, wisdom 4.action 5.spring 6.garden 7.message

Your name shines like the lamp of the domain of thought and action.  Your message is like the spring of the garden of hindustan.
2
malool1 kar na saka zahr2-e qaid-o-band3 tujhe
talaash4-e husn5 o sadaaqat6 rahi pasand tujhe

1.saddened, bitter 2.poison 3.imprisonment and confinement 4.search 5.beauty 6.truth

The poison of imprisonment and confinement did not leave you bitter.  You remained a lover of the search for beauty/harmony and truth.
3
naii hayaat1 mili soz2-e sa’ii3-e paiham4 se
dhaRak raha hai dil-e asia tere dum5 se

1.life 2.fire, passion 3.effort, struggle 4.constant 5.power

We got a new life because of your passionate and constant struggle.  The heart of asia throbs because of your power/influence.
4
samar-fashaaN1 hai musalsil2 farotani3 teri
musafaroN4 ke liye chhaauN hai ghani5 teri

1.fruit showering 2.continuous, constant 3.humility 4.travelers 5.dense

Your humility/generosity always gives fruit/results/help to the needy traveler (through life), resting in your comforting shade.
5
har ek bekas1 o be-zar2 teri panaah3 meN hai
diloN ke zaKhm4 ka marham5 teri nigaah6 meN hai

1.helpless 2.without gold/wealth, poor 3.protection, shelter 4.wound 5.balm 6.eyesight

You protect the interests of all the helpless and poor.  You always keep in sight/mind the balm to cure wounded hearts.
6
misaal1-e sub’h andhere ki zad2 se duur hai tu
shab3-e siyaah4 meN tanha5 minaar-e-noor6 hai tu

1.in the example of, like 2.confinement/control 3.night 4.dark 5.alone 6.tower of light, beacon, lighthouse

Like the brilliant dawn (knowledge, justice), you are not in the control of darkness (evil, ignorance, communalism).  You are the only beacon guiding us through this dark night.
7
tera jalaal1 nigahbaaN2 nahiN to kuchh bhi nahiN
vatan3 meN amn4 ka saamaaN5 nahiN to kuchh bhi nahiN

1.glory, dignity 2.protector 3.homeland 4.peace, harmony 5.means

If your dignity/stature had not protected, we would not have had anything.  If there is no way of harmony in the homeland, than we are nothing.