For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
جگر کو میں ۔ پنّالال سریواستو نورؔ
۱
محتاجِ دیدِ جلوہ کروں کیوں نظر کو میں
نظروں میں باندھ لیتا ہوں جب جلوہ گر کو میں
۲
دیکھوں تو جُرم اور نہ دیکھوں تو کفر ہے
اب کیا کہوں جمالِ رُخِ فتنہ گر کو میں
۳
منزل پہ آ کے آج یہ سمجھا کہ آج تک
منزل سمجھ رہا تھا فقط رہگزر کو میں
۴
منزل کی جستجو میں نہ جانے کہاں کہاں
سر پر لئے پھرا ہوں غُبارِ سفر کو میں
۵
دے گی نہ ساتھ وسعتِ صحرا بھی ایک دن
یہ جانتا اگر تو لُٹاتا نہ گھر کو میں
۶
دامانِ صبر ہاتھ سے جاتا ہے چھوٹ چھوٹ
جب دیکھتا ہوں دوریٔ شام و سحر کو میں
۷
جس دِل کی رہبری سے بنے قیس و کوہکن
لے کر چلا ہوں ساتھ اُسی راہبر کو میں
۸
اِک قصرِ آرزو تھا گرا ٹوٹ ٹوٹ کر
حسرت سے دیکھتا رہا دیوار و در کو میں
۹
آرائشِ جمال کو سُرخی بھی چاہئے
خدمت میں پیش کرتا ہوں خونِ جگر کو میں
۱۰
مل جائے کاش نورؔ غمِ زندگی کا راز
ہو جاؤں مطمئن بخدا عمر بھر کو میں
जिगर को मैं – पन्नालाल स्रीवास्तव नूर
१
मोहताज-ए दीद-ए जल्वा करूं क्यूं नज़र को मैं
नज़्रौं में बांध लेता हुं जब जल्वा-गर को मैं
२
देखूं तो जुर्म और न देखूं तो कुफ़्र है
अब क्या कहूं जमाल-ए रुख़-ए फ़ित्ना-गर को मैं
३
मंज़िल पे आ के आज ये समझा के अज तक
मंज़िल समझ रहा था फ़क़त रहगुज़र को मैं
५
मंज़िल की जुस्तजू में न जाने कहां कहां
सर पर लिये फिरा हूं ग़ुबार-ए सफ़र को मैं
५
देगी न साथ वुस’अत-ए सहरा भी एक दिन
ये जानता अगर तो लुटाता न घर को मैं
६
दामान-ए सब्र हाथ से जाता है छूट छूट
जब देखता हुं दूरी-ए शाम ओ सहर को मैं
७
जिस दिल की रहबरी से बने क़ैस ओ कोहकन
ले कर चला हूं साथ उसी राहबर को मैं
८
एक क़स्र-ए आर्ज़ू था गिरा टूट टूट कर
हस्रत से देखता रहा दीवार ओ दर को मैं
९
आराएश-ए जमाल को सुर्ख़ी भी चाहिये
ख़िद्मत में पेश करता हुं ख़ून-ए जिगर को मैं
१०
मिल जाए काश नूर ग़म-ए ज़िंदगी का राज़
हो जाऊं मुत्मइन ब-ख़ुदा उम्र भर को मैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. Ghalib Centennial Citizens Committee! pannalal srivastav noor BA LLB, ex-mayor of jabalpur, ex-chair of anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu, jabalpur. I pick this Khiraaj as representative of the wide following urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! This is one of several Ghazal modeled after
“chhoRa na rashk ne keh tere dar ka naam luuN
har ek se poochhta huN keh jaauN kidhar ko maiN”.
The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model.
1
mohtaaj1-e diid2-e jalva3 karuN kyuN nazar4 ko maiN
nazroN5 meN baandh leta huN jab jalva-gar6 ko maiN 1.obliged/indebted to 2.glimpse 3.beauty, glory 4.eyes 5.used in the sense of “line of sight” 6.one who displays beauty/glory, beloved
It is an interesting use to think of “nazr” as a line of sight like a thread/rope/web in which the beloved can be captured. He does to want to make his eyes indebted to the glimpse of the glory of the beloved. His self-respect does not allow it. So he will tie her up in the web of his lines of sight, which may mean that he will create such a powerful image of her that she will always be before him.
2
dekhuN to jurm1 aur na dekhuN to kufr2 hai
ab kya kahuN jamaal3-e ruKh4-e fitna-gar5 ko maiN 1.crime 2.transgression, sin 3.beauty, image 4.face 5.mischief maker, beloved
The faith of the poet/lover requires that he look at/worship the beloved. So, if he does not look at her then it is a sin/transgression. But if he looks at her, then she considers it a crime/offence and is likely to punish him for it. What can I say about the glorious face of this mischief making beloved.
3
manzil1 pe aa ke aaj ye samjha ke aaj tak
manzil1 samajh raha tha faqat2 rahguzar3 ko maiN 1.destination 2.only 3.path
The poet/lover has finally arrived at his destination and suddenly realizes that all along he has been thinking that path itself was his destination. This is a bit unusual. Most poets consider the path to be the destination, both because of the concept of dynamism and/or the thought that you can never reach the destination anyway.
4
manzil1 ki justaju2 meN na jaane kahaaN kahaaN
sar par liye phira huN Ghubaar3-e safar4 ko maiN 1.destination 2.search 3.dust 4.journey
In search of my destination, where all have not traveled with layers of dust of the journey on my head.
5
degi na saath vus’at1-e sahra2 bhi ek din
ye jaanta agar3 to luTaata4 na ghar ko maiN 1.expanse 2.desert, wilderness 3.if 4.allowed to be looted i.e., abandoned
This has echoes of the story of laila-majnuN. majnuN left his home and wandered through the desert looking for laila. He did not find his destination/refuge even in the wide desert. Thus, even the vast expanse of the desert did not provide refuge to me. If I had known this, I would not have abandoned my house.
6
daamaan1-e sabr2 haath se jaata hai chhooT chhooT
jab dekhta huN duuri3-e shaam-o-sahr4 ko maiN 1.hem of the robe 2.patience 3.distance 4.night and day
Holding on to the hem of the robe of patience means to be patient. Letting go of it means losing patience. ‘sham-o-sahr’ here implies daily life and its ‘duuri’ implies difficulty getting the means of livelihood, difficulty of getting comfort in life. Thus, I begin to lose patience when I perceive the difficulty of getting the means to spend my nights and days i.e., life.
7
jis dil ki rahbari1 se bane qais2 o kohkan3
le kar chala huN saath usi raahbar4 ko maiN 1.guidance 2.majnuN of laila-majunuN story 3.farhaad of shiriN-farhaad story 4.guidance
majnuN and farhaad became mad/passionate lovers under the guidance of the heart. I have started on my journey taking the same guide along.
8
ek qasr1-e aarzu2 tha gira TooT TooT kar
hasrat3 se dekhta raha diivaar-o-dar4 ko maiN 1.mansion, castle 2.desire, longing, hope 3.intense grief, sorrow 4.doors and walls, structure
The poet/lover had built up his hope like a grand castle. But his hopes were not fulfilled (the beloved did not reciprocate his love) and all he could do was watch helplessly as the castle/structure crumbled.
9
aaraa’esh1-e jamaal2 ko surKhi3 bhi chaahiye
Khidmat4 meN pesh5 karta huN Khoon-e jigar6 ko maiN 1.ornamentation, embellishment, enhancement 2.beauty, elegance 3.redness, rouge 4.service, use 5.present 6.liver/heart
Red rouge is necessary for the enhancement of beauty. In service to you, I present the blood of my heart, O beloved.
10
mil jaaye kaash1 noor2 Gham3-e zindagi4 ka raaz5
ho jaauN mutmain6 ba-Khuda7 umr-bhar8 ko maiN 1.hope/wish 2.pen-name of poet 3.sorrow 4.life 5.hidden secret 6.satisfied, tranquil 7.by god 8.life-time
The poet/lover has been sorrowful but does not quite understand the reason for it. He wishes that he would learn what that hidden reason is and that will satisfy him for the rest of his life. It is quite possible that he is not talking about the sorrow of his own life but that of the all humanity.
This Ghazal is taken from a small booklet published in 1969 by Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. Ghalib Centennial Citizens Committee! pannalal srivastav noor BA LLB, ex-mayor of jabalpur, ex-chair of anjuman-e taraqqi-e urdu, jabalpur. I pick this Khiraaj as representative of the wide following urdu had even in 1969! How rapidly was the language murdered! This is one of several Ghazal modeled after
“chhoRa na rashk ne keh tere dar ka naam luuN
har ek se poochhta huN keh jaauN kidhar ko maiN”.
The ‘samiti’ held several mushaa’era over a two year period using one Ghazal or the other of Ghalib’s as a model.
1
mohtaaj1-e diid2-e jalva3 karuN kyuN nazar4 ko maiN
nazroN5 meN baandh leta huN jab jalva-gar6 ko maiN
1.obliged/indebted to 2.glimpse 3.beauty, glory 4.eyes 5.used in the sense of “line of sight” 6.one who displays beauty/glory, beloved
It is an interesting use to think of “nazr” as a line of sight like a thread/rope/web in which the beloved can be captured. He does to want to make his eyes indebted to the glimpse of the glory of the beloved. His self-respect does not allow it. So he will tie her up in the web of his lines of sight, which may mean that he will create such a powerful image of her that she will always be before him.
2
dekhuN to jurm1 aur na dekhuN to kufr2 hai
ab kya kahuN jamaal3-e ruKh4-e fitna-gar5 ko maiN
1.crime 2.transgression, sin 3.beauty, image 4.face 5.mischief maker, beloved
The faith of the poet/lover requires that he look at/worship the beloved. So, if he does not look at her then it is a sin/transgression. But if he looks at her, then she considers it a crime/offence and is likely to punish him for it. What can I say about the glorious face of this mischief making beloved.
3
manzil1 pe aa ke aaj ye samjha ke aaj tak
manzil1 samajh raha tha faqat2 rahguzar3 ko maiN
1.destination 2.only 3.path
The poet/lover has finally arrived at his destination and suddenly realizes that all along he has been thinking that path itself was his destination. This is a bit unusual. Most poets consider the path to be the destination, both because of the concept of dynamism and/or the thought that you can never reach the destination anyway.
4
manzil1 ki justaju2 meN na jaane kahaaN kahaaN
sar par liye phira huN Ghubaar3-e safar4 ko maiN
1.destination 2.search 3.dust 4.journey
In search of my destination, where all have not traveled with layers of dust of the journey on my head.
5
degi na saath vus’at1-e sahra2 bhi ek din
ye jaanta agar3 to luTaata4 na ghar ko maiN
1.expanse 2.desert, wilderness 3.if 4.allowed to be looted i.e., abandoned
This has echoes of the story of laila-majnuN. majnuN left his home and wandered through the desert looking for laila. He did not find his destination/refuge even in the wide desert. Thus, even the vast expanse of the desert did not provide refuge to me. If I had known this, I would not have abandoned my house.
6
daamaan1-e sabr2 haath se jaata hai chhooT chhooT
jab dekhta huN duuri3-e shaam-o-sahr4 ko maiN
1.hem of the robe 2.patience 3.distance 4.night and day
Holding on to the hem of the robe of patience means to be patient. Letting go of it means losing patience. ‘sham-o-sahr’ here implies daily life and its ‘duuri’ implies difficulty getting the means of livelihood, difficulty of getting comfort in life. Thus, I begin to lose patience when I perceive the difficulty of getting the means to spend my nights and days i.e., life.
7
jis dil ki rahbari1 se bane qais2 o kohkan3
le kar chala huN saath usi raahbar4 ko maiN
1.guidance 2.majnuN of laila-majunuN story 3.farhaad of shiriN-farhaad story 4.guidance
majnuN and farhaad became mad/passionate lovers under the guidance of the heart. I have started on my journey taking the same guide along.
8
ek qasr1-e aarzu2 tha gira TooT TooT kar
hasrat3 se dekhta raha diivaar-o-dar4 ko maiN
1.mansion, castle 2.desire, longing, hope 3.intense grief, sorrow 4.doors and walls, structure
The poet/lover had built up his hope like a grand castle. But his hopes were not fulfilled (the beloved did not reciprocate his love) and all he could do was watch helplessly as the castle/structure crumbled.
9
aaraa’esh1-e jamaal2 ko surKhi3 bhi chaahiye
Khidmat4 meN pesh5 karta huN Khoon-e jigar6 ko maiN
1.ornamentation, embellishment, enhancement 2.beauty, elegance 3.redness, rouge 4.service, use 5.present 6.liver/heart
Red rouge is necessary for the enhancement of beauty. In service to you, I present the blood of my heart, O beloved.
10
mil jaaye kaash1 noor2 Gham3-e zindagi4 ka raaz5
ho jaauN mutmain6 ba-Khuda7 umr-bhar8 ko maiN
1.hope/wish 2.pen-name of poet 3.sorrow 4.life 5.hidden secret 6.satisfied, tranquil 7.by god 8.life-time
The poet/lover has been sorrowful but does not quite understand the reason for it. He wishes that he would learn what that hidden reason is and that will satisfy him for the rest of his life. It is quite possible that he is not talking about the sorrow of his own life but that of the all humanity.
