Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed vahiduddin ahmed beKhud dehlavi (1863-1955) disciple of daaGh dehlavi, learnt arabi and faarsi from altaaf husain haali. He in turn helped illustrious shaagird including heera lal falak and murli dhar shaad. This Ghazal is modeled after Ghalib’s “baaziicha-e atfaal hai duniya mere aage” and is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam. It is a part of a sub-theme – ustaad-shaagird grouping – daaGh, beKhud and heera lal falak all composing in the same Ghalib style.
1
yuN Ghair¹ ki ulfat² ka hai charcha³ mere aage
likkha teri taqdiir ka aaya mere aage    1.rival 2.love 3.praise, description
The imagery is that of the beloved singing praises of the love and devotion that the rival shows her. On top of it, she taunts the poet/lover that this is what is written in his fate.
2
sau jaan se qurbaan¹ huN to bhi hai vo thoRa
baiTha hai mera rashk²-e masiiha³ mere aage     1.sacrificial/devotional offering 2.envy 3.healer, Jesus
The beloved is “rashk-e masiiha” for the poet/lover. She has the power to bring him back to life, that is why Jesus is envious of her. He (the poet/lover) is prepared to sacrifice his life a hundred times for her, but even that is not enough.
3
ye naaz¹ ye andaaz² kahaaN Ghair³ ne dekhe
kuchh aur hai shooKhi⁴ ka taqaaza⁵ mere aage    1.coquetry, teasing 2.style, display 3.rival 4.mischief 5.demands
This sounds like the poet/lover boasting one-manship over the rival. He claims that the beloved reserves her most mischievous teasing and style for him. The rival has not seen it. This is a demand that she places on him alone.
4
aafat¹ mere dam² par hai laRaaii hai adu³ se
har roz naya pesh⁴ hai daa’va⁵ mere aage    1.misfortune, calamity 2.breath, life 3.enemy, rival 4.presented 5.claim, demand
The beloved is annoyed with the rival and the poet/lover suffers the consequences. The calamity is that because of her misplaced anger she makes a new demand on the poet/lover every day.
5
kya rashk¹ hai aata hai hasiinoN² ka jo kuchh zikr³
lete nahiN vo naam kisi ka mere aage     1.envy 2.beauties 3.mention
Look, how envious she (the beloved) is. Whenever there is a mention of (other) beauties, she refuses even to take any names i.e., she simply does not want to deal with the possibility that there is another as beautiful as she is.
6
moosa¹ ne na dekha tha jo maiN dekh raha huN
kyuNkar² na ho aaiine ko sakta³ mere aage    1.Moses 2.why not 3.stunned, amazed, silent
This has reference to the story of Moses, when he went up mount tuur asking to see god. He saw a lightning strike and fainted. One interpretation is that Moses could not bear to see divine light but the poet/devotee has had a divine epiphany which is reflected in his eyes. When he looks into the mirror the mirror is able to see the reflection of this divine ephiphany, which leaves it stunned. An alternate interpretation is that the beloved is beautiful and brilliant like divine brilliance. She looks into the mirror. The poet/lover is witness to what is going on before him. He has seen her divine brilliance and is not surprised that the mirror is stunned when she looks into it.
7
nairaNg¹ dikhaati hai ye duniya mujhe kya kya
hota hai zamaane² ka tamaasha³ mere aage     1.magic, enchantment 2.times, world 3.display, spectacle
The world shows me such enchating magic! There is a spectacle before my eyes. Said Ghalib …
baaziicha-e atfaal hai duniya mere aage
hota hai shab o roz tamaasha mere aage
8
zaahir¹ ki DhiTaaii² ko DhiTaaii nahiN kahte
vo dil meN liye jaate haiN kya kya mere aage     1.apparent, superficial 2.confidence, uncaring fearlessness, bravado
The beloved shows uncaring fearlessness before the poet/lover but he does not believe it. He thinks that this is supericial, only for show. But deep in her heart, she cares for him and carries away all kinds of emotions, in spite of her bravado.
9
allah re taGhaaful keh vo sun sun ke mere haal
farmaate haiN ye zikr hai kis ka mere aage     1.(feigned) indifference, forgetfulness 2.condition 3.pronounces, says, asks 4.mention, story
By god, she pretends such indifference/forgetfulness that after listening to the story of my condition, she asks, whose story is this, who are you talking about.
10
kis shauq¹ se kahte haiN tujhe qatl² kareNge
hoti hai bayaaN³ apni tamanna⁴ mere aage   1.eagerness, enthusiasm 2.kill 3.narration 4.desire, wish
With what enthusiasm does she declare that she will kill me. Such is the narration of her heart’s desire before me.
11
phir bhool gaye rasm¹-e vafaa², rasm¹-e mohabbat
phir tum ne kiya Ghair³ ka shikva⁴ mere aage     1.traditions, rituals 2.fidelity 3.rival 4.complaint
The traditions of love require that the poet/lover remain faithful to the beloved no matter what. Not even if she shows favours to the rival. This sounds like she is blaming/upbraiding the poet/lover. He has complained to her about the rival, probably that she is showing the rival favours. She reminds him that this goes against the traditions of love.
12
tasviir teri baat bhi karti nahiN mujh se
ye khaiNchti hai apne ko kitna mere aage     There is an interesting word play here. ‘tasviir khaiNchna’ is a phrase that means drawing/sketching/painting a picture. ‘khaiNchna’ also means pulling away, keeping distance. Thus, your picture does not even talk to me. See how much it keeps me away.
13
naaseh¹ bhi mujhe aql se Khaali nazar² aaya
hai zikr³ but⁴-e hosh-ruba⁵ ka mere aaga     1.moralizer, sermonizer, preacher 2.appeared 3.mention, narration 4.idol, beauty 5.senses stealing, stunning
Here ‘ but-e hosh-ruba’ is a reference to beautifyl hoor/angels of heaven. Thus, the preacher appears to be foolish. He is talking to me about beautiful angels in heaven. He does not seem to know how much more beautiful the beloved is by comparison.
14
dam¹ bharne laga siine meN dil aur kisi ka
aaya ye baRa bol² tumhaara mere aage     1.breathing, beating 2.used here to mean stern words
The poet/lover pleads his case to the beloved and tells his normal sob story. The beloved is annoyed and sternly (or sarcastically) tells him about what the rival might be going through – you are not alone in your suffering. He begins to feel another (rival’s) heart beating in his bosom i.e., he feels sympathy for other lovers too.
15
kahta hai tasavvur¹ bhi ye us zulf²-e siyah³ ka
kuchh maal⁴ nahiN hai shab-e-yalda⁵ mere aage    1.imagination 2.hair 3.dark 4.pain, disease 5.longest winter night
The beloved’s hair is long and dark. When the poet/lover imagines the long, dark hair of the beloved, his imagination tells him that even the longest, darkest night is not a problem for him.
16
aisa hi to naadaan¹ hai jo baat na samjhe
ban jaata hai vo jaan² ke bhola³ mere aage     1.simpleton 2.intentionally, knowingly 3.innocent, unaware
The beloved is such a simpleton that she does not think that the poet/lover will be able to see through her pretense. She knowingly acts innocent and pretends that she does not understand what the poet/lover is saying.
17
dekhe hue hai chaahne vaaloN ki nigaaheN¹
dushman² na kabhi duun³ ke lega mere aage    1.eyes 2.enemy, rival 3.divide up, share
He (the rival) has seen the eyes of lovers/admirers. He recognizes the intensity of their passion. Therefore, he is not likely to share the attention of the beloved with any of them.
18
itni to Khabar¹ hai mujhe saaqi ne sar²-e bazm³
kuchh kaan meN beKhud⁴ ke kahaa tha mere aage    1.awareness, knowledge 2.head of, openly 3.gathering, tavern 4.pen-name of the poet, intoxicated, passed out
This much I am aware of/remember that in the tavern, openly before everyone, the saaqi whispered something in the ear of beKhud. The poet is speaking of himself as his alter-ego, his second self. What the saaqi whispered is left to us to imagine. The implication is that, that is all the poet can remember. He was so intoxicated or so overjoyed or so saddened after this that he passed out.