For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
خاکِ کربلا اِکسیر ہے ۔ پنڈت لبھو رام جوشؔ ملسیانی
۱
بے گناہوں کے لہو کی یہ بھی ایک تاثیر ہے
اِس پہ حیرت کیا جو خاکِ کربلا اکسیر ہے
۲
تین دن سے تشنہ لب ہیں کربلا کے میہماں
ساحلِ دریا پہ قابض دشمنِ بے پیر ہے
۳
چاند سے چہرے ہوئے اِس دشت میں پیوندِ خاک
ذرّہ ذرّہ کربلا کا نور کی تصویر ہے
۴
اکبر و اصغر نے اِس صحرا میں کٹوائے گلے
آج تک موجِ صبا آہِ دلِ نخچیر ہے
۵
خاک و خوں میں پیکرِ اکبر کو تڑپاتے رہے
یہ نہ دیکھا ظالموں نے کس کی یہ تصویر ہے
۶
ماتمی اِن کے عراق و ہند و ایراں ہی نہیں
کشتگانِ کربلا کا سوگ عالمگیر ہے
۷
واقعاتِ کربلا کے بعد تو قائم رہی
کتنی عبرت ناک اے دنیا تیری تقصیر ہے
ख़ाक-ए करबला एक्सीर है – पंडित लभु राम जोश मल्सियानी
१
बे-गुनाहों के लहू की ये भी एक तासीर है
इस पे हैरत क्या जो ख़ाक-ए करबला एक्सीर है
२
तीन दिन से तिश्ना लब हैं करबला के मेहमाँ
साहेल-ए दर्या पे क़ाबेज़ दुश्मन-ए बे-पीर है
३
चाँद से चेहरे हुए इस दश्त में पैवंद-ए ख़ाक
ज़र्रा ज़र्रा करबला का नूर की तस्वीर है
४
अक्बर ओ अस्ग़र ने इस सहरा में कटवाए गले
आज तक मौज-ए सबा आह-ए दिल-ए नख़्चीर है
५
ख़ाक ओ ख़ूँ में पैकर-ए अक्बर को तढपाते रहे
ये न देखा ज़ालिमौं ने किस की ये तस्वीर है
६
मातमी इन के इराक़ ओ हिंद ओ ईराँ ही नहीं
कुश्तगान-ए करबला का सोग आलमगीर है
७
वाक़ेयात-ए करबला के बाद तो क़ायम रही
कितनी इबरत नाक अए दुनिया तेरी तक़्सीर है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit labhuram josh malsiani (1884-1976) from malsian in the now pakistani side of punjab, migrated to India a little before partition/independence. He has written with great feeling about communal harmony and about the loss of his homeland – pakistan. His son, baalmukund arsh malsiani was also a well recognized poet. This Ghazal structured verse is called a salaam – a tribute to figures of the war in karbala. It is linked to ‘karbal katha’ under kaa’ba-kaashi on the Theme Index page.
1
be-gunaahoN1 ke lahu2 ki ye bhi ek taasiir3 hai
is pe hairat4 kya jo Khaak5-e karbala eksiir6 hai 1.innocents 2.blood 3.effect 4.surprise 5.dust, soil, clay 6.remedy, cure
It is common shia belief that the clay of karbala has remedial effects because its status as associated with the sacrifices and the steadfast courageous stand of husain and his followers in the face of certain death. The poet acknowledges this belief … it is the effect of the blood of innocents (spilled on the soil of karbala); why should anyone be surprised if that clay has remedial/curative properties.
2
teen din se tishna-lab1 haiN karbala ke mehmaaN2
saahil3-e dariya4 pe qaabiz5 dushman-e be-piir6 hai 1.thirsty 2.guests 3.shore, bank 4.river, Euphrates, furaat 5.occupying, controlling 6.without spiritual guidance, unprincipled, cruel
husain was invited by the people of kufa (near karbala) to the imaam at the mosque and lead them in prayers. He had accepted this invitation and was headed to kufa when he heard news that yaziid had bribed the local leaders and created a rebellion and caused them to kill husain’s half-brother and emissary. The word ‘mehmaan-guest’ is used because of this background. husain decided to by-pass kufa and was passing through karbala, setting up temporary camp on the bank of the river. He was forced to move his encampment and access to water was cut off for three days before the battle of karbala. Hence, the guests of karbala were kept thirsty for three days while the cruel, unprincipled enemy occupied the riverbank.
3
chaand se chehre1 hue is dasht2 meN paivand3-e Khaak4
zarra-zarra5 karbala ka noor6 ki tasviir7 hai 1.faces 2.desert, wilderness 3.joint, patch 4.dust, clay 5.every particle/grain of sand 6.light, brilliance 7.likeness
‘paivand-e Khaak’ is an expression meaning buried in that soil … like the soil is dug and patched over, burying the body within. ‘chaand se chehre’ – meaning, beautiful like the moon, refers to the family of husain … his sons and nephews who were killed in battle and buried in the soil of karbala. Because of this every grain of sand is the picture of brilliance.
4
akbar1 o asGhar2 ne is sahra3 meN kaTvaa’e gale
aaj tak mauj4-e saba5 aah6-e dil-e naKhchiir7 hai 1.eighteen-year-old son of husain 2.six month old infant son of husain 3.desert, wilderness 4.gust, wave 5.breeze, wind 6.sigh 7.victim, hunted, killed
The sons of husain – ali akbar and ali asGhar, were slaughtered in this wilderness. To this day when gusts of wind blow, they sound like the sigh/last breath of the slaughtered.
5
Khaak o KhooN meN paikar1-e akbar2 ko taRpaate3 rahe
ye na dekha zaalimoN4 ne kis ki ye tasviir5 hai 1.image, body, person 2.eighteen-year-old son of husain 3.tortured 4.tormentors 5.picture
It is believed that ali akbar had a strong resemblance to mohammed, his great-grandfather. His tormentors disregarded this resemblance (even though, as muslims, they were followers and devotees of mohammed) tortured him as bled on the sands.
6
maatami1 in ke iraaq o hind o iiraaN hi nahiN
kushtagaan2-e karbala ka sog3 aalamgiir4 hai 1.mourners 2.killed, slain 3.sorrow, mourning 4.world conquering
Mourners of the death of husain, his family and followers are not just in iraaq, iraan and hindustan, but the sorrow of the victims of the war of karbala has conquered hearts all over the world.
7
vaaqe’aat1-e karbala ke baad tuu qaa’em2 rahi
kitni ibrat-naak3 aye duniya teri taqsiir4 hai 1.incidents, events 2.remained, survived 3.illustrative, lesson-giving 4.sin, guilt
The implication is that the battle of karbala is like an apocalyptic event and the world should have ended after it. But it survived even after the events of karbala. Your guilt/sin of survival, O world is shameful.
panDit labhuram josh malsiani (1884-1976) from malsian in the now pakistani side of punjab, migrated to India a little before partition/independence. He has written with great feeling about communal harmony and about the loss of his homeland – pakistan. His son, baalmukund arsh malsiani was also a well recognized poet. This Ghazal structured verse is called a salaam – a tribute to figures of the war in karbala. It is linked to ‘karbal katha’ under kaa’ba-kaashi on the Theme Index page.
1
be-gunaahoN1 ke lahu2 ki ye bhi ek taasiir3 hai
is pe hairat4 kya jo Khaak5-e karbala eksiir6 hai
1.innocents 2.blood 3.effect 4.surprise 5.dust, soil, clay 6.remedy, cure
It is common shia belief that the clay of karbala has remedial effects because its status as associated with the sacrifices and the steadfast courageous stand of husain and his followers in the face of certain death. The poet acknowledges this belief … it is the effect of the blood of innocents (spilled on the soil of karbala); why should anyone be surprised if that clay has remedial/curative properties.
2
teen din se tishna-lab1 haiN karbala ke mehmaaN2
saahil3-e dariya4 pe qaabiz5 dushman-e be-piir6 hai
1.thirsty 2.guests 3.shore, bank 4.river, Euphrates, furaat 5.occupying, controlling 6.without spiritual guidance, unprincipled, cruel
husain was invited by the people of kufa (near karbala) to the imaam at the mosque and lead them in prayers. He had accepted this invitation and was headed to kufa when he heard news that yaziid had bribed the local leaders and created a rebellion and caused them to kill husain’s half-brother and emissary. The word ‘mehmaan-guest’ is used because of this background. husain decided to by-pass kufa and was passing through karbala, setting up temporary camp on the bank of the river. He was forced to move his encampment and access to water was cut off for three days before the battle of karbala. Hence, the guests of karbala were kept thirsty for three days while the cruel, unprincipled enemy occupied the riverbank.
3
chaand se chehre1 hue is dasht2 meN paivand3-e Khaak4
zarra-zarra5 karbala ka noor6 ki tasviir7 hai
1.faces 2.desert, wilderness 3.joint, patch 4.dust, clay 5.every particle/grain of sand 6.light, brilliance 7.likeness
‘paivand-e Khaak’ is an expression meaning buried in that soil … like the soil is dug and patched over, burying the body within. ‘chaand se chehre’ – meaning, beautiful like the moon, refers to the family of husain … his sons and nephews who were killed in battle and buried in the soil of karbala. Because of this every grain of sand is the picture of brilliance.
4
akbar1 o asGhar2 ne is sahra3 meN kaTvaa’e gale
aaj tak mauj4-e saba5 aah6-e dil-e naKhchiir7 hai
1.eighteen-year-old son of husain 2.six month old infant son of husain 3.desert, wilderness 4.gust, wave 5.breeze, wind 6.sigh 7.victim, hunted, killed
The sons of husain – ali akbar and ali asGhar, were slaughtered in this wilderness. To this day when gusts of wind blow, they sound like the sigh/last breath of the slaughtered.
5
Khaak o KhooN meN paikar1-e akbar2 ko taRpaate3 rahe
ye na dekha zaalimoN4 ne kis ki ye tasviir5 hai
1.image, body, person 2.eighteen-year-old son of husain 3.tortured 4.tormentors 5.picture
It is believed that ali akbar had a strong resemblance to mohammed, his great-grandfather. His tormentors disregarded this resemblance (even though, as muslims, they were followers and devotees of mohammed) tortured him as bled on the sands.
6
maatami1 in ke iraaq o hind o iiraaN hi nahiN
kushtagaan2-e karbala ka sog3 aalamgiir4 hai
1.mourners 2.killed, slain 3.sorrow, mourning 4.world conquering
Mourners of the death of husain, his family and followers are not just in iraaq, iraan and hindustan, but the sorrow of the victims of the war of karbala has conquered hearts all over the world.
7
vaaqe’aat1-e karbala ke baad tuu qaa’em2 rahi
kitni ibrat-naak3 aye duniya teri taqsiir4 hai
1.incidents, events 2.survived 3.illustrative, lesson-giving, shameful 4.sin, guilt
The implication is that the battle of karbala is like an apocalyptic event and the world should have ended after it. But it survived even after the events of karbala. Your guilt/sin of survival, O world is shameful.
