For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
خمسہ بر غزلِ غالب ۔ بالمُکُند عرشؔ ملسیانی
۱
آئے دن غم کی ابتدا کیا ہے
اس مصیبت کی اِنتہا ہے
ہر گھڑی گریہ و بکا کیا ہے
دلِ ناداں تجھے ہوا کیا ہے
آخر اس درد کی دوا کیا ہے
۲
حُسن ہے یا ہے عالمِ اَسرار
ایک اقرار اور سو اِنکار
کون کھولے یہ عقدۂ دشوار
ہم ہیں مشتاق اور وہ بے زار
یا الٓہی یہ ماجرا کیا ہے
۳
ہم بھی اُلفت کی شان رکھتے ہیں
ہم بھی دنیا میں آن رکھتے ہیں
ہم بھی دل رکھتے جان رکھتے ہیں
ہم بھی منھ میں زبان رکھتے ہیں
کاش پوچھو کہ مدّعا کیا ہے
۴
عہد کی پھر وہ کر گئے تجدید
دلِ نا فہم نے بھی کی تائید
فاقہ مستوں کی دیکھئے یہ عید
ہم کو اُن سے وفا کی ہے اُمید
جو نہیں جانتے وفا کیا ہے
۵
دل پہ جبر اختیار کرتا ہوں
شکرِ پروردگار کرتا ہوں
عشق پر اعتبار کرتا ہوں
جان تم پر نثار کرتا ہوں
میں نہیں جانتا دعا کیا ہے
۶
نہ سہی کوئی مہ جبیں غالب
نہ سہی کوئی نازنیں غالب
نہ سہی حسنِ دل نشیں غالب
ہم نے مانا کچھ نہیں غالب
مفت ہاتھ آئے تو بُرا کیا ہے
ख़म्सा बर ग़ज़्ल-ए ग़ालिब – बालमुकुंद अर्श मल्सियानी
१
आए दिन ग़म की इब्तदा क्या है
इस मुसीबत की इन्तहा क्या है
हर घढी गिरिया ओ बुका क्या है
दिल-ए नादां तुझे हुआ क्या है
आख़र इस दर्द कि दवा क्या है
२
हुस्न है या है आलम-ए अस्रार
एक एक़्रार और सौ इन्कार
कौन खोले ये अक़दा-ए दुश्वार
हम हैं मुश्ताक़ और वो बेज़ार
या इलाही ये माज्रा क्या है
३
हम भी उल्फ़त कि शान रखते हैं
हम भी दुनिया में आन रखते हैं
हम भी दिल रखते जान रखते हैं
हम भी मुंह में ज़बान रखते हैं
काश पूछो के मुद्द’आ क्या है
४
अहद की फिर वो कर गए तज्दीद
दिल-ए नाफ़हम ने भी की ताईद
फ़ाक़ा मस्तौं की देखिये ये ईद
हम को उन से वफ़ा की है उम्मीद
जो नहीं जानते वफ़ा क्या है
५
दिल पे जब्र एख़्तियार करता हुं
शुक्र-ए परवरदिगार करता हुं
इश्क़ पर ए’तबार करता हुं
जान तुम पर निसार करता हुं
मैं नहीं जानता दुआ क्या है
६
न सही कोई महजबीं ग़ालिब
न सही कोई नाज़नीं ग़ालिब
न सही हुस्न-ए दिल नशीं ग़ालिब
हम ने माना के कुछ नहीं ग़ालिब
मुफ़्त हाथ आए तो बुरा क्या है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. baalmukund arsh malsiyaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiyaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiyaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiyaani was assistant editor of Govt of India urdu publication ‘aaj kal’ under josh malihabadi and took over as editor after josh left for pakistan. He wrote a book dedicated to Ghalib “faizaan-e Ghalib” about his influence on his many shaagird. This is a Khamsa (five misra stanza) composed using Ghalib’s ash’aar from his Ghazal ‘dil-e naadaaN tujhe hua kya hai’.
1
aaye-din1 Gham ki ibteda2 kya hai
is musiibat ki intehaa3 kya hai
har ghaRi giria4 o buka5 kya hai
dil-e naadaaN6 tujhe hua kya hai
aaKhir is dard ki dava kya hai 1.every day 2.beginning 3.end, result 4.wailing 5.sorrowing 6.simpleton
Every day starts with a new pain/sorrow. What will be the result of all these difficulties. Every moment wailing and sorrowing. The final she’r taken directly from Ghalib – The poet/lover bemoans his own simple ways (of trusting the beloved) which have landed his heart in this condition. What has become of you; now what is going to cure you – she is not coming! Alternatively, the Sufi interpretation is that the “beloved” is god and the poet bemoans his lack of nearness to god.
2
husn hai ya hai aalam1-e asraar2
ek eqraar3 aur sau inkaar4
kaun khole yee uqda5-e dushvaar6
ham haiN mushtaaq7 aur vo be-zaar8
yaa ilaahii9 yih maajraa10 kyaa hai 1.world of 2.mystery 3.acceptance, agreement 4.refulsal, denial 5.knot, mystery 6.difficult 7.eager, ardent 8.indifferent, uninterested 9.god 10.condition, predicament
Is this beauty/beloved or a world of mystery. Acceptance just once and then denials a hundred times. Who can solve this difficult mystery. The last she’r directly from Ghalib – this has been going on for a long time. He is eager and she is uninterested. O god, how long can it go on like this.
3
hum bhi ulfat1 ki shaan2 rakhte haiN
hum bhi duniya meN aan3 rakhte haiN
hum bhi dil rakhte jaan rakhte haiN
hum bhi muNh meN zabaan rakhte haiN
kaash4 puuchho keh muddu’aa5 kyaa hai 1.love 2.dignity 3.respect 4.I wish, hopefully 5.desire, wish, purpose
I TOO keep up the dignity of love. I too am respected in this world. I too have a heart and feelings. The last she’r from Ghalib with a very slight modification. I too have a tongue in my mouth, implies that the beloved has been asking others to say what their wish is and the poet/lover has been left out.
4
ahd1 ki phir vo kar gaye tajdiid2
dil-e naa-fahm3 ne bhi ki taa’eed4
faaqa-mastoN5 ki dekhiye ye eid
ham ko un se vafaa6 kii hai ummiid7
jo nahiiN jaante vafaa6 kya hai 1.promise 2.renewal 3.simpleton, ignorant 4.accept, agree 5.happy in poverty 6.fidelity 7.hope, expectation
The beloved has once again renewed her promise/commitment. My simple heart to accepted/believed it. Look at the celebration of the starving. The last she’r directly from Ghalib – the beloved has no idea what faithfulness is and we expect her to be faithful! At another level this could be about god. There is no guarantee that god will listen.
5
dil pe jabr1 eKhtiyaar2 karta huN
shukr3-e parvardigaar4 karta huN
ishq par e’tebaar5 karta huN
jaan tum par nisaar6 karta huuN
maiN nahiiN jaanta dua kya hai 1.force, control 2.accept, adopt 3.thanks 4.god 5.sacrificial offering
I control my heart and offer thanks to god. I put my trust in love. The final she’r from Ghalib. All the other lovers offer verbal dua/prayers to you. I (the poet/lover) on the other hand do not know these verbal superficialities. I offer my life to you.
6
na sahi koii mahjabiiN1 Ghalib
na sahi koii naazniiN2 Ghalib
na sahi husn3-e dil-nashiiN4 Ghalib
hum ne maanaa keh kuchh nahiiN Ghalib
muft haath aa’e to buraa kyaa hai 1.moon-browed, beautiful 2.beautiful (usually used for women) 3.beauty 4.pleasing to the heart
Maybe Ghalib is no radiant beauty. Maybe he is not delicate. Maybe his beauty/looks do not please the heart. The last she’r directly from Ghalib – the poet/lover is worth nothing, but he comes free of charge. Why not take him in hand. Don’t be so indifferent.
baalmukund arsh malsiyaani (1908-1979), son of josh malsiyaani, both renowned shu’ara of progresssive views, from malsiyaan, punjab. They moved to dehli in the 1930s. arsh malsiyaani was assistant editor of Govt of India urdu publication ‘aaj kal’ under josh malihabadi and took over as editor after josh left for pakistan. He wrote a book dedicated to Ghalib “faizaan-e Ghalib” about his influence on his many shaagird. This is a Khamsa (five misra stanza) composed using Ghalib’s ash’aar from his Ghazal ‘dil-e naadaaN tujhe hua kya hai’.
1
aaye-din1 Gham ki ibteda2 kya hai
is musiibat ki intehaa3 kya hai
har ghaRi giria4 o buka5 kya hai
dil-e naadaaN6 tujhe hua kya hai
aaKhir is dard ki dava kya hai
1.every day 2.beginning 3.end, result 4.wailing 5.sorrowing 6.simpleton
Every day starts with a new pain/sorrow. What will be the result of all these difficulties. Every moment wailing and sorrowing. The final she’r taken directly from Ghalib – The poet/lover bemoans his own simple ways (of trusting the beloved) which have landed his heart in this condition. What has become of you; now what is going to cure you – she is not coming! Alternatively, the Sufi interpretation is that the “beloved” is god and the poet bemoans his lack of nearness to god.
2
husn hai ya hai aalam1-e asraar2
ek eqraar3 aur sau inkaar4
kaun khole yee uqda5-e dushvaar6
ham haiN mushtaaq7 aur vo be-zaar8
yaa ilaahii9 yih maajraa10 kyaa hai
1.world of 2.mystery 3.acceptance, agreement 4.refulsal, denial 5.knot, mystery 6.difficult 7.eager, ardent 8.indifferent, uninterested 9.god 10.condition, predicament
Is this beauty/beloved or a world of mystery. Acceptance just once and then denials a hundred times. Who can solve this difficult mystery. The last she’r directly from Ghalib – this has been going on for a long time. He is eager and she is uninterested. O god, how long can it go on like this.
3
hum bhi ulfat1 ki shaan2 rakhte haiN
hum bhi duniya meN aan3 rakhte haiN
hum bhi dil rakhte jaan rakhte haiN
hum bhi muNh meN zabaan rakhte haiN
kaash4 puuchho keh muddu’aa5 kyaa hai
1.love 2.dignity 3.respect 4.I wish, hopefully 5.desire, wish, purpose
I TOO keep up the dignity of love. I too am respected in this world. I too have a heart and feelings. The last she’r from Ghalib with a very slight modification. I too have a tongue in my mouth, implies that the beloved has been asking others to say what their wish is and the poet/lover has been left out.
4
ahd1 ki phir vo kar gaye tajdiid2
dil-e naa-fahm3 ne bhi ki taa’eed4
faaqa-mastoN5 ki dekhiye ye eid
ham ko un se vafaa6 kii hai ummiid7
jo nahiiN jaante vafaa6 kya hai
1.promise 2.renewal 3.simpleton, ignorant 4.accept, agree 5.happy in poverty 6.fidelity 7.hope, expectation
The beloved has once again renewed her promise/commitment. My simple heart to accepted/believed it. Look at the celebration of the starving. The last she’r directly from Ghalib – the beloved has no idea what faithfulness is and we expect her to be faithful! At another level this could be about god. There is no guarantee that god will listen.
5
dil pe jabr1 eKhtiyaar2 karta huN
shukr3-e parvardigaar4 karta huN
ishq par e’tebaar5 karta huN
jaan tum par nisaar6 karta huuN
maiN nahiiN jaanta dua kya hai
1.force, control 2.accept, adopt 3.thanks 4.god 5.sacrificial offering
I control my heart and offer thanks to god. I put my trust in love. The final she’r from Ghalib. All the other lovers offer verbal dua/prayers to you. I (the poet/lover) on the other hand do not know these verbal superficialities. I offer my life to you.
6
na sahi koii mahjabiiN1 Ghalib
na sahi koii naazniiN2 Ghalib
na sahi husn3-e dil-nashiiN4 Ghalib
hum ne maanaa keh kuchh nahiiN Ghalib
muft haath aa’e to buraa kyaa hai
1.moon-browed, beautiful 2.beautiful (usually used for women) 3.beauty 4.pleasing to the heart
Maybe Ghalib is no radiant beauty. Maybe he is not delicate. Maybe his beauty/looks do not please the heart. The last she’r directly from Ghalib – the poet/lover is worth nothing, but he comes free of charge. Why not take him in hand. Don’t be so indifferent.
