For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
خضرِ راہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں ۔ پنڈت آنند نرائن مُلّاؔ
۱
ہر جلوہ پہ نگاہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
آنکھوں کو خضرِ راہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۲
مٹنے نہ پائے تازگیِ لذّتِ گناہ
توبہ بھی گاہ گاہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۳
کیسی یہ زندگی ہے کہ پھر بھی ہے شوقِ زیست
گوہر نفس اک آہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۴
اشکوں کی مشعلوں کو فروزاں کیے ہوئے
طے التجا کی راہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۵
خود جس کے سامنے سپر انداختہ ہے حسن
ایسی بھی اک نگاہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۶
شاید کبھی وہ بھول کے رکھیں ادھر قدم
آنکھوں کو فرشِ راہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۷
بڑھتی ہی جا رہی ہیں تری کم نگاہیاں
کیا دل میں تیرے راہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۸
ظلماتِ دیر و کعبہ میں کچھ روشنی سی ہے
شاید کوئی گناہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
۹
ملاؔ ہر ایک تازہ مصیبت پہ ہنس کے اور
کج گوشۂ کلاہ کئے جا رہا ہوں میں
ख़िज़्र-ए राह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं – पंडित आनंद नरायन मुल्ला
१
हर जल्वे पे निगाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
आँखों को ख़िज़्र-ए राह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
२
मिटने न पाए ताज़गी-ए लज़्ज़त-ए गुनाह
तौबा भी गाह गाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
३
कैसी ये ज़िंदगी है के फिर भी है शौक़-ए ज़ीस्त
गौहर-नफ़स एक आह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
४
अश्कों की मश’अलौं को फ़रोज़ाँ किये हुए
तय इल्तेजा की राह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
५
ख़ुद जिस के सामने सिपर-अंदाख़्ता है हुस्न
ऐसी भी एक निगाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
६
शा’एद कभी वो भूल के रक्खें इधर क़दम
आँखों को फ़र्श-ए राह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
७
बढ़ती ही जा रही हैं तेरी कम-निगाहियाँ
क्या दिल में तेरे राह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
८
ज़ुलमात-ए दैर-ओ-का’बा में कुछ रौशनी सी है
शा’एद कोई गुनाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
९
मुल्ला हर एक ताज़ा मुसीबत पे हँस के और
कज गोशा-ए कुलाह किये जा रहा हूँ मैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. urdu lover. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal, ‘kiye jaa raha huN maiN’ on the ‘Refrain-radeef’ page.
1
har jalve1 pe nigaah2 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
aaNkhoN ko Khizr3-e raah4 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.image, manifestation, glory 2.used here to mean-close look 3.guide 4.path
‘Khizr’ is a legendary old man who discovered the nectar of life and drank of it. He is immortal and old. He knows all the ways of the world and is a patron saint of travelers, seafarers. He is often used as a ‘guide’. Thus, I keep looking closely at every image/manifestation. I have made my ‘eyes’ my guide along the path. What is the ‘image/manifestation’ and what is the ‘path’ that the poet/seeker is on. Knowing the irreverant rationalist/atheist, I think he is examining every proposed divine image along the path of truth (and upon consideration, rejecting them).
2
miTne1 na paa’e taazagi2-e lazzat3-e gunaah4
tauba5 bhi gaah-gaah6 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.erased, forgotten 2.freshness 3.pleasure, joy 4.sin 5.repentence 6.time and again
So that the freshness of the pleasure of sin not be forgotten, I keep repenting again and again. Perhaps there is a witty suggestion that penitence wipes out previous sins and as soon as he is ready for the joy of a fresh sin, he repents wipes his slate clean of old sins and commits a new one.
3
kaisi ye zindagi hai keh phir bhi hai shauq1-e ziist2
gauhar-nafas3 ek aah4 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.wish, desire 2.life 3.brilliant/shining breath, fiery breath 4.sigh
My sigh is like a breath of fire (there is so much pain in my heart) and yet I wish to live. What is this puzzle, what kind of a life is this that I still desire to live.
4
ashkoN ki mash’aloN1 ko farozaaN2 kiye hue
tai3 ilteja4 ki raah5 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.torch 2.brighten, light up 3.tread, progress, walk along 4.pleading, begging 5.path
Tears are considered to be pearls, and pearls are shiny. Here he is using the simile of lit up torches, and the light from a torch is used to see the path. Thus, lighting the torch of my tears (of regret) I walk along the path of begging (forgiveness).
5
Khud jis ke saamne sipar-andaaKhta1 hai husn2
aisi bhi ek nigaah3 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.shield thrown away, defenseless 2.beauty, beloved 3.glance
Before which the beloved herself would throw away her defenses, a glance like this, too, I cast towards her.
6
shaa’ed1 kabhi vo bhuul ke rakkheN idhar qadam2
aaNkhoN ko farsh3-e raah4 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.perhaps 2.step 3.floor 4.path
To spread the eyes on the floor of the path is to prepare the path for a very warm welcome. In the hope that perhaps in a lapse of memory, she might step this way, I spread my eyes along the path to welcome her.
7
baRhti hi ja rahi haiN teri kam-nigaahiyaaN1
kya dil meN tere raah2 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.limited range of vision, limited exercise of reason 2.path
The poet/lover is making his way into the heart of the beloved. Her range of vision is decreasing as a result. Why? It maybe because she does not need to look far to look for him and his love. All she has to do is look into her own heart. That does not need a long range of vision. The other possible interpretation of ‘kam-nigaahiyaaN’, is a limited exercise of reason. Now that I am in your heart, all you need to do is get more invested in love, no need for complex reasoning.
8
zulmaat1-e dair2-o-kaaba3 meN kuchh raushni4 si hai
shaa’ed5 koi gunaah6 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.darkness 2.temple 3.mosque 4.light, glow 5.perhaps 6.sin
Perhaps it is because the poet is committing sin that there is a faint glow of light dispelling the darkness of the temple and mosque. Thus, like in many other places, the shaa’er recognizes the futility of being self-righteous and fastidious.
9
mulla1 har ek taaza2 musiibat3 pe haNs ke aur
kaj4 gosha5-e kulaah6 kiye jaa raha huN maiN 1.pen-name of the poet 2.fresh, new 3.difficulty, obstacle 4.crooked, slanted 5.corner 6.cap
To wear a cap slanted at an angle is a sign of defiance/rebellion. Thus, everytime he faces a new obstacle, he laughs at it and defiantly wears his cap crooked to overcome the obstacle. faiz ahmed faiz wants to be defiant even in death …
karo kaj jabiiN pe sar-e kafan mere qaatiloN ko gumaaN na ho
keh Ghuruur-e ishq ka baaNkpan pas-e marg ham ne bhulaa diya
panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. urdu lover. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal, ‘kiye jaa raha huN maiN’ on the ‘Refrain-radeef’ page.
1
har jalve1 pe nigaah2 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
aaNkhoN ko Khizr3-e raah4 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.image, manifestation, glory 2.used here to mean-close look 3.guide 4.path
‘Khizr’ is a legendary old man who discovered the nectar of life and drank of it. He is immortal and old. He knows all the ways of the world and is a patron saint of travelers, seafarers. He is often used as a ‘guide’. Thus, I keep looking closely at every image/manifestation. I have made my ‘eyes’ my guide along the path. What is the ‘image/manifestation’ and what is the ‘path’ that the poet/seeker is on. Knowing the irreverant rationalist/atheist, I think he is examining every proposed divine image along the path of truth (and upon consideration, rejecting them).
2
miTne1 na paa’e taazagi2-e lazzat3-e gunaah4
tauba5 bhi gaah-gaah6 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.erased, forgotten 2.freshness 3.pleasure, joy 4.sin 5.repentence 6.time and again
So that the freshness of the pleasure of sin not be forgotten, I keep repenting again and again. Perhaps there is a witty suggestion that penitence wipes out previous sins and as soon as he is ready for the joy of a fresh sin, he repents wipes his slate clean of old sins and commits a new one.
3
kaisi ye zindagi hai keh phir bhi hai shauq1-e ziist2
gauhar-nafas3 ek aah4 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.wish, desire 2.life 3.brilliant/shining breath, fiery breath 4.sigh
My sigh is like a breath of fire (there is so much pain in my heart) and yet I wish to live. What is this puzzle, what kind of a life is this that I still desire to live.
4
ashkoN ki mash’aloN1 ko farozaaN2 kiye hue
tai3 ilteja4 ki raah5 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.torch 2.brighten, light up 3.tread, progress, walk along 4.pleading, begging 5.path
Tears are considered to be pearls, and pearls are shiny. Here he is using the simile of lit up torches, and the light from a torch is used to see the path. Thus, lighting the torch of my tears (of regret) I walk along the path of begging (forgiveness).
5
Khud jis ke saamne sipar-andaaKhta1 hai husn2
aisi bhi ek nigaah3 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.shield thrown away, defenseless 2.beauty, beloved 3.glance
Before which the beloved herself would throw away her defenses, a glance like this, too, I cast towards her.
6
shaa’ed1 kabhi vo bhuul ke rakkheN idhar qadam2
aaNkhoN ko farsh3-e raah4 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.perhaps 2.step 3.floor 4.path
To spread the eyes on the floor of the path is to prepare the path for a very warm welcome. In the hope that perhaps in a lapse of memory, she might step this way, I spread my eyes along the path to welcome her.
7
baRhti hi ja rahi haiN teri kam-nigaahiyaaN1
kya dil meN tere raah2 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.limited range of vision, limited exercise of reason 2.path
The poet/lover is making his way into the heart of the beloved. Her range of vision is decreasing as a result. Why? It maybe because she does not need to look far to look for him and his love. All she has to do is look into her own heart. That does not need a long range of vision. The other possible interpretation of ‘kam-nigaahiyaaN’, is a limited exercise of reason. Now that I am in your heart, all you need to do is get more invested in love, no need for complex reasoning.
8
zulmaat1-e dair2-o-kaaba3 meN kuchh raushni4 si hai
shaa’ed5 koi gunaah6 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.darkness 2.temple 3.mosque 4.light, glow 5.perhaps 6.sin
Perhaps it is because the poet is committing sin that there is a faint glow of light dispelling the darkness of the temple and mosque. Thus, like in many other places, the shaa’er recognizes the futility of being self-righteous and fastidious.
9
mulla1 har ek taaza2 musiibat3 pe haNs ke aur
kaj4 gosha5-e kulaah6 kiye jaa raha huN maiN
1.pen-name of the poet 2.fresh, new 3.difficulty, obstacle 4.crooked, slanted 5.corner 6.cap
To wear a cap slanted at an angle is a sign of defiance/rebellion. Thus, everytime he faces a new obstacle, he laughs at it and defiantly wears his cap crooked to overcome the obstacle. faiz ahmed faiz wants to be defiant even in death …
karo kaj jabiiN pe sar-e kafan mere qaatiloN ko gumaaN na ho
keh Ghuruur-e ishq ka baaNkpan pas-e marg ham ne bhulaa diya
