For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
خدائی کو ہم دیکھتے ہیں ۔ واجد علی شاہ اخترؔ
۱
دکھاتے ہیں جو یہ صنم دیکھتے ہیں
خدا کی خدائی کو ہم دیکھتے ہیں
۲
یہ حیوان ہے دستِ طالع پہ بھاری
نئے جانور کا قدم دیکھتے ہیں
۳
زن و خویش و فرزند و دولت سے چھوٹے
نہ دیکھے کوئی جو کہ ہم دیکھتے ہیں
۴
شہنشاہ ہم ہیں دلوں پر ہیں حاکم
گدا تم کو اے ذی حشم دیکھتے ہیں
۵
فقط ہاتھ کالے نہیں بلکہ منعم
دلوں پر بھی داغ ورم دیکھتے ہیں
۶
کہاں تک اترتی ہے سینے پہ میرے
تری تیغِ ابرو کا دم دیکھتے ہیں
۷
بھگاتی ہے مار سیہ گو کہ ہم کو
تری زلف مشکیں کا سم دیکھتے ہیں
۸
زمیں پر بھی دیتا نہیں چین ہم کو
فلک تجھ سے جور و ستم دیکھتے ہیں
۹
دُرِ اشک سے میرا بھرتی ہے دامن
سخی تجھ کو اے چشمِ نم دیکھتے ہیں
۱۰
نہ رنج اور نہ شادی توسط ہے ہم کو
کہ عیش و الم بھی بہم دیکھتے ہیں
۱۱
کسی ماہ نے اس کو دھوکا دیا ہے
ہم اخترؔ کو کیوں پُر الم دیکھتے ہیں
ख़ुदाई को हम देखते हैं – वाजेद अली शाह अख़्तर
१
दिखाते हैं जो ये सनम देखते हैं
ख़ुदा की ख़ुदाई को हम देखते हैं
२
ये हैवान है दस्त-ए ताले’ए पे भारी
नये जानवर का क़दम देखते हैं
३
ज़न-ओ-ख़्वेश-ओ-फ़र्ज़ंद-ओ-दौलत से छूटे
न देखे कोई जो के हम देखते हैं
४
शहंशाह हम हैं दिलों पर हैं हाकिम
गदा तुम को अए ज़ी-हशम देखते हैं
५
फ़क़त हाथ काले नहीं बल्के मुन’इम
दिलों पर भी दाग़-ए वरम देखते हैं
६
कहाँ तक उतरती है सीने पे मेरे
तेरी तेग़-ए अबरू का दम देखते हैं
७
भगाती है मार-ए सियह गो के हम को
तेरी ज़ुल्फ़-ए मुश्कीं का सम देखते हैं
८
ज़मीं पर भी देता नहीं चैन हम को
फ़लक तुझ से जौर-ओ-सितम देखते हैं
९
दुर-ए अश्क से मेरा भरती है दामन
सख़ी तुझ को अए चश्म-ए नम देखते हैं
१०
न रंज और न शादी तवस्सुत है हम को
के ऐश-ओ-अलम भी बहम देखते हैं
११
किसी माह ने उस को धोका दिया है
हम अख़्तर को क्यूँ पुर-अलम देखते हैं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. vaajid ali shaah aKhtar (1823-1887) ruler of avadh under British Protectorate. The East India Company, through intrigue, managed to take the region over directly and exiled him to kolkata. Poet, playwrite, dancer and a great patron of the arts. This Ghazal in the style of Ghalib’s ‘jahaaN tera naqsh-e qadam dekhte haiN’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme page.
1
dikhaate haiN jo ye sanam1 dekhte haiN
Khuda ki Khudaai2 ko ham dekhte haiN 1.idols, beloved 2.handiwork, miracle
We see whatever these idols (beauties) decide to show us. What we see is god’s handiwork. Said mir anis …
paRheN durood na kyuN dekh kar hasinoN ko
Khayaal-e san’at-e saan’e hai paak-biinoN ko
Why should we not sing praises upon seeing beauties
Those of virtuous sight think of the skill of the craftsman
2
ye haivaan1 hai dast2-e taal’e3 pe bhaari4
naye jaanvar ka qadam5 dekhte haiN 1.animal, being of non-human qualities, ferocious, wild 2.hand 3. rising, also fate/destiny 4.heavy, more powerful 5.step, advent
I am not sure, but is he talking about the British East India Company as the ferocious, wild being that is more powerful than the hand of fate. We see the advent of a new kind of animal.
3
zan1-o-Khwesh2-o-farzand3-o-daulat4 se chhooTe
na dekhe koi jo keh ham dekhte haiN 1.women (of the household) 2.kinsmen, own 3.son 4.possessions
I was separated from my household, family, son and kinsmen. May no one ever see/experience what I have been through.
4
shahanshaah ham haiN diloN par haiN haakim1
gada2 tum ko aye zi-hasham3 dekhte haiN 1.ruler 2.beggar, pauper 3.person of means/wealth
I am the emperor because I rule over hearts. I consider you, a person of wealth and means, to be but a pauper (because you don’t rule over hearts).
5
faqat1 haath kaale nahiN balkeh2 mun’im3
diloN par bhi daaGh4-e varam5 dekhte haiN 1.only 2.even, also 3.wealthy 4.wound 5.swelling
Not only do the wealthy have their hands blackened (due to ill-gotten wealth) but they also have their hearts stained (because of guilt).
6
kahaaN tak utarti hai siine pe mere
teri teGh1-e abru2 ka dam3 dekhte haiN 1.sword 2.eyebrow 3.power
The beloved’s eyebrow is presented as a curved sword – a teGh. Let us see how far into my bosom it penetrates. Let us see the power of the curved sword of you eyebrow.
7
bhagaati hai maar1-e siyah2 go3 keh ham ko
teri zulf4-e mushkiN5 ka sam6 dekhte haiN 1.snake 2.black 3.even though 4.hair 5.musk scented 6.poison
The beloved’s hair are presented as black snakes. Even though fear of these black snakes drives me away, I will stay and taste of the poison of these musk scented curls.
8
zamiN par bhi deta nahiN chain1 ham ko
falak2 tujh se jaur3-o-sitam4 dekhte haiN 1.peace, leave alone 2.sky, fate 3.cruelty 4.oppression
You don’t leave us in peace, O sky/fate. All we see from you is cruelty and oppression.
9
dur1-e ashk2 se mera bharti hai daaman3
saKhi4 tujh ko aye chashm5-e nam6 dekhte haiN 1.pearl 2.tears 3.apron 4.generous 5.eye 6.moist, tearful
It fills my apron with pearly tears. O tearful eye, I consider you to be generous.
10
na raNj1 aur na shaadi2 tavassut3 hai ham ko
keh aish4-o-alam5 bhi baham6 dekhte haiN 1.mourning 2.joy, celebration 3.mediation, relationship 4.luxury 5.sorrow 6.side by side, equal, same
I have no relationship either to mourning or celebration. I look upon luxury and sorrow as the same thing.
11
kisi maah1 ne us ko dhoka2 diya hai
ham aKhtar3 ko kyuN pur-alam4 dekhte haiN 1.moon, used here to mean beauty/beloved 2.deception 3.pen-name of the poet 4.sorrowful
Some beautiful damsel must have deceived him. Otherwise, why would we see aKhtar so sorrowful.
vaajid ali shaah aKhtar (1823-1887) ruler of avadh under British Protectorate. The East India Company, through intrigue, managed to take the region over directly and exiled him to kolkata. Poet, playwrite, dancer and a great patron of the arts. This Ghazal in the style of Ghalib’s ‘jahaaN tera naqsh-e qadam dekhte haiN’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme page.
1
dikhaate haiN jo ye sanam1 dekhte haiN
Khuda ki Khudaai2 ko ham dekhte haiN
1.idols, beloved 2.handiwork, miracle
We see whatever these idols (beauties) decide to show us. What we see is god’s handiwork. Said mir anis …
paRheN durood na kyuN dekh kar hasinoN ko
Khayaal-e san’at-e saan’e hai paak-biinoN ko
Why should we not sing praises upon seeing beauties
Those of virtuous sight think of the skill of the craftsman
2
ye haivaan1 hai dast2-e taal’e3 pe bhaari4
naye jaanvar ka qadam5 dekhte haiN
1.animal, being of non-human qualities, ferocious, wild 2.hand 3.rising, also fate/destiny 4.heavy, more powerful 5.step, advent
I am not sure, but is he talking about the British East India Company as the ferocious, wild being that is more powerful than the hand of fate. We see the advent of a new kind of animal.
3
zan1-o-Khwesh2-o-farzand3-o-daulat4 se chhooTe
na dekhe koi jo keh ham dekhte haiN
1.women (of the household) 2.kinsmen, own 3.son 4.possessions
I was separated from my household, family, son and kinsmen. May no one ever see/experience what I have been through.
4
shahanshaah ham haiN diloN par haiN haakim1
gada2 tum ko aye zi-hasham3 dekhte haiN
1.ruler 2.beggar, pauper 3.person of means/wealth
I am the emperor because I rule over hearts. I consider you, a person of wealth and means, to be but a pauper (because you don’t rule over hearts).
5
faqat1 haath kaale nahiN balkeh2 mun’im3
diloN par bhi daaGh4-e varam5 dekhte haiN
1.only 2.even, also 3.wealthy 4.wound 5.swelling
Not only do the wealthy have their hands blackened (due to ill-gotten wealth) but they also have their hearts stained (because of guilt).
6
kahaaN tak utarti hai siine pe mere
teri teGh1-e abru2 ka dam3 dekhte haiN
1.sword 2.eyebrow 3.power
The beloved’s eyebrow is presented as a curved sword – a teGh. Let us see how far into my bosom it penetrates. Let us see the power of the curved sword of you eyebrow.
7
bhagaati hai maar1-e siyah2 go3 keh ham ko
teri zulf4-e mushkiN5 ka sam6 dekhte haiN
1.snake 2.black 3.even though 4.hair 5.musk scented 6.poison
The beloved’s hair are presented as black snakes. Even though fear of these black snakes drives me away, I will stay and taste of the poison of these musk scented curls.
8
zamiN par bhi deta nahiN chain1 ham ko
falak2 tujh se jaur3-o-sitam4 dekhte haiN
1.peace, leave alone 2.sky, fate 3.cruelty 4.oppression
You don’t leave us in peace, O sky/fate. All we see from you is cruelty and oppression.
9
dur1-e ashk2 se mera bharti hai daaman3
saKhi4 tujh ko aye chashm5-e nam6 dekhte haiN
1.pearl 2.tears 3.apron 4.generous 5.eye 6.moist, tearful
It fills my apron with pearly tears. O tearful eye, I consider you to be generous.
10
na raNj1 aur na shaadi2 tavassut3 hai ham ko
keh aish4-o-alam5 bhi baham6 dekhte haiN
1.mourning 2.joy, celebration 3.mediation, relationship 4.luxury 5.sorrow 6.side by side, equal, same
I have no relationship either to mourning or celebration. I look upon luxury and sorrow as the same thing.
11
kisi maah1 ne us ko dhoka2 diya hai
ham aKhtar3 ko kyuN pur-alam4 dekhte haiN
1.moon, used here to mean beauty/beloved 2.deception 3.pen-name of the poet 4.sorrowful
Some beautiful damsel must have deceived him. Otherwise, why would we see aKhtar so sorrowful.
