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. MA English Literature. Learnt urdu and faarsi at home. First venture into poetry translation of parts of iqbal’s ‘payaam-e mashriq’ into English. First urdu nazm published 1925. Ardent urdu lover as a language of the people. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. This nazm/Ghazal has strong socialist undertones.
1
siyaahiyoN¹ ki tahoN² meN shuaa’³-e aab⁴ bhi dekh
sahaab⁵ dekhne vaale pas⁶-e sahaab bhi dekh     1.darkness, gloom 2.layers, depths 3.ray 4.brilliance, hope 5.cloud 6.behind
Look at the faint ray of light in the depths of darkness i.e., look for hope and change that is coming. If you all you see is dark clouds, look behind the clouds.
2
faza¹ ki tiiragii²-e niim-shab³ se kar na qiyaas⁴
ufuq⁵ ki goad⁶ meN nanha⁷ sa aaftaab⁸ bhi dekh    1.air, surroundings 2.darkness 3.midnight 4.measure, estimate, presume 5.horizon 6.lap 7.title 8.sun
Do not presume the future from the midnight darkness that surrounds us. Look at the tiny sun in lap of the horizon. In urdu poetic tradition the rising sun is symbolic of the coming of social justice.
3
Ghuruub¹-e mahr² pe ro ro ke kar na aaNkheN surKh³
tuluu’⁴-e zarra-e-Khaaki⁵ ki aab-o-taab⁶ bhi dekh    1.setting, sinking 2.sun 3.eyes 4.rise 5.particles/grains of the soil/earth 6.brilliance and glory
Here the sun symbolizes past glory. The sun of past glory has set. How long will you cry over it and turn your eyes red. Here ‘zarra-e Khaaki’ – speck of dust, signifies human beings, made of clay. The tuluu’-rise signifies progress. Thus, don’t mourn over the past, consider the increasing glory of human knowledge. zarra-e Khaaki could also signify downtrodden human beings. They are now rising up to assert their rights. The setting sun represents the old order and the rising of zarra-e Khaaki represents the rise of social consciousness and demand for justice.
4
jamaal¹-e sarv² se seiNke³-ga kab talak aaNkheN
bahaar⁴-e sabza⁵-e paamaal⁶ ka shabaab⁷ bhi dekh     1.beauty, glory 2.cypress 3.warm, comfort 4.blooms 5.vegetation 6.trodden 7.youth, vigour
In urdu poetic tradition the cypress with its tall and slender stature and its swaying in the breeze are considered symbolic of grace and beauty. How long will you comfort your eyes with grace and beauty of the cypress. Look at the bloom of the vegetation beneath your feet. Thus, the beauty, grace and glory of the lowly worker and its youthful vigour should draw your attention now rather than concepts of elitist grace.
5
huquuq¹-e baaGh pe kab tak ijaara²-e gul-o-barg³
nasiim⁴-e sub’h se kaaNToN ko faizyaab⁵ bhi dekh    1.rights, privileges 2.monopoly 3.rose and petal 4.fragrant breeze 5.receiving blessings/benefits
How long will the rose and petals have monopoly over the privileges of the garden. Look at how the thorns too are blessed by the fragrant morning breeze. Here rose and petals symbolize the elite and thorns symbolize the lower classes, workers.
6
shikast¹-e anjuman²-e charKh³ ka na kar maatam⁴
ugal⁵ rahii hai jo miTTi voh aaftaab⁶ bhi dekh    1.breaking, defeat 2.gathering, association 3.skies 4.mourn 5.bring forth, raise 6.sun
Here anjuman-e charKh are heavenly bodies symbolizing the privileged classes ‘miTTi’-the soil symbolized the working class. Thus, do not mourne the defeat of the privileged class, look at the myriad suns that the clay of the earth brings forth. anjuman-e charKh could also symbolize the priestly class.
7
asiir¹ panja²-e shaahiiN³ meN kab talak kunjashk⁴
shikast⁵-e baal-o-par⁶-o-baazu⁷-e ‘uqaab⁸ bhi dekh    1.captive 2.claws, talons 3.falcon, eagle 4.sparrow 5.breaking 6.feathers and wings 7.arms 8.hawk, falcon
Here the sparrow symbolizes the exploited working class and the falcon symbolizes the powerful exploiting class. How long will the sparrow be a captive in the talons of the falcon. Look at how the wings and feathers and strength of falcon can be broken.
8
sunaa kalaam¹-e Khudaayaan²-e do-jahaaN³ to bahut
ab is pe bandoN⁴ ki islaah⁵-e kaamiyaab⁶ bhi dekh    1.words, edict 2.gods 3.two worlds 4.slaves, devotees 5.reform, correction 6.successful
You have heard the edits of gods of the worlds for too long now. Now look at the successful reform of these divine edicts brought about by the lowly devotees.
9
fasurda¹ hote hue gul² jo haiN nazar³ meN teri
vo shaakh⁴-e Khaar⁵ pe khilte⁶ hue gulaab⁷ bhi dekh     1.wilting 2.rose, flower 3.sight, eyes 4.branch 5.thorns 6.blossoming 7.roses
You have your sight fixated on wilting flowers – outdated, decaying systems of social order. Look at the new flowers blooming on thorny branches – new ways of thinking.
10
na dekh sirf¹ zar-o-siim² hii ka chehra³-e faq⁴
jabiin-e-mas⁵ pe damaktii⁶ hai jo vo taab⁷ bhi dekh     1.only 2.gold and silver 3.face 4.pale, ashen 5.bent/bowed forehead 6.glowing 7.brilliance
Don’t look only at the pale face of gold and silver. Look at the glowing brilliance of the bowed forehead. Thus, the old system of dominance of wealth has lost its lustre. The subservient masses have come up with shining new thoughts of a just order.
11
fasaana¹ paRh chuka shaahoN² ka ab ulaT³ ke varaq⁴
hadiis⁵-e dahr⁶ meN ibn-e-bashar⁷ ka baab⁸ bhi dekh     1.legend 2.kings 3.turn 4.page 5.story 6.world 7.progeny of humans 8.chapter
You have read enough of the story of kings. Now turn the page and read the story of in the chapter of the book of humanity. Also see, ‘taariiKh mazdoor ki zabaani-Bertold Brecht’ tarjuma-shahed.
12
qasam¹ hai zarbat²-e shamshiir³-e Khusravi⁴ ki tujhe
keh aaj tiisha⁵-e mazduur⁶ ka javaab⁷ bhi dekh     1.to swear by something 2.strike, blow 3.sword 4.of Khusro 5.pickaxe 6.worker 7.answer
This has reference to the legend of shiiriiN-farhaad. shiiriiN was the wife of king Khusro who was known for his many conquests. farhaad was a stone-mason, sculptor who worked in his palace. shiiriin and farhaad fall in love with each other and Khusro promises to divorce her and let farhaad marry her if he were to dig a channel through the mountain and make a river flow to the palace. farhaad, sets about doing this with a pickaxe and the intensity of his passion was such that he almost succeeds. A frightened Khusro causes a rumour to spread that shiiriin has died. On hearing this, farhaad kills himself. The almost successful digging of the channel is the answer of the pickaxe of the worker. Thus, I swear by the blow of the sword of Khusro that you should look at the answer of the pickaxe of the worker – a clear allusion to the power of the hammer and sickle.
13
ek inhedaam¹ to zaahir² hai har taGhayyur³ meN
jo diidah-var⁴ hai to taa’miir⁵-e inqelaab⁶ bhi dekh     1.demolition, collapse 2.apparent 3.change 4.clear-sighted, perceptive 5.re-building, progress 6.revolution
Demolition is apparent (necessary) in every change. If you have perception, far-sightedness, then see the progress that a revolution can bring about.
14
haqiiqatoN¹ se milaana nazar² to kuchh bhi nahiiN
mila ke aaNkh maza³ jab hai koi Khwaab⁴ bhi dekh     1.realities 2.nazar milaana is to look in the eye, face 3.pleasure 4.dream, vision
Facing present day realities, understanding limitations is easy enough. The real pleasure is in conceiving a vision that does not seem possible at present.