For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کتنا غرور تھا ۔ مرزا اسداللہ خاں غالبؔ
۱
ضعفِ جُنوں کو وقتِ تپش در بھی دور تھا
اک گھر میں مختصر سا بیاباں ضرور تھا
۲
اے وائے غفلتِ نگۂ شوق ورنہ یاں
ہر پارہ سنگ لختِ دلِ کوۂ طور تھا
۳
درسِ تپش ہے برق کو اب جِس کے نام سے
وہ دل ہے یہ کہ جس کا تخلّص صبُور تھا
۴
شائد کہ مر گیا ترے رُخسار دیکھ کر
پیمانہ رات، ماہ کا لبریزِ نور تھا
۵
آئینہ دیکھ اپنا سا منہ لے کے رہ گیے
صاحب کو دل نہ دینے پہ کتنا غرور تھا
۶
قاصد کو اپنے ہاتھ سے گردن نہ ماریے
اُس کی خطا نہیں ہے یہ میرا قصُور تھا
۷
جنّت ہے تیرے تیغ کے کُشتوں کی منتظر
جوہر سواد، جلوۂ مژگانِ حور تھا
۸
ہر رنگ میں جلا اسدِؔ فتنہ انتظار
پروانۂ تجلیِ شمعِ ظہور تھا
कितना ग़ुरूर था – असदुल्लाह ख़ां ग़ालिब
१
ज़ो’फ़-ए जुनूँ को वक़्त-ए तपिश दर भी दूर था
एक घर में मुख़्तसर-सा बयाबाँ ज़रूर था
२
अए वाए ग़फ़्लत-ए निगह-ए शौक़ वरना याँ
हर पारा संग लख़्त-ए दिल-ए कोह-ए तूर था
३
दर्स-ए तपिश है बर्क़ को अब जिस के नाम से
वो दिल है ये के जिस का तख़ल्लुस सबूर था
४
शा’एद के मर गया तेरे रुख़्सार देख कर
पयमाना रात, माह का लब्रेज़-ए नूर था
५
आईना देख अपना-सा मुंह ले के रह गये
साहब को दिल न देने पे कितना ग़ुरूर था
६
क़ासिद को अपने हाथ से गर्दन न मारिये
उस की ख़ता नहीं है ये मेरा क़सूर था
७
जन्नत है तेरी तेग़ के कुश्तौं कि मुंतज़िर
जौहर सवाद, जल्वा-ए मिज़्श्गान-ए हूर था
८
हर रंग में जला असद-ए फ़ितना-इंतेज़ार
परवाना-ए तजल्ली-ए शम’-ए ज़ुहूर था
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. This Ghazal is also linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam along with those of other shu’ara composed in the same radeef and qaafiya. Ghalib de-selected many ash’aar for his final print version of the diivaan (included only two). This is the complete version gathered from different manuscripts, collected and dated (1821) by kalidas gupta raza.
1
zo’f1-e junuuN2 ko vaqt-e tapish3 dar4 bhii duur thaa
ek ghar meN muKhtasar-saa5 bayaabaaN6 zaruur7 thaa 1.weakness 2.passion, madness 3.fever, heat 4.door 5.smallish 6.desert 7.certainly
The poet/lover has been weakened by the fever/heat of passion so much that even the door of his house is too far away. He cannot even get to the door to get out into the wilderness and wander like majnuN. But certainly there was a smallish desert in the house that could simulate wilderness in which he could wander. Alternatively, because of his weakness, such a desert was necessary.
2
aye vaa’e1 Ghaflat2-e nig’h3-e shauq4 varna5 yaaN
har paarah6 saNg7 laKht8-e dil-e koh-e-tuur9 thaa 1.also, what sorrow 2.unmindfulness, negligence 3.gaze, sight 4.desire 5.otherwise 6.piece, part 7.stone, rock 8.piece 9.mount tuur
This has reference to the story of moosa/Moses going up mount tuur asking to see god. Just the fact that he asks to see evidence of god’s existence is an indication of the unmindfulness of his sight/discernment. If he had had a discerning eye, he could see that every piece of rock was a piece of the heart/essence of mount tuur i.e., every piece/facet of rock reflects the glory of god. Inspired by this she’r labhuram josh malsiani said …
muusa ki chashm-e shauq na thi taalib-e jamaal
har saNg varna aaina-e barq-e-tuur tha
3
dars1-e tapish2 hai barq3 ko ab jis ke naam se
voh dil hai yeh keh jis kaa taKhallus4 sabuur5 thaa 1.lesson 2.heat, restlessness 3.lightning 4.name 5.patience
Lightning is symbolic of restlessness and and heat. The poet/lover used to have a heart which was named patient/tranquil/restful. But now, (implied because of having fallen in love with the beloved who torutures him by her indifference) it has become so restless that it can give lessons in restlessness to lightning.
4
shaa’ed1 keh mar gaya ter’e ruKhsaar2 dekh kar
paimaana3 raat, maah4 ka labrez5-e noor6 thaa 1.perpaps 2.cheeks 3.cup 4.moon 5.brimful, overflowing 5.light
Last night, the cup of the night was overflowing with light because of the moon. But now this moonlight has disappeared. The poet speculates that the moon may have died of jealousy, upon seeing the glowing cheeks of the beloved.
5
aaiinah dekh apnaa-sa1 muNh le ke rah ga’e
saahib2 ko dil nah dene peh kitnaa Ghuruur3 thaa 1.an expression meaning ‘crestfallen’ 2.an honourific here referring to the beloved 3.pride
The beloved was proud that there was no other who was as beautiful as she was, and that she had not given her heart to anyone. But when she looked into the mirror, she left crestfallen, because she saw an image as beautiful as herself and she fell in love with it.
6
qaasid1 ko apne haath se gardan2 nah maariye
us kii Khataa3 nahiiN hai yeh meraa qusuur4 thaa 1.messenger 2.an expression meaning cutting off the head 3.fault 5.mistake
There are scores of very fun-loving ash’aar that speak to the plight of the messenger that carries messages from the poet/lover to the beloved. See the collection of Ghazal given the title ‘Khat ke javaab meN’, linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam under ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’. Here is an example …
jab naama-bar kiya hai kabuutar ko aye amiir
us ne kabaab bheje haiN Khat ke javaab meN
Here the poet pleads with the beloved, do not cut off the head of messenger, it is not his fault, the fault is all mine. Perhaps he wants to achieve his ultimate goal, to be slain at the hands of the beloved himself.
7
jannat hai teri teGh1 ke kushtoN2 ki muntazir3
jauhar4 savaad5, jalva6-e mizshgaan7-e noor8 thaa 1.sword 2.slain by 3.waiting 4.brilliance, sharpness 5.dark spot, pupil of the eye 6.beauty, glory 7.eyelashes 8.light
Heavens awaits those who are slain by the sword of the beloved. In urdu poetic convention, it is the ardent desire of the lover to be so slain. The sword here is symbolic of her sharp and angry glance. The combination of the brilliance of the pupil of the eye and the glorious brilliance of the eyelashes is what slays the lover.
8
har raNg1 meN jalaa asad2-e fitnah-intezaar3
parvaanah4-e tajallii5-e sham’6-e zuhuur7 thaa 1.colour, style, condition 2.pen-name 3.waiting for tumult (doomsday) 4.moth 5.brilliance 6.lamp 7.(divine) manifestation
asad, the poet is a moth, in love with and circling divine light. He is also ‘fitna-intezaar’ waiting eagerly for doomsday when divine brilliance will manifest itself in full glory. Until then, the moth with burn under any and all conditions and await the final fitna.
mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. This Ghazal is also linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam along with those of other shu’ara composed in the same radeef and qaafiya. Ghalib de-selected many ash’aar for his final print version of the diivaan (included only two). This is the complete version gathered from different manuscripts, collected and dated (1821) by kalidas gupta raza.
1
zo’f1-e junuuN2 ko vaqt-e tapish3 dar4 bhii duur thaa
ek ghar meN muKhtasar-saa5 bayaabaaN6 zaruur7 thaa
1.weakness 2.passion, madness 3.fever, heat 4.door 5.smallish 6.desert 7.certainly
The poet/lover has been weakened by the fever/heat of passion so much that even the door of his house is too far away. He cannot even get to the door to get out into the wilderness and wander like majnuN. But certainly there was a smallish desert in the house that could simulate wilderness in which he could wander. Alternatively, because of his weakness, such a desert was necessary.
2
aye vaa’e1 Ghaflat2-e nig’h3-e shauq4 varna5 yaaN
har paarah6 saNg7 laKht8-e dil-e koh-e-tuur9 thaa
1.also, what sorrow 2.unmindfulness, negligence 3.gaze, sight 4.desire 5.otherwise 6.piece, part 7.stone, rock 8.piece 9.mount tuur
This has reference to the story of moosa/Moses going up mount tuur asking to see god. Just the fact that he asks to see evidence of god’s existence is an indication of the unmindfulness of his sight/discernment. If he had had a discerning eye, he could see that every piece of rock was a piece of the heart/essence of mount tuur i.e., every piece/facet of rock reflects the glory of god. Inspired by this she’r labhuram josh malsiani said …
muusa ki chashm-e shauq na thi taalib-e jamaal
har saNg varna aaina-e barq-e-tuur tha
3
dars1-e tapish2 hai barq3 ko ab jis ke naam se
voh dil hai yeh keh jis kaa taKhallus4 sabuur5 thaa
1.lesson 2.heat, restlessness 3.lightning 4.name 5.patience
Lightning is symbolic of restlessness and and heat. The poet/lover used to have a heart which was named patient/tranquil/restful. But now, (implied because of having fallen in love with the beloved who torutures him by her indifference) it has become so restless that it can give lessons in restlessness to lightning.
4
shaa’ed1 keh mar gaya ter’e ruKhsaar2 dekh kar
paimaana3 raat, maah4 ka labrez5-e noor6 thaa
1.perpaps 2.cheeks 3.cup 4.moon 5.brimful, overflowing 5.light
Last night, the cup of the night was overflowing with light because of the moon. But now this moonlight has disappeared. The poet speculates that the moon may have died of jealousy, upon seeing the glowing cheeks of the beloved.
5
aaiinah dekh apnaa-sa1 muNh le ke rah ga’e
saahib2 ko dil nah dene peh kitnaa Ghuruur3 thaa
1.an expression meaning ‘crestfallen’ 2.an honourific here referring to the beloved 3.pride
The beloved was proud that there was no other who was as beautiful as she was, and that she had not given her heart to anyone. But when she looked into the mirror, she left crestfallen, because she saw an image as beautiful as herself and she fell in love with it.
6
qaasid1 ko apne haath se gardan2 nah maariye
us kii Khataa3 nahiiN hai yeh meraa qusuur4 thaa
1.messenger 2.an expression meaning cutting off the head 3.fault 5.mistake
There are scores of very fun-loving ash’aar that speak to the plight of the messenger that carries messages from the poet/lover to the beloved. See the collection of Ghazal given the title ‘Khat ke javaab meN’, linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam under ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’. Here is an example …
jab naama-bar kiya hai kabuutar ko aye amiir
us ne kabaab bheje haiN Khat ke javaab meN
Here the poet pleads with the beloved, do not cut off the head of messenger, it is not his fault, the fault is all mine. Perhaps he wants to achieve his ultimate goal, to be slain at the hands of the beloved himself.
7
jannat hai teri teGh1 ke kushtoN2 ki muntazir3
jauhar4 savaad5, jalva6-e mizshgaan7-e noor8 thaa
1.sword 2.slain by 3.waiting 4.brilliance, sharpness 5.dark spot, pupil of the eye 6.beauty, glory 7.eyelashes 8.light
Heavens awaits those who are slain by the sword of the beloved. In urdu poetic convention, it is the ardent desire of the lover to be so slain. The sword here is symbolic of her sharp and angry glance. The combination of the brilliance of the pupil of the eye and the glorious brilliance of the eyelashes is what slays the lover.
8
har raNg1 meN jalaa asad2-e fitnah-intezaar3
parvaanah4-e tajallii5-e sham’6-e zuhuur7 thaa
1.colour, style, condition 2.pen-name 3.waiting for tumult (doomsday) 4.moth 5.brilliance 6.lamp 7.(divine) manifestation
asad, the poet is a moth, in love with and circling divine light. He is also ‘fitna-intezaar’ waiting eagerly for doomsday when divine brilliance will manifest itself in full glory. Until then, the moth with burn under any and all conditions and await the final fitna.
