Recitation
کرشن پھر آئیں گے ۔ ساحر لدھیانوی
کرشن نے وعدہ کیا تھا کہ وہ پھر آئیں گے
جب بھی دھرتی پہ گناہوں کا اندھیرا چھایا
جب کبھی ظلم اور شقاوت کا علم لہرایا
کرشن نے وعدہ کیا تھا کہ وہ پھر آئیں گے
اور جب ایسے ہی حالات نے پنجے گاڑے
ظلم نے سولیاں، وحشت نے شکنجے گاڑے
اور بھارت پہ کڑا وقت پڑا
کرشن پھر آئے غلاموں کا لہو گرمانے
کرشن پھر آئے مگر اب کی بار
بانسری کی جگہ ہاتھوں میں قلم تھا اُن کے
یہ قلم رسم و روایات کے آگے نہ جھکا
زنگ آلود خیالات کے آگے نہ جھکا
ظلم کے جبر کے آفات کے آگے نہ جھکا
صبح کا نور تھا یہ رات کے آگے نہ جھکا
اور جب ظلم کے بندھن ٹوٹے
قیدِ افرنگ سے قیدی چھوٹے
یہ قلم اور بھی بے باک ہوا
اب اِسے اپنا نہیں سارے جہاں کا غم تھا
سارے مظلوموں کا یہ ہمدم و دم ساز بنا
اُس کی آواز کو کانگو کی فضا جانتی ہے
الجزائر کے شہیدوں کی قبا جانتی ہے
کوریا کے دِلِ صد چاک کو ہے اس کی خبر
ہیروشیما کی سم آلود ہوا جانتی ہے
ویت نام آج بھی سُنتا ہے صدائیں اُس کی
مصر کی ارضِ حسیں اُس کی وفا جانتی ہے
اپنے حق کے لئے لڑتی ہوئی ساری مخلوق
اُس کی آواز کو پیغامِ بقا جانتی ہے
کرشن نے وعدہ کیا تھا کہ وہ پھر آئیں گے
کرشن پھر آئے ۔۔۔۔
مگر اب کی بار، ہم اُنہیں دیر میں پہچان سکے
سارے سنسار نے جب جان لیا تب کہیں جان سکے
ہم بہت دیر میں یہ مان سکے
کرشن اِک ذات نہیں ایک عمل ہوتا ہے
کرشن اِک سلسلہ جہدِ بقا ہے یعنی
آج ہوتا ہے کوئی اِس کا نہ کل ہوتا ہے
کرشن ہر دور میں آتا ہے نیا روپ لئے
کرشن ہر دور کے ارمانوں کا پھل ہوتا ہے
कृश्न फिर आएंगे – साहिर लुधियानवी
कृश्न ने वादा किया था के वो फिर आएंगे
जब भी धरती पे गुनाहों का अँधेरा छाया
जब कभी ज़ुल्म और शक़ावत का अलम लहराया
कृश्न ने वादा किया था के वो फिर आएंगे
और जब ऐसे ही हालात ने पंजे गाड़े
ज़ुल्म ने सूलियां, वहशत ने शिकंजे गाड़े
और भारत पे कड़ा वक़्त पड़ा
कृश्न फिर आये ग़ुलामों का लहू गरमाने
कृश्न फिर आये मगर अब की बार
बांसुरी की जगह हाथों में क़लम था उन के
ये क़लम रस्म ओ रिवायात के आगे न झुका
ज़ंग आलूद ख़यालात के आगे न झुका
ज़ुल्म के जब्र के आफ़ात के आगे न झुका
सुबह का नूर था ये रात के आगे न झुका
और जब ज़ुल्म के बंधन टूटे
क़ैद-ए अफ़रंग से क़ैदी छूटे
ये क़लम और भी बे-बाक हुआ
अब इसे अपना नहीं सारे जहां का ग़म था
सारे मज़्लूमों का ये हमदम ओ दम-साज़ बना
उस की आवाज़ को कांगो की फ़िज़ा जानती है
अलजज़ाएर के शहीदों की क़बा जानती है
कोरिया के दिल-ए सद-चाक को है उस की ख़बर
हीरोशीमा की सम-आलूद हवा जानती है
वियतनाम आज भी सुनता है सदाएं उस की
मिस्र की अर्ज़-ए हसीं उस की वफ़ा जानती है
अपने हक़ के लिए लड़ती हुई सारी मख़्लूक़
उस की आवाज़ को पैग़ाम-ए बक़ा जानती है
कृश्न ने वादा किया था के वो फिर आएंगे
कृश्न फिर आए —-
मगर अब की बार, हम उन्हें देर में पहचान सके
सारे संसार ने जब जान लिया तब कहीं पहचान सके
हम बहुत देर में ये मान सके
कृश्न एक ज़ात नहीं, एक अमल होता है
कृश्न एक सिलसिला-ए जहद-ए बक़ा है यानी
आज होता है कोई इस का न कल होता है
कृश्न हर दौर में आता है नया रूप लिए
कृश्न हर दौर में अरमानों का फल होता है
krishn phir aayeN ge – sahir ludhianavi
Click here for overall comments and on any passage for word meanings and discussion. sahir wrote this as a tribute to krishan chander, novelist, dramatist and short story writer (both urdu and hindi) and a very active and early supporter of the Progressive Writers’ Movement. ‘krishn’ is a play on words with krishan chander and the Hindu god krishn who is considered an incarnation of vishnu and is supposed to come as and when conditions in the world demand. sahir gives a new meaning to this incarnation. His nazm has a wider meaning than just a tribute to krishan chander and is still relevant. It is also a tribute to all writers/poets.
krishn ne vaada1 kiya tha ke vo phir aayeN ge
jab bhi dharti2 pe gunaahauN3 ka andhera chhaaya
jab kabhi zulm4 aur shaqaavat5 ka alam6 lahraaya
krishn ne vaada kiya tha ke vo phir aayeN ge1.promise 2.earth 3.sin/evil 4.oppression 5.misery 6.flag/banner
krishn had promised that he would come again. Whenever the earth was darkened by evil, whenever oppression and misery raise their flag, krishn promised that he would come.
aur jab aise hi haalaat1 ne panje2 gaaRe
zulm3 ne sooliyaaN4, vahshat5 ne shikanje6 gaaRe1.conditions 2.claws 3.oppression 4.gallows, cross 5.barbarity, savagery 6.clamp, vice
And when exactly such conditions arose and dug their claws, when oppression raised gallows and barbarity tightened its grip …
aur bharat pe kaRa1 vaqt paRa
krishn phir aaye GhulaamauN ka lahu2 garmaane1.hard, difficult 2.blood
… when times were hard on India, kirshn came again to warm the blood of the enslaved/colonized (to encourage them to action).
krishn phir aaye magar ab ki baar
baansuri ki jagah haathauN meN qalam tha un kekrishn came again, but this time around instead of a flute he had a pen in his hands. This obviously has a reference to the writings of krishan chander, but also a subtle tribute to all writers.
ye qalam rasm-o-rivaayaat1 ke aage na jhuka
zaNg-aalood2 Khayaalaat ke aage na jhuka
zulm3 ke jabr4 ke aafaat5 ke aage na jhuka
subah ka noor6 tha ye raat ke aage na jhuka1.rituals and traditions 2.rusted 3.oppression 4.force 5.calamities, disasters 6.light
This pen did not bow to traditions and rituals, it did not accept rusted old thoughts. It did not bow to the force of oppression, did not panic in disasters. It was the light of dawn, it did not fear darkness.
aur jab zulm ke bandhan TooTe
qaid1-e afraNg2 se qaidi chhooTe
ye qalam aur bhi be-baak3 hua1.prison 2.European/British 3.fearless
And when the ties of oppression were broken, when prisoners got out of the yoke of British rule, this pen became even more fearless.
ab ise apna nahiN saare jahaaN ka Gham tha
saare mazloomauN1 ka ye humdum2 o dum-saaz3 bana1.oppressed 2.friend 3.helper, confidant
Now it was not concerned just about itself but about the whole world. It took ownership of/felt kinship with all the oppressed of the world. This was a time when the Progressive Writers’ Movement, krishan chander included, was reaching out and making common cause with writers in the Third World, most strongly in Africa.
us ki aavaaz ko congo ki fiza1 jaanti thi
aljazaa’er2 ke shaheedauN3 ki qaba4 jaanti thi
korea ke dil-e sad-chaak5 ko hai us ki Khabar6 1.air, ambience, conditions 2.Algeria 3.martyrs 4.robe 5.torn in a hundred places 6.awareness, knowledge
These are some of the many places where anti-colonial struggles were going on and poets/writers in India were expressing solidarity with them. Its (the pen’s) voice knew of the conditions in Congo, and of the martyrs killed in Algeria. It was aware of the heart rending struggle in Korea.
hiroshima ki sam-aalood1 hava jaanti hai
vietnaam aaj bhi sunta hai sadaa’eN2 uski1.poison laden 2.cries
The poisoned air of Hiroshima knows its (the pen’s) voice, Vietnam still hears its cries.
misr1 ki arz-e-hasiN2 us ki vafa3 jaanti hai
apne haq4 ke liye laRti hui saari maKhlooq5
us ki aavaaz ko paiGhaam-e-baqa6 jaanti hai1.Egypt 2.beautiful land 3.faith, loyalty, friendship 4.rights 5.creations, people 6.message of survival
The beautiful land of Egypt knows of its friendship/loyalty. All of creation that is fighting for its rights considers it the message of survival.
krishn ne vaada kiya tha ke vo phir aayeN ge
krish phir aaye —-krishn had promised that he would come again. krish came again.
magar ab ki baar, hum unheN der meN pahchaan sakey
saare sansaar ne jab jaan liya tab kahiN pahchaan sakey But this time, it took us a while to recognize him. We acknowledged him only after the rest of the world accepted him.
hum bahut der meN ye maan1 sake
krishn ek zaat2 nahiN, ek amal3 hota hai
krishn ek silsila4-e jahd-e-baqa5 hai ya’ani6
aaj hota hai koii is ka na kal hota hai1.agree, accept 2.person, being 3.action 4.continuous 5.struggle for existence/survival/justice 6.it means
It took us a long time to accept that krishn is not a being but an action/movement. It means that krishn is a continuous struggle for justice. It is not for today or tomorrow but eternal.
krishn har daur1 meN aata hai naya roop2 liye
krish har daur ke armaanauN3 ka phal hota hai 1.period, times 2.face, shape 3.desires/demands (for justice)
krishn comes in every age taking a new form. krishn is the fruition of the demands for justice.
krishn phir aayeN ge – sahir ludhianavi
sahir wrote this as a tribute to krishan chander, novelist, dramatist and short story writer (both urdu and hindi) and a very active and early supporter of the Progressive Writers’ Movement. ‘krishn’ is a play on words with krishan chander and the Hindu god krishn who is considered an incarnation of vishnu and is supposed to come as and when conditions in the world demand. sahir gives a new meaning to this incarnation. His nazm has a wider meaning than just a tribute to krishan chander and is still relevant. It is also a tribute to all writers/poets.
krishn ne vaada1 kiya tha ke vo phir aayeN ge
jab bhi dharti2 pe gunaahauN3 ka andhera chhaaya
jab kabhi zulm4 aur shaqaavat5 ka alam6 lahraaya
krishn ne vaada kiya tha ke vo phir aayeN ge
1.promise 2.earth 3.sin/evil 4.oppression 5.misery 6.flag/banner
krishn had promised that he would come again. Whenever the earth was darkened by evil, whenever oppression and misery raise their flag, krishn promised that he would come.
aur jab aise hi haalaat1 ne panje2 gaaRe
zulm3 ne sooliyaaN4, vahshat5 ne shikanje6 gaaRe
1.conditions 2.claws 3.oppression 4.gallows, cross 5.barbarity, savagery 6.clamp, vice
And when exactly such conditions arose and dug their claws, when oppression raised gallows and barbarity tightened its grip …
aur bharat pe kaRa1 vaqt paRa
krishn phir aaye GhulaamauN ka lahu2 garmaane
1.hard, difficult 2.blood
… when times were hard on India, kirshn came again to warm the blood of the enslaved/colonized (to encourage them to action).
krishn phir aaye magar ab ki baar
baansuri ki jagah haathauN meN qalam tha un ke
krishn came again, but this time around instead of a flute he had a pen in his hands. This obviously has a reference to the writings of krishan chander, but also a subtle tribute to all writers.
ye qalam rasm-o-rivaayaat1 ke aage na jhuka
zaNg-aalood2 Khayaalaat ke aage na jhuka
zulm3 ke jabr4 ke aafaat5 ke aage na jhuka
subah ka noor6 tha ye raat ke aage na jhuka
1.rituals and traditions 2.rusted 3.oppression 4.force 5.calamities, disasters 6.light
This pen did not bow to traditions and rituals, it did not accept rusted old thoughts. It did not bow to the force of oppression, did not panic in disasters. It was the light of dawn, it did not fear darkness.
aur jab zulm ke bandhan TooTe
qaid1-e afraNg2 se qaidi chhooTe
ye qalam aur bhi be-baak3 hua
1.prison 2.European/British 3.fearless
And when the ties of oppression were broken, when prisoners got out of the yoke of British rule, this pen became even more fearless.
ab ise apna nahiN saare jahaaN ka Gham tha
saare mazloomauN1 ka ye humdum2 o dum-saaz3 bana
1.oppressed 2.friend 3.helper, confidant
Now it was not concerned just about itself but about the whole world. It took ownership of/felt kinship with all the oppressed of the world. This was a time when the Progressive Writers’ Movement, krishan chander included, was reaching out and making common cause with writers in the Third World, most strongly in Africa.
us ki aavaaz ko congo ki fiza1 jaanti thi
aljazaa’er2 ke shaheedauN3 ki qaba4 jaanti thi
korea ke dil-e sad-chaak5 ko hai us ki Khabar6
1.air, ambience, conditions 2.Algeria 3.martyrs 4.robe 5.torn in a hundred places 6.awareness, knowledge
These are some of the many places where anti-colonial struggles were going on and poets/writers in India were expressing solidarity with them. Its (the pen’s) voice knew of the conditions in Congo, and of the martyrs killed in Algeria. It was aware of the heart rending struggle in Korea.
hiroshima ki sam-aalood1 hava jaanti hai
vietnaam aaj bhi sunta hai sadaa’eN2 uski
1.poison laden 2.cries
The poisoned air of Hiroshima knows its (the pen’s) voice, Vietnam still hears its cries.
misr1 ki arz-e-hasiN2 us ki vafa3 jaanti hai
apne haq4 ke liye laRti hui saari maKhlooq5
us ki aavaaz ko paiGhaam-e-baqa6 jaanti hai
1.Egypt 2.beautiful land 3.faith, loyalty, friendship 4.rights 5.creations, people 6.message of survival
The beautiful land of Egypt knows of its friendship/loyalty. All of creation that is fighting for its rights considers it the message of survival.
krishn ne vaada kiya tha ke vo phir aayeN ge
krish phir aaye —-
krishn had promised that he would come again. krish came again.
magar ab ki baar, hum unheN der meN pahchaan sakey
saare sansaar ne jab jaan liya tab kahiN pahchaan sakey
But this time, it took us a while to recognize him. We acknowledged him only after the rest of the world accepted him.
hum bahut der meN ye maan1 sake
krishn ek zaat2 nahiN, ek amal3 hota hai
krishn ek silsila4-e jahd-e-baqa5 hai ya’ani6
aaj hota hai koii is ka na kal hota hai
1.agree, accept 2.person, being 3.action 4.continuous 5.struggle for existence/survival/justice 6.it means
It took us a long time to accept that krishn is not a being but an action/movement. It means that krishn is a continuous struggle for justice. It is not for today or tomorrow but eternal.
krishn har daur1 meN aata hai naya roop2 liye
krish har daur ke armaanauN3 ka phal hota hai
1.period, times 2.face, shape 3.desires/demands (for justice)
krishn comes in every age taking a new form. krishn is the fruition of the demands for justice.
Key Search Words: cross-religious, cross religious, kaaba kaashi, k’aaba-kaashi, k’aaba kaashi, krishn bhakti
