For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
کفر کو ایماں کئے ہوئے ۔ جمنا پرشاد راہیؔ
۱
پتّھر کو رشکِ آئینہ ساماں کئے ہوئے
سجدہ روا ہوں کفر کو ایماں کئے ہوئے
۲
ہر شمعِ خانہ دُود فراواں کئے ہوئے
حسرت بہ جاں ہوں دید کا ارماں کئے ہوئے
۳
بے آگہیِ سر تھا مجھے کارِ بے خودی
دل مطمئن ہے عقل کو میزاں کئے ہوئے
۴
وہ چارہ سازِ سوزِ جراحت تو ہیں مگر
نشتر زباں کو دل کو نمک داں کئے ہوئے
۵
معتوبِ اِعتبار ہوں مصروفِ انتظار
منظر کی خاک غازۂ مژگاں کئے ہوئے
۶
تیرہ شبی قبائے سیہ تن بچا کے رکھ
ہر شمع شعلہ رو ہے چراغاں کئے ہوئے
۷
محتاط ہو بیاں میں زباں لب کشیدہ ہے
یعنی ہو خود کو خود کا نگہبان کئے ہوئے
۸
آزادِ قید و بند ہے زعمِ جنوں میں قیس
زنجیرِ پا کو تارِ گریباں کئے ہوئے
۹
پڑھتا ہوں چہرہ چہرہ اُبھرتی عبادتیں
ہوں طفلِ پیر، گھر کو دبستاں کئے ہوئے
कुफ़्र को ईमां किये हुए – जमुना प्रसाद रहा
१
पत्थर को रश्क-ए आईना-सामां किये हुए
सजदा रवा हुं कुफ़्र को ईमां किये हुए
२
हर शम’अ-ए ख़ाना दूद फ़रावां किये हुए
हस्रत ब-जां हुं दीद का अर्मां किये हुए
३
बे-आगही-ए सर था मुझे कार-ए बेख़ुदी
दिल मुत्म’इन है अक़्ल को मीज़ां किये हुए
४
वो चारा-साज़-ए सोज़-ए जराहत तो हैं मगर
नश्तर ज़बां को दिल को नमक-दां किये हुए
५
मातूब-ए ए’तेबार हुं मस्रूफ़-ए इंतज़ार
मंज़र की ख़ाक ग़ाज़ा-ए मिज़्श्गां किये हुए
६
तीरा-शबी क़बा-ए सियह-तन बचा के रख
हर शम’अ शोला-रू है चराग़ां किये हुए
७
मोहतात हो बयां में ज़बां लब कशीदा है
या’नी हो ख़ुद को ख़ुद का निगहबां किये हुए
८
आज़ाद-ए क़ैद ओ बन्द है ज़ो’म-ए जुनूं में क़ैस
ज़ंजीर-ए पा को तार-ए गरेबां किये हुए
९
पढ़ता हुं चेहरा चेहरा उभरती इबादतें
हूं तिफ़्ल-ए पीर, घर को दबिस्तां किये हुए
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jamna prashaad raahi (1940-2017), aligaRh. Sahitya Akademi, UP, awardee. President, Progressive Writers’ Association. He specialized in composing in the style of Ghalib and traced his literary lineage to daaGh dehlavi. He has a whole collection in the style of Ghalib called ‘baazgasht-e Ghalib’. This Ghazal in the style of Ghalib’s ‘yaar ko mehmaaN kiye hue’ is linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
patthar ko rashk1-e aaiina-saamaaN2 kiye hue
sajda-ravaa3 huN kufr4 ko iimaaN5 kiye hue 1.envy 2.means of making a mirror 3.offering permitted prostration 4.non-faith 5.faith
A stone/rock is rough. It is not an object of veneration. The mirror on the other hand is polished, smooth and is much sought after … much more than a rock. Here kufr (non-faith) and imaan (faith) are parallels of stone and mirror. But the first misra tells us that stone is used as a means of making polishing mirrors (in the middle ages mirrors were made of metal sheets polished fine with a stone until they were smooth enough to reflect). Thus, his kufr has become an enabler of imaan – stone is a means of making a mirror. So, he thinks it is permitted to prostrate before a rock/idol. This may simply suggest that sincerity of devotion is more important than whether you ritualistically prostrate yourselves before an idol or before a spirit.
2
har sham’a1-e Khaana2 dood-faraavaaN3 kiye hue
hasrat4 ba-jaaN5 huN diid6 ka armaaN7 kiye hue 1.lamp, candle 2.house 3.excess/plentiful smoke 4.longing 5.in the soul/heart 6.sighting, glimpse 7.desire
Every candle in the house is shrouded in an excess of smoke (which it may itself be creaating) i.e., truth/knowledge/light is hidden in a fog of superstitions/rituals. The poet/seeker is ‘hasrat be-jaaN’ – carrying longing in his heart such that he becomes an embodiment of longing/seeking and has an intense desire of a glimpse of truth/knowledge.
3
be-aagahi1-e sar2 tha mujhe kaar3-e be-Khudi4
dil mutma’in5 hai aql6 ko miizaaN7 kiye hue 1.lack of awareness/knowledge 2.head, mind 3.work of 4.trance, unaware/foggy mind 5.satisfied 6.intellect 7.balance, judge
In traditional/conventional poetry faith is valued over mind/reason. I am happy to see this poet value reasoning higher than faith. Thus, lack of awareness of the mind is the work of trance/fog for me. My heart is satisfied with making the intellect a judge of facts.
4
vo chaara-saaz1-e soz2-e jaraahat3 to haiN magar
nashtar4 zabaaN ko dil ko namak-daaN5 kiye hue 1.healer 2.pain 3.wound 4.knife 5.saltshaker
The saltshaker here is used in the sense of pouring salt on the wound, making it even more painful. In the first misra ‘vo’ refers to the beloved. She is the healer of the burning/pain of the wound of the heart but using her tongue like a knife and my heart as a saltshaker. Said Ghalib …
phir pursish-e jaraahat-e dil ko chalaa hai ishq
saamaan-e sad-hazaar namak-daaN kiye hue
5
maa’toob1-e e’tebaar2 huN masroof3-e intezaar4
manzar5 ki Khaak6 Ghaaza7-e mizshgaaN8 kiye hue 1.annoying, rebuked 2.trust, credibility 3.busy 4.waiting 5.scene 6.dust 7.collyrium, eye lotion 8.eyelashes
I am rebuked by credibility because I am busy waiting (for the beloved, who will never come) taking the dust around to use as collyrium of the eyelashes. Collyrium is also considered to be good for vision. Thus, the poet/lover is sharpening his sight, which is added reason for being rebuked by credibility.
6
tiira-shabi1 qabaa2-e siyah-tan3 bacha ke rakh
har sham’a4 sho’la-ruu5 hai charaaGhaaN6 kiye hue 1.darkness of night 2.robe 3.black bodied 4.candle 5.fire-faced 6.lighting up, illumination
The poet appears to be warning/threatening the darkness of night … be careful about your black robe, every lamp here has a face that is on fire lighting everything around. This could possibly mean that the darkness of night is ignorance or injustice and every lamp is a shaa’er/poet with the light of knowledge and the fire of anger (at injustice). The dark robe of the night of ignorance/injustice can catch fire and burn up.
7
mohtaat1 ho bayaaN2 meN, zabaaN lab-kashiida3 hai
yaa’ni ho Khud ko Khud ka nigahbaaN4 kiye hue 1.careful 2.speech 3.aggrieved by the lips 4.caretaker, guardian, watchman
Be careful in your speech for the tongue has aggrieved/caused sorrow to the lips (by careless speech), meaning you have to be your own watchman, watching your words.
8
aazaad1-e qaid2 o band3 hai zo’m4-e junooN5 meN qais6
zanjiir7-e paa8 ko taar9-e garebaaN10 kiye hue 1.free 2.imprisonment 3.confinement 4.pride, confidence 5.passion 6.majnuN of laila majnuN legend 7.chain 8.feet 9.thread 10.collar
The lover goes about with shirt front/collar torn in a display of intense passion. A torn collar is a matter of pride for the lover. Thus, even though the mad lover majnuN has been put in prison with chains on his feet, he is a free spirit because of his confidence in his own passion. He displays his chains with pride like threads of a shredded collar.
9
paRhta1 huN chehra-chehra2 ubharti3 ibaadateN4
huN tifl5-e piir6, ghar7 ko dabistaaN8 kiye hue 1.read 2.every face 3.emerging, rising, superficial 4.worship, devotion 5.infant, child 6.old, senior, mature 7.home, heart 9.school
There are several liberties to be taken in interpreting this. I interpret ‘tifl-e piir’ to mean a mature person with childlike curiosity. The poet is such a person. He reads/learns with his heart, and is able to see in every face a superficial/ritualistic devotion/worship as opposed to sincere and spiritual understanding.
jamna prashaad raahi (1940-2017), aligaRh. Sahitya Akademi, UP, awardee. President, Progressive Writers’ Association. He specialized in composing in the style of Ghalib and traced his literary lineage to daaGh dehlavi. He has a whole collection in the style of Ghalib called ‘baazgasht-e Ghalib’. This Ghazal in the style of Ghalib’s ‘yaar ko mehmaaN kiye hue’ is linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’.
1
patthar ko rashk1-e aaiina-saamaaN2 kiye hue
sajda-ravaa3 huN kufr4 ko iimaaN5 kiye hue
1.envy 2.means of making a mirror 3.offering permitted prostration 4.non-faith 5.faith
A stone/rock is rough. It is not an object of veneration. The mirror on the other hand is polished, smooth and is much sought after … much more than a rock. Here kufr (non-faith) and imaan (faith) are parallels of stone and mirror. But the first misra tells us that stone is used as a means of making polishing mirrors (in the middle ages mirrors were made of metal sheets polished fine with a stone until they were smooth enough to reflect). Thus, his kufr has become an enabler of imaan – stone is a means of making a mirror. So, he thinks it is permitted to prostrate before a rock/idol. This may simply suggest that sincerity of devotion is more important than whether you ritualistically prostrate yourselves before an idol or before a spirit.
2
har sham’a1-e Khaana2 dood-faraavaaN3 kiye hue
hasrat4 ba-jaaN5 huN diid6 ka armaaN7 kiye hue
1.lamp, candle 2.house 3.excess/plentiful smoke 4.longing 5.in the soul/heart 6.sighting, glimpse 7.desire
Every candle in the house is shrouded in an excess of smoke (which it may itself be creaating) i.e., truth/knowledge/light is hidden in a fog of superstitions/rituals. The poet/seeker is ‘hasrat be-jaaN’ – carrying longing in his heart such that he becomes an embodiment of longing/seeking and has an intense desire of a glimpse of truth/knowledge.
3
be-aagahi1-e sar2 tha mujhe kaar3-e be-Khudi4
dil mutma’in5 hai aql6 ko miizaaN7 kiye hue
1.lack of awareness/knowledge 2.head, mind 3.work of 4.trance, unaware/foggy mind 5.satisfied 6.intellect 7.balance, judge
In traditional/conventional poetry faith is valued over mind/reason. I am happy to see this poet value reasoning higher than faith. Thus, lack of awareness of the mind is the work of trance/fog for me. My heart is satisfied with making the intellect a judge of facts.
4
vo chaara-saaz1-e soz2-e jaraahat3 to haiN magar
nashtar4 zabaaN ko dil ko namak-daaN5 kiye hue
1.healer 2.pain 3.wound 4.knife 5.saltshaker
The saltshaker here is used in the sense of pouring salt on the wound, making it even more painful. In the first misra ‘vo’ refers to the beloved. She is the healer of the burning/pain of the wound of the heart but using her tongue like a knife and my heart as a saltshaker. Said Ghalib …
phir pursish-e jaraahat-e dil ko chalaa hai ishq
saamaan-e sad-hazaar namak-daaN kiye hue
5
maa’toob1-e e’tebaar2 huN masroof3-e intezaar4
manzar5 ki Khaak6 Ghaaza7-e mizshgaaN8 kiye hue
1.annoying, rebuked 2.trust, credibility 3.busy 4.waiting 5.scene 6.dust 7.collyrium, eye lotion 8.eyelashes
I am rebuked by credibility because I am busy waiting (for the beloved, who will never come) taking the dust around to use as collyrium of the eyelashes. Collyrium is also considered to be good for vision. Thus, the poet/lover is sharpening his sight, which is added reason for being rebuked by credibility.
6
tiira-shabi1 qabaa2-e siyah-tan3 bacha ke rakh
har sham’a4 sho’la-ruu5 hai charaaGhaaN6 kiye hue
1.darkness of night 2.robe 3.black bodied 4.candle 5.fire-faced 6.lighting up, illumination
The poet appears to be warning/threatening the darkness of night … be careful about your black robe, every lamp here has a face that is on fire lighting everything around. This could possibly mean that the darkness of night is ignorance or injustice and every lamp is a shaa’er/poet with the light of knowledge and the fire of anger (at injustice). The dark robe of the night of ignorance/injustice can catch fire and burn up.
7
mohtaat1 ho bayaaN2 meN, zabaaN lab-kashiida3 hai
yaa’ni ho Khud ko Khud ka nigahbaaN4 kiye hue
1.careful 2.speech 3.aggrieved by the lips 4.caretaker, guardian, watchman
Be careful in your speech for the tongue has aggrieved/caused sorrow to the lips (by careless speech), meaning you have to be your own watchman, watching your words.
8
aazaad1-e qaid2 o band3 hai zo’m4-e junooN5 meN qais6
zanjiir7-e paa8 ko taar9-e garebaaN10 kiye hue
1.free 2.imprisonment 3.confinement 4.pride, confidence 5.passion 6.majnuN of laila majnuN legend 7.chain 8.feet 9.thread 10.collar
The lover goes about with shirt front/collar torn in a display of intense passion. A torn collar is a matter of pride for the lover. Thus, even though the mad lover majnuN has been put in prison with chains on his feet, he is a free spirit because of his confidence in his own passion. He displays his chains with pride like threads of a shredded collar.
9
paRhta1 huN chehra-chehra2 ubharti3 ibaadateN4
huN tifl5-e piir6, ghar7 ko dabistaaN8 kiye hue
1.read 2.every face 3.emerging, rising, superficial 4.worship, devotion 5.infant, child 6.old, senior, mature 7.home, heart 9.school
There are several liberties to be taken in interpreting this. I interpret ‘tifl-e piir’ to mean a mature person with childlike curiosity. The poet is such a person. He reads/learns with his heart, and is able to see in every face a superficial/ritualistic devotion/worship as opposed to sincere and spiritual understanding.
