For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ماہِ کامل دیکھ کر ۔ شیر سنگھ نازؔ دہلوی
۱
دل دیا ہے ہم نے بھی وہ ماہِ کامل دیکھ کر
زرد ہو جاتی ہے جس کو شمعِ محفل دیکھ کر
۲
تیرے عارض پہ یہ نقطہ بھی ہے کتنا اِنتخاب
ہو گیا روشن ترے رخسار کا تِل دیکھ کر
۳
قتل کرنا بے گناہوں کا کوئی آساں نہیں
خشک قاتل کا لہو ہے خونِ بسمل دیکھ کر
۴
بَلّیوں فرطِ مسرّت سے اُچھل جاتا ہے دل
بحرِ غم میں دُور سے دامانِ ساحل دیکھ کر
۵
آئینہ نے کر دیا یکتائی کا دعویٰ غلط
نقشِ حیرت بن گئے اپنا مقابل دیکھ کر
۶
دیکھ تو لیں، دل میں تیرے گھر بھی کر سکتے ہیں ہم
دل تو ہم دیں گے تجھے، لیکن ترا دل دیکھ کر
۷
دیکھئے راہِ عدم میں اور پیش آتا ہے کیا
ہوش پرّاں ہو رہے ہیں پہلی منزل دیکھ کر
۸
آرزوئے حور کیا ہو ناز دل دے کر اُنھیں
شمع پر کیا آنکھ ڈالیں، ماہِ کامل دیکھ کر
माह-ए कामिल देख कर – शेर सिंघ नाज़ देहलवी
१
दिल दिया है हम ने भी वो माह-ए कामिल देख कर
ज़र्द हो जाती है जिस को शम’अ-ए महफ़िल देख कर
२
तेरे आरेज़ पे ये नुक़्ता भी है कितना इंतेख़ाब
हो गया रौशन तेरे रुख़्सार का तिल देख कर
३
क़त्ल करना बे-गुनाहौं का कोई आसां नहीं
ख़ुश्क क़ातिल का लहू है ख़ून-ए बिस्मिल देख कर
४
बल्लियौं फ़र्त-ए मसर्रत से उछल जाता है दिल
बहर-ए ग़म में दूर से दामान-ए साहल देख कर
५
आईने ने कर दिया यक्ताई का दा’वा ग़लत
नक़्श-ए हैरत बन गये अपना मुक़ाबिल देख कर
६
देख तो लें, दिल में तेरे घर भी कर सकते हैं हम
दिल तो हम देंगे तुझे, लैकिन तेरा दिल देख कर
७
देखिये राह-ए अदम में और पेश आता है क्या
होश पर्रां हो रहे हैं पहली मंज़िल देख कर
८
आर्ज़ू-ए हूर क्या हो नाज़ दिल दे कर उन्हें
शम’अ पर क्या आंख डालें, माह-ए कामिल देख कर
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. lala sher singh jain naaz dehlavi (1897-1962) was an observant, orthodox jain who learnt urdu after an early education in English. In addition to Ghazal in chaste urdu, he wrote several odes to jain religious figures, surely for an audience of urdu speaking jains. This Ghazal is composed in the style of Ghalib’s “zarf-e qadah-Khwaar dekh kar”, even though the qaafiya is quite different. naaz dehlavi has composed several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib, so this is linked along with several others to the appropriate icon under Theme Index, Ghalib naqsh-e qadam even though the qaafiya is different.
1
dil diya hai hum ne bhi vo maah1-e kaamil2 dekh kar
zard3 ho jaati hai jis ko sham’a4-e mahfil5 dekh kar 1.moon 2.complete, perfect, full 3.pale 4.lamp, candle 5.gathering
The “sham’a-e mahfil” is the centre of attention. In a gathering of shu’ara it is placed before the shaa’er whose turn it is to recite. But even such an honoured entity goes pale before the ‘maah-e kaamil’. Of course, the beloved is the full moon – or as beautiful as the full moon. Thus, I have given my heart to such a ‘maah-e kaamil’ that even the ‘sham’a-e mahfil’ goes pale before her. This is no ordinary ‘maah-e kaamil’.
2
tere aariz1 pe ye nuqta2 bhi hai kitna inteKhaab3
ho gaya raushan4 tere ruKhsaar5 ka til6 dekh kar 1.appearance, face 2.point, spot 3.selection 4.bright, shining 5.cheek, face 6.mole
It appears from the context of the she’r that the beloved has a natural mole on her cheek (this is a highly regarded sign of beauty). In addition to the mole, she has applied a beauty spot somewhere on the face. This beauty spot is such a stunning selection that it shines (reflects the light) of the original, thus doubling her beauty.
3
qatl1 karna be-gunaahoN2 ka koii aasaaN nahiiN
Khushk3 qaatil4 ka lahu5 hai Khoon-e bismil6 dekh kar 1.slaughter 2.innocent, blameless 3.dry 4.killer, slaughterer 5.blood 6.sacrificial offering
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is the slaughter and the poet/lover the sacrificial offering. In usual poetic tradition she does this left and right without a second thought. But here, there is a slight twist of convention offered. It is not all that easy to slaughter innocents. Her blood dries up, congeals, stops flowing, she is stunned upon seeing the blood of the sacrificial offering. This could be because of pity or regret, maybe even fear of divine retribution. We are left to guess.
4
balliyoN1 fart2-e masarrat3 se uchhal jaata hai dil
bahr4-e Gham5 meN duur se daamaan6-e saahil7 dekh kar 1.balliyoN uchhalna is an expression meaning elated 2.plenty 3.happiness 4.ocean 5.sorrow 6.hem of the apron, edge, shoreline 7.shore
The poet/lover is drowning in an ocean of sorrow. From afar he spots what appears to be the shoreline (some hope). Of course, under these conditions his heart jumps up/throbs excitedly in an excess of happiness. Beyond this word meaning, I don’t see much in this.
5
aaine1 ne kar diya yaktaaii2 ka daa’va3 Ghalat4
naqsh5-e hairat6 ban gaye apna muqaabil7 dekh kar 1.mirror 2.uniqueness, unequalled 3.claim 4.wrong 5.engraving, picture 6.amazement 7.equal
The beloved claims to be unique in her unsurpassed beauty. But then she looks into the mirror and it proves her claim wrong. She becomes a picture of amazement upon seeing someone else equal to her in beauty.
6
dekh to leN, dil meN tere ghar bhi kar sakte haiN hum
dil to hum deNge tujhe, laikin tera dil dekh kar Let me try it out and see if I can make a home in your heart. I will give my heart to you, that much is certain, but only after seeing your heart. He either wants to see if she is so hard hearted that he cannot possible make a home in her heart or if she has already too many people there and there is no room left. But then raising all these possibilities either negates the claim that he will certainly give her his heart or makes a claim that he is confident that he will be able to change the situation in his favour.
7
dekhiye raah1-e adam2 meN aur pesh3 aata hai kya
hosh4 parraaN5 ho rahe haiN pahli6 manzil7 dekh kar 1.pathway 2.oblivion, annihilation, next world 3.confronted 4.awareness, courage 5.acquire wings 6.first 7.stage
Let us see what else we confront on the way towards the next world. All courage flies away when confronted by just the first stage of this journey. Said mir taqi mir …
raah-e duur-e ishq meN rotaa hai kya
aage aage dekhiye hotaa hai kya
8
aarzu1-e hoor2 kya ho naaz3 dil de ke unheN
sham’a4 par kya aaNkh DaaleN5, maah-e-kaamil6 dekh kar 1.desire, longing 2.companion angels awarded in heaven 3.pen-name of the poet 4.candle 5.aaNkh Daalna is an expression meaning to be attracted to, to select 6.full moon
How can I long of hoor, O naaz, after giving my heart to her. How can anyone think of even casting an eye at the candle after seeing the full moon.
lala sher singh jain naaz dehlavi (1897-1962) was an observant, orthodox jain who learnt urdu after an early education in English. In addition to Ghazal in chaste urdu, he wrote several odes to jain religious figures, surely for an audience of urdu speaking jains. This Ghazal is composed in the style of Ghalib’s “zarf-e qadah-Khwaar dekh kar”, even though the qaafiya is quite different. naaz dehlavi has composed several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib, so this is linked along with several others to the appropriate icon under Theme Index, Ghalib naqsh-e qadam even though the qaafiya is different.
1
dil diya hai hum ne bhi vo maah1-e kaamil2 dekh kar
zard3 ho jaati hai jis ko sham’a4-e mahfil5 dekh kar
1.moon 2.complete, perfect, full 3.pale 4.lamp, candle 5.gathering
The “sham’a-e mahfil” is the centre of attention. In a gathering of shu’ara it is placed before the shaa’er whose turn it is to recite. But even such an honoured entity goes pale before the ‘maah-e kaamil’. Of course, the beloved is the full moon – or as beautiful as the full moon. Thus, I have given my heart to such a ‘maah-e kaamil’ that even the ‘sham’a-e mahfil’ goes pale before her. This is no ordinary ‘maah-e kaamil’.
2
tere aariz1 pe ye nuqta2 bhi hai kitna inteKhaab3
ho gaya raushan4 tere ruKhsaar5 ka til6 dekh kar
1.appearance, face 2.point, spot 3.selection 4.bright, shining 5.cheek, face 6.mole
It appears from the context of the she’r that the beloved has a natural mole on her cheek (this is a highly regarded sign of beauty). In addition to the mole, she has applied a beauty spot somewhere on the face. This beauty spot is such a stunning selection that it shines (reflects the light) of the original, thus doubling her beauty.
3
qatl1 karna be-gunaahoN2 ka koii aasaaN nahiiN
Khushk3 qaatil4 ka lahu5 hai Khoon-e bismil6 dekh kar
1.slaughter 2.innocent, blameless 3.dry 4.killer, slaughterer 5.blood 6.sacrificial offering
In urdu poetic tradition the beloved is the slaughter and the poet/lover the sacrificial offering. In usual poetic tradition she does this left and right without a second thought. But here, there is a slight twist of convention offered. It is not all that easy to slaughter innocents. Her blood dries up, congeals, stops flowing, she is stunned upon seeing the blood of the sacrificial offering. This could be because of pity or regret, maybe even fear of divine retribution. We are left to guess.
4
balliyoN1 fart2-e masarrat3 se uchhal jaata hai dil
bahr4-e Gham5 meN duur se daamaan6-e saahil7 dekh kar
1.balliyoN uchhalna is an expression meaning elated 2.plenty 3.happiness 4.ocean 5.sorrow 6.hem of the apron, edge, shoreline 7.shore
The poet/lover is drowning in an ocean of sorrow. From afar he spots what appears to be the shoreline (some hope). Of course, under these conditions his heart jumps up/throbs excitedly in an excess of happiness. Beyond this word meaning, I don’t see much in this.
5
aaine1 ne kar diya yaktaaii2 ka daa’va3 Ghalat4
naqsh5-e hairat6 ban gaye apna muqaabil7 dekh kar
1.mirror 2.uniqueness, unequalled 3.claim 4.wrong 5.engraving, picture 6.amazement 7.equal
The beloved claims to be unique in her unsurpassed beauty. But then she looks into the mirror and it proves her claim wrong. She becomes a picture of amazement upon seeing someone else equal to her in beauty.
6
dekh to leN, dil meN tere ghar bhi kar sakte haiN hum
dil to hum deNge tujhe, laikin tera dil dekh kar
Let me try it out and see if I can make a home in your heart. I will give my heart to you, that much is certain, but only after seeing your heart. He either wants to see if she is so hard hearted that he cannot possible make a home in her heart or if she has already too many people there and there is no room left. But then raising all these possibilities either negates the claim that he will certainly give her his heart or makes a claim that he is confident that he will be able to change the situation in his favour.
7
dekhiye raah1-e adam2 meN aur pesh3 aata hai kya
hosh4 parraaN5 ho rahe haiN pahli6 manzil7 dekh kar
1.pathway 2.oblivion, annihilation, next world 3.confronted 4.awareness, courage 5.acquire wings 6.first 7.stage
Let us see what else we confront on the way towards the next world. All courage flies away when confronted by just the first stage of this journey. Said mir taqi mir …
raah-e duur-e ishq meN rotaa hai kya
aage aage dekhiye hotaa hai kya
8
aarzu1-e hoor2 kya ho naaz3 dil de ke unheN
sham’a4 par kya aaNkh DaaleN5, maah-e-kaamil6 dekh kar
1.desire, longing 2.companion angels awarded in heaven 3.pen-name of the poet 4.candle 5.aaNkh Daalna is an expression meaning to be attracted to, to select 6.full moon
How can I long of hoor, O naaz, after giving my heart to her. How can anyone think of even casting an eye at the candle after seeing the full moon.
