For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مدھم ہوتی جاتی ہے ۔ جوشؔ ملیح آبادی
۱
نمایاں منتہائے سعئ پیہم ہوتی جاتی ہے
طبیعت بے نیازِ ہر دو عالم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۲
اٹھی جاتی ہے دل سے ہیبتِ آلامِ روحانی
جراحت بہرِ قلبِ زار مرہم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۳
کنارا کر رہا ہے روح سے ہیجانِ سرتابی
کہ گردن جستجو کے شوق میں خم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۴
جنوں کا چھا رہا ہے زندگی پر اک دھندلکا سا
خرد کی روشنی سینے میں مدھم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۵
نسیمِ بے نیازی آ رہی ہے بامِ گردوں سے
عروسِ مدعا کی زلف برہم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۶
نمایاں ہو چلا ہے اک جہاں چشمِ تصور پر
نظر شاید حریفِ ساغرِ جم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۷
گرہ یوں کھل رہی ہے ہر نفس ذوقِ تماشا کی
کہ ہر ادنیٰ سی شے اب ایک عالم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۸
فضا میں کانپتی ہیں دھندلی دھندلی نقرئی شکلیں
ہر اک تخیئلِ پاکیزہ مجسم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۹
نہ جانے سینۂ احساس پر یہ ہات ہے کس کا
طبیعت بے نیازِ شادی و غم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۱۰
سمجھ میں آئیں کیا باریکیاں قانونِ قدرت کی
عبارت کثرتِ معنی سے مبہم ہوتی جاتی ہے
۱۱
خجل تھا جس کی شورش سے تلاطم بحر ہستی کا
مرے دل میں وہ ہلچل جوشؔ اب کم ہوتی جاتی ہے
मद्धम होती जाती है – जोश मलीह-आबादी
१
नुमायाँ मुन्तहा-ए सई-ए पैहम होती जाती है
तबी’यत बे-नियाज़-ए हर-दो-आलम होती जाती है
२
उठी जाती है दिल से हैबत-ए आलाम-ए रूहानी
जराहत बहर-ए क़ल्ब-ए ज़ार मरहम होती जाती है
३
किनारा कर रहा है रूह से हैजान-ए सरताबी
के गर्दन जुस्तुजू के शौक़ में ख़म होती जाती है
४
जुनूँ का छा रहा है ज़िंदगी पर एक धुँदलका सा
ख़िरद की रौशनी सीने में मद्धम होती जाती है
५
नसीम-ए बे-नियाज़ी आ रही है बाम-ए गर्दूं से
उरूस-ए मुद्द’आ की ज़ुल्फ़ बरहम होती जाती है
६
नुमायाँ हो चला है एक जहाँ चश्म-ए तसव्वुर पर
नज़र शा’एद हरीफ़-ए साग़र-ए जम होती जाती है
७
गिरह यूँ खुल रही है हर नफ़स ज़ौक़-ए तमाशा की
के हर अदना सी शय अब एक आलम होती जाती है
८
फ़ज़ा में काँपती हैं धुँदली धुँदली नक़्र’ई शक्लें
हर एक तख़ईल-ए पाकीज़ा मुजस्सम होती जाती है
९
न जाने सीना-ए एहसास पर ये हात है किस का
तबी’यत बे-नियाज़-ए शादी-ओ-ग़म होती जाती है
१०
समझ में आएँ क्या बारीकियाँ क़ानून-ए क़ुद्रत की
इबारत कसरत-ए मु’आनी से मुबहम होती जाती है
११
ख़जिल था जिस की शोरिश से तलातुम बहर-ए हस्ती का
मेरे दिल में वो हलचल जोश अब कम होती जाती है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. This nazm follows the structure of Ghazal and is linked to several others of the same radeef on the ‘Refrain’ page.
1
numaayaaN1 muntaha2-e sa’ii3-e paiham4 hoti jaati hai
tabi’yat5 be-niyaaz6-e har-do-aalam7 hoti jaati hai 1.prominent, visible 2.end, completion 3.effort 4.repeated, constant 5.disposition 6.unmindful, uncaring 7.two worlds, here and hereafter
The poet/seeker has been engaged in a ceaseless effort (to understand the mysteries of the universe). The end of this search appears in sight. His disposition/heart/mind no longer cares for stories of the here and hereafter.
2
uThi jaati hai dil se haibat1-e aalaam2-e roohaani3
jaraahat4 bahr5-e qalb6-e zaar7 marham8 hoti jaati hai 1.fear, terror 2.calamities 3.spiritual, of the next world 4.wound, strike, blow 5.for 6.heart 7.sorrowful 8.salve, ointment
This is a continuation of the thought from the first she’r. The poet/seeker’s heart has already become indifferent to the stories of the hereafter. Now he is losing fear of the calamities of the next world … stories of hellfire. For his sorrowful heart this strike (fear of the spiritual world) itself has turned into a salve/ointment.
3
kinaara1 kar raha hai ruuh2 se haijaan3-e sartaabi4
keh gardan justuju5 ke shauq6 meN Kham7 hoti jaati hai 1.kinaara karna – to avoid, stay away from 2.spirit, soul 3.enthusiasm, passion 4.disobedience, resistance 5.search 6.desire 7.bow down
The passion to resist/rebel avoids stories of the soul (spiritual world) because the head respectfully bows down to the desire to seek (knowledge).
4
junooN1 ka chha raha hai zindagi par ek dhundalka2 sa
Khirad3 ki raushni4 siine meN maddham5 hoti jaati hai 1.madness 2.mist, fog 3.knowledge 4.light 5.faint
This is probably said in the spirit of bemoaning the madness of irrationality he sees around him. Thus, the fog of madness arches over life. The light of knowledge in the bosom is getting faint.
5
nasiim1-e be-niyaazi2 aa rahi hai baam3-e gardooN4 se
uroos5-e mudd’aa6 ki zulf7 barham8 hoti jaati hai 1.breeze 2.indifference 3.rooftop 4.skies, heavens 5.bride 6.desire 7.hair 8.disarranged
A breeze of indifferene blows from the heavens i.e., god really does not care about what is going on with us. Desire/prayer is portrayed has a bride. ‘zulf barham hona’ … hair getting disarranged/messed up is sometimes used as a sign of anger or distress. Thus, people praying for help are distressed (because god is indifferent).
6
numaayaaN1 ho chala hai ek jahaaN2 chashm3-e tasavvur4 par
nazar5 shaa’ed6 hariif7-e saaGhar8-e jam9 hoti jaati hai 1.visible, appearing 2.world 3.eyes 4.imagination 5.sight, eyes 6.perhaps 7.equal to, rival of 8.cup 9.jamshed, legendary Persian emperor
The vision of a new world has appeared before the eyes of imagination i.e., we are able to imagine a new, rational, just world order. Perhaps our eyes have become the equal of the ‘cup of jamshed’. This was a legendary cup. Looking into it, one could see what the future is going to be like. Thus, with their imaginative eye humans can also see/shape the future.
7
girah1 yuN khul rahi hai har nafas2 zauq3-e tamaasha4 ki
keh har adna5 si shai6 ab ek aalam7 hoti jaati hai 1.knot 2.breath, moment 3.taste, desire 4.spectacle, scene 5.ordinary 6.thing 7.world
‘girah khulna’ is used to mean mystery unraveling. Thus, the desire to see/explore/discover is unraveling mysteries every moment, so much so that every ordinary thing/substance reveals a whole new world.
8
faza1 meN kaaNpti2 haiN dhundli-dhundli3 naqra’ii4 shakleN5
har ek taKh’iil6-e paakiiza7 mujassam8 hoti jaati hai 1.air, atmosphere 2.shivering, shimmering 3.vague, misty, fuzzy 4.silvery 5.faces, forms 6.thought, imagination 7.pure, noble 8.becoming an idol i.e., taking shape
Fuzzy, silvery shapes shimmer in the air i.e., human thought is still in the formative stage. Every noble thought/imagination is beginning to take shape.
9
na jaane1 sina2-e ehsaas3 par ye haat hai kis ka
tabi’yat4 be-niyaaz5-e shaadi6-o-Gham7 hoti jaati hai 1.who knows 2.bosom 3.feelings 4.disposition 5.indifferent 6.celebration, joy 7.sorrow
Who knows who it is that has placed their hand on the bosom of feelings. This hand is so comforting that my disposition is becoming indifferent to joy and sorrow. The comforting hand placed on the bosom is the beloved’s hand. But who is the beloved. It could be the vision of tomorrow and that vision is comforting enough to make him indifferent to today.
10
samajh meN aa’eN kya baarikiyaaN1 qaanoon-e-qudrat2 ki
ibaarat3 kasrat4-e mu’aani5 se mub’ham6 hoti jaati hai 1.fine points 2.laws of nature 3.writing 4.excess 5.meaning 6.vague
How will we ever understand the fine points of the laws of nature. Because the writing is loaded with excess of meaning, it is becoming vague and confusing.
11
Khajil1 tha jis ki shorish2 se talaatum3 bahr4-e hasti5 ka
meray dil meN vo halchal6 josh7 ab kam hoti jaati hai 1.ashamed 2.agitation 3.storm 4.sea 5.life 6.turmoil 7.pen-name of the poet
The poet’s heart had an agitation before which even stormy seas were ashamed. But now the turmoil in his heart is calming down. Is it because human understanding is making steady progress?
josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as – shaa’er-e inqelaab – poet of revolution. His nazm are fiery, passionate, and full of energy. His Ghazal and rubaaii are equally good. He was a secular humanist writing sharply and irreverently against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. This nazm follows the structure of Ghazal and is linked to several others of the same radeef on the ‘Refrain’ page.
1
numaayaaN1 muntaha2-e sa’ii3-e paiham4 hoti jaati hai
tabi’yat5 be-niyaaz6-e har-do-aalam7 hoti jaati hai
1.prominent, visible 2.end, completion 3.effort 4.repeated, constant 5.disposition 6.unmindful, uncaring 7.two worlds, here and hereafter
The poet/seeker has been engaged in a ceaseless effort (to understand the mysteries of the universe). The end of this search appears in sight. His disposition/heart/mind no longer cares for stories of the here and hereafter.
2
uThi jaati hai dil se haibat1-e aalaam2-e roohaani3
jaraahat4 bahr5-e qalb6-e zaar7 marham8 hoti jaati hai
1.fear, terror 2.calamities 3.spiritual, of the next world 4.wound, strike, blow 5.for 6.heart 7.sorrowful 8.salve, ointment
This is a continuation of the thought from the first she’r. The poet/seeker’s heart has already become indifferent to the stories of the hereafter. Now he is losing fear of the calamities of the next world … stories of hellfire. For his sorrowful heart this strike (fear of the spiritual world) itself has turned into a salve/ointment.
3
kinaara1 kar raha hai ruuh2 se haijaan3-e sartaabi4
keh gardan justuju5 ke shauq6 meN Kham7 hoti jaati hai
1.kinaara karna – to avoid, stay away from 2.spirit, soul 3.enthusiasm, passion 4.disobedience, resistance 5.search 6.desire 7.bow down
The passion to resist/rebel avoids stories of the soul (spiritual world) because the head respectfully bows down to the desire to seek (knowledge).
4
junooN1 ka chha raha hai zindagi par ek dhundalka2 sa
Khirad3 ki raushni4 siine meN maddham5 hoti jaati hai
1.madness 2.mist, fog 3.knowledge 4.light 5.faint
This is probably said in the spirit of bemoaning the madness of irrationality he sees around him. Thus, the fog of madness arches over life. The light of knowledge in the bosom is getting faint.
5
nasiim1-e be-niyaazi2 aa rahi hai baam3-e gardooN4 se
uroos5-e mudd’aa6 ki zulf7 barham8 hoti jaati hai
1.breeze 2.indifference 3.rooftop 4.skies, heavens 5.bride 6.desire 7.hair 8.disarranged
A breeze of indifferene blows from the heavens i.e., god really does not care about what is going on with us. Desire/prayer is portrayed has a bride. ‘zulf barham hona’ … hair getting disarranged/messed up is sometimes used as a sign of anger or distress. Thus, people praying for help are distressed (because god is indifferent).
6
numaayaaN1 ho chala hai ek jahaaN2 chashm3-e tasavvur4 par
nazar5 shaa’ed6 hariif7-e saaGhar8-e jam9 hoti jaati hai
1.visible, appearing 2.world 3.eyes 4.imagination 5.sight, eyes 6.perhaps 7.equal to, rival of 8.cup 9.jamshed, legendary Persian emperor
The vision of a new world has appeared before the eyes of imagination i.e., we are able to imagine a new, rational, just world order. Perhaps our eyes have become the equal of the ‘cup of jamshed’. This was a legendary cup. Looking into it, one could see what the future is going to be like. Thus, with their imaginative eye humans can also see/shape the future.
7
girah1 yuN khul rahi hai har nafas2 zauq3-e tamaasha4 ki
keh har adna5 si shai6 ab ek aalam7 hoti jaati hai
1.knot 2.breath, moment 3.taste, desire 4.spectacle, scene 5.ordinary 6.thing 7.world
‘girah khulna’ is used to mean mystery unraveling. Thus, the desire to see/explore/discover is unraveling mysteries every moment, so much so that every ordinary thing/substance reveals a whole new world.
8
faza1 meN kaaNpti2 haiN dhundli-dhundli3 naqra’ii4 shakleN5
har ek taKh’iil6-e paakiiza7 mujassam8 hoti jaati hai
1.air, atmosphere 2.shivering, shimmering 3.vague, misty, fuzzy 4.silvery 5.faces, forms 6.thought, imagination 7.pure, noble 8.becoming an idol i.e., taking shape
Fuzzy, silvery shapes shimmer in the air i.e., human thought is still in the formative stage. Every noble thought/imagination is beginning to take shape.
9
na jaane1 sina2-e ehsaas3 par ye haat hai kis ka
tabi’yat4 be-niyaaz5-e shaadi6-o-Gham7 hoti jaati hai
1.who knows 2.bosom 3.feelings 4.disposition 5.indifferent 6.celebration, joy 7.sorrow
Who knows who it is that has placed their hand on the bosom of feelings. This hand is so comforting that my disposition is becoming indifferent to joy and sorrow. The comforting hand placed on the bosom is the beloved’s hand. But who is the beloved. It could be the vision of tomorrow and that vision is comforting enough to make him indifferent to today.
10
samajh meN aa’eN kya baarikiyaaN1 qaanoon-e-qudrat2 ki
ibaarat3 kasrat4-e mu’aani5 se mub’ham6 hoti jaati hai
1.fine points 2.laws of nature 3.writing 4.excess 5.meaning 6.vague
How will we ever understand the fine points of the laws of nature. Because the writing is loaded with excess of meaning, it is becoming vague and confusing.
11
Khajil1 tha jis ki shorish2 se talaatum3 bahr4-e hasti5 ka
meray dil meN vo halchal6 josh7 ab kam hoti jaati hai
1.ashamed 2.agitation 3.storm 4.sea 5.life 6.turmoil 7.pen-name of the poet
The poet’s heart had an agitation before which even stormy seas were ashamed. But now the turmoil in his heart is calming down. Is it because human understanding is making steady progress?
