For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مگر آہستہ آہستہ ۔ سکھ دیو شرما رشکؔ
۱
درِ قسمت تو کھلتا ہے مگر آہستہ آہستہ
مری آہوں میں بھی ہوگا اثر آہستہ آہستہ
۲
ہوئی جاتی ہے مدّہم روشنی چہروں پہ اُلفت کی
بدلتی جا رہی ہے ہر نظر آہستہ آہستہ
۳
دلوں میں بغض و کینہ کے سوا باقی نہیں کچھ بھی
گرا ہے شرفِ اِنساں سے بشر آہستہ آہستہ
۴
بڑی لمبی ہوا کرتی تھی میری داستاں لیکن
کیا اُس کو غموں نے مختصر آہستہ آہستہ
۵
جہاں اُلفت کے نغمے تھے وہاں نفرت کے چرچے ہیں
گِرا ہے کِس قدر ذوقِ بشر آہستہ آہستہ
۶
بلند و پست تو کافی ہیں بے شک راہِ اُلفت میں
یہ ممکن ہے کہ کٹ جائے سفر آہستہ آہستہ
۷
ہمیں اے رشکؔ یاد آئے نہ کیوں اُس ماہ پارہ کی
کہ جِس نے کر لیا ہے دِل میں گھر آہستہ آہستہ
मगर आहस्ता आहस्ता – सुख देव शर्मा रश्क
१
दर-ए क़िस्मत तो खुलता है मगर आहस्ता आहस्ता
मेरी आहौं में भी होगा असर आहस्ता आहस्ता
२
हुई जाती है मद्दहम रौश्नी चेहरौं पे उल्फ़त की
बदलती जा रही है हर नज़र आहस्ता आहस्ता
३
दिलौं में बुग़्ज़ ओ कीना के सिवा बाक़ी नहीं कुछ भी
गिरा है शर्फ़-ए इंसां से बशर आहस्ता आहस्ता
४
बढी लम्बी हुआ करती थी मेरी दास्तां लैकिन
किया उस को ग़मौं ने मुख़्तसर आहस्ता आहस्ता
५
जहां उल्फ़त के नग़्मे थे वहां नफ़्रत के चर्चे हैं
गिरा है किस क़दर ज़ौक़-ए बशर आहस्ता आहस्ता
६
बलंद ओ पस्त तो काफ़ी हैं बेशक राह-ए उल्फ़त में
ये मुम्किन है के कट जाए सफ़र आहस्ता आहस्ता
७
हमें अए रश्क याद आए न क्यूं उस माह-पारे की
के जिस ने कर लिया है दिल में घर आहस्ता आहस्ता
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. sukhdev sharma rashk (1935-????) was from a rural area of punjab, now in pakistan. He was the headmaster of a local school, having completed an MA in urdu. His ustaad was raghubirdas sahir sialkoTi. I found only one book of nazm/Ghazal composed by him. The compliments presented to him in his book by dozens of other shu’ara indicate the widespread education in urdu among all communities – hindu, muslim and sikh. This is a part of series on ‘aahista aahista’ which contains Ghazals of the same radiif by many poets … https://urdushahkar.org/category/aahista-aahista/ on this site.
1
dar1-e qismat to khulta hai magar aahista
meri aahoN2 meN bhi hoga asar3 aahista 1.door of 2.sighs 3.effect
The door to good fortune will open, but gradually, taking its time. The shaa’er/lover’s sorrowful sighs will have an effect, but it will take time. Presumably, he means that the beloved will finally respond to his entreaties and the door to fortune will open to him. This could also be his entreaties to god, his prayers might finally have an effect.
2
hui jaati hai mad-ham1 raushni chehroN pe ulfat2 ki
badalti jaa rahi hai har nazar3 aahista 1.dull, faint, fading 2.love 3.glance, look
This could be about the beloved caring less and less about the shaa’er/lover. But it could also be about the changing times in punjab at the time of partition. The light/glow of love on every face is fading. Every glance/look is changing gradually.
3
diloN meN buGhz1 o kiina2 ke siva3 baaqi4 nahiN kuchh bhi
gira hai sharf5-e insaaN6 se bashar7 aahista 1.grudge 2.hatred 3.except for 4.remaining 5.noble status 6.human 7.man
There is a distinction drawn here between being human with high/noble human qualities and being a base/biological human being (man). Except for grudges and hatred nothing remains is hearts. How much has man fallen from his high/noble status of humanity to a mere animal existence. This is most likely about the changes leading up to partition.
4
baRi lambi hua karti thi meri daastaaN1 laikin
kiya us ko GhamoN ne muKhtasar2 aahista 1.story 2.short, abbreviated
My story used to be quite long but sorrows/calamities have abbreviated it. This could be that his life span/life story is being cut short. This is a bit difficult to reconcile with the common expression that if a tale is sorrowful, then it takes longer to narrate. Here it seems diametrically opposite.
5
jahaaN ulfat1 ke naGhme2 the, vahaaN nafrat3 ke charche4 haiN
gira hai kis qadar5 zauq6-e bashar7 aahista 1.love 2.songs 3.hatred 4.conversation, propaganda 5.how much 6.taste, desire 7.man
Where there used to be songs of love, now there is talk of hatred. Oh, how much the desires of man have fallen.
6
baland1 o past2 to kaafi3 haiN be-shak4 raah5-e ulfat6 meN
ye mumkin hai ke kaT jaaye safar7 aahista 1.high 2.low 3.used here to mean – many 4.without doubt 5.path 6.love 7.journey
On the path of love, umdoubtedly, there are many ups and downs. But it is possible that the journey will be completed gradually.
7
hameN aye rashk1 yaad aaye na kyuN us maah-paare2 ki
ke jis ne kar liya hai dil meN ghar aahista 1.pen-name of poet 2.bit of the moon, beautiful like the moon
Why should I not remember that moonlike beloved O, rashk. After all she has made her home in my heart, furtively.
sukhdev sharma rashk (1935-????) was from a rural area of punjab, now in pakistan. He was the headmaster of a local school, having completed an MA in urdu. His ustaad was raghubirdas sahir sialkoTi. I found only one book of nazm/Ghazal composed by him. The compliments presented to him in his book by dozens of other shu’ara indicate the widespread education in urdu among all communities – hindu, muslim and sikh. This is a part of series on ‘aahista aahista’ which contains Ghazals of the same radiif by many poets … https://urdushahkar.org/category/aahista-aahista/ on this site.
1
dar1-e qismat to khulta hai magar aahista
meri aahoN2 meN bhi hoga asar3 aahista
1.door of 2.sighs 3.effect
The door to good fortune will open, but gradually, taking its time. The shaa’er/lover’s sorrowful sighs will have an effect, but it will take time. Presumably, he means that the beloved will finally respond to his entreaties and the door to fortune will open to him. This could also be his entreaties to god, his prayers might finally have an effect.
2
hui jaati hai mad-ham1 raushni chehroN pe ulfat2 ki
badalti jaa rahi hai har nazar3 aahista
1.dull, faint, fading 2.love 3.glance, look
This could be about the beloved caring less and less about the shaa’er/lover. But it could also be about the changing times in punjab at the time of partition. The light/glow of love on every face is fading. Every glance/look is changing gradually.
3
diloN meN buGhz1 o kiina2 ke siva3 baaqi4 nahiN kuchh bhi
gira hai sharf5-e insaaN6 se bashar7 aahista
1.grudge 2.hatred 3.except for 4.remaining 5.noble status 6.human 7.man
There is a distinction drawn here between being human with high/noble human qualities and being a base/biological human being (man). Except for grudges and hatred nothing remains is hearts. How much has man fallen from his high/noble status of humanity to a mere animal existence. This is most likely about the changes leading up to partition.
4
baRi lambi hua karti thi meri daastaaN1 laikin
kiya us ko GhamoN ne muKhtasar2 aahista
1.story 2.short, abbreviated
My story used to be quite long but sorrows/calamities have abbreviated it. This could be that his life span/life story is being cut short. This is a bit difficult to reconcile with the common expression that if a tale is sorrowful, then it takes longer to narrate. Here it seems diametrically opposite.
5
jahaaN ulfat1 ke naGhme2 the, vahaaN nafrat3 ke charche4 haiN
gira hai kis qadar5 zauq6-e bashar7 aahista
1.love 2.songs 3.hatred 4.conversation, propaganda 5.how much 6.taste, desire 7.man
Where there used to be songs of love, now there is talk of hatred. Oh, how much the desires of man have fallen.
6
baland1 o past2 to kaafi3 haiN be-shak4 raah5-e ulfat6 meN
ye mumkin hai ke kaT jaaye safar7 aahista
1.high 2.low 3.used here to mean – many 4.without doubt 5.path 6.love 7.journey
On the path of love, umdoubtedly, there are many ups and downs. But it is possible that the journey will be completed gradually.
7
hameN aye rashk1 yaad aaye na kyuN us maah-paare2 ki
ke jis ne kar liya hai dil meN ghar aahista
1.pen-name of poet 2.bit of the moon, beautiful like the moon
Why should I not remember that moonlike beloved O, rashk. After all she has made her home in my heart, furtively.
