For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مہک اور ہی کچھ ہے ۔ پنڈت آنند نرائن مُلّاؔ
۱
پردے کو جو لَو دے وہ جھلک اور ہی کچھ ہے
نادیدہ ہے شعلہ تو لپک اور ہی کچھ ہے
۲
ٹکراتے ہوئے جام بھی دیتے ہیں کھنک سی
لڑتی ہیں نگاہیں تو کھنک اور ہی کچھ ہے
۳
عشرت گہِ دولت بھی ہے گہوارۂ نکہت
محنت کے پسینے کی مہک اور ہی کچھ ہے
۴
ہاں جوشِ جوانی بھی ہے اِک خلدِ نظارہ
اِک طِفل کی معصوم ہُمک اور ہی کچھ ہے
۵
شب کو بھی مہکتی تو ہیں یہ ادھ کِھلی کلیاں
جب چوم لیں کرنیں تو مہک اور ہی کچھ ہے
۶
کمزور تو جُھکتا ہی ہے قانون کے آگے
طاقت کبھی لچکے تو لچک اور ہی کچھ ہے
۷
اشکوں سے بھی ہو جاتا ہے آنکھوں میں چراغاں
بِن برسی نگاہوں کی چمک اور ہی کچھ ہے
۸
رو کر بھی تھکے جسم کو نیند آتی ہے لیکن
بچے کے لئے ماں کی تھپک اور ہی کچھ ہے
۹
بزمِ ادبِ ہند کے ہر گُل میں ہے خُوشبُو
مُلّاؔ گُلِ اُردو کی مہک اور ہی کچھ ہے
महक और ही कुछ है – पंडित आनंद नरायन मुल्ला
१
पर्दे को जो लौ दे वो झलक और ही कुछ है
नादीदा है शो’ला तो लपक और ही कुछ है
२
टकराते हुए जाम भी देते हैं खनक सी
लढती हैं निगाहें तो खनक और ही कुछ है
३
इशरत-गह-ए दौलत भी है गहवारा-ए निक’हत
मेहनत के पसीने की महक और ही कुछ है
४
हाँ जोश-ए जवानी भी है एक ख़ुल्द-ए नज़ारा
एक तिफ़्ल की मा’सूम हुमक और ही कुछ है
५
शब को भी महकती तो हैं ये अध-खिली कलियाँ
जब चूम लें किरनें तो महक और ही कुछ है
६
कमज़ोर तो झुकता ही है क़ानून के आगे
ताक़त कभी लचके तो लचक और ही कुछ है
७
अश्कों से भी हो जाता है आँखों में चराग़ाँ
बिन-बरसी निगाहों की चमक और ही कुछ है
८
रो कर भी थके जिस्म को नींद आती है लैकिन
बच्चे के लिए माँ की थपक और ही कुछ है
९
बज़्म-ए अदब-ए हिन्द के हर गुल में है ख़ुश्बू
मुल्ला गुल-ए उर्दू की महक और ही कुछ है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. MA English Literature. Learnt urdu and faarsi at home. First venture into poetry translation of parts of iqbal’s ‘payaam-e mashriq’ into English. First urdu nazm published 1925. Ardent urdu lover as a language of the people. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. ash’aar in this Ghazal reflect his empathy with the powerless in the judicial system, his identification with the hard work of labour and his love of urdu.
1
parde1 ko jo lau2 de vo jhalak3 aur hi kuchh hai
naadiida4 hai sho’la5 to lapak6 aur hi kuchh hai 1.curtain 2.rising flame 3.glimpse 4.unseen, hidden 5.flame 6.leap, reach, intensity
The beloved is behind the curtain and the lover catches a glimpse of her. The glimpse that is like a leaping flame behind the curtain is something else. If the flame remains unseen/hidden then its intensity (perhaps only in the lover’s imagination) is something else. Here the ‘something else’ alludes to the uniqueness of whatever the poet is describing, and perhaps to the role that imagination plays in making it unique. This could also be about the beauty of verse that is subtle and shines with hidden meaning.
2
Takraate1 hue jaam2 bhi dete haiN khanak3 si
laRti haiN nigaaheN4 to khanak3 aur hi kuchh hai 1.clash, clink 2.cup, goblet 3.tinkle 4.eyes
It is customary to clink goblets of wine together before drinking. When goblets are clinked, they do give a pleasant tinkle, but when eyes meet, the tinkle/twinkle is something else.
3
ishrat-gah1-e daulat2 bhi hai gahvaara3-e nik’hat4
mehnat ke pasiine ki mahak5 aur hi kuchh hai 1.house of pleasure 2.wealth 3.cradle 4.fragrance 5.fragrance
The house of pleasure of wealth can also be a cradle of fragrance (luxury), but the fragrance of the sweat of labour is something else.
4
haaN josh1-e javaani2 bhi hai ek Khuld3-e nazaara4
ek tifl5 ki m’aasuum6 humak7 aur hi kuchh hai 1.zeal, excitement 2.youth 3.heaven 4.sight, view 5.infant 6.innocent 7.child stretching to be picked up
Yes, the enthusiasm of youth is a heavenly sight to see, but it is something else when an infant reaches out to be picked up and hugged.
5
shab1 ko bhi mahakti2 to haiN ye adh-khili3 kaliyaaN4
jab chuum5 leN kirneN6 to mahak7 aur hi kuchh hai 1.night 2.spread fragrance 3.half-blossomed 4.buds 5.kiss 6.rays of light 7.fragrance
It is true that these half-blossomed buds spread fragrance at night too, but their frangrance when the rays of the sun kiss them at dawn is something else.
6
kamzor1 to jhukta2 hi hai qaanuun3 ke aage
taaqat4 kabhi lachke5 to lachak6 aur hi kuchh hai 1.weak, powerless 2.bend, bow down 3.law 4.power 5.stumble 6.sway
In the second misra, ‘lachke’ and ‘lachak’ should be interpreted in two subtly different ways. The first ‘lachke’ is like stumbling and losing balance. The second ‘lachak’ is like swaying with a good feeling/pleasure. It is the powerful that are stumbling and it is those on the side of justice that are experiencing pleasure. Recall that mulla was a lawyer and a judge. As a judge he clashed with the politically powerful. Thus, it is expected that the powerless will bend before the law, but it is a pleasure to see the powerful lose their grip.
7
ashkoN1 se bhi ho jaata hai aaNkhoN meN charaaGhaaN2
bin-barsi3 nigaahoN ki chamak4 aur hi kuchh hai 1.tears 2.illumination, brilliance 3.without rain i.e., without shedding tears 4.shine, twinkle
This is probably about the beloved. In the first misra, she is tearful and sometimes even tears can cause the eyes to light up and shine. In the second misra, she is not tearful and the shine/twinkle of the eye is something else. The shine/twinkle can be due to one of two reasons … it could be a flash of temper, or it could be smile of love. In either case, it is ‘something else’. This could also be about the tears in the eyes of the poor and deprived. It is one thing to see light reflected off their tears of sorrow, but the their eyes shine with joy is something else.
8
ro kar bhi thake1 jism2 ko niiNd aati hai laikin
bachche ke liye maaN ki thapak3 aur hi kuchh hai 1.tired 2.body 3.patting, soothing, pacify
The body, tired after crying, can fall asleep but for a child, the soothing pat of the mother is something else.
9
bazm1-e adab2-e hind3 ke har gul4 meN hai Khushbuu
mulla5 gul-e urdu ki mahak6 aur hi kuchh hai 1.gathering, collection, society 2.literature 3.hindostan 4.rose, flower 5.pen-name of the poet 6.fragrance
In the collection of the literature of hindostan, every flower (language) has its fragrance. But O mulla, the fragrance of the flower of urdu is something else.
panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. MA English Literature. Learnt urdu and faarsi at home. First venture into poetry translation of parts of iqbal’s ‘payaam-e mashriq’ into English. First urdu nazm published 1925. Ardent urdu lover as a language of the people. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. ash’aar in this Ghazal reflect his empathy with the powerless in the judicial system, his identification with the hard work of labour and his love of urdu.
1
parde1 ko jo lau2 de vo jhalak3 aur hi kuchh hai
naadiida4 hai sho’la5 to lapak6 aur hi kuchh hai
1.curtain 2.rising flame 3.glimpse 4.unseen, hidden 5.flame 6.leap, reach, intensity
The beloved is behind the curtain and the lover catches a glimpse of her. The glimpse that is like a leaping flame behind the curtain is something else. If the flame remains unseen/hidden then its intensity (perhaps only in the lover’s imagination) is something else. Here the ‘something else’ alludes to the uniqueness of whatever the poet is describing, and perhaps to the role that imagination plays in making it unique. This could also be about the beauty of verse that is subtle and shines with hidden meaning.
2
Takraate1 hue jaam2 bhi dete haiN khanak3 si
laRti haiN nigaaheN4 to khanak3 aur hi kuchh hai
1.clash, clink 2.cup, goblet 3.tinkle 4.eyes
It is customary to clink goblets of wine together before drinking. When goblets are clinked, they do give a pleasant tinkle, but when eyes meet, the tinkle/twinkle is something else.
3
ishrat-gah1-e daulat2 bhi hai gahvaara3-e nik’hat4
mehnat ke pasiine ki mahak5 aur hi kuchh hai
1.house of pleasure 2.wealth 3.cradle 4.fragrance 5.fragrance
The house of pleasure of wealth can also be a cradle of fragrance (luxury), but the fragrance of the sweat of labour is something else.
4
haaN josh1-e javaani2 bhi hai ek Khuld3-e nazaara4
ek tifl5 ki m’aasuum6 humak7 aur hi kuchh hai
1.zeal, excitement 2.youth 3.heaven 4.sight, view 5.infant 6.innocent 7.child stretching to be picked up
Yes, the enthusiasm of youth is a heavenly sight to see, but it is something else when an infant reaches out to be picked up and hugged.
5
shab1 ko bhi mahakti2 to haiN ye adh-khili3 kaliyaaN4
jab chuum5 leN kirneN6 to mahak7 aur hi kuchh hai
1.night 2.spread fragrance 3.half-blossomed 4.buds 5.kiss 6.rays of light 7.fragrance
It is true that these half-blossomed buds spread fragrance at night too, but their frangrance when the rays of the sun kiss them at dawn is something else.
6
kamzor1 to jhukta2 hi hai qaanuun3 ke aage
taaqat4 kabhi lachke5 to lachak6 aur hi kuchh hai
1.weak, powerless 2.bend, bow down 3.law 4.power 5.stumble 6.sway
In the second misra, ‘lachke’ and ‘lachak’ should be interpreted in two subtly different ways. The first ‘lachke’ is like stumbling and losing balance. The second ‘lachak’ is like swaying with a good feeling/pleasure. It is the powerful that are stumbling and it is those on the side of justice that are experiencing pleasure. Recall that mulla was a lawyer and a judge. As a judge he clashed with the politically powerful. Thus, it is expected that the powerless will bend before the law, but it is a pleasure to see the powerful lose their grip.
7
ashkoN1 se bhi ho jaata hai aaNkhoN meN charaaGhaaN2
bin-barsi3 nigaahoN ki chamak4 aur hi kuchh hai
1.tears 2.illumination, brilliance 3.without rain i.e., without shedding tears 4.shine, twinkle
This is probably about the beloved. In the first misra, she is tearful and sometimes even tears can cause the eyes to light up and shine. In the second misra, she is not tearful and the shine/twinkle of the eye is something else. The shine/twinkle can be due to one of two reasons … it could be a flash of temper, or it could be smile of love. In either case, it is ‘something else’. This could also be about the tears in the eyes of the poor and deprived. It is one thing to see light reflected off their tears of sorrow, but the their eyes shine with joy is something else.
8
ro kar bhi thake1 jism2 ko niiNd aati hai laikin
bachche ke liye maaN ki thapak3 aur hi kuchh hai
1.tired 2.body 3.patting, soothing, pacify
The body, tired after crying, can fall asleep but for a child, the soothing pat of the mother is something else.
9
bazm1-e adab2-e hind3 ke har gul4 meN hai Khushbuu
mulla5 gul-e urdu ki mahak6 aur hi kuchh hai
1.gathering, collection, society 2.literature 3.hindostan 4.rose, flower 5.pen-name of the poet 6.fragrance
In the collection of the literature of hindostan, every flower (language) has its fragrance. But O mulla, the fragrance of the flower of urdu is something else.
