mahram-e raaz-e gulistaaN ho gaiiN-naresh kumar shaad

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

محرمِ رازِ گُلستاں ہو گئیں ۔ نریش کمار شادؔ

۱

جو نگاہیں محرمِ رازِ گُلستاں ہو گئیں

ہر مہکتے پھول کی رگ رگ میں کانٹے بو گئیں

۲

آرزوئیں اژدہامِ رنگ و بو میں کھو گئیں

یہ وہ پریاں تھیں جو بدمستی میں عریاں ہو گئیں

۳

ایک جلوہ بن کے جلووں ہی میں شامل ہو گئیں

پھر کہاں پلٹیں وہ نظریں تیری جانب جو گئیں

۴

ایک شب گزری تھی تیرے گیسوؤں کی چھاؤں میں

عمر بھر بے خوابیاں میرا مقدّر ہو گئیں

۵

جب بہاروں نے نہ پایا کوئی بھی اپنا مقام

ترے چہرے کے تبسّم سے لپٹ کر سو گئیں

۶

باغِ رضواں کی فضائیں بھی نہ راس آئیں جنہیں

وہ ہوائیں جنّتوں سے بادہ خانوں کو گئیں

۷

ہائے وہ الہڑ پری چہروں کے شیریں قہقہے

ہائے وہ ہنستی ہوئی راتیں جو مجھ سے کھو گئیں

۸

جن تمنّاؤں سے ہے اے شادؔ دل کی زندگی

وہ تمنّائیں اگر ہونٹوں پہ آئیں تو گئیں

महरम-ए राज़-ए गुलिस्तां हो गईं – नरेश कुमार शाद

जो निगाहें महरम-ए राज़-ए गुलिस्तां हो गईं

हर महकते फूल की रग रग में कांटे बो गईं

आर्ज़ूएं अज़्श्दहाम-ए रंग ओ बू में खो गईं

ये वो परियां थीं जो बदमस्ती में उर्यां हो गईं

एक जल्वा बन के जल्वौं हि में शामिल हो गईं

फिर कहां पल्टी वो नज़्रें तेरी जानिब जो गईं

एक शब गुज़्री थी तेरे गेसुऔं की छाऊं में

उम्र भर बे-ख़्वाबियां मेरा मुक़द्दर हो गईं

जब बहारौं ने न पाया कोई भी अपना मक़ाम

तेरे चेहरे के तबस्सुम से लिपट कर सो गईं

बाग़-ए रिज़्वां की फ़ज़ाऐं भी न रास आईं जिन्हें

वो हवाएं जन्नतौं से बादा-ख़ानौं को गईं

हाए वो अलहढ परी-चेहरौं के शीरीं क़हक़हे

हाए वो हंस्ती हुई रातें जो मुझ से खो गईं

जिन तमन्नाऔं से है अए शाद दिल की ज़िंदगी

वो तमन्नाएं अगर होंटौं पे आईं तो गईं

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. naresh kumar shaad (1927-1969) prolific poet, writer, translater. Member Progressive Writers’ Association. Socialist/Communist. Educated and worked in rawalpindi and lahore before partition and then moved to India. This Ghazal is modeled beautifully after Ghalib’s “Khaak meN kya soorateN hoNgi ke pinhaaN ho gaiiN”, with a variation in the theme. Ghalib’s influence over poets, both renowned and not so well known poets, is profound. The publication date noted is 1949. I take the liberty of associating it with 1947 – marking 150 years of Ghalib’s birth.
1
jo nigaaheN1 mahram2-e raaz3-e gulistaaN ho gaiiN
har mahakte4 phool ki rag rag5 meN kaaNTe bo6 gaiiN   
1.eyes 2.familiar, intimate 3.secret 4.fragrant 5.veins 6.plant, sow
Those eyes that became familiar/intimate with the secret of the garden, sowed thorns in every fibre of the rose i.e. those who are familiar with the workings of the world know that pain is an integral part of pleasure.

2
aarzueN1 azshdahaam2-e raNg-o-buu3 meN kho gaiiN
ye vo pariyaaN thiiN jo badmasti4 meN uryaaN5 ho gaiiN  
1.desires, yearnings 2.onslaught 3.colour and fragrances i.e. attractions of the material world 4.intoxication, stone drunk 5.naked
Desires and yearnings (for higher aspirations) got lost in the onslaught of the material pleasures. These (yearnings) were angelic, but in the intoxication of this world they shed their clothes i.e. revealed their true selves.

3
ek jalva1 ban ke jalvoN hi meN shaamil2 ho gaiiN
phir kahaaN palTi3 vo nazreN teri jaanib4 jo gaiiN   
1.image, beauty, glory 2.mingled 3.turned back 4.towards
The glances that the poet cast towards the beloved mingled with the glory of the beloved and into a part of her glory. They never turned back. Who is the beloved? god? social justice? You are free to decide.

4
ek shab guzri thi tere gesuoN ki chhaauN meN
umr bhar be-KhwaabiyaaN mera muqaddar ban gaiiN  
1.night 2.passed 3.hair 4.life 5.sleeplessness 6.fate
The poet/lover had spent one night in the shadow of the beloved’s hair. Now he is left with life-long sleeplessness. Once again this begs the question, who is the beloved. Is it a single vision of social justice that has left the poet/revolutionary sleepless?

5
jab bahaaroN1 ne na paaya2 koii bhi apna maqaam3
tere chehre4 ke tabassum5 se lipaT kar so gaiiN  
1.spring, flowers 2.acquired, received 3.place 4.face 5.smile
When spring (or spring flowers) did not received the place that was their due, they embraced the smile on your face and rested there. What a beautiful description of the beloved’s beauty.

6
baaGh-e-rizvaaN1 ki fazaaeN2 bhi na raas3 aaiiN jinheN
vo havaaeN jannatoN se baada-KhaanoN4 ko gaiiN  
1.garden of the gate-keepers of heaven i.e. heaven 2.atmosphere 3.compatible, suitable 4.tavern
In urdu poetic tradition the tavern is an open and welcoming place where all ideas are accepted. Heaven is obviously a restricted/exclusive and excluding place. The breeze that did not find the atmosphere of heaven suitable for it, went to the tavern.

7
haaye vo alhaR pari-chehroN ke shiriN qahqahe
haaye haNsti hui raateN jo mujh se kho gaiiN  
1.playful 2.fairy-faced, beautiful 3.sweet 4.laughter
The poet/lover recalls with poignant nostalgia that nights that he used to be able to spend with beautiful and playful friends with a sweet and ringing laughter. Alas, I have lost them.

8
jin tamannaaoN1 se hai aye shaad2 dil ki zindagi
vo tamannaaeN agar hoNToN3 pe aaiN to gaiiN  
1.intense desires 2.pen-name of the poet 3.lips
The heart-felt desires that keep the poet alive, if he brings them to his lips i.e. gives them voice/expression, then it is as if he has lost them i.e. there are some delicate desires that should be left unsaid, kept to yourselves.

naresh kumar shaad (1927-1969) prolific poet, writer, translater.  Member Progressive Writers’ Association.  Socialist/Communist.  Educated and worked in rawalpindi and lahore before partition and then moved to India.  This Ghazal is modeled beautifully after Ghalib’s “Khaak meN kya soorateN hoNgi ke pinhaaN ho gaiiN”, with a variation in the theme.    Ghalib’s influence over poets, both renowned and not so well known poets, is profound.  The publication date noted is 1949.  I take the liberty of associating it with 1947 – marking 150 years of Ghalib’s birth.
1
jo nigaaheN1 mahram2-e raaz3-e gulistaaN ho gaiiN
har mahakte4 phool ki rag rag5 meN kaaNTe bo6 gaiiN

1.eyes 2.familiar, intimate 3.secret 4.fragrant 5.veins 6.plant, sow

Those eyes that became familiar/intimate with the secret of the garden, sowed thorns in every fibre of the rose i.e. those who are familiar with the workings of the world know that pain is an integral part of pleasure.
2
aarzueN1 azshdahaam2-e raNg-o-buu3 meN kho gaiiN
ye vo pariyaaN thiiN jo badmasti4 meN uryaaN5 ho gaiiN

1.desires, yearnings 2.onslaught 3.colour and fragrances i.e. attractions of the material world 4.intoxication, stone drunk 5.naked

Desires and yearnings (for higher aspirations) got lost in the onslaught of the material pleasures.  These (yearnings) were angelic, but in the intoxication of this world they shed their clothes i.e. revealed their true selves.
3
ek jalva1 ban ke jalvoN hi meN shaamil2 ho gaiiN
phir kahaaN palTi3 vo nazreN teri jaanib4 jo gaiiN

1.image, beauty, glory 2.mingled 3.turned back 4.towards

The glances that the poet cast towards the beloved mingled with the glory of the beloved and into a part of her glory.  They never turned back.  Who is the beloved? god? social justice? You are free to decide.
4
ek shab guzri thi tere gesuoN ki chhaauN meN
umr bhar be-KhwaabiyaaN mera muqaddar ban gaiiN

1.night 2.passed 3.hair 4.life 5.sleeplessness 6.fate

The poet/lover had spent one night in the shadow of the beloved’s hair.  Now he is left with life-long sleeplessness.  Once again this begs the question, who is the beloved.  Is it a single vision of social justice that has left the poet/revolutionary sleepless?
5
jab bahaaroN1 ne na paaya2 koii bhi apna maqaam3
tere chehre4 ke tabassum5 se lipaT kar so gaiiN

1.spring, flowers 2.acquired, received 3.place 4.face 5.smile

When spring (or spring flowers) did not received the place that was their due, they embraced the smile on your face and rested there.  What a beautiful description of the beloved’s beauty.
6
baaGh-e-rizvaaN1 ki fazaaeN2 bhi na raas3 aaiiN jinheN
vo havaaeN jannatoN se baada-KhaanoN4 ko gaiiN

1.garden of the gate-keepers of heaven i.e. heaven 2.atmosphere 3.compatible, suitable 4.tavern

In urdu poetic tradition the tavern is an open and welcoming place where all ideas are accepted.  Heaven is obviously a restricted/exclusive and excluding place.  The breeze that did not find the atmosphere of heaven suitable for it, went to the tavern.
7
haaye vo alhaR pari-chehroN ke shiriN qahqahe
haaye haNsti hui raateN jo mujh se kho gaiiN

1.playful 2.fairy-faced, beautiful 3.sweet 4.laughter

The poet/lover recalls with poignant nostalgia that nights that he used to be able to spend with beautiful and playful friends with a sweet and ringing laughter.  Alas, I have lost them.
8
jin tamannaaoN1 se hai aye shaad2 dil ki zindagi
vo tamannaaeN agar hoNToN3 pe aaiN to gaiiN

1.intense desires 2.pen-name of the poet 3.lips

The heart-felt desires that keep the poet alive, if he brings them to his lips i.e. gives them voice/expression, then it is as if he has lost them i.e. there are some delicate desires that should be left unsaid, kept to yourselves.