majma-e auhaam raasta do de-raam avtaar gupta muztar

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

مجمعِ  اوہام  راستہ  تو  دے  ۔  رام  اوتار  گپتا  مضطرؔ

۱

بنا  کے  جب  جسے  چاہے  بھلے  مِٹا  تو  دے

ترا  یہ  کھیل  بھی  کیا  ہے  مگر  بتا  تو  دے

۲

لگائے  کان  وہ  بیٹھا  ہے  منتظر  کب  سے

پکار  تو  سہی  اس  کو  ذرا  صدا  تو  دے

۳

وفورِ  سوزِ  الم  موجِ  بُوِئے  زُلف  سہی

جھلستی  دھوپ  میں  سایہ  کوئی  گھٹا  تو  دے

۴

میں  کیسے  طے  کروں  بے  سمت  راستوں  کا  سفر

کہاں  ہے  شہرِ  تمنّا  کوئی  پتہ  تو  دے

۵

ہے  میرے  عشق  کا  ایماں  تری  قدم  بوسی

مگر  یہ  مجمعِ  اوہام  راستہ  تو  دے

۶

جبینِ  شوقِ  عبادت  جسے  حرم  کر  لے

درِ  نگاہ  پہ  دستک  وہ  نقشِ  پا  تو  دے

मजमा’-ए औहाम रास्ता तो दे – राम अवतार गुप्ता मुज़्तर

बना के जब जिसे चाहे भले मिटा तो दे
तेरा यह खेल भी क्या है मगर बता तो दे

लगाए कान वो बैठा है मुन्तज़िर कब से
पुकार तो सही उस को ज़रा सदा तो दे

वुफ़ूर-ए सोज़-ए अलम मौज-ए बू-ए ज़ुल्फ़ सही
झुलसती धूप में साया कोई घटा तो दे

मैं कैसे तय करूं बे सम्त रास्तों का सफ़र
कहाँ है शहर-ए तमन्ना कोई पता तो दे

है मेरे इश्क़ का ईमाँ तेरी क़दम-बोसी
मगर ये मजमा’-ए औहाम रास्ता तो दे

जबीन-ए शौक़-ए इबादत जिसे हरम कर ले
दर-ए निगाह पे दस्तक वो नक़्श-ए पा तो दे

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. raam avtaar gupta muztar sundailvi (1936-xxxx) was a well recognized poet in both urdu and hindi. He was exposed to the Progressive Writers’ Association but explicitly chose to be apolitical. His compositions are classical romantic in their themes. His work is published in two collections – seepiyoN ka samandar and safeer-e aaKhir-e shab.
1
banaa ke jab jise chaahe bhale1 miTaa2 to de
tera yeh khel bhi kya hai magar bataa to de   
1.as you please 2.erase, wipe out
The poet expresses existential confusion. He observes the arbitrary nature of life and death, the creation and destruction by a higher power (often interpreted as god). You create someone as you please, and then, as you wish, you destroy them. What kind of game is this of yours, at least explain it.

2
lagaa’e kaan1 voh baiThaa hai muntazir2 kab se
pukaar to sahi usko zaraa sadaa3 to de   
1.attentive with ears perked 2.waiting eagerly 3.call
He’s been sitting there, ears perked, waiting for so long. Just call out to him, give him a sound. The one who has been waiting could be god, or the seeker. If god, then the poet is advising the seeker to call out and seek help, suggesting that god is ready and waiting to help. On the other hand, the poet could be speaking to god on behalf of humanity. They are waiting for your help, why don’t you call and help/guide them. This could also be about the beloved and the lover instead of god and the seeker.

3
vufoor1-e soz2-e alam3 mauj4-e buu5-e zulf6 sahii7
jhulasti8 dhoop meN saaya koi ghaTaa9 to de    
1.abundance, excess 2.fire, pain 3.sorrow 4.wave, gust 5.fragrance 6.hair 7.it may be so 8.burning, searing 9.cloud
The poet/lover is overwhelmed by the intense/excessive pain and sorrow as he experiences a gust of breeze carrying the fragrance of the beloved’s hair. He acknowledges that this may be so – that he is in pain because of unreciprocated love. But on top of it he is burning in the searing sun (perhaps because of the cruelty of fate). He protests – at least some cloud of benevolence could provide some shade/protection.

4
maiN kais’e ta’e1 karuN be-samt2 raastoN ka safar3
kahaaN hai shah’r-e-tamanna4 koi pataa5 to de   
1.traverse, travel 2.without direction 3.journey 4.city of desire 5.clue, indication, guidance
How can I travel along these directionless paths? Which way is the city of desires? At least give me some guidance. The poet/seeker is on a spiritual quest/journey and is confused because there are no clear directions on which path to take. The ‘city of desire’ is his destination of enlightenment/spirituality. He seeks guidance, probably from god.

5
hai mer’e ishq ka imaaN1 teri qadam-bosi2
magar yeh majma3-e auhaam4 raasta to de   
1.faith, devotion 2.kissing feet, obeisance 3.crowd 4.superstitions, illusions
The faith/focus of my love is to kiss your feet. But this crowd of illusions/superstitions should at least step aside and give me a path.

6
jabiin1-e shauq2-e ibaadat3 jise haram4 kar le
dar5-e nigaah6 pe dastak7 voh naqsh-e-paa8 to de   
1.forehead, brow 2.desire 3.prayer, obeisance 4.mosque, focus of worship 5.door 6.eyes 7.knock 8.footprints
The forehead of longing is ready/eager to make ‘it’ the focus of worship. What is the ‘it’ which is to become the focus of worship. It is the naqsh-e-paa of the beloved or the divine. The devotee is calling upon the ‘naqsh-e-paa’ to knock at the door of sight/perception i.e., to reveal itself or give some guidance.

raam avtaar gupta muztar sundailvi (1936-xxxx) was a well recognized poet in both urdu and hindi.  He was exposed to the Progressive Writers’ Association but explicitly chose to be apolitical.  His compositions are classical romantic in their themes.  His work is published in two collections – seepiyoN ka samandar and safeer-e aaKhir-e shab.
1
banaa ke jab jise chaahe bhale1 miTaa2 to de
tera yeh khel bhi kya hai magar bataa to de

1.as you please 2.erase, wipe out

The poet expresses existential confusion. He observes the arbitrary nature of life and death, the creation and destruction by a higher power (often interpreted as god).  You create someone as you please, and then, as you wish, you destroy them.  What kind of game is this of yours, at least explain it.
2
lagaa’e kaan1 voh baiThaa hai muntazir2 kab se
pukaar to sahi usko zaraa sadaa3 to de

1.attentive with ears perked 2.waiting eagerly 3.call

He’s been sitting there, ears perked, waiting for so long.  Just call out to him, give him a sound.  The one who has been waiting could be god, or the seeker.  If god, then the poet is advising the seeker to call out and seek help, suggesting that god is ready and waiting to help.  On the other hand, the poet could be speaking to god on behalf of humanity.  They are waiting for your help, why don’t you call and help/guide them.  This could also be about the beloved and the lover instead of god and the seeker.
3
vufoor1-e soz2-e alam3 mauj4-e buu5-e zulf6 sahii7
jhulasti8 dhoop meN saaya koi ghaTaa9 to de

1.abundance, excess 2.fire, pain 3.sorrow 4.wave, gust 5.fragrance 6.hair 7.it may be so 8.burning, searing 9.cloud

The poet/lover is overwhelmed by the intense/excessive pain and sorrow as he experiences a gust of breeze carrying the fragrance of the beloved’s hair.  He acknowledges that this may be so – that he is in pain because of unreciprocated love.  But on top of it he is burning in the searing sun (perhaps because of the cruelty of fate).  He protests – at least some cloud of benevolence could provide some shade/protection.
4
maiN kais’e ta’e1 karuN be-samt2 raastoN ka safar3
kahaaN hai shah’r-e-tamanna4 koi pataa5 to de

1.traverse, travel 2.without direction 3.journey 4.city of desire 5.clue, indication, guidance

How can I travel along these directionless paths?  Which way is the city of desires? At least give me some guidance.  The poet/seeker is on a spiritual quest/journey and is confused because there are no clear directions on which path to take.  The ‘city of desire’ is his destination of enlightenment/spirituality.  He seeks guidance, probably from god.
5
hai mer’e ishq ka imaaN1 teri qadam-bosi2
magar yeh majma3-e auhaam4 raasta to de

1.faith, devotion 2.kissing feet, obeisance 3.crowd 4.superstitions, illusions

The faith/focus of my love is to kiss your feet.  But this crowd of illusions/superstitions should at least step aside and give me a path.
6
jabiin1-e shauq2-e ibaadat3 jise haram4 kar le
dar5-e nigaah6 pe dastak7 voh naqsh-e-paa8 to de

1.forehead, brow 2.desire 3.prayer, obeisance 4.mosque, focus of worship 5.door 6.eyes 7.knock 8.footprints

The forehead of longing is ready/eager to make ‘it’ the focus of worship.  What is the ‘it’ which is to become the focus of worship.  It is the naqsh-e-paa of the beloved or the divine.  The devotee is calling upon the ‘naqsh-e-paa’ to knock at the door of sight/perception i.e., to reveal itself or give some guidance.