For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
منصوُر – اَحمَد فرازؔ
۱
وہ کیا خطا تھی؟
كہ جس کی پاداش میں ابھی تک
میں قرن ہا قرن سے شِکارِ عبودیت
طوق دَر گُلو … پا بہ گِل رہا ہوں
وہ جرم کیا تھا ؟
۲
كہ زندگی بھر تو میں
تیرے آستاں پہ سجدوں کی نظر گزرانتا رہا ہوں
اور اِس کا ثمرہ ملے
تو بس کاسۂ گدائی – عذابِ عالم
تو کیا میری بے طلب ریاضت – مجاہدت کا یہی صلہ ہے
مجھے گلہ ہے
۳
خدائے تنّور و آبِ سادہ ، مجھے گلہ ہے
مجھے تری بندگی كے صدقے میں کیا ملا ہے
کہاں ہے وہ تیرا دستِ فیّاض
جس كے جوُد و سخا كے قصے
سنہرے حرفوں میں ہر صحیفے كے
حاشیے بن كے رہ گئے ہیں
۴
کہاں ہیں وہ تیری جنّتیں جن کی داستانیں
بڑے تکلّف سے عرش سے فرش پر اُتاریں
کہاں ہیں وہ تیرے شیر و شہد و شکر كے بے اِنتہا ذخیرے
كہ جن کی کاذب جھلک سے تو نے
گُرسنا مخلوق کو ازل سے غلام رکھا
کہاں ہیں اُن واہمی کھلونوں كے
اونچے بازار کس طرف ہیں
۵
میں اِن رِوایات کی حقیقت سے با خبر ہوں
یہ سب وہ رنگین دام تھے جن كے بل پہ تو نے
زمیں پہ بغض و عناد و ظلم و فساد و حِرص و ہوس كے ایسے دھویں اُڑائے
كہ نسلِ آدم کروڑ فرقوں میں بٹ گئی ہے
یہ وحدۂ لاشرک ایک دُنیا ہزار خِطّوں میں کٹ گئی ہے
۶
اگر چہ روزِ الست سے لے كے اب تلک
بےشمار صدیوں كے فاصلے ہیں
مگر یہ تاریخ کی کہن سال راہبہ، جو
تیرے کلیساوں ، بتکدوں ، حرم سراوں كے مجرمانا
رُموز سے آشنا رہی ہے
ہر اک خرابے کی خاک اڑانے كے بَعْد آئی
تو کہہ رہی ہے
۷
“سُنو نشیبوں كے باسیو!
یہ جہاں تمہارا ہے
یہ زمیں یہ فلک یہ خورشید و ماہ و انجم فقط تمہارے ہیں
دوسرا ماسوا تمہارے کوئی نہیں ہے
خدا و بندہ کی تلخ تفریق بے حقیقت ہے بے سبب ہے
اُلوہیت کا وجود تم میں سے ہی کسی خود فریب انساں کا واہما تھا
یہ واہما اِس قدر بڑھا پِھر
كہ رفتہ رفتہ تمام کونین کا خداوند بن گیا
۸
اور اِس خداوند
اِس تصوّر كے آسرے پر
تمہارے کچھ ہم نفس رفیقوں نے
تم کو محکوم و پا بہ زنجیر کر دیا ہے
یہی وہ پہلا گناہ پہلا فریب پہلا فسوں ہے جس نے
مزاجِ انساں کو غاصبانہ شعور بخشا”
۹
اگر یہ سچ ہے!
اگر یہ سچ ہے، خدائے تنّور و آبِ سادہ
تو یہ من و تو کی پست و بالا فصیل مسمار کیوں نہ کر دوں
كہ ان مراتب کی کشمکش سے ہی
آج میں اور میرے ہم جِنس
اِس طرح ایک دوسرے كے غنیم ہیں
۱۰
كہ جس طرح زمستاں کی برف باری كے بَعد گُرگانِ گُرسنا
بھوک کی شقاوت سے تنگ آ کر
اس اک لمحے كے منتظر ہیں
جب ان کا کوئی نحیف ساتھی
غنودگی کا شکار ہو
اور سب كے سب اس پہ ٹوٹ کر چیر پھاڑ ڈالیں
۱۱
كہ اِس شکم کی مہیب دوزخ سے بڑھ كے
کوئی نہیں جہنم
نہ اِس جہاں میں
نہ اُس جہاں میں
मंसूर – अहमद फ़राज़
१
वो क्या ख़ता थी?
के जिस की पादाश में अभी तक
मैं क़र्न हा क़र्न से शिकार-ए उबूदियत
तौक़ दर गुलू … पा बा गिल रहा हुं
वो जुर्म क्या था?
२
के ज़िंदगी भर तो मैं
तेरे आस्तां पे सिज्दों की नज़र गुज़रानता रहा हुं
और इस का सम्रा मिले
तो बस कासा-ए गदाई – अज़ाब-ए आलम
तो क्या मेरी बे तलब रियाज़त – मुजाहिदत का यही सिला है
मुझे गिला है
३
ख़ुदा-ए तन्नूर ओ आब-ए सादा, मुझे गिला है
मुझे तेरी बंदगी के सदक़े में क्या मिला है
कहां है वो तेरा दस्त-ए फ़य्याज़
जिस के जूद ओ सख़ा के क़िस्से
सुनहरे हरफ़ों में हर सहीफ़े के
हाशिए बन के रह गये हैं
४
कहां हैं वो तेरी जन्नतें जिन की दास्तानें
बड़े तकल्लुफ़ से अर्श से फ़र्श पर उतारें
कहां हैं वो तेरे शीर ओ शहद ओ शकर के बे-इंतेहा ज़ख़ीरे
के जिन की काज़िब झलक से तू ने
गुरस्ना मख़्लूक़ को अज़ल से ग़ुलाम रक्खा
कहां हैं उन वाहमी खिलोनौं के
ऊंचे बाज़ार किस तरफ़ हैं
५
मैं इन रिवायात की हक़ीक़त से बा-ख़बर हुं
ये सब वो रंगीन दाम थे जिन के बल पे तू ने
ज़मीं पे बोग़ज़ ओ अनाद ओ ज़ुल्म ओ फ़साद ओ हिर्स ओ हवस के ऐसे धुएं उड़ाए
के नस्ल-ए आदम करोड़ फ़िर्क़ों में बट गई है
ये वहदा-ए ला-शिर्क एक दुनिया हज़ार ख़ित्तों में कट गई है
६
अगरचे रोज़-ए अलस्त से ले के अब तलक
बे-शुमार सदियौं के फ़ासले हैं
मगर ये तारीख़ की कुहन साल राहिबा जो
तेरे कलीसाउं, बुत्कदौं , हरम्सराउं के मुजरिमाना
रुमूज़ से आशना रही है
हर एक ख़राबे की ख़ाक उड़ाने के बाद आई
तो कह रही है
७
“सुनो नशेबौं के बासियो!
ये जहां तुम्हारा है
ये ज़मीं ये फ़लक ये ख़ुर्शीद ओ माह ओ अंजुम फ़क़त तुम्हारे हैं
दूसरा मासिवा तुम्हारे कोइ नहीं है
ख़ुदा ओ बंदा की तल्ख़ तफ़्रीक़ बे-हक़ीक़त है बे-सबब है
उलूहियत का वुजूद तुम में से ही किसी ख़ुद फ़रेब इन्सां का वाहिमा था
ये वाहिमा इस क़दर बढ़ा फिर
के रफ़्ता रफ़्ता तमाम कौनैन का ख़ुदावन्द बन गया
८
और इस ख़ुदावन्द
इस तसव्वुर के आसरे पर
तुम्हारे कुछ हम-नफ़स रफ़ीक़ों ने
तुम को महकूम ओ पा-बा-ज़ंजीर कर दिया है
यही वो पहला गुनाह पहला फ़रेब पहला फ़ुसूँ है जिस ने
मिज़ाज-ए इन्सां को ग़ासिबाना शऊर बख़्शा”
९
अगर ये सच है!
अगर ये सच है, ख़ुदा-ए तन्नूर ओ आब-ए सादा
तो ये मन ओ तू की पस्त ओ बाला फ़सील मिस्मार क्यूं ना कर दूं
के इन मरातिब की कशमकश से ही
आज मैं और मेरे हम जिन्स
इस तरह एक दूसरे के ग़नीम हैं
१०
के जिस तरह ज़मिस्तां कि बर्फ़बारी के बाद गुरगान-ए गुरस्ना
भूक की शक़ावत से तंग आ कर
उस एक लम्हे के मुंतज़िर हैं
जब इन का कोइ नाहीफ़ साथी
ग़ुनूदगी का शिकार हो
और सब के सब उस पे टूट कर चीर फाड़ डालें
११
के इस शिकम की मोहीब दोज़ख़ से बढ़ के
कोइ नहीं जहन्नुम
न इस जहां में
न उस जहां में
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ahmad faraz (1931-2008) popular love and romance poet as well as a substantial contributor to progressive themes. The title of the nazm “mansuur” is taken from the name of mansuur al-hallaj (858-922) mystic sufi philosopher who was charged with heresy and sentenced to death. The poet implies that he too is committing heresy, questioning the concept of “original sin”. It is highly irreverent and borders on the declaration of atheism. It could also be an indictment of the ruling class rather than of the concept of divinity.
1
vo kya Khata1 thi?
keh jis ki paadaash2 meN abhi tak
maiN qarn-ha3 qarn se shikaar4-e uboodiyat5
tauq6 dar-guloo7, paa-ba-gil8 raha huN
vo jurm9 kya tha? 1.transgression, sin 2.retribution, retaliation 3.millenia and millenia 4.victim, prey 5.slavery, worship 6.shackles, chain 7.on/around neck 8.feet in clay i.e. immobilized, chained 9.crime
What was the sin in retribution of which I have spent millenium after millenium as a prey of slavish worship. It is as if I have shackles around my neck and fetters on my feet. What was that crime?
2
keh zindagi bhar to maiN
tere aastaaN1 pe sijdauN2 ki nazr3 guzraanta4 raha huN
aur is ka samra5 miley
to bas6 kaasa7-e gadaaii8 – azaab9-e aalam10
to kya meri be-talab11 riyaazat12 – mujahidat13 ka yahi sila14 hai
mujhe gila15 hai 1.threshold, door 2.prostration 3.devotional offering 4.submitting, offering 5.fruit, harvest 6.only 7.bowl of 8.begging 9.torture 10.world 11.unselfish 12.penance 13.struggle 14.compensation 15.complaint, gripe
All my life I have made devotional offerings of prostration at your door and its harvest this – only a begging bowl and all the calamities of this world. So, is this the only compensation of my unselfish penance. I have a gripe. By “devotional offerings” the poet could well mean the offerings of his compositions.
3
Khuda-e tannoor1 o aab-e saada2, mujhe gila hai
mujhe teri bandagi3 ke sadqe4 meN kya mila hai
kahaaN hai vo tera dast5-e fayyaaz6
jis ke jood7 o saKhaa8 ke qisse
sunehre harfauN9 meN har saheefe10 ke
haashiye11 ban ke rah gaye haiN 1.oven, fire 2.plain/pure water 3.worship 4.charity 5.hand of 6.benevolence 7.generosity 8.open-heartedness 9.golden letters 10.scripture 11.margins, footnotes
O god of fire and water, I have a gripe. What have I received as charity/grant from slavish worship. Where is your generous hand whose stories of plentiful giving are now mere footnotes written in golden letters in all scriptures.
4
kahaaN haiN vo teri jannateN jin ki daastaaneN1
baRe takalluf2 se arsh3 se farsh4 par utaareN
kahaaN haiN vo tere shiir5 o shahd6 o shakar ke be-inteha7 zaKheere8
keh jin ki kaazib9 jhalak se tu ne
gurasna10 maKhlooq11 ko azal12 se Ghulaam rakkha
kahaaN haiN un vaahami13 khilonauN ke
ooNche bazaar kis taraf haiN 1.fables 2.ceremony 3.sky, heaven 4.floor, earth 5.sweetness 6.honey 7.limitless 8.stock, treasure 9.false, illusionary 10.hungry 11.creation 12.eternity 13.superstitious, imaginery
Where are your heavens, whose fables, with great ceremony, descended from heavens to the earth. Where are your limitless treasures of sugar, sweets and honey, mere glimpses of the illusion of which, have enslaved the hungry multitude from the very beginning. Where are your imaginary toys, where are your plentiful bazaars.
5
maiN in rivaayaat1 ki haqeeqat2 se ba-Khabar3 huN
ye sub vo raNgeen daam4 the jin ke bal pe tu ne
zamiN pe boGhz5 o anaad6 o zulm7 o fasaad8 o hirs9 o havas10 ke aise dhueN uRaaye
keh nasl12-e aadam13 karoR firqauN14 meN buT15 gayee hai
ye vahda16-e la-shirk17 ek duniya hazaar KhittauN18 meN kaT gaii hai 1.traditions, stories 2.truth, reality 3.fully aware 4.trap, net 5.enmity 6.strife 7.oppression 8.conspiracy 9.greed 10.lust 12.progeny 13.Adam 14.sects, communities 15.divided 16.single unit, undivided 17.without admixture 18.regions
I am fully aware of the “reality” of these traditions. These are all colourful traps using which you have created enmity and strife, oppression and conspiracy, greed and lust on earth. The progeny of Adam is divided into a million sects. This unique and indivisible earth is cut up into a thousand regions.
6
agarche1 roz-e alast2 se le ke ab talak
be-shumaar3 sadiyauN4 ke faasle5 haiN
magar ye tareeKh6 ki kuhan-saal7 raahiba8 jo
tere kaleesaauN9, butkadauN10, haramsaraauN11 ke mujrimaana12
rumooz13 se aashna14 rahi hai
har ek Kharaabe15 ki Khaak uRaane ke baad aayi
to kah rahi hai 1.even though 2.literally, “am I not”. It is written that at the time of creation of humanity god asked “am I not your lord” … thus it is used here to imply “the day of creation” 3.innumerable 4.centuries 5.distances 6.history 7.ancient, of many years 8.monk, ascetic 9.churches 10.temples 11.mosques 12.criminal 13.secrets 14.knowledgeable of 15.calamity, wreck
Even though there is a distance of many centuries between now and the day of creation, but this secretive monk, History, who knows all the criminal secrets of your churches, temples and mosques, visits us after every calamity and speaks to us thus …
7
suno nashebauN1 ke baasiyo!
ye jahaaN tumhaara hai
ye zamiN ye falak2 ye Khurshid3 o maah4 o anjum5 faqat6 tumhaare haiN
doosra maasiva7 tumhaare koii nahiN hai
Khuda o banda8 ki talKh9 tafreeq10 be-haqeeqat11 hai be-sabab12 hai
uloohiyat13 ka vujood14 tum meN se hi kisi Khud-fareb15 insaaN ka vaahima16 tha
ye vaahima is qadar17 baRha phir
keh rafta-rafta18 tamaam kaunain19 ka Khudavand20 ban gaya 1.lowlands, earth 2.sky 3.sun 4.moon 5.stars 6.only 7.except for 8.servant, creature 9.hard, hard and fast 10.differentiation 11.without reality 12.without basis 13.divinity, theism 14.existence 15.self-deceiving, deluded 16.illusion, superstition 17.so much 18.gradually 19.both worlds – here and hereafter 20.god
O denizens of this earth, the earth, the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars are yours and only yours. This hard and fast differentiation between god and his creation is without a basis in reality. The existence of god is an illusion/fabrication of some deluded person among you. This delusion gathered so much strength that gradually it became the god of the here and hereafter.
8
aur is Khudavand
is tasavvur1 ke aasre2 par
tumhaare kuchh hum-nafas3 rafeeqauN4 ne
tum ko mahkoom5 o pa-ba-zanjiir6 kar diya hai
yahi vo pahla gunaah pahla fareb7 pahla fusuN8 hai jis ne
mizaaj9-e insaaN ko Ghasibaana10 sha’oor11 baKhsha 1.concept 2.based on, depending on 3.same breath, same kind 4.friends 5.subservient 6.chains around feet – shackled and manacled 7.deception 8.illusion 9.temperament 10.of the usurper 11.consciousness, ability
And based on this concept of theism, some of your own kind, your friends have enslaved you, shackled and chained you. This (the concept of theism) is the original sin, the first illusion that gave the nature of man the ability to become a usurper. Recall that the nazm started with the question “what is my sin” … and this is the answer – your sin is believing in the illusion of god.
9
agar ye such hai!
agar ye such hai, Khuda-e tannoor1 o aab-e saada2
to ye man-o-tu3 ki past4 o baala5 faseel6 mismaar7 kyuN na kar duN
keh in maraatib8 ki kashmakash9 se hi
aaj maiN aur mere hum-jins10
is tarah ek doosre ke Ghaneem11 haiN 1.oven, fire 2.plain/pure water 3.me and you 4.low/vile/evil 5.high 6.boundary 7.demolish 8.ranks 9.struggle 10.my kindred 11.enemies
If this is true, if this is true, O god of fire and water, then why should I not demolish this tall evil boundary between you and me. (These passages are somewhat confusing. Removing the boundary between you and me is usually used as a sufi concept of union between god and man, lover and beloved. But ahmad faraz was no sufi and there is not much of a sufi trend in the poem. It is much more a declaration of rebellion). Because, in the struggle of the affairs (of this world) me and my kindred have become enemies of each other like …
10
keh jis tarah zamistaaN1 ki barfbaari ke baad gurgaan2-e gurasna3
bhook ki shaqaavat4 se taNg aa kar
us ek lamhe5 ke muntazir6 haiN
jab in ka koii naheef7 saathi
Ghunoodagi8 ka shikaar9 ho
aur sub ke sub us pe TooT kar chiir phaaR DaaleN 1.winterland 2.wolves, hyenas 3.hungry, starving 4.misery 5.moment 6.waiting for 7.weak, feeble 8.drowsiness 9.victim of
… as if, after a snowfall in winterland, a starving pack of wolves, miserable with the pain of hunger, is waiting for that one moment when one of their own enfeebled by hunger, doses off, and the rest of them can attack him and tear him up.
11
keh is shikam1 ki moheeb2 dozaKh3 se baRh ke
koii nahiN jahannum4
na is jahaaN meN
na us jahaaN meN 1.stomach, belly 2.menacing, overpowering 3.hell 4.hell
Because, worse than the menacing hell of this belly, there is no other hell. Neither in this world, nor in the next.
ahmad faraz (1931-2008) popular love and romance poet as well as a substantial contributor to progressive themes. The title of the nazm “mansur” is taken from the name of mansur al-hallaj (858-922) mystic sufi philosopher who was charged with heresy and sentenced to death. The poet implies that he too is committing heresy, questioning the concept of “original sin”. It is highly irreverent and borders on the declaration of atheism. It could also be an indictment of the ruling class rather than of the concept of divinity.
1
vo kya Khata1 thi?
keh jis ki paadaash2 meN abhi tak
maiN qarn-ha3 qarn se shikaar4-e uboodiyat5
tauq6 dar-guloo7, paa-ba-gil8 raha huN
vo jurm9 kya tha?
1.transgression, sin 2.retribution, retaliation 3.millenia and millenia 4.victim, prey 5.slavery, worship 6.shackles, chain 7.on/around neck 8.feet in clay i.e. immobilized, chained 9.crime
What was the sin in retribution of which I have spent millenium after millenium as a prey of slavish worship. It is as if I have shackles around my neck and fetters on my feet. What was that crime?
2
keh zindagi bhar to maiN
tere aastaaN1 pe sijdauN2 ki nazr3 guzraanta4 raha huN
aur is ka samra5 miley
to bas6 kaasa7-e gadaaii8 – azaab9-e aalam10
to kya meri be-talab11 riyaazat12 – mujahidat13 ka yahi sila14 hai
mujhe gila15 hai
1.threshold, door 2.prostration 3.devotional offering 4.submitting, offering 5.fruit, harvest 6.only 7.bowl of 8.begging 9.torture 10.world 11.unselfish 12.penance 13.struggle 14.compensation 15.complaint, gripe
All my life I have made devotional offerings of prostration at your door and its harvest this – only a begging bowl and all the calamities of this world. So, is this the only compensation of my unselfish penance. I have a gripe. By “devotional offerings” the poet could well mean the offerings of his compositions.
3
Khuda-e tannoor1 o aab-e saada2, mujhe gila hai
mujhe teri bandagi3 ke sadqe4 meN kya mila hai
kahaaN hai vo tera dast5-e fayyaaz6
jis ke jood7 o saKhaa8 ke qisse
sunehre harfauN9 meN har saheefe10 ke
haashiye11 ban ke rah gaye haiN
1.oven, fire 2.plain/pure water 3.worship 4.charity 5.hand of 6.benevolence 7.generosity 8.open-heartedness 9.golden letters 10.scripture 11.margins, footnotes
O god of fire and water, I have a gripe. What have I received as charity/grant from slavish worship. Where is your generous hand whose stories of plentiful giving are now mere footnotes written in golden letters in all scriptures.
4
kahaaN haiN vo teri jannateN jin ki daastaaneN1
baRe takalluf2 se arsh3 se farsh4 par utaareN
kahaaN haiN vo tere shiir5 o shahd6 o shakar ke be-inteha7 zaKheere8
keh jin ki kaazib9 jhalak se tu ne
gurasna10 maKhlooq11 ko azal12 se Ghulaam rakkha
kahaaN haiN un vaahami13 khilonauN ke
ooNche bazaar kis taraf haiN
1.fables 2.ceremony 3.sky, heaven 4.floor, earth 5.sweetness 6.honey 7.limitless 8.stock, treasure 9.false, illusionary 10.hungry 11.creation 12.eternity 13.superstitious, imaginery
Where are your heavens, whose fables, with great ceremony, descended from heavens to the earth. Where are your limitless treasures of sugar, sweets and honey, mere glimpses of the illusion of which, have enslaved the hungry multitude from the very beginning. Where are your imaginary toys, where are your plentiful bazaars.
5
maiN in rivaayaat1 ki haqeeqat2 se ba-Khabar3 huN
ye sub vo raNgeen daam4 the jin ke bal pe tu ne
zamiN pe boGhz5 o anaad6 o zulm7 o fasaad8 o hirs9 o havas10 ke aise dhueN uRaaye
keh nasl12-e aadam13 karoR firqauN14 meN buT15 gayee hai
ye vahda16-e la-shirk17 ek duniya hazaar KhittauN18 meN kaT gaii hai
1.traditions, stories 2.truth, reality 3.fully aware 4.trap, net 5.enmity 6.strife 7.oppression 8.conspiracy 9.greed 10.lust 12.progeny 13.Adam 14.sects, communities 15.divided 16.single unit, undivided 17.without admixture 18.regions
I am fully aware of the “reality” of these traditions. These are all colourful traps using which you have created enmity and strife, oppression and conspiracy, greed and lust on earth. The progeny of Adam is divided into a million sects. This unique and indivisible earth is cut up into a thousand regions.
6
agarche1 roz-e alast2 se le ke ab talak
be-shumaar3 sadiyauN4 ke faasle5 haiN
magar ye tareeKh6 ki kuhan-saal7 raahiba8 jo
tere kaleesaauN9, butkadauN10, haramsaraauN11 ke mujrimaana12
rumooz13 se aashna14 rahi hai
har ek Kharaabe15 ki Khaak uRaane ke baad aayi
to kah rahi hai
1.even though 2.literally, “am I not”. It is written that at the time of creation of humanity god asked “am I not your lord” … thus it is used here to imply “the day of creation” 3.innumerable 4.centuries 5.distances 6.history 7.ancient, of many years 8.monk, ascetic 9.churches 10.temples 11.mosques 12.criminal 13.secrets 14.knowledgeable of 15.calamity, wreck
Even though there is a distance of many centuries between now and the day of creation, but this secretive monk, History, who knows all the criminal secrets of your churches, temples and mosques, visits us after every calamity and speaks to us thus …
7
suno nashebauN1 ke baasiyo!
ye jahaaN tumhaara hai
ye zamiN ye falak2 ye Khurshid3 o maah4 o anjum5 faqat6 tumhaare haiN
doosra maasiva7 tumhaare koii nahiN hai
Khuda o banda8 ki talKh9 tafreeq10 be-haqeeqat11 hai be-sabab12 hai
uloohiyat13 ka vujood14 tum meN se hi kisi Khud-fareb15 insaaN ka vaahima16 tha
ye vaahima is qadar17 baRha phir
keh rafta-rafta18 tamaam kaunain19 ka Khudavand20 ban gaya
1.lowlands, earth 2.sky 3.sun 4.moon 5.stars 6.only 7.except for 8.servant, creature 9.hard, hard and fast 10.differentiation 11.without reality 12.without basis 13.divinity, theism 14.existence 15.self-deceiving, deluded 16.illusion, superstition 17.so much 18.gradually 19.both worlds – here and hereafter 20.god
O denizens of this earth, the earth, the sky, the sun, the moon and the stars are yours and only yours. This hard and fast differentiation between god and his creation is without a basis in reality. The existence of god is an illusion/fabrication of some deluded person among you. This delusion gathered so much strength that gradually it became the god of the here and hereafter.
8
aur is Khudavand
is tasavvur1 ke aasre2 par
tumhaare kuchh hum-nafas3 rafeeqauN4 ne
tum ko mahkoom5 o pa-ba-zanjiir6 kar diya hai
yahi vo pahla gunaah pahla fareb7 pahla fusuN8 hai jis ne
mizaaj9-e insaaN ko Ghasibaana10 sha’oor11 baKhsha
1.concept 2.based on, depending on 3.same breath, same kind 4.friends 5.subservient 6.chains around feet – shackled and manacled 7.deception 8.illusion 9.temperament 10.of the usurper 11.consciousness, ability
And based on this concept of theism, some of your own kind, your friends have enslaved you, shackled and chained you. This (the concept of theism) is the original sin, the first illusion that gave the nature of man the ability to become a usurper. Recall that the nazm started with the question “what is my sin” … and this is the answer – your sin is believing in the illusion of god.
9
agar ye such hai!
agar ye such hai, Khuda-e tannoor1 o aab-e saada2
to ye man-o-tu3 ki past4 o baala5 faseel6 mismaar7 kyuN na kar duN
keh in maraatib8 ki kashmakash9 se hi
aaj maiN aur mere hum-jins10
is tarah ek doosre ke Ghaneem11 haiN
1.oven, fire 2.plain/pure water 3.me and you 4.low/vile/evil 5.high 6.boundary 7.demolish 8.ranks 9.struggle 10.my kindred 11.enemies
If this is true, if this is true, O god of fire and water, then why should I not demolish this tall evil boundary between you and me. (These passages are somewhat confusing. Removing the boundary between you and me is usually used as a sufi concept of union between god and man, lover and beloved. But ahmad faraz was no sufi and there is not much of a sufi trend in the poem. It is much more a declaration of rebellion). Because, in the struggle of the affairs (of this world) me and my kindred have become enemies of each other like …
10
keh jis tarah zamistaaN1 ki barfbaari ke baad gurgaan2-e gurasna3
bhook ki shaqaavat4 se taNg aa kar
us ek lamhe5 ke muntazir6 haiN
jab in ka koii naheef7 saathi
Ghunoodagi8 ka shikaar9 ho
aur sub ke sub us pe TooT kar chiir phaaR DaaleN
1.winterland 2.wolves, hyenas 3.hungry, starving 4.misery 5.moment 6.waiting for 7.weak, feeble 8.drowsiness 9.victim of
… as if, after a snowfall in winterland, a starving pack of wolves, miserable with the pain of hunger, is waiting for that one moment when one of their own enfeebled by hunger, doses off, and the rest of them can attack him and tear him up.
11
keh is shikam1 ki moheeb2 dozaKh3 se baRh ke
koii nahiN jahannum4
na is jahaaN meN
na us jahaaN meN
1.stomach, belly 2.menacing, overpowering 3.hell 4.hell
Because, worse than the menacing hell of this belly, there is no other hell. Neither in this world, nor in the next.
