For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
منزل کہاں نہیں ۔ منوہر لال شاربؔ
۱
انکار فصلِ گُل سے تو اے باغباں نہیں
جو ہے میری نظر میں یہ وہ گُلستاں نہیں
۲
وہ گرمیِ حیات وہ عزمِ جواں نہیں
منزل کی ہو تلاش تو منزل کہاں نہیں
۳
کچھ سوچ کر ہی ہم تو ہیں خاموش بزم میں
اور وہ سمجھ رہے ہیں کہ منہ میں زباں نہیں
۴
آؤ یہ روز روز کا دھڑکا مِٹا بھی دیں
یا آج برق ہی نہیں یا آشیاں نہیں
۵
تعمیرِ آب و گِل میں ہے منشا کوئی ضرور
یہ زندگی تو حادثۂ ناگہاں نہیں
۶
سر تا قدم ہوں تیری قسم دل بنا ہوا
اب کیا بتاؤں درد کہاں ہے کہاں نہیں
۷
اب مسکرا رہے ہیں کچھ اِس احتیاط سے
جیسے کہ مجھ سے واقعی وہ بد گماں نہیں
۸
ہے اک ہمارے دم ہی سے ہنگامۂ حیات
جب ہم نہیں زمین نہیں آسماں نہیں
۹
شاربؔ ہر اک مقام سے گزرے ہیں ہم مگر
کوئی مقام جُز درِ پیرِ مغاں نہیں
मंज़िल कहां नहीं – मनोहर लाल शारिब
१
इन्कार फ़स्ल-ए गुल से तो अए बाग़्बां नहीं
जो है मेरी नज़र में ये वो गुल्सितां नहीं
२
वो गर्मी-ए हयात, वो अज़्म-ए जवां नहीं
मंज़िल की हो तलाश तो मंज़िल कहां नहीं
३
कुछ सोच कर हि हम तो हैं ख़ामोश बज़्म में
और वो समझ रहे हैं के मुंह में ज़बां नहीं
४
आओ ये रोज़ रोज़ का धढका मिटा भि दें
या आज बर्क़ ही नहीं या आशियां नहीं
५
तामीर-ए आब ओ गिल में है मन्शा काई ज़रूर
ये ज़िन्दगी तो हादेसा-ए नागहां नहीं
६
सर ता क़दम हुं तेरी क़सम दिल बना हुआ
अब क्या बताऊं दर्द कहां है कहां नहीं
७
अब मुस्कुरा रहे हैं कुछ इस एहतियात से
जैसे के मुझ से वाक़’ई वो बदगुमां नहीं
८
है एक हमारे दम हि से हंगामा-ए हयात
जब हम नहीं ज़मीन नहीं, आस्मां नहीं
९
शारिब हर एक मक़ाम से गुज़्रे हैं हम मगर
कोई मक़ाम जुज़ दर-ए पीर-ए मुग़ां नहीं
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. manohar lal shaarib (1920-1962) learnt urdu, farsi and arabi at home. After matriculation he worked for the agriculture department in hyderabad. He was very much a part of the progressive circle of shu’ara.
1
inkaar1 fasl-e-gul2 se to aye baaGhbaaN3 nahiN
jo hai meri nazar4 meN ye vo gulsitaaN5 nahiN 1.refusal 2.season of flowering, spring 3.gardener 4.sight, imagination 5.garden
O gardener, it is not that we refuse to accept spring. It is just that this is not the garden that I had in mind. This reminds me of faiz ahmed faiz …
ye daaGh daaGh ujaala ye shab-gazeda sahar
vo intezaar tha jis ka ye vo sahar to nahiN
2
vo garmi1-e hayaat2, vo azm3-e javaaN4 nahiN
manzil5 ki ho talaash6 to manzil kahaaN nahiN 1.warmth, passion 2.life 3.determination 4.youthful, vigorous 5.destination 6.search
There is no longer that passion for life, that youthful determination otherwise if you are really looking for your destination, where can you not find it. Reminds me of bahzaad lakhnavi …
aye jazba-e dil gar maiN chaahuN, har chiiz muqaabil aa jaaye
manzil ke liye do gaam chaluN aur saamne manzil aa jaaye
3
kuchh soch kar hi hum to haiN Khaamosh1 bazm2 meN
aur vo samajh3 rahe haiN keh muNh meN zabaaN nahiN 1.silent 2.gathering 3.thinks
The poet/lover is in the gathering of the beloved’s admirers. They all speak, but he remains silent, because he is the true lover and knows the conventions of love which prevent him from saying anything that maligns the beloved’s name. But she interprets his silence to mean that he does ‘not have tongue’ i.e., he cannot speak.
4
aao ye roz roz ka dhaRka1 miTa bhi deN
yaa aaj barq2 hii nahiN ya aashiyaaN3 nahiN 1.fearful anticipation 2.lightning 3.nest
In poetic convention the poet is a bird and makes a nest in the garden. The sky/fate is unkind and frequently lightning striks and burns up his nest. He is tired of this. He is determined to settle this daily fear. Today he will wage such a battle that either lightning will be overcome or there will be no nest i.e. a do or die situation.
5
taamiir1-e aab-o-gil2 meN hai mansha3 koii zaruur4
ye zindagi to haadesa5-e naagahaaN6 nahiN 1.making, building 2.water and clay 3.purpose 4.for sure 5.accident 6.surprising
There is one belief that humans were made of clay and water. There surely is a purpose in the making of humans. This life cannot be a spurious accident.
6
sar taa1 qadam2 huN teri qasam dil bana hua
ab kya bataauN dard kahaaN hai kahaaN nahiN 1.to, till 2.feet
I swear by you, I am all heart from head to toe. The heart is always in in pain, pining for love. How can I tell you where it hurts and where it does not.
7
ab muskura rahe haiN kuchh is ehtiyaat1 se
jaise keh mujh se vaaq’ii2 vo badgumaaN3 nahiN 1.care, caution 2.in truth 3.annoyed
She smiles with such care as if to show that she is truly not annoyed with the poet/lover. What brought this about is wide open for us to imagine.
8
hai ek hamaare dum1 hi se haNgaama2-e hayaat3
jab hum nahiN zamiin nahiN, aasmaaN nahiN 1.breath, life, strength, based upon 2.commotion 3.life
This commotion of life is based upon us. If we were to not exist, then there would be no earth or sky. Who is the ‘us’ – humans, lovers. Perhaps ‘earth and sky’ signify all creation and the creator. Thus god’s existence depends on us. Does he mean, ‘we created god’.
9
shaarib1 har ek maqaam2 se guzre3 haiN hum magar4
koii maqaam juz5 dar6-e piir-e-muGhaaN7 nahiN 1.pen-name of the poet 2.stage, place, destination 3.passed through 4.but 5.except for 6.door, abode 7.chief wine-maker, saaqi
‘dar-e piir-e muGhaaN’ – the abode of the chief wine maker or saaqi is the tavern. The poet has passed through many stages, places, has had many destinations. But for him there is no destination other than the tavern. Recall that the tavern stands for a liberal, accepting place.
manohar lal shaarib (1920-1962) learnt urdu, farsi and arabi at home. After matriculation he worked for the agriculture department in hyderabad. He was very much a part of the progressive circle of shu’ara.
1
inkaar1 fasl-e-gul2 se to aye baaGhbaaN3 nahiN
jo hai meri nazar4 meN ye vo gulsitaaN5 nahiN
1.refusal 2.season of flowering, spring 3.gardener 4.sight, imagination 5.garden
O gardener, it is not that we refuse to accept spring. It is just that this is not the garden that I had in mind. This reminds me of faiz ahmed faiz …
ye daaGh daaGh ujaala ye shab-gazeda sahar
vo intezaar tha jis ka ye vo sahar to nahiN
2
vo garmi1-e hayaat2, vo azm3-e javaaN4 nahiN
manzil5 ki ho talaash6 to manzil kahaaN nahiN
1.warmth, passion 2.life 3.determination 4.youthful, vigorous 5.destination 6.search
There is no longer that passion for life, that youthful determination otherwise if you are really looking for your destination, where can you not find it. Reminds me of bahzaad lakhnavi …
aye jazba-e dil gar maiN chaahuN, har chiiz muqaabil aa jaaye
manzil ke liye do gaam chaluN aur saamne manzil aa jaaye
3
kuchh soch kar hi hum to haiN Khaamosh1 bazm2 meN
aur vo samajh3 rahe haiN keh muNh meN zabaaN nahiN
1.silent 2.gathering 3.thinks
The poet/lover is in the gathering of the beloved’s admirers. They all speak, but he remains silent, because he is the true lover and knows the conventions of love which prevent him from saying anything that maligns the beloved’s name. But she interprets his silence to mean that he does ‘not have tongue’ i.e., he cannot speak.
4
aao ye roz roz ka dhaRka1 miTa bhi deN
yaa aaj barq2 hii nahiN ya aashiyaaN3 nahiN
1.fearful anticipation 2.lightning 3.nest
In poetic convention the poet is a bird and makes a nest in the garden. The sky/fate is unkind and frequently lightning striks and burns up his nest. He is tired of this. He is determined to settle this daily fear. Today he will wage such a battle that either lightning will be overcome or there will be no nest i.e. a do or die situation.
5
taamiir1-e aab-o-gil2 meN hai mansha3 koii zaruur4
ye zindagi to haadesa5-e naagahaaN6 nahiN
1.making, building 2.water and clay 3.purpose 4.for sure 5.accident 6.surprising
There is one belief that humans were made of clay and water. There surely is a purpose in the making of humans. This life cannot be a spurious accident.
6
sar taa1 qadam2 huN teri qasam dil bana hua
ab kya bataauN dard kahaaN hai kahaaN nahiN
1.to, till 2.feet
I swear by you, I am all heart from head to toe. The heart is always in in pain, pining for love. How can I tell you where it hurts and where it does not.
7
ab muskura rahe haiN kuchh is ehtiyaat1 se
jaise keh mujh se vaaq’ii2 vo badgumaaN3 nahiN
1.care, caution 2.in truth 3.annoyed
She smiles with such care as if to show that she is truly not annoyed with the poet/lover. What brought this about is wide open for us to imagine.
8
hai ek hamaare dum1 hi se haNgaama2-e hayaat3
jab hum nahiN zamiin nahiN, aasmaaN nahiN
1.breath, life, strength, based upon 2.commotion 3.life
This commotion of life is based upon us. If we were to not exist, then there would be no earth or sky. Who is the ‘us’ – humans, lovers. Perhaps ‘earth and sky’ signify all creation and the creator. Thus god’s existence depends on us. Does he mean, ‘we created god’.
9
shaarib1 har ek maqaam2 se guzre3 haiN hum magar4
koii maqaam juz5 dar6-e piir-e-muGhaaN7 nahiN
1.pen-name of the poet 2.stage, place, destination 3.passed through 4.but 5.except for 6.door, abode 7.chief wine-maker, saaqi
‘dar-e piir-e muGhaaN’ – the abode of the chief wine maker or saaqi is the tavern. The poet has passed through many stages, places, has had many destinations. But for him there is no destination other than the tavern. Recall that the tavern stands for a liberal, accepting place.
