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Recitation
مرثیہ سیدالشہدا ۔ مرزا غالب
(ناتمام)
ہاں اَے نفسِ بادِ سحر شعلہ فشاں ہو
اَے دجلۂ خوں چشمِ ملائک سے رواں ہو
اَے زمزمۂ قم، لبِ عیسیٰ پہ فغاں ہو
اَے ماتمیانِ شہِ مظلوم، کہاں ہو
بگڑی ہے بہت بات، بنائے نہیں بنتی
اب گھر کو بغیر آگ لگائے نہیں بنتی
تابِ سخن و طاقتِ غوغا نہیں ہم کو
ماتم میں شہِ دیں کے ہیں، سودا نہیں ہم کو
گھر پھونکنے میں اپنے محابا نہیں ہم کو
گر چرخ بھی جل جائے تو پروا نہیں ہم کو
یہ خر گہِ نہُ پایہ جو مُدّت سے بجا ہے
کیا خیمۂ شبّیر سے رتبے میں سِوا ہے
کچھ اور ہی عالم نظر آتا ہے جہاں کا
کچھ اور ہی نقشہ ہے دِل و چشم و زباں کا
کیسا فلک اور مہرِ جہاں تاب کہاں کا
ہوگا دِلِ بیتاب کِسی سوختہ جاں کا
اب مہر میں اور برق میں کچھ فرق نہیں ہے
گرتا نہیں اُس رو سے کہو، برق نہیں ہے
मर्सिया सय्यद उ शोहदा – मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
हां अए नफ़स-ए बाद-ए सहर शोला फ़शां हो
अए दजला-ए ख़ून चश्म-इ मलाएक से रवां हो
अए ज़मज़मा-ए क़ुम लब-ए ईसा पे फ़ुग़ा हो
अए मातामियान-ए शह-ए मज़लूम कहां हो
बिगड़ी है बहुत बात, बनाए नहीं बनती
अब घर को बग़ैर आग लगाए नहीं बनती
ताब-ए सुख़न ओ ताक़त-ए ग़ोग़ा नहीं हम को
मातम में शाह-ए दीं के हैं, सौदा नहीं हम को
घर फूंकने में अपना महाबा नहीं हम को
गर चर्ख़ भी जल जाए तो परवा नहीं हम को
ये ख़र-गह-ए न पाया जो मुद्दत से बजा है
क्या ख़ैमा-ए शब्बीर से रुतबे में सिवा है
कुछ और ही आलम नज़र आता है जहां का
कुछ और ही नक़्शा है दिल ओ चश्म ओ ज़बां का
कैसा फ़लक और महर-ए जहां ताब कहां का
होगा दिल-ए बेताब किसी सोख़्ता जां का
अब महर में और बर्क़ में कुछ फ़र्क़ नहीं है
गिरता नहीं उस रौ से कहो, बर्क़ नहीं है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Ghalib set out to write a marsia at the request of someone. Ghalib’s disciple/student altaaf husain haali, writes that after composing these three stanzas Ghalib gave up saying that he was so stricken with grief that he could not continue. There are others who have devoted a lifetime to writing marsia, Ghalib wrote. He would rather leave it to them and asks to be absolved of this responsibility.
haaN! aye nafas1-e baad2-e sahr3 shola-fashaaN4 ho
aye dajla5-e KhooN chashm6-e malaaek7 se ravaaN8 ho
aye zamzama9-e qum10! lab11-e eesa12 pe fuGhaaN13 ho
aye maatamiyaan14-e shah-e mazloom15! kahaaN ho
bigRi hai bahut baat, banaaye nahiN banti
ab ghar ko baGhair aag lagaaye nahiN banti 1.breath 2.breeze 3.morning 4.spread flames 5.River Tigris, used here to mean river 6.eyes 7.angels 8.flow 9.song 10.rising 11.lips of 12.Jesus 13.wailing 14.mourners 15.king of the oppressed, the most oppressed, husain
O, breeze of dawn, breathe fire and spread flames (normally the breeze of dawn is cool and soothing). O, angels, let a river of blood flow from your eyes (crying in intense sorrow). O, rising song, come from the lips of Jesus like a wail. Probably the reference is to the crucifixion of Jesus as a tragic event now surpassed by the tragedy of karbala, making even Jesus wail in sorrow. O, mourners of husain, where are you. Conditions have gone so bad that they cannot be set right. I cannot but set fire to my house. The reference here is probably to the burning of the tents of husain’s family and companions in karbala. If they were set on fire, how can I see my own house stand intact.
taab1-e suKhan2 o taaqat3-e GhoGha4 nahiN hum ko
maatam5 meN shah-e-deeN6 ke haiN, sauda7 nahiN hum ko
ghar phooNkne meN apna mahaaba8 nahiN hum ko
gar9 charKh10 bhi jal jaaye to parva nahiN hum ko
ye Khar-gah11-e na-paaya12 jo muddat13 se baja14 hai
kya Khaima15-e shabbir16 se rutbe17 meN siva18 hai 1.ability to bear the burden of 2.speech 3.strength 4.loud lamenting 5.mourning 6.king of faith, a phrase usually used for husain 7.(concern for) profit 8.hesitation 9.if 10.sky 11.donkey stall, used derogatively to mean this material world 12.without foundation, without justification 13.for long 14.in place, steady 15.tent 16.another name of husain 17.status 18.more, greater
We don’t have the strength to speak or lament aloud. We are absorbed in mourning for husain, we have no concern for profit (well being, survival). We have no hesitation in burning down our own house. Even if the sky (heavens) catch fire, we do not care. This donkey-stable (derogatory reference to this material world) that has survived for a long time, is it more important than the tents of husain (which were burnt).
kuchh aur1 hi aalam2 nazar aata hai jahaaN3 ka
kuchh aur hi naqsha4 hai dil o chashm5 o zabaaN ka
kaisa falak6 aur mehr7-e jahaaN-taab8 kahaaN ka
hoga dil-e betaab9 kisi soKhta-jaaN10 ka
ab mehr meN aur barq11 meN kuchh farq12 nahiN hai
girta nahiN us rau13 se kaho, barq nahiN hai 1.different 2.condition 3.world 4.sketch, picture 5.eyes 6.skies, heavens 7.sun 8.world-warming 9.restless 10.sorrowful soul 11.flash of lightning 12.difference 13.speed
The picture of the world looks different. The condition of my sorrowful heart (eyes and tongue too) has changed. What is this earth-warming sun (rhetorically implying that it is not of much value). All of these look different because of the restless heart of a sorrowful soul. There is no difference now between the brilliant sun and a faint flash of lightning. And even lightning does not strike with the same speed/intensity as before.
Ghalib set out to write a marsia at the request of someone. Ghalib’s disciple/student altaaf husain haali, writes that after composing these three stanzas Ghalib gave up saying that he was so stricken with grief that he could not continue. There are others who have devoted a lifetime to writing marsia, Ghalib wrote. He would rather leave it to them and asks to be absolved of this responsibility.
haaN! aye nafas1-e baad2-e sahr3 shola-fashaaN4 ho
aye dajla5-e KhooN chashm6-e malaaek7 se ravaaN8 ho
aye zamzama9-e qum10! lab11-e eesa12 pe fuGhaaN13 ho
aye maatamiyaan14-e shah-e mazloom15! kahaaN ho
bigRi hai bahut baat, banaaye nahiN banti
ab ghar ko baGhair aag lagaaye nahiN banti
1.breath 2.breeze 3.morning 4.spread flames 5.River Tigris, used here to mean river 6.eyes 7.angels 8.flow 9.song 10.rising 11.lips of 12.Jesus 13.wailing 14.mourners 15.king of the oppressed, the most oppressed, husain
O, breeze of dawn, breathe fire and spread flames (normally the breeze of dawn is cool and soothing). O, angels, let a river of blood flow from your eyes (crying in intense sorrow). O, rising song, come from the lips of Jesus like a wail. Probably the reference is to the crucifixion of Jesus as a tragic event now surpassed by the tragedy of karbala, making even Jesus wail in sorrow. O, mourners of husain, where are you. Conditions have gone so bad that they cannot be set right. I cannot but set fire to my house. The reference here is probably to the burning of the tents of husain’s family and companions in karbala. If they were set on fire, how can I see my own house stand intact.
taab1-e suKhan2 o taaqat3-e GhoGha4 nahiN hum ko
maatam5 meN shah-e-deeN6 ke haiN, sauda7 nahiN hum ko
ghar phooNkne meN apna mahaaba8 nahiN hum ko
gar9 charKh10 bhi jal jaaye to parva nahiN hum ko
ye Khar-gah11-e na-paaya12 jo muddat13 se baja14 hai
kya Khaima15-e shabbir16 se rutbe17 meN siva18 hai
1.ability to bear the burden of 2.speech 3.strength 4.loud lamenting 5.mourning 6.king of faith, a phrase usually used for husain 7.(concern for) profit 8.hesitation 9.if 10.sky 11.donkey stall, used derogatively to mean this material world 12.without foundation, without justification 13.for long 14.in place, steady 15.tent 16.another name of husain 17.status 18.more, greater
We don’t have the strength to speak or lament aloud. We are absorbed in mourning for husain, we have no concern for profit (well being, survival). We have no hesitation in burning down our own house. Even if the sky (heavens) catch fire, we do not care. This donkey-stable (derogatory reference to this material world) that has survived for a long time, is it more important than the tents of husain (which were burnt).
kuchh aur1 hi aalam2 nazar aata hai jahaaN3 ka
kuchh aur hi naqsha4 hai dil o chashm5 o zabaaN ka
kaisa falak6 aur mehr7-e jahaaN-taab8 kahaaN ka
hoga dil-e betaab9 kisi soKhta-jaaN10 ka
ab mehr meN aur barq11 meN kuchh farq12 nahiN hai
girta nahiN us rau13 se kaho, barq nahiN hai
1.different 2.condition 3.world 4.sketch, picture 5.eyes 6.skies, heavens 7.sun 8.world-warming 9.restless 10.sorrowful soul 11.flash of lightning 12.difference 13.speed
The picture of the world looks different. The condition of my sorrowful heart (eyes and tongue too) has changed. What is this earth-warming sun (rhetorically implying that it is not of much value). All of these look different because of the restless heart of a sorrowful soul. There is no difference now between the brilliant sun and a faint flash of lightning. And even lightning does not strike with the same speed/intensity as before.
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