For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
موضوع سخن تُو ۔ محسنؔ نقوی
۱
غزلوں کی دھنک اوڑھ مرے شعلہ بدن تُو
ہے میرا سخن تُو مرا موضوع سخن تُو
۲
کلیوں کی طرح پھوٹ سرِ شاخ تمنّا
خوشبو کی طرح پھیل چمن تا بہ چمن تُو
۳
نازل ہو کبھی ذہن پہ آیات کی صورت
آیات میں ڈھل جا کبھی جبریل دہن تُو
۴
اب کیوں نہ سجاؤں میں تجھے دیدہ و دل میں
لگتا ہے اندھیرے میں سویرے کی کِرن تُو
۵
پہلے نہ کوئی رمزِ سخن تھی نہ کِنایہ
اب نقطۂ تکمیلِ ہُنر محورِ فن تُو
۶
یہ کم تو نہیں تُو مرا معیارِ نظر ہے
اے دوست مرے واسطے کچھ اور نہ بن تُو
۷
ممکن ہو تِو رہنے دے مجھے ظلمتِ جاں میں
ڈھونڈے گا کہاں چاندنی راتوں کا کفن تُو
मौज़ू-ए सुख़न तू – मोहसिन नक़्वी
१
ग़ज़लौं की धनक ओढ़ मेरे शो’ला-बदन तू
है मेरा सुख़न तू मेरा मौज़ू-ए सुख़न तू
२
कलियौं की तरह फूट सर-ए शाख़-ए तमन्ना
ख़ुशबू की तरह फैल चमन-ता-ब-चमन तू
३
नाज़िल हो कभी ज़हन पे आयात की सूरत
आयात में ढल जा कभी जिब्रील-दहन तू
४
अब क्यूँ न सजाऊँ मैं तुझे दीदा ओ दिल में
लगता है अँधेरे में सवेरे की किरन तू
५
पहले न कोई रम्ज़-ए सुख़न थी न किनाया
अब नुक़्ता-ए तक्मील-ए हुनर महवर-ए फ़न तू
६
ये कम तो नहीं तू मेरा मे’यार-ए नज़र है
अए दोस्त मिरे वास्ते कुछ और न बन तू
७
मुम्किन हो तो रहने दे मुझे ज़ुल्मत-ए जाँ में
ढूँडेगा कहां चांदनी रातों का कफ़न तू
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. Ghulaam abbaas mohsin naqvi (1947-1996), Dera Ghaazi KhaaN, lahore. Son of a saddle-maker/food vendor, he got a BA from Govt College, multan and MA from the University of Panjab, labore. He was a prolific poet, especially writing about themes of the tragedy of karbala. He was gunned down because of sectarian violence.
1
GhazloN ki dhanak1 oRh mere sho’la-badan2 tu
hai meraa suKhan3 tu meraa mauzuu4-e suKhan3 tu 1.rainbow 2.flame-bodied 3.words, poetry, verse 4.theme
GhazloN ki dhanak can be the rainbow of Ghazal; the many colours, styles, beauty, sky spanning arch and perhaps a few more attributes of the rainbow gifted to the poet’s Ghazal. sho’la-badan can be the beloved but also the passion to compose verse. The word ‘tu’ refers to this same passion. Thus, O passion to compose, drape yourself in the many colours of the rainbow, for you are my words, the theme of my verse.
2
kaliyoN1 ki tarah phuuT2 sar3-e shaaKh4-e tamannaa5
Khushbuu ki tarah phail chaman-taa-ba-chaman6 tu 1.buds 2.break out, germinate, appear 3.head, tip 4.branch 5.desire 6.garden to garden
The poet wants the passion to compose poetry/his verse to emerge/blossom like buds on the tip of the branch of desire. He wants it to spread from garden to garden.
3
naazil1 ho kabhi zahn2 pe aayaat3 ki suurat4
aayaat3 meN Dhal5 jaa kabhi jibriil-dahan6 tu 1.descend, come down 2.mind 3.signs, verses of the qur’aan 4.similar, like 5.cast, moulded 6.mouth/tongue of archangel Gabriel
‘aayaat’ are supposed to be divine messages and are supposed to have descended to mohammed via the mouth/tongue to jibriil. The poet wants his verse to be like that. Descend sometimes, on my mind, like qur’aanic verse; getting moulded into aayaat, like words from the mouth of jibriil. Recall that Ghalib said …
aate haiN Ghaib se yeh mazaamiiN Khayaal meN
Ghalib sariir-e Khaama navaa-e sarosh hai
4
ab kyuN na sajaa’uN1 maiN tujhe diida-o-dil2 meN
lagtaa hai aNdhere meN savere3 ki kiran4 tu 1.arrange, embellish 2.eyes and heart, mind and soul 3.dawn 4.ray of light
Why should I not embellish my heart and soul with you (my verse), you appear like a ray of the light of dawn in the darkness. This darkness could be ignorance or hopelessness. The poets passion to compose and his verse provide light to dispel these.
5
pahle na koi ramz1-e suKhan2 thi na kinaaya3
ab nuqta4-e takmiil5-e hunar6 mahvar7-e fun8 tu 1.secret, hidden meaning 2.words, verse 3.allusion, imputation 4.point, centre, focus 5.completion, perfection 6.talent, ability 7.axis 8.art
Before you (passion of versification) there was no symbolism in my words nor any allusion and imputation. Now, you are the centre of perfection of talent, the axis of the art of poetry.
6
ye kam to nahiN tu meraa me’aar1-e nazar2 hai
aye dost mere vaaste3 kuchh aur na ban tu 1.standard 2.sight, discernment, selection 3.for me
It is no small matter that you are now the standard by which I see/evaluate my words. O friend, do not become anything else for me i.e., I do not want to lose this passion and compose ordinary, unfeeling verse.
7
mumkin1 ho to rahne de mujhe zulmat2-e jaaN3 meN
DhuuNDegaa4 kahaaN chaaNdni raatoN kaa kafan5 tu 1.possible 2.darkness 3.life, soul 4.search 5.burial shroud
The poet is addressing the art of versification as his beloved. If at all possible, hide me in the inner sanctum in the darknesses of heart. I don’t want to bother you with the task for finding a sheet of moonlight to cover me i.e., deep feeling and sorrow of the heart rather than the pleasant surroundings of moonlight.
Ghulaam abbaas mohsin naqvi (1947-1996), Dera Ghaazi KhaaN, lahore. Son of a saddle-maker/food vendor, he got a BA from Govt College, multan and MA from the University of Panjab, labore. He was a prolific poet, especially writing about themes of the tragedy of karbala. He was gunned down because of sectarian violence.
1
GhazloN ki dhanak1 oRh mere sho’la-badan2 tu
hai meraa suKhan3 tu meraa mauzuu4-e suKhan3 tu
1.rainbow 2.flame-bodied 3.words, poetry, verse 4.theme
GhazloN ki dhanak can be the rainbow of Ghazal; the many colours, styles, beauty, sky spanning arch and perhaps a few more attributes of the rainbow gifted to the poet’s Ghazal. sho’la-badan can be the beloved but also the passion to compose verse. The word ‘tu’ refers to this same passion. Thus, O passion to compose, drape yourself in the many colours of the rainbow, for you are my words, the theme of my verse.
2
kaliyoN1 ki tarah phuuT2 sar3-e shaaKh4-e tamannaa5
Khushbuu ki tarah phail chaman-taa-ba-chaman6 tu
1.buds 2.break out, germinate, appear 3.head, tip 4.branch 5.desire 6.garden to garden
The poet wants the passion to compose poetry/his verse to emerge/blossom like buds on the tip of the branch of desire. He wants it to spread from garden to garden.
3
naazil1 ho kabhi zahn2 pe aayaat3 ki suurat4
aayaat3 meN Dhal5 jaa kabhi jibriil-dahan6 tu
1.descend, come down 2.mind 3.signs, verses of the qur’aan 4.similar, like 5.cast, moulded 6.mouth/tongue of archangel Gabriel
‘aayaat’ are supposed to be divine messages and are supposed to have descended to mohammed via the mouth/tongue to jibriil. The poet wants his verse to be like that. Descend sometimes, on my mind, like qur’aanic verse; getting moulded into aayaat, like words from the mouth of jibriil. Recall that Ghalib said …
aate haiN Ghaib se yeh mazaamiiN Khayaal meN
Ghalib sariir-e Khaama navaa-e sarosh hai
4
ab kyuN na sajaa’uN1 maiN tujhe diida-o-dil2 meN
lagtaa hai aNdhere meN savere3 ki kiran4 tu
1.arrange, embellish 2.eyes and heart, mind and soul 3.dawn 4.ray of light
Why should I not embellish my heart and soul with you (my verse), you appear like a ray of the light of dawn in the darkness. This darkness could be ignorance or hopelessness. The poets passion to compose and his verse provide light to dispel these.
5
pahle na koi ramz1-e suKhan2 thi na kinaaya3
ab nuqta4-e takmiil5-e hunar6 mahvar7-e fun8 tu
1.secret, hidden meaning 2.words, verse 3.allusion, imputation 4.point, centre, focus 5.completion, perfection 6.talent, ability 7.axis 8.art
Before you (passion of versification) there was no symbolism in my words nor any allusion and imputation. Now, you are the centre of perfection of talent, the axis of the art of poetry.
6
ye kam to nahiN tu meraa me’aar1-e nazar2 hai
aye dost mere vaaste3 kuchh aur na ban tu
1.standard 2.sight, discernment, selection 3.for me
It is no small matter that you are now the standard by which I see/evaluate my words. O friend, do not become anything else for me i.e., I do not want to lose this passion and compose ordinary, unfeeling verse.
7
mumkin1 ho to rahne de mujhe zulmat2-e jaaN3 meN
DhuuNDegaa4 kahaaN chaaNdni raatoN kaa kafan5 tu
1.possible 2.darkness 3.life, soul 4.search 5.burial shroud
The poet is addressing the art of versification as his beloved. If at all possible, hide me in the inner sanctum in the darknesses of heart. I don’t want to bother you with the task for finding a sheet of moonlight to cover me i.e., deep feeling and sorrow of the heart rather than the pleasant surroundings of moonlight.
