For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
محبّت کی زباں میرے بعد ۔ چندر پرکاش جوہرؔ بجنوری
۱
کُھل سکیں گے نہ پھر اَسرارِ نہاں میرے بعد
کون سمجھے گا محبت کی زباں میرے بعد
۲
یورشِ برق تھی اک میرے نشیمن کے لیے
صحنِ گُلشن سے اُٹھا پھر نہ دھواں میرے بعد
۳
میں نے اک آہ میں رودادِ محبت کہہ دی
لوگ کرتے رہے تفسیرِ فغاں میرے بعد
۴
کچھ تو پہلے ہی سے بے رنگ تھے ہستی کے نُقُوش
اور مبہم ہوئی تصویرِ جہاں میرے بعد
۵
وہ فسانہ نگہِ حُسن نے چھیڑا تھا جسے
کس کو معلوم کہ ہو ختم کہاں میرے بعد
۶
مشعلِ راہِ وفا تھا مرا ہر نقشِ قدم
منزلیں ہو گئیں بے نام و نشاں میرے بعد
۷
میرے ہی دم سے ہے تازہ تغیر جوہرؔ
ختم ہو جائے گا آشوبِ جہاں میرے بعد
मोहब्बत की ज़बां मेरे बाद – चंद्र प्रकाश जौहर बिजनौरी
१
खुल सकेंगे न फिर अस्रार-ए निहां मेरे बाद
कौन समझेगा मोहब्बत की ज़बां मेरे बाद
२
यूरिश-ए बर्क़ थी एक मेरे नशेमन के लिये
सहन-ए गुलशन से उठा फिर न धुआं मेरे बाद
३
मैं ने एक आह में रूदाद-ए मोहब्बत कह दी
लोग करते रहे तफ़्सीर-ए फ़ुग़ां मेरे बाद
४
कुछ तो पहले ही से बे-रंग थे हस्ती के नक़ूश
और मुबहम हुई तस्वीर-ए जहां मेरे बाद
५
वो फ़साना निगह-ए हुस्न ने छेढा था जिसे
किसको मालूम के हो ख़त्म कहां मेरे बाद
६
मश’अल-ए राह-ए वफ़ा था मेरा हर नक़्श-ए क़दम
मंज़िलें हो गईं बे-नाम-ओ-निशां मेरे बाद
७
मेरे ही दम से है ताज़ा तग़य्युर जौहर
ख़त्म हो जाएगा आशोब-ए जहां मेरे बाद
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. chandr prakaash jauhar bijnauri (1923-xxxx). Local school matriculation (1942) in urdu and faarsi. No further formal education. Started composing in 1940. Moved to meeraTh in 1943 for a government job. Became shaagird of izhaar husain izhaar. Formed a society called adabistaan to organize events, discussions and mushaa’era. This Ghazal, in the zamin of Ghalib’s – hai mukarrar lab-e saaqi meN salaa mere baad’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
khul1 sakeNge na phir asraar2-e nehaaN3 mer’e baad
kaun samjhega mohabbat ki zabaaN mer’e baad 1.literally-open, figuratively-revealed, explained 2.secrets, mysteries 3.hidden
No one will be able to explain the mysteries of life after me. Who can understand the language of love after me. The central point that the poet wants to make is that love is central to life. All mysteries are explained when viewed through the eyes of love.
2
yuurish1-e barq2 thi ek mer’e nasheman3 ke liye
sahn-e-gulshan4 se uTha phir na dhuaaN mer’e baad 1.attack, onslaught 2.lightning 3.nest 4.garden field/yard
In urdu poetic convention the poet is often presented as a bird. Lightning/fate always strikes his nest and burns it up. Here the poet suggests that such lightning strikes were meant exclusively for his nest. He presents himself as particularly unlucky or specially marked by fate. Thus, the onslaught of lightning strikes was exclusively for me. No smoke will rise from the garden after I am gone.
3
maiN ne ek aah1 meN ruudaad2-e mohabbat kah di
log karte rahe tafsiir3-e fuGhaaN4 mer’e baad 1.sigh 2.story 3.explanation 4.lament
The story of the pain of unrequited love was straightforward and simple. The poet was able to relate this story in a single sigh. But after him people kept trying to explain the meaning of this story (but never could).
4
kuchh to pahle1 hi se be-raNg2 th’e hasti3 ke nuquush4
aur mub’ham5 hui tasviir-e jahaaN6 mer’e baad 1.already 2.colourless, indistinct 3.life, existence 4.images, sketches 5.faint, blurred 6.world
The images (understanding of the meaning) of life was already indistinct. The picture of the world became even more blurred after me.
5
voh fasaana1 nig’h2-e husn3 ne chheRa4 tha jise
kisko m’aaluum5 keh ho Khatm6 kahaaN mer’e baad 1.story 2.glance 3.beauty, beloved 4.started, began 5.knows 6.finish, end
The word ‘voh’ implies a uniqueness, fascination – thus, such was the fascinating tale that the beloved’s glance started (with me), that who knows where it will end after I am gone. The implication is that his story of love is like no other.
6
mash’al1-e raah2-e vafa3 tha mera har naqsh-e-qadam4
manzileN5 ho ga’iiN be-naam-o-nishaaN6 mer’e baad 1.torch, guiding light 2.path 3.fidelity, love 4.footprints 5.destinations 6.without any trace or clue
The poet/lover traveled the path of true love/fidelity. The footprints behind him were a guiding light for other lovers. But after him there will be no trace of the direction of the destination left. Other lovers will lose their path.
7
mer’e hi dam1 se hai taaza2 taGhayyur3 jauhar4
Khatm5 ho jaa’ega aashob6-e jahaaN7 mer’e baad 1.breath, life 2.fresh, rejuvenation 3.revolution, change 4.pen-name 5.finished 6.affliction, calamity 7.world
As long as the poet is alive, he brings about change/rejuvenation with every breath. The implication is that this change was not always easy … because this calamitous routine of change will end after the poet is gone. It is highly unlikely that the poet is talking about social revolution. Rather, he may be talking about changes in poetic style.
chandr prakaash jauhar bijnauri (1923-xxxx). Local school matriculation (1942) in urdu and faarsi. No further formal education. Started composing in 1940. Moved to meeraTh in 1943 for a government job. Became shaagird of izhaar husain izhaar. Formed a society called adabistaan to organize events, discussions and mushaa’era. This Ghazal, in the zamin of Ghalib’s – hai mukarrar lab-e saaqi meN salaa mere baad’ is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
khul1 sakeNge na phir asraar2-e nehaaN3 mer’e baad
kaun samjhega mohabbat ki zabaaN mer’e baad
1.literally-open, figuratively-revealed, explained 2.secrets, mysteries 3.hidden
No one will be able to explain the mysteries of life after me. Who can understand the language of love after me. The central point that the poet wants to make is that love is central to life. All mysteries are explained when viewed through the eyes of love.
2
yuurish1-e barq2 thi ek mer’e nasheman3 ke liye
sahn-e-gulshan4 se uTha phir na dhuaaN mer’e baad
1.attack, onslaught 2.lightning 3.nest 4.garden field/yard
In urdu poetic convention the poet is often presented as a bird. Lightning/fate always strikes his nest and burns it up. Here the poet suggests that such lightning strikes were meant exclusively for his nest. He presents himself as particularly unlucky or specially marked by fate. Thus, the onslaught of lightning strikes was exclusively for me. No smoke will rise from the garden after I am gone.
3
maiN ne ek aah1 meN ruudaad2-e mohabbat kah di
log karte rahe tafsiir3-e fuGhaaN4 mer’e baad
1.sigh 2.story 3.explanation 4.lament
The story of the pain of unrequited love was straightforward and simple. The poet was able to relate this story in a single sigh. But after him people kept trying to explain the meaning of this story (but never could).
4
kuchh to pahle1 hi se be-raNg2 th’e hasti3 ke nuquush4
aur mub’ham5 hui tasviir-e jahaaN6 mer’e baad
1.already 2.colourless, indistinct 3.life, existence 4.images, sketches 5.faint, blurred 6.world
The images (understanding of the meaning) of life was already indistinct. The picture of the world became even more blurred after me.
5
voh fasaana1 nig’h2-e husn3 ne chheRa4 tha jise
kisko m’aaluum5 keh ho Khatm6 kahaaN mer’e baad
1.story 2.glance 3.beauty, beloved 4.started, began 5.knows 6.finish, end
The word ‘voh’ implies a uniqueness, fascination – thus, such was the fascinating tale that the beloved’s glance started (with me), that who knows where it will end after I am gone. The implication is that his story of love is like no other.
6
mash’al1-e raah2-e vafa3 tha mera har naqsh-e-qadam4
manzileN5 ho ga’iiN be-naam-o-nishaaN6 mer’e baad
1.torch, guiding light 2.path 3.fidelity, love 4.footprints 5.destinations 6.without any trace or clue
The poet/lover traveled the path of true love/fidelity. The footprints behind him were a guiding light for other lovers. But after him there will be no trace of the direction of the destination left. Other lovers will lose their path.
7
mer’e hi dam1 se hai taaza2 taGhayyur3 jauhar4
Khatm5 ho jaa’ega aashob6-e jahaaN7 mer’e baad
1.breath, life 2.fresh, rejuvenation 3.revolution, change 4.pen-name 5.finished 6.affliction, calamity 7.world
As long as the poet is alive, he brings about change/rejuvenation with every breath. The implication is that this change was not always easy … because this calamitous routine of change will end after the poet is gone. It is highly unlikely that the poet is talking about social revolution. Rather, he may be talking about changes in poetic style.
