For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
مسافرِ ابدی ۔ شاہد عزیز روشؔ صدیقی
۱
مسافرِ ابدی کی نہیں کوئی منزل
یہاں قیام کیا یا وہاں قیام کیا
تری وفا نے بڑے مرحلے کئے آساں
فروغ صبح سے روشن چراغِ شام کیا
۲
صنم کدوں میں بڑھا اعتبارِ اہلِ حرم
حرم نے دیر نشینوں کا احترام کیا
حیات کیا ہے محبت کی آگ میں جلنا
یہ راز بھی ترے سوزِ وفا نے عام کیا
۳
اٹھا اٹھا کے حجاباتِ چہرۂ منزل
مسافران صداقت کو تیز گام کیا
گزر کے دانشِ حاضر کے آسمانوں سے
بلند سادگیِ عشق کا مقام کیا
۴
ملا جو دستِ حوادث سے زہر بھی تجھ کو
بڑے خلوص سے تو نے شریکِ جام کیا
وہ درد تیری خموشی میں تھا نہاں جس نے
سکوتِ ناز کو آمادۂ کلام کیا
۵
یہ سوچ کر کہ محبّت ہے روح کا آرام
سکوں کو مائلِ بیتابئ دوام کیا
سمجھ لیا کہ ملامت ہے آبروئے وفا
نہ بھول کر کبھی سودائے ننگ و نام کیا
۶
جو اہلِ ظرف نہ تھے اُن سبو پرستوں کو
عطا سلیقۂ رندانِ تشنہ کام کیا
ہزار حیف کہ دانش ورانِ باطل نے
چراغِ عشق بجھانے کا اہتمام کیا
۷
صلہ تھا تیری ریاضت کا صبح آزادی
وہ صبح جس کو غلاموں نے ننگِ شام کیا
ابھی تو گوش بر آواز تھی بھری محفل
کہاں یہ تو نے کہانی کا اختتام کیا
۸
تلاشِ حق سے فروزاں تھی کائنات تری
اسی تلاش میں گم ہو گئی حیات تری
۹
کمندِ وقت میں اُلجھا ہزار بار مگر
اسیر کر نہ سکا دامِ ماسوا تجھ کو
کسی کے وہم و گماں میں بھی یہ مقام نہ تھا
پیامِ دوست بہت دور لے گیا تجھ کو
۱۰
وہ جامِ زہر جو اہلِ وفا کی قسمت ہے
خوشا نصیب کہ اِس دور میں ملا تجھ کو
جلالِ خدمتِ خلقِ خدا ہوا ظاہر
تِرے خدا نے بڑا مرتبہ دیا تجھ کو
۱۱
یہاں تو ہے ترے قاتل سے موت بھی بیزار
وہاں فنا سے ملا مژدۂ بقا تجھ کو
وہ قوم جس کو دیا حُسنِ زندگی تُو نے
خود اُس کے خوابِ پریشاں نے کھو دیا تجھ کو
۱۲
جو ناسپاس تری زندگی کے دشمن تھے
کریں گے یاد وہی مرگ آشنا تجھ کو
یہ بد گہر اِسے جرمِ عظیم کہتے تھے
کہ بندگانِ خدا سے خلوص تھا تجھ کو
۱۳
یہ موت بھی جو بظاہر ہے ہجرِ لا محدود
نہ کر سکے گی ترے ہند سے جدا تجھ کو
ہوئی ہے غرق تری کشئ حیات جہاں
خیال نے وہیں دیکھا ہے ناخدا تجھ کو
۱۴
ہے ذرّہ ذرّہ تری خاک کا عزیزِ وطن
بھلا سکے گی کہاں ارضِ ایشیا تجھ کو
تری حیات حجابِ غمِ جدائی تھی
اِسی حجاب نے سب سے چھپا لیا تجھ کو
بُلا کے بارگہِ بختیار کاکی میں
کسے خبر کہ مشیت نے کیا دیا تجھ کو
۱۵
تیری ضیا سے ہے روشن دلِ وطن اب بھی
اس انجمن میں ہے تو شمع انجمن اب بھی
मुसाफ़र-ए अबदी – शाहेद अज़ीज़ रविश सिद्दीक़ी
१
मुसाफ़र-ए अबदी की नहीं कोई मंज़िल
यहाँ क़याम किया या वहाँ क़याम किया
तेरी वफ़ा ने बड़े मरहले किए आसाँ
फ़रोग़-ए सुब्ह से रौशन चराग़-ए शाम किया
२
सनम-कदों में बढ़ा ए’तबार-ए अहल-ए हरम
हरम ने दैर-नशीनों का एहतिराम किया
हयात क्या है मोहब्बत की आग में जलना
ये राज़ भी तेरे सोज़-ए वफ़ा ने आम किया
३
उठा उठा के हिजाबात-ए चेहरा-ए मंज़िल
मुसाफ़िरान-ए सदाक़त को तेज़-गाम किया
गुज़र के दानिश-ए हाज़र के आस्मानों से
बुलंद सादगी-ए इश्क़ का मक़ाम किया
४
मिला जो दस्त-ए हवादिस से ज़हर भी तुझ को
बड़े ख़ुलूस से तू ने शरीक-ए जाम किया
वो दर्द तेरी ख़मोशी में था नेहाँ जिस ने
सुकूत-ए नाज़ को आमादा-ए कलाम किया
५
ये सोच कर के मोहब्बत है रूह का आराम
सुकूं को मा’एल-ए बेताबी-ए दवाम किया
समझ लिया के मलामत है आब्रू-ए वफ़ा
न भूल कर कभी सौदा-ए नंग ओ नाम किया
६
जो अहल-ए ज़र्फ़ न थे उन सुबू परस्तौं को
अता सलीक़ा-ए रिंदान-ए तश्ना-काम किया
हज़ार हैफ़ के दानिश्वरान-ए बातिल ने
चराग़-ए इश्क़ बुझाने का एहतमाम किया
७
सिला था तेरी रियाज़त का सुब्ह-ए आज़ादी
वो सुब्ह जिस को ग़ुलामों ने नंग-ए शाम किया
अभी तो गोश-बर-आवाज़ थी भरी महफ़िल
कहाँ ये तू ने कहानी का इख़्तिताम किया
८
तलाश-ए हक़ से फ़रोज़ां थी का’एनात तेरी
इसी तलाश में गुम हो गई हयात तेरी
९
कमन्द-ए वक़्त में उल्झा हज़ार बार मगर
असीर कर न सका दाम-ए मासवा तुझ को
किसी के वहम ओ गुमां में भी ये मक़ाम न था
पयाम-ए दोस्त बहुत दूर ले गया तुझ को
१०
वो जाम-ए ज़हर जो अहल-ए वफ़ा की क़िस्मत है
ख़ुशा-नसीब के इस दौर में मिला तुझ को
जलाल-ए ख़िद्मत-ए ख़ल्क़-ए ख़ुदा हुआ ज़ाहर
तेरे ख़ुदा ने बड़ा मर्तबा दिया तुझ को
११
यहां तो है तेरे क़ातिल से मौत भी बेज़ार
वहां फ़ना से मिला मुज़्श्दा-ए बक़ा तुझ को
वो क़ौम जिस को दिया हुस्न-ए ज़िंदगी तू ने
ख़ुद उस के ख़्वाब-ए परेशां ने खो दिया तुझ को
१२
जो नासपास तेरी ज़िन्दगी के दुश्मन थे
करेंगे याद वही मर्ग-आश्ना तुझ को
ये बद-गुहर इसे जुर्म-ए अज़ीम कहते हैं
के बन्दगान-ए ख़ुदा से ख़ुलूस था तुझ को
१३
ये मौत भी जो बज़ाहर है हिज्र-ए ला-महदूद
न कर सकेगी तेरे हिन्द से जुदा तुझ को
हुई है ग़र्क़ तेरी कश्ती-ए हयात जहां
ख़याल ने वहीं देखा है नाख़ुदा तुझ को
१४
है ज़र्रा ज़र्रा तेरी ख़ाक का अज़ीज़-ए वतन
भुला सकेगी कहां अर्ज़-ए एशिया तुझ को
तेरी हयात हिजाब-ए ग़म-ए जुदाई थी
इसी हिजाब ने सब से छुपा लिया तुझ को
बुला के बारगह-ए बख़्तियार-काकी में
किसे ख़बर के मशिय्यत ने क्या दिया तुझ को
१५
तेरी ज़िया से है रौशन दिल-ए वतन अब भी
इस अंजुमन में है तू शम’अ-ए अंजुमन अब भी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. shahid aziz ravish siddiqui (1909-1971) was brought up in a religious atmosphere but in addition to arabi and faarsi, he learnt sanskrit and hindi and was well versed in vedantic literature. A close associate of maulana abul kalam azad he was quite secular in outlook, reflected in this she’r …
ab is se kya Gharaz ye haram hai ki dair hai
baiThe haiN ham to saaya-e diivaar dekh kar
He composed mostly in the classical style with classical themes. This is a nazm, a tribute to gandhi, composed in the style of Ghazal, in two segments strung together. The nazm reflects the naïve optimism and belief of the times in secular traditions. Times have changed.
1
musaafir1-e abadi2 ki nahiN koi manzil3
yahaaN qayaam4 kiya yaa vahaaN qayaam kiya
teri vafaa5 ne baRe marhale6 kiye aasaaN
faroGh7-e sub’h se raushan charaaGh-e shaam kiya 1.traveler, seeker 2.eternal 3.stage, station 4.stay, a stage along the path 5.faith, truth 6.obstacles 7.brilliance
Here ‘musaafir’-traveler is used in the sense of seeker, seeker for truth and ‘manzil’ is not the final goal, but a resting place along the way, a stage. You were a constant seeker, never resting along the way, whether in this life or the next. Your faith/confidence/courage overcame obstacles along the way. “sub’h” signifies freedom/happiness and “shaam” stands for darkness/injustice. Thus, you lit a lamp to light up the night with the brilliance of dawn.
2
sanam-kadoN1 meN baRhaa e’tebaar2-e ahl-e-haram3
haram ne dair-nashinoN4 ka ehteraam5 kiya
hayaat6 kya hai mohabbat ki aag meN jalna
ye raaz7 bhi tere soz8-e vafaa9 ne aam10 kiya 1.idol houses, temples 2.trust 3.people of the mosque, muslims 4.temple goers, hindus 5.respect 6.life 7.secret 8.fire, passion 9.faith, fidelity 10.widespread
(Because of you) the trust of muslims developed among hindus and muslims learnt to respect hindus. The meaning of life is to burn in the fire of love. This is the secret that your passionate fidelity taught to one and all.
3
uThaa uThaa ke hijaabaat1-e chehraa2-e manzil3
musaafiraan4-e sadaaqat5 ko tez-gaam6 kiya
guzar7 ke daanish8-e haazir9 ke aasmaanoN se
buland10 saadagi11-e ishq ka maqaam12 kiya 1.veils 2.face 3.goal 4.seekers 5.truth 6.fast paced 7.passing beyond 8.wisdom, knowledge 9.present, this world, visible 10.elevated 11.simplicity 12.status
Lifting the veil from the face of the goal, you helped seekers of truth mover faster along the way. Going beyond the skies of material knowledge, you elevated the status of the simplicity of universal love.
4
milaa jo dast1-e havaadis2 se zahr3 bhi tujh ko
baRe Khuloos4 se tu ne sharik5-e jaam6 kiya
vo dard teri Khamoshi meN thaa nehaaN7 jis ne
sukoot8-e naaz9 ko aamaada10-e kalaam11 kiya 1.hand 2.happenings, events 3.poison 4.courtesy, grace 5.admit, accept 6.cup 7.hidden 8.silence, aloofness 9.coquetry, stand-offishness, beloved, god 10.willing, inclined towards 11.conversation, speaking
The cup of poison that you received at the hands of events, you accepted with grace. The pain hidden in your silence, made the silent/invisible god inclined to speak to everyone.
5
ye soch1 kar ke mohabbat hai rooh2 ka aaraam3
sukooN4 ko maa’el5-e betaabi6-e davaam7 kiya
samajh liya ke malaamat8 hai aabru9-e vafa10
na bhool kar bhi kabhi sauda11-e naNg-o-naam12 kiya 1.reasoning 2.soul 3.comfort 4.tranquility 5.inclined towards, accepting 6.restlessness, eagerness 7.perpetual 8.blame 9.pride 10.faith, truthfulness 11.trade 12.used in the sense of ‘dignity and reputation’
Reasoning that love is the comfort of the soul, he persuaded people to move from tranquility/inaction to constant restlessness/eagerness. Knowing that blame is inevitable and makes steadfast truthfulness proud, he never traded away his dignity and reputation.
6
jo ahl-e-zarf1 na the un suboo-parastoN2 ko
ata3 saleeqa4-e rindaan5-e tishna-kaam6 kiya
hazaar haif7 ke daanishvaraan8-e baatil9 ne
charaaGh-e ishq bujhaane ka ehtemaam10 kiya 1.people of capacity/capability 2.nurturing the cup (of the wine of love) 3.granted, bestowed 4.ability, skill 5.wine lovers 6.thirsty 7.sorrows 8.skilled 9.evil 10.plan, scheme
Those who only held cups of wine (of love) but did not have the capacity to drink, you bestowed upon them the ability of thirsty wine-lovers. A thousand sorrows that those skilled in the art of evil, schemed to extinguish the lamp of love.
7
sila1 tha teri riyaazat2 kaa sub’h-e aazaadi
vo sub’h jis ko GhulaamoN ne naNg-e-shaam3 kiya
abhi to gosh-bar-aavaaz4 thi bhari mahfil
kahaaN ye tu ne kahaani kaa eKhtetaam5 kiya 1.reward 2.practice, effort 3.ignominy of night, shame 4.ears trained on sound 5.finish, cut off
The dawn of freedom was the reward we got for your work/effort. The dawn that slaves (of narrow-mindedness) turned into a shameful night. Our ears were still trained on the sound of your voice. You stopped the story in mid-sentence.
8
Khayaal-e dost1 kaa partav2 thi kaa’enaat3 teri
isi talaash4 meN gum5 ho gaii hayaat6 teri 1.friend, god 2.reflection 3.universe, world 4.search 5.lost 6.life
Your world was a reflection of divine thought. In this search you lost your life.
9
kamand1-e vaqt meN uljha2 hazaar baar magar
asiir3 kar na saka daam4-e maasiva5 tujh ko
kisi ke vahm6 o gumaaN7 meN bhi ye maqaam8 na tha
payaam9-e dost10 bahut duur le gaya tujh ko 1.gauntlet, challenge 2.tangled 3.prisoner, captive 4.net 5.everything other than the divine (sufiyaana term), material world 6.illusion 7.suspicion 8.place, possibility 9.message 10.friend, god
You tangled with the challenges of times a thousand times. The web of the material world could never captivate you. No one in their wildest dreams (illusions and suspicions) thought that this possible, but the message of god took you far, further than anyone could imagine.
10
vo jaam1-e zahr2 jo ahl-e-vafa3 ki qismat hai
Khusha-naseeb4 ke is daur5 meN mila tujh ko
jalaal6-e Khidmat7-e Khalq8-e Khuda hua zaahir9
tere Khuda ne baRa martaba10 diya tujh ko 1.cup 2.poison 3.people of faith/truth 4.good fortune 5.epoch, era, period 6.glory, majesty 7.service 8.creation 9.manifest, apparent 10.status
It is great good fortune/honour that the cup of poison that is the fate of all people of steadfast truth was given to you in this day and age. The glory/majesty of service to all creation was manifest in your person. Your god gave you an exalted status.
11
yahaaN to hai tere qaatil se maut bhi bezaar1
vahaaN fana2 se mila muzshda3-e baqaa4 tujh ko
vo qaum jis ko diya husn5-e zindagi tu ne
Khud us ke Khwaab-e-pareshaaN6 ne kho diya tujh ko 1.tired, indifferent 2.annihilation, pass into non-existence 3.good tidings 4.eternity 5.skill, ability, delicacy 6.nightmare
Your killers can find no peace. Not just life, even death is indifferent to them. Here ‘fana’ and ‘baqaa’ are used in the sufiyaana sense. ‘fana’ is losing oneself and merging with the great spirit which gives eternal bliss to the soul. Thus, you (as opposed to your killers) have found eternal life in death. The people to whom you showed the way to a good life have lost you in their nightmare.
12
jo naasapaas1 teri zindagi ke dushman the
kareNge yaad vahi marg-aashna2 tujh ko
ye bad-guhar3 ise jurm4-e azeem5 kahte haiN
ke bandagaan6-e Khuda se Khuloos7 tha tujh ko 1.ungrateful 2.friends of Death 3.ill-natured 4.crime 5.great 6.creatures 7.love
The ungrateful who were bent on taking your life, even they, friends of Death, will carry memories of you. These ill-natured people think the love of all creatures is a major crime.
13
ye maut bhi jo bazaaher1 hai hijr2-e la-mahdood3
na kar sakegi tere hind se juda4 tujh ko
hui hai Gharq5 teri kashti-e hayaat6 jahaaN
Khayaal7 ne vahiiN dekha hai naaKhuda8 tujh ko 1.in appearance 2.separation 3.without limit 4.separate 5.drowned 6.life 7.imagination 8.oarsman, navigator
This death, which appears to be a separation forever, even this death will not be able to take you away from you hindustan. Where the boat of your life went under water, it is there that our we will see our guide in our thoughts.
14
hai zarra1 zarra teri Khaak2 ka aziiz3-e vatan4
bhula sakegi kahaaN arz5-e asia tujh ko
teri hayaat6 hijaab7-e Gham-e judaaii8 thi
isi hijaab7 ne sub se chhupa liya tujh ko
bula ke baargah9-e baKhtiyaar-kaaki10 meN
kise Khabar11 keh mashiyyat12 ne kya diya tujh ko 1.particle, grain 2.dust, ashes 3.beloved 4.homeland 5.and 6.life 7.veil 8.separation 9.palace, shrine 10.name of sufi scholar – disciple of moinuddin chishti 11.awareness, knowledge 12.god’s will
The people of the homeland love/revere every grain of your ashes. Not just bharat bu all of Asia cannot forget you. While you were alive, the thought/fear of the pain of separation was hidden behind the veil of your life. This same veil now hides you from all. baKhtiyaar kaaki was a sufi scholar, a follower/shaagird of moinuddin chishti. There is a shrine to him in mehrauli, dehli. There were communal riots in dehli and the shrine was badly damaged. Just two days before his assassination, gandhi visited the shrine and promised to help re-build it. Thus, it was the mysterious working of god’s will that called you to the shrine of baKhtiyaar kaaki. Who can tell what the real purpose of god is.
15
teri ziya1 se hai raushan2 dil-e vatan ab bhi
is anjuman3 meN hai tu sham’a-e-anjuman4 ab bhi 1.light 2.shining, lit up 3.gathering 4.lamp of the gathering/party, the main focus
This she’r reflects the naïve optimism/faith in India’s secular traditions. More recent developments show how simplistic and naïve we were/are. Your light still keeps the heart of the homeland shining. You are still the guiding light of your people. (Really!).
shahid aziz ravish siddiqui (1909-1971) was brought up in a religious atmosphere but in addition to arabi and faarsi, he learnt sanskrit and hindi and was well versed in vedantic literature. A close associate of maulana abul kalam azad he was quite secular in outlook, reflected in this she’r …
ab is se kya Gharaz ye haram hai ki dair hai
baiThe haiN ham to saaya-e diivaar dekh kar
He composed mostly in the classical style with classical themes. This is a nazm, a tribute to gandhi, composed in the style of Ghazal, in two segments strung together. The nazm reflects the naïve optimism and belief of the times in secular traditions. Times have changed.
1
musaafir1-e abadi2 ki nahiN koi manzil3
yahaaN qayaam4 kiya yaa vahaaN qayaam kiya
teri vafaa5 ne baRe marhale6 kiye aasaaN
faroGh7-e sub’h se raushan charaaGh-e shaam kiya
1.traveler, seeker 2.eternal 3.stage, station 4.stay, a stage along the path 5.faith, truth 6.obstacles 7.brilliance
Here ‘musaafir’-traveler is used in the sense of seeker, seeker for truth and ‘manzil’ is not the final goal, but a resting place along the way, a stage. You were a constant seeker, never resting along the way, whether in this life or the next. Your faith/confidence/courage overcame obstacles along the way. “sub’h” signifies freedom/happiness and “shaam” stands for darkness/injustice. Thus, you lit a lamp to light up the night with the brilliance of dawn.
2
sanam-kadoN1 meN baRhaa e’tebaar2-e ahl-e-haram3
haram ne dair-nashinoN4 ka ehteraam5 kiya
hayaat6 kya hai mohabbat ki aag meN jalna
ye raaz7 bhi tere soz8-e vafaa9 ne aam10 kiya
1.idol houses, temples 2.trust 3.people of the mosque, muslims 4.temple goers, hindus 5.respect 6.life 7.secret 8.fire, passion 9.faith, fidelity 10.widespread
(Because of you) the trust of muslims developed among hindus and muslims learnt to respect hindus. The meaning of life is to burn in the fire of love. This is the secret that your passionate fidelity taught to one and all.
3
uThaa uThaa ke hijaabaat1-e chehraa2-e manzil3
musaafiraan4-e sadaaqat5 ko tez-gaam6 kiya
guzar7 ke daanish8-e haazir9 ke aasmaanoN se
buland10 saadagi11-e ishq ka maqaam12 kiya
1.veils 2.face 3.goal 4.seekers 5.truth 6.fast paced 7.passing beyond 8.wisdom, knowledge 9.present, this world, visible 10.elevated 11.simplicity 12.status
Lifting the veil from the face of the goal, you helped seekers of truth mover faster along the way. Going beyond the skies of material knowledge, you elevated the status of the simplicity of universal love.
4
milaa jo dast1-e havaadis2 se zahr3 bhi tujh ko
baRe Khuloos4 se tu ne sharik5-e jaam6 kiya
vo dard teri Khamoshi meN thaa nehaaN7 jis ne
sukoot8-e naaz9 ko aamaada10-e kalaam11 kiya
1.hand 2.happenings, events 3.poison 4.courtesy, grace 5.admit, accept 6.cup 7.hidden 8.silence, aloofness 9.coquetry, stand-offishness, beloved, god 10.willing, inclined towards 11.conversation, speaking
The cup of poison that you received at the hands of events, you accepted with grace. The pain hidden in your silence, made the silent/invisible god inclined to speak to everyone.
5
ye soch1 kar ke mohabbat hai rooh2 ka aaraam3
sukooN4 ko maa’el5-e betaabi6-e davaam7 kiya
samajh liya ke malaamat8 hai aabru9-e vafa10
na bhool kar bhi kabhi sauda11-e naNg-o-naam12 kiya
1.reasoning 2.soul 3.comfort 4.tranquility 5.inclined towards, accepting 6.restlessness, eagerness 7.perpetual 8.blame 9.pride 10.faith, truthfulness 11.trade 12.used in the sense of ‘dignity and reputation’
Reasoning that love is the comfort of the soul, he persuaded people to move from tranquility/inaction to constant restlessness/eagerness. Knowing that blame is inevitable and makes steadfast truthfulness proud, he never traded away his dignity and reputation.
6
jo ahl-e-zarf1 na the un suboo-parastoN2 ko
ata3 saleeqa4-e rindaan5-e tishna-kaam6 kiya
hazaar haif7 ke daanishvaraan8-e baatil9 ne
charaaGh-e ishq bujhaane ka ehtemaam10 kiya
1.people of capacity/capability 2.nurturing the cup (of the wine of love) 3.granted, bestowed 4.ability, skill 5.wine lovers 6.thirsty 7.sorrows 8.skilled 9.evil 10.plan, scheme
Those who only held cups of wine (of love) but did not have the capacity to drink, you bestowed upon them the ability of thirsty wine-lovers. A thousand sorrows that those skilled in the art of evil, schemed to extinguish the lamp of love.
7
sila1 tha teri riyaazat2 kaa sub’h-e aazaadi
vo sub’h jis ko GhulaamoN ne naNg-e-shaam3 kiya
abhi to gosh-bar-aavaaz4 thi bhari mahfil
kahaaN ye tu ne kahaani kaa eKhtetaam5 kiya
1.reward 2.practice, effort 3.ignominy of night, shame 4.ears trained on sound 5.finish, cut off
The dawn of freedom was the reward we got for your work/effort. The dawn that slaves (of narrow-mindedness) turned into a shameful night. Our ears were still trained on the sound of your voice. You stopped the story in mid-sentence.
8
Khayaal-e dost1 kaa partav2 thi kaa’enaat3 teri
isi talaash4 meN gum5 ho gaii hayaat6 teri
1.friend, god 2.reflection 3.universe, world 4.search 5.lost 6.life
Your world was a reflection of divine thought. In this search you lost your life.
9
kamand1-e vaqt meN uljha2 hazaar baar magar
asiir3 kar na saka daam4-e maasiva5 tujh ko
kisi ke vahm6 o gumaaN7 meN bhi ye maqaam8 na tha
payaam9-e dost10 bahut duur le gaya tujh ko
1.gauntlet, challenge 2.tangled 3.prisoner, captive 4.net 5.everything other than the divine (sufiyaana term), material world 6.illusion 7.suspicion 8.place, possibility 9.message 10.friend, god
You tangled with the challenges of times a thousand times. The web of the material world could never captivate you. No one in their wildest dreams (illusions and suspicions) thought that this possible, but the message of god took you far, further than anyone could imagine.
10
vo jaam1-e zahr2 jo ahl-e-vafa3 ki qismat hai
Khusha-naseeb4 ke is daur5 meN mila tujh ko
jalaal6-e Khidmat7-e Khalq8-e Khuda hua zaahir9
tere Khuda ne baRa martaba10 diya tujh ko
1.cup 2.poison 3.people of faith/truth 4.good fortune 5.epoch, era, period 6.glory, majesty 7.service 8.creation 9.manifest, apparent 10.status
It is great good fortune/honour that the cup of poison that is the fate of all people of steadfast truth was given to you in this day and age. The glory/majesty of service to all creation was manifest in your person. Your god gave you an exalted status.
11
yahaaN to hai tere qaatil se maut bhi bezaar1
vahaaN fana2 se mila muzshda3-e baqaa4 tujh ko
vo qaum jis ko diya husn5-e zindagi tu ne
Khud us ke Khwaab-e-pareshaaN6 ne kho diya tujh ko
1.tired, indifferent 2.annihilation, pass into non-existence 3.good tidings 4.eternity 5.skill, ability, delicacy 6.nightmare
Your killers can find no peace. Not just life, even death is indifferent to them. Here ‘fana’ and ‘baqaa’ are used in the sufiyaana sense. ‘fana’ is losing oneself and merging with the great spirit which gives eternal bliss to the soul. Thus, you (as opposed to your killers) have found eternal life in death. The people to whom you showed the way to a good life have lost you in their nightmare.
12
jo naasapaas1 teri zindagi ke dushman the
kareNge yaad vahi marg-aashna2 tujh ko
ye bad-guhar3 ise jurm4-e azeem5 kahte haiN
ke bandagaan6-e Khuda se Khuloos7 tha tujh ko
1.ungrateful 2.friends of Death 3.ill-natured 4.crime 5.great 6.creatures 7.love
The ungrateful who were bent on taking your life, even they, friends of Death, will carry memories of you. These ill-natured people think the love of all creatures is a major crime.
13
ye maut bhi jo bazaaher1 hai hijr2-e la-mahdood3
na kar sakegi tere hind se juda4 tujh ko
hui hai Gharq5 teri kashti-e hayaat6 jahaaN
Khayaal7 ne vahiiN dekha hai naaKhuda8 tujh ko
1.in appearance 2.separation 3.without limit 4.separate 5.drowned 6.life 7.imagination 8.oarsman, navigator
This death, which appears to be a separation forever, even this death will not be able to take you away from you hindustan. Where the boat of your life went under water, it is there that our we will see our guide in our thoughts.
14
hai zarra1 zarra teri Khaak2 ka aziiz3-e vatan4
bhula sakegi kahaaN arz5-e asia tujh ko
teri hayaat6 hijaab7-e Gham-e judaaii8 thi
isi hijaab7 ne sub se chhupa liya tujh ko
bula ke baargah9-e baKhtiyaar-kaaki10 meN
kise Khabar11 keh mashiyyat12 ne kya diya tujh ko
1.particle, grain 2.dust, ashes 3.beloved 4.homeland 5.and 6.life 7.veil 8.separation 9.palace, shrine 10.name of sufi scholar – disciple of moinuddin chishti 11.awareness, knowledge 12.god’s will
The people of the homeland love/revere every grain of your ashes. Not just bharat bu all of Asia cannot forget you. While you were alive, the thought/fear of the pain of separation was hidden behind the veil of your life. This same veil now hides you from all. baKhtiyaar kaaki was a sufi scholar, a follower/shaagird of moinuddin chishti. There is a shrine to him in mehrauli, dehli. There were communal riots in dehli and the shrine was badly damaged. Just two days before his assassination, gandhi visited the shrine and promised to help re-build it. Thus, it was the mysterious working of god’s will that called you to the shrine of baKhtiyaar kaaki. Who can tell what the real purpose of god is.
15
teri ziya1 se hai raushan2 dil-e vatan ab bhi
is anjuman3 meN hai tu sham’a-e-anjuman4 ab bhi
1.light 2.shining, lit up 3.gathering 4.lamp of the gathering/party, the main focus
This she’r reflects the naïve optimism/faith in India’s secular traditions. More recent developments show how simplistic and naïve we were/are. Your light still keeps the heart of the homeland shining. You are still the guiding light of your people. (Really!).
