For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
ندامت کوش ہے ۔ لبھورام جوشؔ ملسیانی
۱
حسنِ ساقی کیا مۓ پُرجوش ہے
انجمن کی انجمن بے ہوش ہے
۲
کیا بہار آئی ہے کتنا جوش ہے
جس کلی کو دیکھئے مے نوش ہے
۳
اِک جہاں ہو جس کا مشتاقِ جمال
سخت حیراں ہوں وہ کیوں رُوپوش ہے
۴
شوق کا معیار کس سے پوچھئے
طور کا شعلہ بھی اب خاموش ہے
۵
زندگی میں کیا سبکدوشی ملے
زندگی تو خود ہی بارِ دوش ہے
۶
اللہ اللہ منظرِ برقِ جمال
دیکھتی ہے آنکھ لب خاموش ہے
۷
ساغرِ مے ہاتھ سے چھوٹا نہیں
میری بے ہوشی جوابِ ہوش ہے
۸
ہا و ہُو کی اِس میں گنجائش نہیں
تیرے کوچے کی فضا خاموش ہے
۹
آبِ کوثر جوشؔ ہو جس پر فدا
وہ مرا اشکِ ندامت کوش ہے
नदामत-कोश है – लभुराम जोश मल्सियानी
१
हुस्न-ए साक़ी क्या मय-ए पुर-जोश है
अंजुमन की अंजुमन बेहोश है
२
क्या बहार आई है कितना जोश है
जिस कली को देखिये मय-नोश है
३
एक जहां हो जिस का मुश्ताक़-ए जमाल
सख़्त हैरां हुं वो क्यूं रूपोश है
४
शौक़ का मे’आर किस से पूछिये
तूर का शो’ला भी अब ख़ामोश है
५
ज़िंदगी में क्या सुबुक्दोशी मिले
ज़िंदगी तो ख़ुद हि बार-ए दोश है
६
अल्लाह अल्लाह मंज़र-ए बर्क़-ए जमाल
देखती है आंख, लब ख़ामोश है
७
साग़र-ए मय हाथ से छूटा नहीं
मेरी बेहोशी जवाब-ए होश है
८
हा ओ हू कि इस में गुंजाएश नहीं
तेरे कूचे कि फ़ज़ा ख़ामोश है
९
आब-ए कौसर जोश हो जिस पर फ़िदा
वो मेरा अश्क-ए नदामत-कोश है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit labhuram josh malsiani (1884-1976) from malsian in the now pakistani side of punjab, migrated to India a little before partition/independence. He has written with great feeling about communal harmony and about the loss of his homeland – pakistan. His son, baalmukund arsh malsiani was also a well recognized poet. This is a part of the series on Ghalib naqsh-e qadam and linked to Ghalib’s “navaa-e sarosh hai”. It is also noteworthy that both father and son composed in this zamin.
1
husn1-e saaqi kya mai2-e pur-josh3 hai
anjuman4 ki anjuman be-hosh5 hai 1.beauty 2.wine 3.passionate, strong 4.gathering 5.intoxicated, in a trance
The beauty of the saaqi is like strong wine. The whole gathering is in a trance/intoxicated because of her beauty/glory. Could this possibly apply to god and his glory with which the whole world is inebriated.
2
kya bahaar1 aaii hai kitna josh2 hai
jis kali3 ko dekhiye mai-nosh4 hai 1.spring 2.passion, joy 3.bud 4.wine-drinking
What a lovely spring, there is so much joy. Look at each bud, it is drinking wine … the imagery could be dewdrops or raindrops on bud, reflecting its colour and looking like wine.
3
ek jahaaN1 ho jis ka mushtaaq2-e jamaal3
saKht4 hairaaN5 huN vo kyuN rooposh6 hai 1.world 2.eager 3.face, beauty, glory 4.very much 5.perplexed 6.hidden
The whole world is eager to see his/her glory. I am greatly perplexed that he/she should remain hidden. This might apply both to the veiled beloved and the unseen god.
4
shauq1 ka me’aar2 kis se poochhiye
tuur3 ka sho’la4 bhi ab Khaamosh5 hai 1.desire 2.standard 3.mount tuur where Moses went asking to see god 4.flame 5.extinguished
Biblical/qur’aanic stories say that Moses went up mount tuur asking to see god. god said, “you cannot see me” and when Moses insisted all he could see was a ‘burning bush’ or a lightning flash. The implication his desire did not meet the standards demanded by god, therefore he failed. Thus, the poet wonders who he can ask what the standard of desire is. Even the flame on mount tuur is extinguished and there is no one left who he can ask.
5
zindagi meN kya subukdoshi1 mile
zindagi to Khud2 hi baar3-e dosh4 hai 1.relief from burden 2.itself 3.burden 4.shoulders, back
How can there be any relief (from pain) in this life. Life itself is a burden/pain that we have to carry on our shoulders. Wait for the ‘next world’.
6
allah-allah1 manzar2-e barq3-e jamaal4
dekhti hai aaNkh, lab5 Khaamosh hai 1.by god 2.scene 3.lightning 4.beauty, glory 5.lips
By god the glory of the beloved, brilliant like a lightning flash. I can see it but I am so dumbstruck that I cannot describe it. Of course this can apply both to the beauty of the beloved and the glory of god.
7
saaGhar1-e mai2 haath se chhooTa nahiN
meri behoshi3 javaab4-e hosh5 hai 1.cup 2.wine 3.intoxication 4.answer, equal to 5.senses, sobriety
The poet/wine lover is stone drunk and probably fell down, but the cup of wine is still in his hand. Thus, his intoxication can stand up to sobriety. Is it possible that he is in a trance with the love of god but he still holds on to that love/faith. His trance can stand up to all the worldly knowledge (hosh, aagahi) that comes before him.
8
haa-o-huu1 ki is meN gunjaa’esh2 nahiN
tere kooche3 ki faza4 Khaamosh hai 1.hustle and bustle, song and dance 2.room, place, opportunity 3.lane 4.atmosphere
Normally the beloved’s lane is full of admirers and they are drinking and calling for more wine. But either the beloved has killed them all off or they are so struck with her beauty that they are all in a trance/dazzled and have gone quiet. The atmosphere of the lane has changed to complete silence.
9
aab1-e kausar2 josh3 ho jis par fida4
vo mera ashk5-e nadaamat-kosh6 hai 1.water 2.river in heaven 3.pen name of the poet, passion, love 4.sacrificial offering 5.tears 6.regret/forgivenss seeking
Normally, the water of kauser, the heavenly river, may be considered holy/divine. But his tears of repentance, seeking forgivenss are of a higher status. Thus, he says, O josh, even the water of kauser can be no more than a sacrificial offering for your tears of repentence.
panDit labhuram josh malsiani (1884-1976) from malsian in the now pakistani side of punjab, migrated to India a little before partition/independence. He has written with great feeling about communal harmony and about the loss of his homeland – pakistan. His son, baalmukund arsh malsiani was also a well recognized poet. This is a part of the series on Ghalib naqsh-e qadam and linked to Ghalib’s “navaa-e sarosh hai”. It is also noteworthy that both father and son composed in this zamin.
1
husn1-e saaqi kya mai2-e pur-josh3 hai
anjuman4 ki anjuman be-hosh5 hai
1.beauty 2.wine 3.passionate, strong 4.gathering 5.intoxicated, in a trance
The beauty of the saaqi is like strong wine. The whole gathering is in a trance/intoxicated because of her beauty/glory. Could this possibly apply to god and his glory with which the whole world is inebriated.
2
kya bahaar1 aaii hai kitna josh2 hai
jis kali3 ko dekhiye mai-nosh4 hai
1.spring 2.passion, joy 3.bud 4.wine-drinking
What a lovely spring, there is so much joy. Look at each bud, it is drinking wine … the imagery could be dewdrops or raindrops on bud, reflecting its colour and looking like wine.
3
ek jahaaN1 ho jis ka mushtaaq2-e jamaal3
saKht4 hairaaN5 huN vo kyuN rooposh6 hai
1.world 2.eager 3.face, beauty, glory 4.very much 5.perplexed 6.hidden
The whole world is eager to see his/her glory. I am greatly perplexed that he/she should remain hidden. This might apply both to the veiled beloved and the unseen god.
4
shauq1 ka me’aar2 kis se poochhiye
tuur3 ka sho’la4 bhi ab Khaamosh5 hai
1.desire 2.standard 3.mount tuur where Moses went asking to see god 4.flame 5.extinguished
Biblical/qur’aanic stories say that Moses went up mount tuur asking to see god. god said, “you cannot see me” and when Moses insisted all he could see was a ‘burning bush’ or a lightning flash. The implication his desire did not meet the standards demanded by god, therefore he failed. Thus, the poet wonders who he can ask what the standard of desire is. Even the flame on mount tuur is extinguished and there is no one left who he can ask.
5
zindagi meN kya subukdoshi1 mile
zindagi to Khud2 hi baar3-e dosh4 hai
1.relief from burden 2.itself 3.burden 4.shoulders, back
How can there be any relief (from pain) in this life. Life itself is a burden/pain that we have to carry on our shoulders. Wait for the ‘next world’.
6
allah-allah1 manzar2-e barq3-e jamaal4
dekhti hai aaNkh, lab5 Khaamosh hai
1.by god 2.scene 3.lightning 4.beauty, glory 5.lips
By god the glory of the beloved, brilliant like a lightning flash. I can see it but I am so dumbstruck that I cannot describe it. Of course this can apply both to the beauty of the beloved and the glory of god.
7
saaGhar1-e mai2 haath se chhooTa nahiN
meri behoshi3 javaab4-e hosh5 hai
1.cup 2.wine 3.intoxication 4.answer, equal to 5.senses, sobriety
The poet/wine lover is stone drunk and probably fell down, but the cup of wine is still in his hand. Thus, his intoxication can stand up to sobriety. Is it possible that he is in a trance with the love of god but he still holds on to that love/faith. His trance can stand up to all the worldly knowledge (hosh, aagahi) that comes before him.
8
haa-o-huu1 ki is meN gunjaa’esh2 nahiN
tere kooche3 ki faza4 Khaamosh hai
1.hustle and bustle, song and dance 2.room, place, opportunity 3.lane 4.atmosphere
Normally the beloved’s lane is full of admirers and they are drinking and calling for more wine. But either the beloved has killed them all off or they are so struck with her beauty that they are all in a trance/dazzled and have gone quiet. The atmosphere of the lane has changed to complete silence.
9
aab1-e kausar2 josh3 ho jis par fida4
vo mera ashk5-e nadaamat-kosh6 hai
1.water 2.river in heaven 3.pen name of the poet, passion, love 4.sacrificial offering 5.tears 6.regret/forgivenss seeking
Normally, the water of kauser, the heavenly river, may be considered holy/divine. But his tears of repentance, seeking forgivenss are of a higher status. Thus, he says, O josh, even the water of kauser can be no more than a sacrificial offering for your tears of repentence.
