For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نغمۂ زندگی ۔ داؤد خاں اخترؔ شیرانی
۱
بربتِ کائنات پر نغمہ سرا ہے زندگی ۔ مستِ نوا ہے زندگی
وادیِ مہر و ماہ تک بال کشا ہے زندگی ۔ جلوہ نما ہے زندگی
۲
جس کی کچھ اِبتدا نہیں جس کی کچھ اِنتہا نہیں ۔ جس کو کبھی فنا نہیں
خواب گہِ فنا میں وہ موجِ صدا ہے زندگی ۔ رقصِ صبا ہے زندگی
۳
موسمِ شعلہ بار میں دامنِ کشت زار میں ۔ سینہ کاشتکار میں
بن کے لہو کا اضطراب ہمہمہ زا ہے زندگی ۔ نغمہ سرا ہے زندگی
۴
جام ہیں مختلف تو ہوں ان میں شراب ایک ہے ۔ بادۂ ناب ایک ہے
سازِ فنا میں مشترک ایک صدا ہے زندگی ۔ ایک نوا ہے زندگی
۵
رہروِ راہِ اِرتقا کے لیے اک مقام ہے ۔ راہزنِ خرام ہے
لے کے عدم سے تا عدم ایک فضا ہے زندگی ۔ راہ نما ہے زندگی
۶
اُس کی ہوائے تند پر تیر رہی ہے کائنات ۔ مستِ شرابِ حِسّیات
طائرِ دہر کے لیے ایک فضا ہے زندگی ۔ کیا کہوں کیا ہے زندگی
नग़्मा-ए ज़िन्दगी – दाऊद ख़ां अख़्तर शीरानी
१
बरबत-ए काएनात पर नग़्मा-सरा है ज़िन्दगी – मस्त-ए नवा है ज़िन्दगी
वादी-ए महर-ओ-माह तक बाल-कुशा है ज़िन्दगी – जल्वा-नुमा है ज़िन्दगी
२
जिस की कुछ इब्तेदा नहीं जिस की कुछ इन्तेहा नहीं – जिस को कभी फ़ना नहीं
ख़्वाब गह-ए फ़ना में वो मौज-ए सदा है ज़िन्दगी – रक़्स-ए सबा है ज़िन्दगी
३
मौसम-ए शो’ला-बार में दामन-ए किश्त-ज़ार में – सीना-ए काश्तकार में
बन के लहू का इज़्तेराब हम्हमा-ज़ा है ज़िन्दगी – नग़्मा-सरा है ज़िन्दगी
४
जाम हैं मुख़्तलिफ़ तो हों इन में शराब एक है – बादा-ए नाब एक है
साज़-ए फ़ना में मुश्तरक एक सदा है ज़िन्दगी – एक नवा है ज़िन्दगी
५
रहरव-ए राह-ए इर्तेक़ा के लिए एक मक़ाम है – राहज़न-ए ख़िराम है
ले के अदम से ता अदम एक फ़िज़ा है ज़िन्दगी – राह-नुमा है ज़िन्दगी
६
उस की हवा-ए तुंद पर तैर रही है काएनात – मस्त-ए शराब-ए हस्सियात
ताएर-ए दहर के लिए एक फ़िज़ा है ज़िन्दगी – क्या कहूँ क्या है ज़िन्दगी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed dawood KhaaN aKhtar shiiraani (1904-1948) Tonk, rajashthan. He received religious and classical education at home and was also given lessons in wrestling. In 1921, there was a rebellion against the local navaab. He was able to put down the rebellion but banished a lot of people, among them shiiraani’s family, who migrated to lahore. He started working as a journalist and publisher. His love interest and poetry caused a breakdown of relationship with his father, but his allowance continued. He died early due to heavy smoking and drinking. In his poetry he broke with the trend of progressive poets and stayed with romantic themes, but this nazm shows that he did venture beyond romance.
1
barbat1-e kaa’enaat2 par naGhma-sara3 hai zindagi – mast4-e navaa5 hai zindagi
vaadi6-e mahr-o-maah7 tak baal-kusha8 hai zindagi – jalva-numa9 hai zindagi 1.lute 2.universe 3.singing songs 4.intoxicated 5.sound 6.valley 7.sun and moon 8.hair untied, uncovered and flowing 9.displaying beauty
Life sings to the melody/harmony of the music of the lute of the universe. It is intoxicated by this sound. In the second misra life is represented as a beautiful maiden, her untied, uncovered and flowing. The valley of the sun and moon can be the earth itself. Thus, on earth, life-the beautiful maiden, is enticingly displaying her beauty. Thus, it is in harmony with the universe and beautiful and attractive on earth.
2
jis ki kuchh ibteda1 nahiN jis ki kuchh inteha2 nahiN – jis ko kabhi fana3 nahiN
Khwaab-gah4-e fana3 meN voh mauj5-e sada6 hai zindagi – raqs7-e saba8 hai zindagi 1.beginning 2.ending 3.annihilation, non-existence 4.bed-chamber, realm 5.wave, gust 6.sound 7.dance 8.breeze
Life and death here should not be interpreted as events for any one individual but the cosmic rhythm of life-death-rejunvation much like ali sardar jafri’s ‘mera safar’. Thus, life is eternal without a beginning or an end. It has no non-existence or annihilation. ‘Khwaab-gah-e fana’ taken as a single expression can mean the realm of death. Thus, even in the realm of death life is rhythmic/beat, a reverberating sound. Life is the dance of the morning breeze. Thus, there is a rhythm of renewal, a throbbing energy in life.
3
mausam1-e sho’la-baar2 meN daaman3-e kisht-zaar4 meN – seena5-e kaashtkaar6 meN
ban ke lahu7 ka izteraab8 hamhama-zaa9 hai zindagi – naGhma-sara10 hai zindagi 1.season 2.flame-raining 3.hem of the garment 4.field of cultivation 5.bosom, heart 6.farmer, cultivator 7.blood 8.restlessness, throbbing 9.tumult raising 10.songster
It is possible to think of the ‘kaashtkaar’ as the divine cultivator/sustainer of life; of ‘daaman-e kisht-zaar’ as the earth itself in which life is nurtured; ‘mausam-e sho’la-baar’ as the time when calamities rain down on life. Thus, when calamities rain down on this field of cultivation (the earth) then in the bosom/heart of the divine cultivator, life raises a tumult (perhaps a protest) while at the same time the throbbing vitality of life’s blood and its harmonious song continues.
4
jaam1 haiN muKhtalif2 to hoN in meN sharaab ek hai – baada3-e naab4 ek hai
saaz-e-fana5 meN mushtarak6 ek sada7 hai zindagi – ek nava8 hai zindagi 1.cups 2.different 3.wine 4.pure 5.music of death 6.mingled, included 7.sound 8.call
It is the same universal spirit – pure wine that fills all cups/vessels/bodies. In the music of death is included the same/universal rhythm/sound of life.
5
rahrav1-e raah2-e irteqa3 ke liye aek maqaam4 hai – rahzan5-e Khiraam6 hai
le ke adam7 se taa8 adam aek faza9 hai zindagi – raah-numa10 hai zindagi 1.traveler, seeker 2.path 3.progress 4.place, stage 5.robber 6.graceful/leisurely walk, gait 7.non-existence 8.until 9.air, ambience 10.guide
The traveler/seeker is going along the path of progress. Life is but one stage along this journey. But it is a dynamic/restless stage which robs you of leisure. From non-existence to non-existence (from before birth to after death), life is the same ambience, the same harmony. This life is a guide to the longer journey.
6
uss ki havaa1-e tund2 par tai’r3 rahi hai kaae’naat4 – mast5-e sharaab-e hissiyaat6
taa’er7-e dahr8 ke liye ek faza9 hai zindagi – kya kahuN kya hai zindagi
1.wind 2.fast 3.swimming 4.universe 5.intoxicated 6.senses, feel and touch 7.bird 8.world 9.air, wind
The universe itself floats/swims along the fast wind of life i.e., the process creation and destruction and recreation is not confined to life on earth but the whole univers goes though it. Life is intoxicated with/fascinated by the sights and sounds around it. For the bird flying through this world, life is the wind that sustains i.e., life floats along what it can see, touch and feel but there is something mysterious beyond it … what can I say, how can I describe what life is.
mohammed dawood KhaaN aKhtar shiiraani (1904-1948) Tonk, rajashthan. He received religious and classical education at home and was also given lessons in wrestling. In 1921, there was a rebellion against the local navaab. He was able to put down the rebellion but banished a lot of people, among them shiiraani’s family, who migrated to lahore. He started working as a journalist and publisher. His love interest and poetry caused a breakdown of relationship with his father, but his allowance continued. He died early due to heavy smoking and drinking. In his poetry he broke with the trend of progressive poets and stayed with romantic themes, but this nazm shows that he did venture beyond romance.
1
barbat1-e kaa’enaat2 par naGhma-sara3 hai zindagi – mast4-e navaa5 hai zindagi
vaadi6-e mahr-o-maah7 tak baal-kusha8 hai zindagi – jalva-numa9 hai zindagi
1.lute 2.universe 3.singing songs 4.intoxicated 5.sound 6.valley 7.sun and moon 8.hair untied, uncovered and flowing 9.displaying beauty
Life sings to the melody/harmony of the music of the lute of the universe. It is intoxicated by this sound. In the second misra life is represented as a beautiful maiden, her untied, uncovered and flowing. The valley of the sun and moon can be the earth itself. Thus, on earth, life-the beautiful maiden, is enticingly displaying her beauty. Thus, it is in harmony with the universe and beautiful and attractive on earth.
2
jis ki kuchh ibteda1 nahiN jis ki kuchh inteha2 nahiN – jis ko kabhi fana3 nahiN
Khwaab-gah4-e fana3 meN voh mauj5-e sada6 hai zindagi – raqs7-e saba8 hai zindagi
1.beginning 2.ending 3.annihilation, non-existence 4.bed-chamber, realm 5.wave, gust 6.sound 7.dance 8.breeze
Life and death here should not be interpreted as events for any one individual but the cosmic rhythm of life-death-rejunvation much like ali sardar jafri’s ‘mera safar’. Thus, life is eternal without a beginning or an end. It has no non-existence or annihilation. ‘Khwaab-gah-e fana’ taken as a single expression can mean the realm of death. Thus, even in the realm of death life is rhythmic/beat, a reverberating sound. Life is the dance of the morning breeze. Thus, there is a rhythm of renewal, a throbbing energy in life.
3
mausam1-e sho’la-baar2 meN daaman3-e kisht-zaar4 meN – seena5-e kaashtkaar6 meN
ban ke lahu7 ka izteraab8 hamhama-zaa9 hai zindagi – naGhma-sara10 hai zindagi
1.season 2.flame-raining 3.hem of the garment 4.field of cultivation 5.bosom, heart 6.farmer, cultivator 7.blood 8.restlessness, throbbing 9.tumult raising 10.songster
It is possible to think of the ‘kaashtkaar’ as the divine cultivator/sustainer of life; of ‘daaman-e kisht-zaar’ as the earth itself in which life is nurtured; ‘mausam-e sho’la-baar’ as the time when calamities rain down on life. Thus, when calamities rain down on this field of cultivation (the earth) then in the bosom/heart of the divine cultivator, life raises a tumult (perhaps a protest) while at the same time the throbbing vitality of life’s blood and its harmonious song continues.
4
jaam1 haiN muKhtalif2 to hoN in meN sharaab ek hai – baada3-e naab4 ek hai
saaz-e-fana5 meN mushtarak6 ek sada7 hai zindagi – ek nava8 hai zindagi
1.cups 2.different 3.wine 4.pure 5.music of death 6.mingled, included 7.sound 8.call
It is the same universal spirit – pure wine that fills all cups/vessels/bodies. In the music of death is included the same/universal rhythm/sound of life.
5
rahrav1-e raah2-e irteqa3 ke liye aek maqaam4 hai – rahzan5-e Khiraam6 hai
le ke adam7 se taa8 adam aek faza9 hai zindagi – raah-numa10 hai zindagi
1.traveler, seeker 2.path 3.progress 4.place, stage 5.robber 6.graceful/leisurely walk, gait 7.non-existence 8.until 9.air, ambience 10.guide
The traveler/seeker is going along the path of progress. Life is but one stage along this journey. But it is a dynamic/restless stage which robs you of leisure. From non-existence to non-existence (from before birth to after death), life is the same ambience, the same harmony. This life is a guide to the longer journey.
6
uss ki havaa1-e tund2 par tai’r3 rahi hai kaae’naat4 – mast5-e sharaab-e hissiyaat6
taa’er7-e dahr8 ke liye ek faza9 hai zindagi – kya kahuN kya hai zindagi
1.wind 2.fast 3.swimming 4.universe 5.intoxicated 6.senses, feel and touch 7.bird 8.world 9.air, wind
The universe itself floats/swims along the fast wind of life i.e., the process creation and destruction and recreation is not confined to life on earth but the whole univers goes though it. Life is intoxicated with/fascinated by the sights and sounds around it. For the bird flying through this world, life is the wind that sustains i.e., life floats along what it can see, touch and feel but there is something mysterious beyond it … what can I say, how can I describe what life is.
