For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
نغمہ کوئی سنائے کیوں ۔ ہیرا لال فلکؔ
۱
دل جو نہ ہو سُکوں طلب، رنج و الم اُٹھائے کیوں
اشکوں کو ہم جو پی سکیں، دُنیا ہمیں رُلائے کیوں
۲
بازو کی جاں میں حوصلے، ساحل کو عزم چاہئے
لرزے جو ناخدا کا دل، کشتی نہ ڈوب جائے کیوں
۳
قیمتِ گُل سے آشنا دنیا میں ہر بشر نہیں
کانٹوں سے جس کو پیار ہو، پھولوں سے دل لگائے کیوں
۴
ہوتا ہے کیا اِسی طرح، پختہ نظامِ زندگی
یہ تو بتا اے دورِ نو، اپنے ہوئے پرائے کیوں
۵
وقت کی ٹھوکروں سے ہی، آتی ہے عقل ہوش میں
فردا کی جس کو فِکر ہو، ماضی کو وہ بھلائے کیوں
۶
زینتِ دل جو بن سکیں، ایسے ہیں داغ اور بھی
آخر ترا ہی غم میرے، اشکوں میں مسکرائے کیوں
۷
خالقِ بُت کا مدّعا، سمجھیں گے کیا یہ بُت شکن
بُت میں تو کوئی بات ہے، ورنہ وہ بُت بنائے کیوں
۸
بلبل کو ہوش کیا فلکؔ، دورِ بہار کے سوا
یادِ خزاں اگر رہے، نغمہ کوئی سنائے کیوں
नग़्मा कोई सुनाए क्यूं – हीरा लाल फ़लक
१
दिल जो न हो सुकूं-तलब, रंज ओ अलम उठाए क्यूं
अश्कौं को हम जो पी सकें, दुनिया हमें रुलाए क्यूं
२
बाज़ू कि जां में हौस्ले, साहल को अज़्म चाहिये
लर्ज़े जो नाख़ुदा का दिल, कश्ती न डूब जाए क्यूं
३
क़ीमत-ए गुल से आश्ना, दुनिया में हर बशर नहीं
कांटौं से जिस को प्यार हो, फूलौं से दिल लगाए क्यूं
४
होता है क्या इसी तरह, पोख़्ता निज़ाम-ए ज़िदगी
ये तो बता अए दौर-ए नौ, अपने हुए पराए क्यूं
५
वक़्त की ठोकरौं से ही, आती है अक़्ल होश में
फ़र्दा की जिस को फ़िक्र हो, माज़ी को वो भुलाए क्यूं
६
ज़ीनत-ए दिल जो बन सकें, ऐसे हैं दाग़ और भी
आख़र तेरा ही ग़म मेरे, अश्कौं में मुस्कुराए क्यूं
७
ख़ालक़-ए बुत का मुद्द’आ, समझेंगे क्या ये बुत-शिकन
बुत में तो कोई बात है, बरना वो बुत बनाए क्यूं
८
बुल्बुल को होश क्या फ़लक, दौर-ए बहार के सिवा
याद-ए ख़िज़ां अगर रहे, नग़्मा कोई सुनाए क्यूं
BACKGROUND here and meanings and discussion in Roman and Notes tabs. heera lal falak dehlavi (1920?-1982+?). I can only make an educated guess about his birth and death. A collection of his Ghazal was published in 1982 which dedicates to beKhud dehlavi (1863-1955) and dedicates it to him. He was a minor official in the dehli court system. In the book he describes his encounter with beKhud dehlavi when he (falak) was still a young man. The book says that he started composing in 1940. This Ghazal composed in the zamin of Ghalib’s “koii hameN sataae kyuN” is notable as a combination of three beKhud dehlavi, ustaad and falak and shaad, both, his shaagird.
1
dil jo na ho sukooN-talab1, ranj1 o alam3 uThaae kyuN
ashkoN4 ko hum jo pii sakeN, duniya hameN rulaae kyuN 1.comfort seeking 2.sorrow 3.sorrow 4.tears
If the heart were not comfort seeking, then why would it have to bear to sorrow. This could mean that because the heart seeks comfort, it faces sorrow as a punishment by fate … or … if it were not comfort seeking it would accept pain with tranquility and will not have to bear sorrow. If the lover were able to control his tears, then the world would leave him alone.
2
baazu1 ki jaaN2 meN hausle3, saahil4 ko azm5 chaahiye
larze6 jo naaKhuda7 ka dil, kishti na Doob jaae kyuN 1.arms 2.life, strength 3.determination, ability 4.shore, bank 5.determination 6.tremble (in fear) 7.oarsman
You need strength and ability in the arms and a determination to reach the shore. In the first misra ‘saahil ko’ – ko is used in the sense of ‘ko pahuNchne ke liye’. If the heart of the oarsman trembles in fear, then why would the boat not sink.
3
qiimat1-e gul2 se aashna3, duniya meN har bashar4 nahiN
kaaNToN se jis ko pyaar ho, phooloN se dil lagaae kyuN 1.value 2.rose 3.familiar, friendly 4.person
Not every person is familiar/friendly with the value of roses. If they love thorns, why would they feel attracted to roses. Perhaps beyond ‘qaafiya bandi’ the poet means to say that there is value not only in roses but also in thorns, not just in pleasure but also in pain.
4
hota hai kya isi tarah1, poKhta2 nizaam3-e zindagi
ye to bataa aye daur4-e nau5, apne hue paraae kyuN 1.like, similar to 2.mature 3.arrangement, administration 4.times, order 5.new
Is the passage of life supposed to mature/develop like this? Tell me, O, new world order, why did friends become strangers.
5
vaqt ki ThokaroN se hi, aati hai aql hosh meN
farda ki jis ko fikr ho, maazi ko vo bhulaae kyuN 1.mind 2.senses 3.future 4.worry, thought 5.past
By stumbling and falling on the path of time does the mind learn to come to its senses. Those who worry/think about the future, why would they forget the past i.e. we learn from the mistakes/falls.
6
zeenat1-e dil jo ban sakeN, aise haiN daaGh2 aur bhi
aaKhir tera hi Gham mere, askhkoN3 meN muskuraae kyuN 1.embellishment, beautification 2.scars 3.tears
This is addressed to the beloved and may be interpreted in two exactly opposite ways. One, is an affirmation of the supremacy of his love over all other wounds of his heart, saying, there are many other wounds/scars on my heart that can be its embellishments. Why is it then that only your love sparkles in my tears. The other, exactly the opposite, might be, why should I make this the only wound that shines in my tears. Why should I not let other concerns come forward.
7
Khaaliq1-e but2 ka mudd’ua3, samjheNge kya ye but-shikan4
but2 meN to koii baat hai, varna5 vo but banaaye kyuN 1.creator 2.idol 3.purpose, desire 4.idol-breaker, iconoclast 5.otherwise
It may be that he is referring to the sculptor or the worshipper as “Khaaliq-e but”, but it could also be a reference to god/great spirit who may have inspired the making of idols for worship. In either case, the ‘but-shikan’ – idol breaker, does not understand this sentiment of the idol maker. This is appears to be in the same spirit as mohammed raf’ii sauda’s …
k’aaba Daha to Gham na kar aye shaiKh-e but shikan
dil barhaman ka hai ke banaaya na jaayega
8
bulbul ko hosh1 kya falak2, daur3-e bahaar4 ke siva5
yaad-e KhizaaN6 agar rahe, naGhma7 koii sunaae kyuN 1.awareness, memory 2.pen-name of poet 3.period, duration, times 4.spring 5.other than 6.dry season, autumn 7.song
The bulbul sings merrily in spring. All it remembers is the joy of the time of spring. If it had any remembrance of the time of autumn, why would it sing.
heera lal falak dehlavi (1920?-1982+?). I can only make an educated guess about his birth and death. A collection of his Ghazal was published in 1982 which dedicates to beKhud dehlavi (1863-1955) and dedicates it to him. He was a minor official in the dehli court system. In the book he describes his encounter with beKhud dehlavi when he (falak) was still a young man. The book says that he started composing in 1940. This Ghazal composed in the zamin of Ghalib’s “koii hameN sataae kyuN” is notable as a combination of three beKhud dehlavi, ustaad and falak and shaad, both, his shaagird.
1
dil jo na ho sukooN-talab1, ranj1 o alam3 uThaae kyuN
ashkoN4 ko hum jo pii sakeN, duniya hameN rulaae kyuN
1.comfort seeking 2.sorrow 3.sorrow 4.tears
If the heart were not comfort seeking, then why would it have to bear to sorrow. This could mean that because the heart seeks comfort, it faces sorrow as a punishment by fate … or … if it were not comfort seeking it would accept pain with tranquility and will not have to bear sorrow. If the lover were able to control his tears, then the world would leave him alone.
2
baazu1 ki jaaN2 meN hausle3, saahil4 ko azm5 chaahiye
larze6 jo naaKhuda7 ka dil, kishti na Doob jaae kyuN
1.arms 2.life, strength 3.determination, ability 4.shore, bank 5.determination 6.tremble (in fear) 7.oarsman
You need strength and ability in the arms and a determination to reach the shore. In the first misra ‘saahil ko’ – ko is used in the sense of ‘ko pahuNchne ke liye’. If the heart of the oarsman trembles in fear, then why would the boat not sink.
3
qiimat1-e gul2 se aashna3, duniya meN har bashar4 nahiN
kaaNToN se jis ko pyaar ho, phooloN se dil lagaae kyuN
1.value 2.rose 3.familiar, friendly 4.person
Not every person is familiar/friendly with the value of roses. If they love thorns, why would they feel attracted to roses. Perhaps beyond ‘qaafiya bandi’ the poet means to say that there is value not only in roses but also in thorns, not just in pleasure but also in pain.
4
hota hai kya isi tarah1, poKhta2 nizaam3-e zindagi
ye to bataa aye daur4-e nau5, apne hue paraae kyuN
1.like, similar to 2.mature 3.arrangement, administration 4.times, order 5.new
Is the passage of life supposed to mature/develop like this? Tell me, O, new world order, why did friends become strangers.
5
vaqt ki ThokaroN se hi, aati hai aql hosh meN
farda ki jis ko fikr ho, maazi ko vo bhulaae kyuN
1.mind 2.senses 3.future 4.worry, thought 5.past
By stumbling and falling on the path of time does the mind learn to come to its senses. Those who worry/think about the future, why would they forget the past i.e. we learn from the mistakes/falls.
6
zeenat1-e dil jo ban sakeN, aise haiN daaGh2 aur bhi
aaKhir tera hi Gham mere, askhkoN3 meN muskuraae kyuN
1.embellishment, beautification 2.scars 3.tears
This is addressed to the beloved and may be interpreted in two exactly opposite ways. One, is an affirmation of the supremacy of his love over all other wounds of his heart, saying, there are many other wounds/scars on my heart that can be its embellishments. Why is it then that only your love sparkles in my tears. The other, exactly the opposite, might be, why should I make this the only wound that shines in my tears. Why should I not let other concerns come forward.
7
Khaaliq1-e but2 ka mudd’ua3, samjheNge kya ye but-shikan4
but2 meN to koii baat hai, varna5 vo but banaaye kyuN
1.creator 2.idol 3.purpose, desire 4.idol-breaker, iconoclast 5.otherwise
It may be that he is referring to the sculptor or the worshipper as “Khaaliq-e but”, but it could also be a reference to god/great spirit who may have inspired the making of idols for worship. In either case, the ‘but-shikan’ – idol breaker, does not understand this sentiment of the idol maker. This is appears to be in the same spirit as mohammed raf’ii sauda’s …
k’aaba Daha to Gham na kar aye shaiKh-e but shikan
dil barhaman ka hai ke banaaya na jaayega
8
bulbul ko hosh1 kya falak2, daur3-e bahaar4 ke siva5
yaad-e KhizaaN6 agar rahe, naGhma7 koii sunaae kyuN
1.awareness, memory 2.pen-name of poet 3.period, duration, times 4.spring 5.other than 6.dry season, autumn 7.song
The bulbul sings merrily in spring. All it remembers is the joy of the time of spring. If it had any remembrance of the time of autumn, why would it sing.
