For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
غالبؔ ۔ مُنشی چندر بھان کیفیؔ دہلوی
۱
غالبؔ تیرا کلام نوائے سروش ہے
الہامِ غیب و نغمۂ سازِ خموش ہے
۲
ایسا بھرا ہوا ہے غزل میں سنگار رس
اک جنّتِ سماع ہے فردوسِ گوش ہے
۳
آساں نہیں جمال معانی کا دیکھنا
ہر شاہدِ خیال ترا پردہ پوش ہے
۴
جو بات ہے وہ شوخئ گلدستۂ چمن
جو لفظ ہے بہارِ کفِ گُل فروش ہے
۵
موجِ رواں ہیں مصرعہ بے ساختہ ترے
بحرِ سخن میں بحرِ محبّت کا جوش ہے
۶
اِن موتیوں کی قدر ہے شاہوں کے تاج میں
پرکھے نظر سے اِن کو جو گوہر فروش ہے
۷
کیفِ سخن سے مست ہوں تیری غزل سنیں
اِس بزم میں جنہیں ہوس ناؤ نوش ہے
۸
تو نے چمن چمن میں شگوفے کھلا دیے
فطرت ترے کلام کی گلشن بہ دوش ہے
۹
افسوں طرازیاں تری منہ کی لتی رہیں
گُل کی زبان بند ہے غنچہ خموش ہے
۱۰
بالا تیرا مقام ہے دنیائے شعر میں
عرفیؔ بھی ایک بندۂ حلقہ بگوش ہے
۱۱
دنیا ترے خیال میں ہے چشمۂ سراب
رنگینئ نشاط و طرب خوابِ دوش ہے
۱۲
تیری نظر میں شاہد و مشہود ایک ہیں
دنیائے بیخودی تجھے دنیائے ہوش ہے
۱۳
دانہ تری نگاہ میں تھا خرمن مراد
تجھ کو خبر تھی قطرے میں دریا کا جوش ہے
۱۴
دیر و حرم پہ بھی نہیں یہ راز مُنکشف
حرفِ ازل ہے کون جو معنیٰ فروش ہے
۱۵
افسردہ داغ سے ہے ترے محفلِ ادب
نے وہ سرور و سوز نہ جوش و خروش ہے
۱۶
کتنی ترے مزار پہ چھائی ہے بیکسی
اک شمع اشک ریز تھی وہ بھی خموش ہے
۱۷
چھلکی جو تھی کبھی ترے رنگیں ایاغ سے
کیفیؔ اُسی شراب کا اک جرعہ نوش ہے
ग़ालिब – मुंशी चन्द्र भान कैफ़ी देहलवी
१
ग़ालिब तेरा कलाम नवा-ए-सरोश है
इलहाम-ए-ग़ैब-ओ-नग़्मा-ए-साज़-ए-ख़मोश है
२
ऐसा भरा हुआ है ग़ज़ल में सिंगार-रस
एक जन्नत-ए-समाअ’ है फ़िरदौस-ए-गोश है
३
आसाँ नहीं जमाल-ए-मु’आनी का देखना
हर शाहिद-ए-ख़याल तेरा पर्दा-पोश है
४
जो बात है वो शोख़ी-ए-गुलदस्ता-ए-चमन
जो लफ़्ज़ है बहार-ए-कफ़-ए-गुल-फ़रोश है
५
मौज-ए-रवाँ हैं मिस्रा-ए-बे-साख़्ता तेरे
बहर-ए-सुख़न में बहर-ए-मोहब्बत का जोश है
६
इन मोतियों की क़द्र है शाहों के ताज में
परखे नज़र से उन को जो गौहर-फ़रोश है
७
कैफ़-ए-सुख़न से मस्त हों तेरी ग़ज़ल सुनें
इस बज़्म में जिन्हें हवस-ए नाओ-नोश है
८
तू ने चमन चमन में शगूफ़े खिला दिए
फ़ित्रत तेरे कलाम की गुल्शन-ब-दोश है
९
अफ़्सूँ-तराज़ियाँ तेरी मुँह की लती रहीं
गुल की ज़बान बंद है ग़ुंचा ख़मोश है
१०
बाला तेरा मक़ाम है दुनिया-ए-शेर में
‘उर्फ़ी’ भी एक बंदा-ए-हल्क़ा-बगोश है
११
दुनिया तेरे ख़याल में है चश्मा-ए-सराब
रंगीनी-ए-निशात-ओ-तरब ख़्वाब-ए-दोश है
१२
तेरी नज़र में शाहिद-ओ-मश्हूद एक हैं
दुनिया-ए-बे-ख़ुदी तुझे दुनिया-ए-होश है
१३
दाना तेरी निगाह में था ख़िर्मन-ए-मुराद
तुझ को ख़बर थी क़त्रे में दर्या का जोश है
१४
दैर-ओ-हरम पे भी नहीं ये राज़ मुन्कशिफ़
हर्फ़-ए-अज़ल है कौन जो मु’आना-फ़रोश है
१५
अफ़्सुर्दा दाग़ से है तेरे महफ़िल-ए-अदब
ने वो सुरूर-ओ-सोज़ न जोश-ओ-ख़रोश है
१६
कितनी तेरे मज़ार पे छाई है बेकसी
एक शम’अ अश्क-रेज़ थी वो भी ख़मोश है
१७
छलकी जो थी कभी तेरे रंगीं अयाग़ से
कैफ़ी उसी शराब का एक जुर’आ-नोश है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. munshi chandr bhaan kaifi dehlavi (????-1941). He taught faarsi and urdu and was editor of a bi-weekly magazine called ‘hamaari zabaan’. Much of his work was lost. One of his shaagird, sheesh chandr taalib dehlavi, collected and published it ten years after his death. He wrote Ghazal of classical themes in classical style and many nationalistic nazm.
1
Ghalib tera kalaam1 navaa2-e sarosh3 hai
ilhaam4-e Ghaib5 o naGhma6-e saaz7-e Khamosh8 hai 1.verse, words 2.sound 3.angel 4.inspiration, revelation 5.mystery, divine 6.song 7.lute, musical instrument 8.silent, hidden, mysterious
Ghalib, your words/verse are the sound/voice of angels. This follows from Ghalib’s own she’r in which he writes …
aate haiN Ghaib se ye mazaamiN Khayaal meN
Ghalib sareer-e Khaama navaa-e sarosh hai.
These themes come to my mind from the unknown
The sound of pen scraping paper is the call of an angel
It is a divine inspiration and song of a hidden/miraculous/divine lute. Ghalib himself claims that his she’r is an ilhaam if not a vahi. See suKhanvar o suKhanvari – mirza Ghalib for this other ash’aar.
2
aisa bhara hua hai Ghazal meN siNgaar-ras1
ek jannat-e sam’aa2 hai firdaus3-e gosh4 hai 1.shriNgaar-ras is classical musical, dance, literary portrayal of beauty, romance, emotions 2.musical raag, listening attentively 3.heaven 4.ear, hearing
Your Ghazal is so full of classical beauty that it is heavenly to listen to its music and sound. This reflects another she’r of Ghalib from the same Ghazal …
lutf-e Khiraam-e saaqi o zauq-e sadaa-e chaNg
ye jannat-e nigaah vo firdaus-e gosh hai
The grace of the saaqi’s gait and the pleasure of the harp’s melody
One is heaven for the eye and the other paradise for the ear
3
aasaaN nahiN jamaal1-e mu’aani2 ka dekhnaa
har shaahid3-e Khayaal tera parda-posh4 hai 1.beauty, glory 2.meaning 3.beauty, witness, testimony 4.veiled
It is not easy to see/discover the glory of your meaning. Every witness/presentation of your thought is veiled/subtle.
4
jo baat hai vo shoKhi1-e guldasta2-e chaman
jo lafz3 hai bahaar4-e kaf5-e gul-farosh6 hai 1.playfulness 2.bouquet 3.word 4.spring, abundance of flowers 5.hand 6.flower seller, florist
Every phrase is a playful bouquet from the garden. Every word is an abundance of flowers at the hands of the florist. This also reflects a she’r from the same Ghazal …
ya shab ko dekhte the ke har gosha-e bisaat
daamaan-e baGhbaan o kaf-e gul-farosh hai
Last night you could see that every corner of the floor
Was like flowers gathered in the gardener’s lap or in the fist of florist
5
mauj1-e ravaaN2 haiN misra3-e be-saaKhta4 tere
bahr5-e suKhan6 meN bahr7-e mohabbat ka josh hai 1.wave 2.flowing 3.line, hemi-stitch 4.spontaneous, natural 5.ordinarily ocean but in verse it means meter 6.verse 7.ocean
Your spontaneous hemi-stitch are like flowing waves. The meter/rhythm of your verse is like an ocean of love.
6
in motiyoN ki qadr1 hai shaahoN2 ke taaj meN
parkhe3 nazar se in ko jo gauhar-farosh4 hai 1.value, respect 2.emperors 3.assess, estimate 4.jeweller
The value of these pearls is measured in crowns of emperors. Only an expert jeweller may be able to assess their value.
7
kaif1-e suKhan2 se mast hoN teri Ghazal suneN
is bazm3 meN jinheN havas4-e nai-o-nosh5 hai 1.pleasure 2.verse 3.gathering 4.intense desire, longing 5.harp and drink, music and wine
Those that hear your Ghazal get inebriated with the pleasure of your verse. Whoever has an intense desire for music and wine/intoxication, will come to this gathering. This follows a she’r of Ghalib …
aye taaza vaaridaaan-e bisaat-e hava-e dil
zinhaar agar tumheN havas-e nai o nosh hai
O, new arrivals in the field of pursuing heart’s desire
Be warned of the greed of carnal pleasures, wine and song
8
tu ne chaman chaman meN shagufe1 khilaa diye
fitrat2 tere kalaam3 ki gulshan ba-dosh4 hai 1.flowers 2.nature, characteristics 3.verse 4.(carrying on the) back
You made flowers bloom in every garden. The nature of your verse carries the (beauty of the) garden on its back.
9
afsuN-taraaziyaaN1 teri muNh ki lati2 rahiN
gul ki zabaan band hai Ghuncha3 Khamosh hai 1.enchantment creation 2.addiction 3.unopened flowers
Your words create such enchantment that lips reciting it become addicted to it. The rose is tongue tied, the young bud is stupefied/silent in amazement.
10
baala1 tera maqaam2 duniya-e sh’er meN
urfi3 bhi ek banda4-e halqa5 ba-gosh6 hai 1.higher, superior 2.status 3.name of faarsi poet 4.devotee 5.circle 6.ear
Your status is high in the world of versification. Even urfi (faarsi poet) is a devotee/member of a circle who train their ears to your sound. But also, it was customary to put a ring in the ear of slaves thus “halqa ba-gosh” can mean “ring in the ear” or slave. Thus, urfi too is your slave.
11
duniya tere Khayaal meN hai chashma1-e saraab2
raNgini3-e nishaat4-o-tarab5 Khwaab-e-dosh6 hai 1.spring, source 2.mirage, illusion 3.colourful beauty/enjoyment 4.pleasure 5.music and dance, celebration 6.yesterday’s dream
In your view (the material) world is a source of illusion. The beauty/enjoyment of pleasure and celebration is nothing but a dream.
12
teri nazar1 meN shaahid2-o-mash’huud3 ek haiN
duniya-e be-Khudi4 tujhe duniya-e hosh5 hai 1.eyes, point of view 2.observer, creator 3.that which is observed, created 4.without self-awareness, trance, lost in thought (of the universal spirit) 5.awareness, senses/touch
In your view the creator and the created are the same (sufiyaana view). The world of (spiritual) absorption in thought/trance is real compared to the world of (material) senses.
13
daana1 teri nigaah2 meN tha Khirman3-e muraad4
tujh ko Khabar5 thi qatre6 meN dariyaa ka josh7 hai 1.grain 2.sight, view 3.harvest 4.desire, passion, goal 5.knowledge 6.drop 7.passion
In your view each grain contained the whole harvest of desire. You knew that each drop contained the passion of the whole sea.
14
dair1-o-haram2 pe bhi nahiN ye raaz3 munkashif4
harf5-e azal6 hai kaun jo mu’anaa-farosh7 hai 1.temple 2.mosque 3.secret 4.revealed 5.word 6.eternal 7.one who offers meaning
This secret was not revealed even to the orthodox in the temple or mosque (but you knew), who/what is the eternal word/truth and who is it that offers/explains its meaning.
15
afsurda1 daaGh2 se hai tere, mahfil3-e adab4
ne vo suroor5-o-soz6 na josh7-o-Kharosh8 hai 1.wilted, sorrowful 2.stain, wound, hurt 3.gathering, society 4.literature, verse 5.joy 6.fire, pain 7.passion 8.sound, acclamation
The gathering of poets is still sorrowful because of the hurt of your loss. Neither is there that joy, pain, passion nor acclamation/appreciation. Fifty years after his death they were missin him. Here is Ghalib’s she’r …
ya sub’h dam jo dekhiye aa kar to bazm meN
ne vo suroor-o-soz na josh-o-Kharosh hai
If you come at dawn to see the assembly
There is neither joy nor pain, passion nor acclaim
16
kitni tere mazaar1 pe chhaai hai bekasi2
ek sham’a3 ashk-rez4 thi vo bhi Khamosh5 hai 1.grave, tomb 2.helplessness, sorrow, neglect 3.candle 4.dropping tears 5.silent, extinguished
This may have been written to observe the 50th year (1919) of Ghalib’s passing. Such sorrow/pall hangs over your grave. There used to be a lone candle dripping tears but now even that is extinguished. This has echoes of Ghalib’s she’r …
daaGh-e firaaq sohbat-e shab ki jali hui
ek shama’ rah gaii hai so vo bhi Khamosh hai
The wound of the sorrow of separation from last night’s revelry
A lone candle remains and even that is extinguished
When poet sampooran singh gulzar was planning the production of TV series mirza Ghalib he visited Ghalib’s tomb and found it in total disrepair and neglect. He restored it in the 1980s.
17
chhalki jo thi kabhi tere raNgiN ayaaGh1 se
kaifi2 usi sharaab ka ek jur’a3-nosh4 hai 1.cup 2.pen-name of the poet 3.mouthful 4.eat, drink
That which once spilled/overflowed out of your colourful cup, kaifi too took a sip of that wine.
munshi chandr bhaan kaifi dehlavi (????-1941). He taught faarsi and urdu and was editor of a bi-weekly magazine called ‘hamaari zabaan’. Much of his work was lost. One of his shaagird, sheesh chandr taalib dehlavi, collected and published it ten years after his death. He wrote Ghazal of classical themes in classical style and many nationalistic nazm.
1
Ghalib tera kalaam1 navaa2-e sarosh3 hai
ilhaam4-e Ghaib5 o naGhma6-e saaz7-e Khamosh8 hai
1.verse, words 2.sound 3.angel 4.inspiration, revelation 5.mystery, divine 6.song 7.lute, musical instrument 8.silent, hidden, mysterious
Ghalib, your words/verse are the sound/voice of angels. This follows from Ghalib’s own she’r in which he writes …
aate haiN Ghaib se ye mazaamiN Khayaal meN
Ghalib sareer-e Khaama navaa-e sarosh hai.
These themes come to my mind from the unknown
The sound of pen scraping paper is the call of an angel
It is a divine inspiration and song of a hidden/miraculous/divine lute. Ghalib himself claims that his she’r is an ilhaam if not a vahi. See suKhanvar o suKhanvari – mirza Ghalib for this other ash’aar.
2
aisa bhara hua hai Ghazal meN siNgaar-ras1
ek jannat-e sam’aa2 hai firdaus3-e gosh4 hai
1.shriNgaar-ras is classical musical, dance, literary portrayal of beauty, romance, emotions 2.musical raag, listening attentively 3.heaven 4.ear, hearing
Your Ghazal is so full of classical beauty that it is heavenly to listen to its music and sound. This reflects another she’r of Ghalib from the same Ghazal …
lutf-e Khiraam-e saaqi o zauq-e sadaa-e chaNg
ye jannat-e nigaah vo firdaus-e gosh hai
The grace of the saaqi’s gait and the pleasure of the harp’s melody
One is heaven for the eye and the other paradise for the ear
3
aasaaN nahiN jamaal1-e mu’aani2 ka dekhnaa
har shaahid3-e Khayaal tera parda-posh4 hai
1.beauty, glory 2.meaning 3.beauty, witness, testimony 4.veiled
It is not easy to see/discover the glory of your meaning. Every witness/presentation of your thought is veiled/subtle.
4
jo baat hai vo shoKhi1-e guldasta2-e chaman
jo lafz3 hai bahaar4-e kaf5-e gul-farosh6 hai
1.playfulness 2.bouquet 3.word 4.spring, abundance of flowers 5.hand 6.flower seller, florist
Every phrase is a playful bouquet from the garden. Every word is an abundance of flowers at the hands of the florist. This also reflects a she’r from the same Ghazal …
ya shab ko dekhte the ke har gosha-e bisaat
daamaan-e baGhbaan o kaf-e gul-farosh hai
Last night you could see that every corner of the floor
Was like flowers gathered in the gardener’s lap or in the fist of florist
5
mauj1-e ravaaN2 haiN misra3-e be-saaKhta4 tere
bahr5-e suKhan6 meN bahr7-e mohabbat ka josh hai
1.wave 2.flowing 3.line, hemi-stitch 4.spontaneous, natural 5.ordinarily ocean but in verse it means meter 6.verse 7.ocean
Your spontaneous hemi-stitch are like flowing waves. The meter/rhythm of your verse is like an ocean of love.
6
in motiyoN ki qadr1 hai shaahoN2 ke taaj meN
parkhe3 nazar se in ko jo gauhar-farosh4 hai
1.value, respect 2.emperors 3.assess, estimate 4.jeweller
The value of these pearls is measured in crowns of emperors. Only an expert jeweller may be able to assess their value.
7
kaif1-e suKhan2 se mast hoN teri Ghazal suneN
is bazm3 meN jinheN havas4-e nai-o-nosh5 hai
1.pleasure 2.verse 3.gathering 4.intense desire, longing 5.harp and drink, music and wine
Those that hear your Ghazal get inebriated with the pleasure of your verse. Whoever has an intense desire for music and wine/intoxication, will come to this gathering. This follows a she’r of Ghalib …
aye taaza vaaridaaan-e bisaat-e hava-e dil
zinhaar agar tumheN havas-e nai o nosh hai
O, new arrivals in the field of pursuing heart’s desire
Be warned of the greed of carnal pleasures, wine and song
8
tu ne chaman chaman meN shagufe1 khilaa diye
fitrat2 tere kalaam3 ki gulshan ba-dosh4 hai
1.flowers 2.nature, characteristics 3.verse 4.(carrying on the) back
You made flowers bloom in every garden. The nature of your verse carries the (beauty of the) garden on its back.
9
afsuN-taraaziyaaN1 teri muNh ki lati2 rahiN
gul ki zabaan band hai Ghuncha3 Khamosh hai
1.enchantment creation 2.addiction 3.unopened flowers
Your words create such enchantment that lips reciting it become addicted to it. The rose is tongue tied, the young bud is stupefied/silent in amazement.
10
baala1 tera maqaam2 duniya-e sh’er meN
urfi3 bhi ek banda4-e halqa5 ba-gosh6 hai
1.higher, superior 2.status 3.name of faarsi poet 4.devotee 5.circle 6.ear
Your status is high in the world of versification. Even urfi (faarsi poet) is a devotee/member of a circle who train their ears to your sound. But also, it was customary to put a ring in the ear of slaves thus “halqa ba-gosh” can mean “ring in the ear” or slave. Thus, urfi too is your slave.
11
duniya tere Khayaal meN hai chashma1-e saraab2
raNgini3-e nishaat4-o-tarab5 Khwaab-e-dosh6 hai
1.spring, source 2.mirage, illusion 3.colourful beauty/enjoyment 4.pleasure 5.music and dance, celebration 6.yesterday’s dream
In your view (the material) world is a source of illusion. The beauty/enjoyment of pleasure and celebration is nothing but a dream.
12
teri nazar1 meN shaahid2-o-mash’huud3 ek haiN
duniya-e be-Khudi4 tujhe duniya-e hosh5 hai
1.eyes, point of view 2.observer, creator 3.that which is observed, created 4.without self-awareness, trance, lost in thought (of the universal spirit) 5.awareness, senses/touch
In your view the creator and the created are the same (sufiyaana view). The world of (spiritual) absorption in thought/trance is real compared to the world of (material) senses.
13
daana1 teri nigaah2 meN tha Khirman3-e muraad4
tujh ko Khabar5 thi qatre6 meN dariyaa ka josh7 hai
1.grain 2.sight, view 3.harvest 4.desire, passion, goal 5.knowledge 6.drop 7.passion
In your view each grain contained the whole harvest of desire. You knew that each drop contained the passion of the whole sea.
14
dair1-o-haram2 pe bhi nahiN ye raaz3 munkashif4
harf5-e azal6 hai kaun jo mu’anaa-farosh7 hai
1.temple 2.mosque 3.secret 4.revealed 5.word 6.eternal 7.one who offers meaning
This secret was not revealed even to the orthodox in the temple or mosque (but you knew), who/what is the eternal word/truth and who is it that offers/explains its meaning.
15
afsurda1 daaGh2 se hai tere, mahfil3-e adab4
ne vo suroor5-o-soz6 na josh7-o-Kharosh8 hai
1.wilted, sorrowful 2.stain, wound, hurt 3.gathering, society 4.literature, verse 5.joy 6.fire, pain 7.passion 8.sound, acclamation
The gathering of poets is still sorrowful because of the hurt of your loss. Neither is there that joy, pain, passion nor acclamation/appreciation. Fifty years after his death they were missin him. Here is Ghalib’s she’r …
ya sub’h dam jo dekhiye aa kar to bazm meN
ne vo suroor-o-soz na josh-o-Kharosh hai
If you come at dawn to see the assembly
There is neither joy nor pain, passion nor acclaim
16
kitni tere mazaar1 pe chhaai hai bekasi2
ek sham’a3 ashk-rez4 thi vo bhi Khamosh5 hai
1.grave, tomb 2.helplessness, sorrow, neglect 3.candle 4.dropping tears 5.silent, extinguished
This may have been written to observe the 50th year (1919) of Ghalib’s passing. Such sorrow/pall hangs over your grave. There used to be a lone candle dripping tears but now even that is extinguished. This has echoes of Ghalib’s she’r …
daaGh-e firaaq sohbat-e shab ki jali hui
ek shama’ rah gaii hai so vo bhi Khamosh hai
The wound of the sorrow of separation from last night’s revelry
A lone candle remains and even that is extinguished
When poet sampooran singh gulzar was planning the production of TV series mirza Ghalib he visited Ghalib’s tomb and found it in total disrepair and neglect. He restored it in the 1980s.
17
chhalki jo thi kabhi tere raNgiN ayaaGh1 se
kaifi2 usi sharaab ka ek jur’a3-nosh4 hai
1.cup 2.pen-name of the poet 3.mouthful 4.eat, drink
That which once spilled/overflowed out of your colourful cup, kaifi too takes a sip of that wine.
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