For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
پہلا وہ اشارا کون کرے ۔ پنڈت آنند نرائن مُلّا
۱
جب دل میں ذرا بھی آس نہ ہو، اِظہارِ تمنّا کون کرے
ارمان کیے دل ہی میں فنا، ارمان کو رُسوا کون کرے
۲
خالی ہے مرا ساغر تو رہے، ساقی کو اِشارا کون کرے
خودداریٔ سائل بھی تو ہے کچھ، ہر بار تقاضا کون کرے
۳
جب اپنا دل خود لے ڈوبے، اوروں پہ سہارا کون کرے
کشتی پہ بھروسا جب نہ رہا، تنکوں پہ بھروسا کون کرے
۴
آداب محبت ہیں بھی عجب، دو دل ملنے کو راضی ہیں
لیکن یہ تکلف حائل ہے، پہلا وہ اشارا کون کرے
۵
دل تیری جفا سے ٹوٹ چکا، اب چشمِ کرم آئی بھی تو کیا
پھر لے کے اسی ٹوٹے دل کو، اُمّید دوبارا کون کرے
۶
جب دل تھا شگفتہ گل کی طرح، ٹہنی کانٹا سی چبھتی تھی
اب ایک فسردہ دل لے کر، گلشن کی تمنا کون کرے
۷
بسنے دو نشیمن کو اپنے، پھر ہم بھی کریں گے سیر چمن
جب تک کہ نشیمن اجڑا ہے، پھولوں کا نظارا کون کرے
۸
اک درد ہے اپنے دل میں بھی، ہم چپ ہیں دنیا ناواقف
اوروں کی طرح دہرا دہرا کر، اس کو فسانا کون کرے
۹
کشتی موجوں میں ڈالی ہے مرنا ہے یہیں جینا ہے یہیں
اب طوفانوں سے گھبرا کر ساحل کا ارادہ کون کرے
۱۰
مُلاّؔ کا گلا تک بیٹھ گیا، بہری دنیا نے کچھ نہ سنا
جب سننے والا ہو ایسا، رہ رہ کے پکارا کون کرے
पहला वो इशारा कौन करे – मोईन एहसन जज़्बी
१
जब दिल में ज़रा भी आस न हो इज़्हार-ए तमन्ना कौन करे
अर्मान किए दिल ही में फ़ना अर्मान को रुस्वा कौन करे
२
ख़ाली है मेरा साग़र तो रहे साक़ी को इशारा कौन करे
ख़ुद्दारी-ए सा’एल भी तो है कुछ हर बार तक़ाज़ा कौन करे
३
जब अपना दिल ख़ुद ले डूबे औरों पे सहारा कौन करे
कश्ती पे भरोसा जब न रहा तिनकों पे भरोसा कौन करे
४
आदाब-ए मोहब्बत हैं भी अजब दो दिल मिलने को राज़ी हैं
लेकिन ये तकल्लुफ़ हा’एल है पहला वो इशारा कौन करे
५
दिल तेरी जफ़ा से टूट चुका अब चश्म-ए करम आई भी तो क्या
फिर ले के इसी टूटे दिल को उम्मीद दोबारा कौन करे
६
जब दिल था शगुफ़्ता गुल की तरह टहनी काँटा सी चुभती थी
अब एक फ़सुर्दा दिल ले कर गुलशन की तमन्ना कौन करे
७
बसने दो नशेमन को अपने फिर हम भी करेंगे सैर-ए चमन
जब तक के नशेमन उज्ढा है फूलों का नज़ारा कौन करे
८
एक दर्द है अपने दिल में भी हम चुप हैं दुनिया ना-वाक़ेफ़
औरों की तरह दोहरा दोहरा कर उस को फ़साना कौन करे
९
कश्ती मौजों में डाली है मरना है यहीं जीना है यहीं
अब तूफ़ानों से घबरा कर साहेल का इरादा कौन करे
१०
मुल्ला का गला तक बैठ गया बहरी दुनिया ने कुछ न सुना
जब सुनने वाला हो ऐसा रह रह के पुकारा कौन करे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), a kashmiri panDit from lukhnow, a high court judge, member of lok sabha and then of the rajya sabha, was a liberal thinker reaching across communal lines with a strong love of urdu. This Ghazal is dated 1939 and can be considered to be a tribute to moin ehsan jazbi whose ‘saahil ki tamanna kaun kare’ is dated 1933. Both and (soon many others) are linked to the icon ‘kaun kar’ on the rafrain page.
1
jab dil meN zara bhi aas1 na ho izhaar2-e tamanna3 kaun kare
armaan4 kiye dil hi meN fana5 armaan4 ko rusva6 kaun kare 1.hope 2.express, reveal 3.longing, desire 4.desire 5.annihilated 6.ashamed
When there is not even a little hope in the heart, who can express their desire. Desires remain choked inside/destroyed, who will embarrass desires by revealing them.
2
Khaali hai mera saaGhar1 to rahe saaqi ko ishaara2 kaun kare
Khuddaari3-e saa’el4 bhi to hai kuchh har baar5 taqaaza6 kaun kare 1.cup of wine 2.indicate, point out 3.self-respect 5.every time 6.demand, beg
If my wine cup is empty, let it be. Why should I have to point this out to the saaqi. After all the self-respect of the seeker/needy means something. Why should I have to ask/beg everytime. Said Ghalib …
bandagi meN bhi vo aazaada o Khud-biiN haiN keh hum
ulTe phir aaye dar-e kaaba agar vaa na hua
3
jab apna dil Khud le Duube auroN pe sahaara1 kaun kare
kashti pe bharosa2 jab na raha tinkoN3 pe bharosa2 kaun kare 1.support 2.trust 3.straw
The poet/lover’s heart is not protecting him. It falls in love and causes the poet to drown in sorrow. Thus, when your own heart drowns you, how can you look to others for support. When you cannot trust the boat, how can you depend on straw to save you.
4
aadaab1-e mohabbat haiN bhi ajab2 do dil milne ko raazi3 haiN
laikin4 ye takalluf5 haa’el6 hai pahla vo ishaara7 kaun kare 1.traditions, norms 2.strange 3.agree 4.but 5.formality, hesitation 6.obstacle 7.point out, indicate, show
The traditions of love are strange indeed. Two hearts are willing to meet but their hesitation is an obstacle – who will give the first sign!
5
dil teri jafa1 se TuuT chuka ab chashm2-e karam3 aaii bhi to kya
phir le ke isi TuuTe dil ko ummid4 dobaara5 kaun kare 1.cruelty 2.glance 3.kindness 4.hope 5.second time, again
The heart is already broken by your cruelties. What good will it do if your glance of kindness arrives now. Who will take this broken heart and nurture hope once again.
6
jab dil tha shagufta1 gul2 ki tarah Tahni3 kaaNTa4 si chubhti thi
ab ek fasurda5 dil le kar gulshan6 ki tamanna7 kaun kare 1.blooming, happy 2.rose 3.branch 4.thorn 5.wilted 6.garden, flowers 7.desire
When the heart was happy, like a rose, the bow of flowers was so full of blooming roses that the even the bough appeared to the eyes like an umpleasant thorn. There was a strong desire that the whole thing be covered with more roses and hide the branch. Now that the heart is sorrowful like a wilted rose, who has the desire to visit the garden.
7
basne1 do nasheman2 ko apne phir ham bhi kareNge sair3-e chaman
jab tak keh nasheman2 ujRa4 hai phooloN ka nazaara5 kaun kare 1.settled, prosper 2.nest 3.sightseeing 4.desolate, destroyed 5.enjoy the scene
The poet/bird is insecure about his own nest/home. Let my nest be settled first, then will I be able to go sightseeing in the garden. As long as the nest is desolate, how can I go enjoy the scene of blooming flowers.
8
ek dard hai apne dil meN bhi ham chup haiN duniya na-vaaqif1
auroN2 ki tarah3 dohra4 dohra kar us ko fasaana5 kaun kare 1.unaware 2.others 3.like, similar to 4.repeat 5.legend, story
My heart too, nurtures a pain, but I am quiet and the world is unaware. Let others repeat it again and again to try create a legend out of their pain. I am not going to be like them.
9
kashti maujoN1 meN Daali hai marna hai yahiN jiina hai yahiN
ab toofaanoN2 se ghabra3 kar saahil4 ka iraada5 kaun kare 1.waves 2.storms 3.fearful 4.shore 5.plan, decision
I have cast my boat into the waves. This where I live or die. What is the use now of being fearful of storms and deciding to go ashore.
10
mulla1 ka gala2 tak baiTh3 gaya bahri4 duniya ne kuchh na suna
jab sun’ne vaala ho aisa rah-rah5 ke pukaara kaun kare 1.pen-name of the poet 2.throat 3.gala baiTh jaana – to lose one’s voice 4.deaf 5.again and again
The poet mulla’s throat is sore, he has lost his voice but the deaf world does not hear anything. When the one who is supposed to hear (the target audience) is like this (indifferent, uncaring) then what is the use of shouting again and again.
panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), a kashmiri panDit from lukhnow, a high court judge, member of lok sabha and then of the rajya sabha, was a liberal thinker reaching across communal lines with a strong love of urdu. This Ghazal is dated 1939 and can be considered to be a tribute to moin ehsan jazbi whose ‘saahil ki tamanna kaun kare’ is dated 1933. Both and (soon many others) are linked to the icon ‘kaun kar’ on the rafrain page.
1
jab dil meN zara bhi aas1 na ho izhaar2-e tamanna3 kaun kare
armaan4 kiye dil hi meN fana5 armaan4 ko rusva6 kaun kare
1.hope 2.express, reveal 3.longing, desire 4.desire 5.annihilated 6.ashamed
When there is not even a little hope in the heart, who can express their desire. Desires remain choked inside/destroyed, who will embarrass desires by revealing them.
2
Khaali hai mera saaGhar1 to rahe saaqi ko ishaara2 kaun kare
Khuddaari3-e saa’el4 bhi to hai kuchh har baar5 taqaaza6 kaun kare
1.cup of wine 2.indicate, point out 3.self-respect 5.every time 6.demand, beg
If my wine cup is empty, let it be. Why should I have to point this out to the saaqi. After all the self-respect of the seeker/needy means something. Why should I have to ask/beg everytime. Said Ghalib …
bandagi meN bhi vo aazaada o Khud-biiN haiN keh hum
ulTe phir aaye dar-e kaaba agar vaa na hua
3
jab apna dil Khud le Duube auroN pe sahaara1 kaun kare
kashti pe bharosa2 jab na raha tinkoN3 pe bharosa2 kaun kare
1.support 2.trust 3.straw
The poet/lover’s heart is not protecting him. It falls in love and causes the poet to drown in sorrow. Thus, when your own heart drowns you, how can you look to others for support. When you cannot trust the boat, how can you depend on straw to save you.
4
aadaab1-e mohabbat haiN bhi ajab2 do dil milne ko raazi3 haiN
laikin4 ye takalluf5 haa’el6 hai pahla vo ishaara7 kaun kare
1.traditions, norms 2.strange 3.agree 4.but 5.formality, hesitation 6.obstacle 7.point out, indicate, show
The traditions of love are strange indeed. Two hearts are willing to meet but their hesitation is an obstacle – who will give the first sign!
5
dil teri jafa1 se TuuT chuka ab chashm2-e karam3 aaii bhi to kya
phir le ke isi TuuTe dil ko ummid4 dobaara5 kaun kare
1.cruelty 2.glance 3.kindness 4.hope 5.second time, again
The heart is already broken by your cruelties. What good will it do if your glance of kindness arrives now. Who will take this broken heart and nurture hope once again.
6
jab dil tha shagufta1 gul2 ki tarah Tahni3 kaaNTa4 si chubhti thi
ab ek fasurda5 dil le kar gulshan6 ki tamanna7 kaun kare
1.blooming, happy 2.rose 3.branch 4.thorn 5.wilted 6.garden, flowers 7.desire
When the heart was happy, like a rose, the bow of flowers was so full of blooming roses that the even the bough appeared to the eyes like an umpleasant thorn. There was a strong desire that the whole thing be covered with more roses and hide the branch. Now that the heart is sorrowful like a wilted rose, who has the desire to visit the garden.
7
basne1 do nasheman2 ko apne phir ham bhi kareNge sair3-e chaman
jab tak keh nasheman2 ujRa4 hai phooloN ka nazaara5 kaun kare
1.settled, prosper 2.nest 3.sightseeing 4.desolate, destroyed 5.enjoy the scene
The poet/bird is insecure about his own nest/home. Let my nest be settled first, then will I be able to go sightseeing in the garden. As long as the nest is desolate, how can I go enjoy the scene of blooming flowers.
8
ek dard hai apne dil meN bhi ham chup haiN duniya na-vaaqif1
auroN2 ki tarah3 dohra4 dohra kar us ko fasaana5 kaun kare
1.unaware 2.others 3.like, similar to 4.repeat 5.legend, story
My heart too, nurtures a pain, but I am quiet and the world is unaware. Let others repeat it again and again to try create a legend out of their pain. I am not going to be like them.
9
kashti maujoN1 meN Daali hai marna hai yahiN jiina hai yahiN
ab toofaanoN2 se ghabra3 kar saahil4 ka iraada5 kaun kare
1.waves 2.storms 3.fearful 4.shore 5.plan, decision
I have cast my boat into the waves. This where I live or die. What is the use now of being fearful of storms and deciding to go ashore.
10
mulla1 ka gala2 tak baiTh3 gaya bahri4 duniya ne kuchh na suna
jab sun’ne vaala ho aisa rah-rah5 ke pukaara kaun kare
1.pen-name of the poet 2.throat 3.gala baiTh jaana – to lose one’s voice 4.deaf 5.again and again
The poet mulla’s throat is sore, he has lost his voice but the deaf world does not hear anything. When the one who is supposed to hear (the target audience) is like this (indifferent, uncaring) then what is the use of shouting again and again.
