Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. baam dev sharma rishi paTialavi (1917-1999) originally from hoshiarpur in punjab. He was a disciple of nasim noormahli, who in turn was a disciple of daaGh dehlavi. He has written exquite Ghazal in chaste urdu and many progressive nazm in chaste urdu as well as in spoken hindi/urdu/hindustani. He was part of a group of friends who organized joint celebration of one another’s religious festivities to promote communal harmony. He wrote this for and recited it at ‘yaum-e husain’, jammu, 1977. It is linked to karbal katha in k’aaba kaashi on the Theme Index page.
1
zulmat-naseeb¹ naqsh²-e ziya³-e sahar⁴ hai aaj
be-aab-o-raNg⁵ sheesha⁶-e zauq⁷-e nazar⁸ hai aaj     1.darkness afflicted 2.image 3.light 4.dawn 5.without brilliance or colour 6.mirror, reflection 7.taste, desire 8.sight
Today, the light of dawn is afflicted by darkness. The mirror of discerning sight is colourless and dull. The ‘day’ of course is a day/occasion ‘yaum-e husain’, 1977, jammu, dedicated to the memory and honour of husain and his principled stand.
2
phir khiNch¹ gaya hai naqsha²-e maidaan³-e karbala
manzar⁴ bisaat-e-hashr⁵ ka pesh⁶-e nazar⁷ hai aaj    1.drawn, sketched 2.picture 3.battle-field 4.scene 5.domain of doomsday 6.in front of 7.eyes
Once again, before our eyes, is drawn the picture of the battle-field of karbala looking like doomsday.
3
fitna¹ vahi, fasaad² vahi, shor-o-shar³ vahi
rasm⁴-e yaziidiyyat⁵ vahi bedaad-gar⁶ hai aaj    1.evil, anarchy 2.conspiracy, conflict 3.tumult and clamour 4.tradition 5.character of yaziid 6.cruelty, oppression
‘yaziid’ is a symbol of injustice, oppression and cruelty. Thus, even today the same evil, the same conspiracy, the same clamour and tumult, the same tradition of yaziid, the same tradition of oppression and cruelty remain.
4
phir ruu-numa¹ hai Khudsar² o sarkash³ nuqoosh⁴-e kufr⁵
mazloomi⁶-e hayaat⁷ ka naize⁸ pe sar hai aaj     1.displaying its face, emerging 2.arrogant, obstinate 3.raising its head, mutinous 4.signs, images 5.denial, evil 6.oppression 7.life 8.spear
This has reference to the battle of karbala in which husain’s head was cut off and stuck on a lance for display. Once again, the arrogant and mutinous face of evil is on display. The head of oppressed life is on the point of a spear.
5
hadd¹-e nazar² tak aag ka dariya³ hai mauj-zan⁴
mauj-e nafas⁵ meN garmi-e soz⁶-e jigar⁷ hai aaj     1.boundaries, limits 2.sight 3.river, sea 4.rising waves 5.breath 6.fire, pain 7.liver/heart
The heat of the day during the battle of karbala is legendary. That heat can also be a symbol of cruelty. In addition to that, this she’r refers to the fire/sorrow inside because of the loss of family and friends. As far as the eye can see, there are rising waves in the sea of fire of fire all around. Every breath is on fire due to the sorrow burning in the heart.
6
aavaaz-e haq¹ pe kaun hai jo sar lagaa’ega²
eqdaar³-e rasm⁴-e daar⁵ ki kis ko Khabar⁶ hai aaj    1.truth, justice 2.sar lagaana – putting life of the line 3.respect, value 4.tradition 5.gallows, hanging platform 6.awareness, knowledge
Who is willing to give their life in answer to the call for justice. Who knows about the value of the tradition of being willing to climb the gallows i.e., who remembers the courage and traditions of husain.
7
voh bhi hai beqaraar¹ jise kuch Khabar² nahiN
voh bhi ba-haal³-e zaar⁴ jise kuchh Khabar hai aaj     1.restless, sorrowful 2.awareness 3.in the condition of 4.aggrieved, afflicted
The day (yaum-e husain) is such that everyone is affected … restless or aggrieved, those who know (about husain’s courageous stand in the face of certain death) and even those who don’t.
8
kya vaqt aa paRa hai keh ummat¹ ki tab’a² par
farmaan³-e haq⁴, payaam⁵-e amal⁶, be-asar⁷ hai aaj     1.community 2.nature, character, mood 3.edicts 4.truth, justice 5.message 6.action 7.ineffective
What kind of a time has fallen on us that the call for justice, the message for action, has no effect on the mood/character of the community.
9
aks¹-e yaziid² o shimr³ to har aa’ine meN hai
jalva-faroz⁴ partav⁵-e haidar⁶ kidhar hai aaj    1.reflection 2.self-proclaimed monarch who was called out for his injustice 3.commander of the forces of yaziid 4.shining manifestation 5.reflection 6.ali, husain’s father, legendary leader known for his commitment to justice
The image of yaziid and shimr can be seen in every mirror i.e., all of us have some element of injustice and should look at ourselves in the mirror. Where is the glorious manifestation of the image of ali i.e., where is justice today.
10
sadiyoN¹ se silsila² hai salaam³ o durood⁴ ka
yaad-e husain virsa⁵-e ahl-e-nazar⁶ hai aaj     1.centuries 2.continuation, tradition 3.offering of respect as a poem/salaam 4.salutation, benediction 5.legacy 6.people of discerning sight
This tradition of paean and salutation has been carried out for centuries. The memory of husain is the lasting legacy of people of discernment.
11
lab¹ par hai naam-e-paak² rasool³-e kariim⁴ ka
shaah-e-umam⁵ ke paa⁶-e muqaddas⁷ pe sar hai aaj     1.lips 2.respected/revered name 3.prophet, mohammed 4.generous 5.king of all – a title usually used for husain 6.feet 7.holy
With the revered name of mohammed on the lips, our heads are bowed at the feet of the universal king/leader of all time (husain).
12
aise meN bazm¹-e yaum²-e shahaadat³ jamaaiye⁴
iimaaN⁵ hadees⁶-e shaah-e-shahiidaaN⁷ pe laaiye    1.gathering 2.day 3.martyrdom 4.arrange, convene 5.faith 6.sayings 7.king of martyrs
husain’s martyrdom in karbala is almost universally held up an ideal martyrdom, a courageous stand for justice in the face of certain death. He is quite often referred to as ‘shaah-e shahiidaaN’. Thus, under the conditions of today (described in the previous ash’aar), convene a day of rememberance of the martyrdom of husain. Express your faith in the sayings/actions of the king of martyrdom.