Recitation
رہبر کی موت – سردار جعفری
اپنا رہبر جنگ كے میداں میں کام آیا ہے آج
وہ وطن کی آبروُ ، اہلِ وطن کا اِفتخار
اشتراکیت کی جمہوری روایت کا نقیب
محفلِ انساں میں انسانیت کا تاجدار
ایک مردہ لاش ، یہ توہین کر سکتا ہے کون
پاؤں پھیلائے ہوئے گلشن میں سوتی ہے بہار
اپنی سرد آہوں کی چادر ہی اُڑھائیں گے اُسے
کیا نچھاور ہم کریں گے اُس پہ صرف اشکوں كے ہار
کیا زمانے سے کہیں گے جا كے صرف اتنی سی بات
مر گیا ہے وہ تو اُس كے غم میں ہیں ہم سوگوار
یوں تو رک سکتا نہیں اب دِل كے توفانوں کا گیت
کند ہو سکتی نہیں یوں عشق كے خنجر کی دھار
اب ہماری آنکھ میں ہے اِس کی بند آنکھوں کا نور
اب ہمارے جسم میں ہے اُس کی روحِ بےقرار
اُس کا پرچم لے كے میداں میں نکلنا ہے ہمیں
فرشِ گل سے دور انگاروں پہ چلنا ہے ہمیں
रहबर की मौत – सरदार जाफ़री
अपना रहबर जंग के मैदां में काम आया है आज
वो वतन की आबरू, अहल-ए वतन का इफ़्तेख़ार
इश्तेराकियत की जम्हूरी रिवायत का नक़ेब
महफ़िल-ए इन्सां में इन्सानियत का ताजदार
एक मुर्दा लाश, ये तौहीन कर सकता है कौन
पाऊं फैलाये हुए गुलशन में सोती है बहार
अपनी सर्द आहौं की चादर ही उढ़ायेंगे इसे
क्या निछावर हम करेंगे इस पे सिर्फ़ अश्कौं के हार
क्या ज़माने से कहेंगे जा के सिर्फ़ इतनी सी बात
मर गया है वो तो उस के ग़म में हैं हम सोगवार
यूं तो रुक सकता नहीं अब दिल के तूफ़ानों का गीत
कुंद हो सकती नहीं यूं इश्क़ के ख़न्जर की धार
अब हमारी आंख में है उस की बन्द आंखौं का नूर
अब हमारे जिस्म में है उस की रूह-ए बे-क़रार
उस का परचम ले के मैदां में निकलना है हमें
फ़र्श-ए गुल से दूर अंगारौं पे चलना है हमें
rahbar ki maut – sardar jafri
Click here for overall comments and on any she’r for word meanings and discussion.
sardar jafri wrote this in June, 1964, as a tribute to jawaharlal nehru who died on May 26th of that year. It should be remembered that they were politically on opposite sides and sardar jafri was imprisoned by nehru’s government. In spite of political differences, the deep regard/respect speaks volumes.
apna rahbar1 juNg ke maidaN meN kaam-aaya2 hai aaj
vo vatan ki aabru3, ahl-e-vatan4 ka ifteKhaar5 1.guide, leader 2.died 3.honor, dignity 4.people of the homeland 5.pride, glory
“juNg ka maidan” – field of battle is not meant to be war but the struggle for well being. Thus … our leader has died while struggling for our people. He was the dignity of the homeland, the pride of its people.
ishteraakiyat1 ki jamhoori2 rivaayat3 ka naqeb4
mahfil-e-insaaN5 meN insaniyat ka taajdaar1.socialism 2.democratic 3.traditions 4.herald, champion 5.human society i.e. the world
The champion of democratic, socialist traditions, the king/leader of human-ness (equal human rights) in the world.
ek murda laash1, ye tauheen2 kar sakta hai kaun
paauN pahlaye hue gulshan3 meN soti hai bahaar4 1.dead corpse 2.insult 3.garden 4.spring
Spring here symbolizes the hope of well being and justice. sardar jafri considers it an insult to consider nehru to be dead and gone. His legacy lives on (jafri writes) heralding the coming spring.
apni sard1 aahauN2 ki chaadar hi uRhaayeNge ise
kya nichhaavar3 hum kareNge is pe sirf4 ashkauN5 ke haar1.cold, sorrowful 2.sighs 3.shower 4.only 5.tears
Will we only heave sorrowful sighs and shed tears for him (or will we do something else to assure that his legacy lives on).
kya zamaane1 se kaheNge jaa ke sirf2 itni si baat
mar gaya hai vo to us ke Gham meN haiN hum sogvaar3 1.times, the world 2.only 3.sorrowful
Now that he is dead, is our sorrow the only thing that we have to show to the world.
yuN1 to ruk sakta nahiN ab dil ke toofaanauN ka geet
kund2 ho sakti nahiN yuN ishq ke Khanjar3 ki dhaar4 1.like this, in this way 2.dull 3.dagger 4.edge
The edge of the dagger of sorrow will not be dulled in this way, nor will the blowing of storms in our hearts stop.
ab hamaari aaNkh meN hai us ki bund aaNkhauN ka noor1
ab hamaare jism2 meN hai us ki rooh3-e be-qaraar4 1.light, vision 2.bodies 3.spirit 4.restless, striving
His restless spirit is now in our bodies. The vision that he carried in his now closed eyes is now in our eyes.
us ka parcham le ke maidaaN meN nikalna hai hameN
farsh-e-gul1 se duur aNgaarauN2 pe chalna hai hameN1.flower strewn ground i.e. easy/comfortable life 2.hot coals
We have to give up ease and comfort and strive hard carrying the banner of his principles.
rahbar ki maut – sardar jafri
sardar jafri wrote this in June, 1964, as a tribute to jawaharlal nehru who died on May 26th of that year. It should be remembered that they were politically on opposite sides and sardar jafri was imprisoned by nehru’s government. In spite of political differences, the deep regard/respect speaks volumes.
apna rahbar1 juNg ke maidaN meN kaam-aaya2 hai aaj
vo vatan ki aabru3, ahl-e-vatan4 ka ifteKhaar5
1.guide, leader 2.died 3.honor, dignity 4.people of the homeland 5.pride, glory
“juNg ka maidan” – field of battle is not meant to be war but the struggle for well being. Thus … our leader has died while struggling for our people. He was the dignity of the homeland, the pride of its people.
ishteraakiyat1 ki jamhoori2 rivaayat3 ka naqeb4
mahfil-e-insaaN5 meN insaniyat ka taajdaar
1.socialism 2.democratic 3.traditions 4.herald, champion 5.human society i.e. the world
The champion of democratic, socialist traditions, the king/leader of human-ness (equal human rights) in the world.
ek murda laash1, ye tauheen2 kar sakta hai kaun
paauN pahlaye hue gulshan3 meN soti hai bahaar4
1.dead corpse 2.insult 3.garden 4.spring
Spring here symbolizes the hope of well being and justice. sardar jafri considers it an insult to consider nehru to be dead and gone. His legacy lives on (jafri writes) heralding the coming spring.
apni sard1 aahauN2 ki chaadar hi uRhaayeNge ise
kya nichhaavar3 hum kareNge is pe sirf4 ashkauN5 ke haar
1.cold, sorrowful 2.sighs 3.shower 4.only 5.tears
Will we only heave sorrowful sighs and shed tears for him (or will we do something else to assure that his legacy lives on).
kya zamaane1 se kaheNge jaa ke sirf2 itni si baat
mar gaya hai vo to us ke Gham meN haiN hum sogvaar3
1.times, the world 2.only 3.sorrowful
Now that he is dead, is our sorrow the only thing that we have to show to the world.
yuN1 to ruk sakta nahiN ab dil ke toofaanauN ka geet
kund2 ho sakti nahiN yuN ishq ke Khanjar3 ki dhaar4
1.like this, in this way 2.dull 3.dagger 4.edge
The edge of the dagger of sorrow will not be dulled in this way, nor will the blowing of storms in our hearts stop.
ab hamaari aaNkh meN hai us ki bund aaNkhauN ka noor1
ab hamaare jism2 meN hai us ki rooh3-e be-qaraar4
1.light, vision 2.bodies 3.spirit 4.restless, striving
His restless spirit is now in our bodies. The vision that he carried in his now closed eyes is now in our eyes.
us ka parcham le ke maidaaN meN nikalna hai hameN
farsh-e-gul1 se duur aNgaarauN2 pe chalna hai hameN
1.flower strewn ground i.e. easy/comfortable life 2.hot coals
We have to give up ease and comfort and strive hard carrying the banner of his principles.
