Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. munshi raghunath siNgh haajir dehlavi (1884-1922). Both father and grandfather were poets and scholars of urdu and faarsi. He started composing at the age of 13-14. His father died in 1906 and he moved to bhopal for work and returned to dehli in 1910 to re-start his family practice, establishing a clinic named ‘daar-ul-shifa’. He died in 1922 before he could publish his diivaan, but his son collected his papers and published it. His brother, kaviraj raghunandan singh saahir wrote the preface. In addition to his diivan, there is a collection of his Ghazal called, ‘Ghalib aur haajir’, all composed in the zamin of Ghalib. This Ghazal, composed in the zamin of ‘muddat hui hai yaar ko mehmaaN kiye hue’, is linked to that category under the icon ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’, on the Theme page.
1
pesh¹-e nigaah² jalva³-e jaanaaN⁴ kiye hue
dil ko huN misl⁵-e aaiina hairaaN⁶ kiye hue   1.before, in front of 2.eyes 3.beauty, glory 4.beloved 5.like, example of 6.amazed
Traditionally, the mirror is amazed at the beauty of the beloved when she looks in it at her own reflection. Similar to that the eyes of the poet/lover are amazed when he has the glory of the beloved before him.
2
sunte haiN vo bayaan¹ mera hashr² meN khaRe
sar ko Khamiida³ soorat⁴-e mizshgaaN⁵ kiye hue   1.narrative 2.day of judgement 3.bowed down 4.in the image of, similar to 5.eyelashes
Tradition is that on the day of judgement everyone will be called upon to give an account of their good and bad deeds and claims that they can make about what was done right or wrong by them. This would be a time of great embarrassment to the beloved. The poet/lover is narrating all that happened to him and the beloved stands ashamed with head bowed like drooping eyelashes. As opposed to this scenario, shaiKh ibrahim zauq claims that he would deny any cruelties inflicted upon him by the beloved …
ham nahiN vo jo kareN Khuun ka daa’va tujh par
balkeh poochhega Khuda bhi to mukar jaa’eNge
3
eqraar¹-e vasl² kar ke na aaya vo bevafa³
ishrat⁴ ke yuNhi rah gaye saamaaN⁵ kiye hue   1.agreement 2.union, meeting 3.unfaithful 4.comfort, entertainment 5.means, arrangements
Traditionally, the beloved makes promises to meet but never keeps her promise. Thus, having agreed to meet that unfaithful one did not come. All the arrangements that I had made to entertain her remained as they were.
4
kya Khaak¹ mujh ko hasrat²-e lutf³-e visaal⁴ ho
dil ko huN Khuugar⁵-e Gham⁶-e hijraaN⁷ kiye hue   1.dust – used here as expression meaning useless, of no value 2.longing 3.pleasure 4.union 5.habituated 6.sorrow 7.separation
It is useless for me to long for the pleasure of union (with the beloved). I have trained my heart to be habituated to the sorrow of separation.
5
jaata hai baaGh-e Khuld¹ ko tera shaheed²-e naaz³
daaGhoN⁴ se dil ko rashk⁵-e gulistaaN⁶ kiye hue    1.heaven 2.martyred 3.coquetry 4.wounds 5.envy 6.garden
The poet/lover has been martyred by the coquetry of the beloved. He is on his way to the garden of Eden in heaven. That is supposed to be the most beautiful garden every created. But the poet claims that the wounds of his heart (which are often described as blooming flowers) make a garden that is even more beautiful and has become the envy of the garden of Eden. See number 18 below for a similar thought.
6
aaNkhoN ko gar¹ hai hasrat²-e nazzaara³-e jamaal⁴
dil bhi hai vasl⁵-e yaar⁶ ka armaaN⁷ kiye hue   1.if 2.longing 3.sight, scene 4.glory 5.union 6.friend, beloved 7.desire
If my eyes long for a sight of the glory of the beauty of the beloved, the heart also desires union with the the beloved. Here this could easily be the divine beloved.
7
teri nigaah¹-e lutf² ki taareef³ kya karuN
zarre⁴ ko hai jo mahr⁵-e daraKhshaaN⁶ kiye hue    1.glance 2.favours 3.praise 4.particle, grain of sand 5.sun 6.brilliant
How can I praise your glance granting favours. Its brilliance makes even the grain of sand reflect light like the brilliant sun.
8
aane do qatl¹ karne ko aate haiN vo agar²
baiThe haiN ham bhi maut³ ka saamaaN⁴ kiye hue    1.killing 2.if 3.death 4.arrangements
In poetic tradition, the beloved comes angrily drawing her sword to kill the poet/lover. If she is coming to kill me, let her do so. I too have made all arrangements to die i.e., I am ready too.
9
haasil¹ tabhi² se hai mujhe lazzat³ visaal⁴ ki
jaise kisi ko dil meN huN mehmaaN⁵ kiye hue    1.available 2.from then 3.pleasure 4.union 5.guest
The pleasure of union has been available to me ever since I made that special someone a guest in my heart.
10
go¹ ibtedaa²-e ishq ko muddat³ hui magar⁴
ab tak haiN yaad ham ko vo paimaaN⁵ kiye hue    1.even though 2.beginning, starting 3.long time, ages 4.but 5.plans, promises
Even though it has been ages since the story of love started, I still remember all the promises that we made.
11
phir maa’el¹-e nazaara²-e husn³-e butaaN⁴ huN maiN
jalvoN⁵ se dil ko rashk⁶-e paristaaN⁷ kiye hue   1.inclined towards, desirous of 2.seeing 3.beauty 4.idols 5.images 6.envy 7.fairyland
The poet/lover-appreciator of beauty is inclined once again to look for beautiful idols. Those beautiful images get engraved in his heart making it the envy of fairyland.
12
phir imtehaan¹-e taab²-e nazar³ kar raha huN maiN
Khud ko muqaabil⁴-e ruKh⁵-e jaanaaN⁶ kiye hue    1.test 2.ability to bear 3.sight, eyes 4.face to face 5.face 6.beloved
In poetic convention the beloved is so beautiful that the poet/lover is unable to bear the sight of her beauty. But he is once again ready to test the ability of his eyes by coming face to face with the beloved.
13
phir kar raha huN daava¹-e paabandi² vafa
dil ko asiir³-e kaakul⁴-e pechaaN⁵ kiye hue   1.claim 2.binding commitment 3.prisoner, captive 4.forelocks, hair 5.curly
The poet/lover’s heart once again, becomes captive of the curly hair of the beloved. In doing so, he is claiming/declaring that he is bound/committed to her.
14
karta huN misra¹-e mauzooN² ki phir talaash³
azm⁴-e sanaa⁵-e qaamat⁶-e jaanaaN⁷ kiye hue    1.one line of a she’r 2.suitable 3.search 4.resolve 5.praise, ode 6.stature 7.beloved
The poet/lover has resolved to compose an ode in praise of the stature of the beloved. So, he is once again searching for a suitable line of a verse. He cannot find the right words to describe her beauty.
15
phir hasrat¹-e fuGhaaN³ hai keh muddat³ guzar⁴ gaii
un se shikaa’et⁵-e Gham⁶-e hijraaN⁷ kiye hue    1.desire, longing 2.wailing 3.long time, ages 4.passed 5.complaint 6.sorrow, pain 7.separation
It has been ages since the poet/lover has complained to the beloved about the pain of separation from her. So, the desire to wail and cry rises once again in his heart.
16
phir baa’is¹-e tabaahi²-e sabr³ o sukooN⁴ hai ishq
betaabi⁵-e firaaq⁶ ka saamaaN⁷ kiye hue   1.basis, reason 2.destruction 3.patience 4.peace and quiet 5.restlessness 6.separation 7.arrangements, provisions
The poet/lover’s intense love and restlessness of separation have gathered all the provisions for the destruction of patience, peace and tranquility.
17
phir dil ko dars¹-e ishq o vafa² de raha huN maiN
mahv³-e kitaab-e aariz⁴-e jaanaaN⁵ kiye hue    1.lesson 2.fidelity 3.engaged/busy/obsessed 4.face 5.beloved
The imagery of the face of the beloved as a book to be read and its juxtaposition with a lesson being taught is very nice. Thus, I am once again teaching the heart the lesson of love and fidelity by being obsessed with reading the face of the beloved.
18
karta huN phir numaa’esh¹-e daaGh²-e Gham³-e firaaq⁴
siine ko rashk⁵-e rauza-e rizvaaN⁶ kiye hue   1.display 2.wounds, scars 3.sorrow 4.separation 5.envy 6.rauza has two meanings – mausoleum and garden, rauza-e rizvaaN is the garden of the gatekeeper of heaven, i.e., the Garden of Eden
The poet/lover carries many scars of separation on his bosom. The scars/wounds are red due to bleeding and are considered to be beautiful as red roses. Thus, he is displaying his wounds making his bosom the envy of the Garden of Eden. See no 5 above for a similar thought.
19
phir se namaaz-e-shauq¹ ada² kar raha huN maiN
ruKh³ soo⁴-e qibla⁵-e dar⁶-e jaanaaN⁷ kiye hue   1.ritual prayer to desire/love 2.pay, perform 3.face 4.towards 5.direction of k’aaba 6.door 7.beloved
Conventionally the ritual namaaz to god is performed in the direction of the k’aaaba. Here the poet/lover is performing namaaz to his love/beloved. So, instead of facing the k’aaba he faces the door of the beloved.
20
jaata hai aaj haajir¹-e Khasta² jahaan³ se
mehmaan-gaah⁴-e ishq ko viiraaN⁵ kiye hue     1.pen-name of the poet 2.broken, wounded 3.world 4.guest house 5.desolate
The broken-hearted poet/lover, haajir, is dying, leaving this world. The world is considered the guest-house of love/lovers. But with him leaving there is no real lover left in the world. Thus, he is leaving the guest-house desolate.