Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi (1898-1982) is known as a poet of revolution. He was a secular humanist writing sharply against colonialism, abuse of power, injustice and orthodoxy. ‘manshoor’ is manifesto/declaration. The ‘hum’ in this nazm/Ghazal refers to poets as a group. This is part of series called ‘suKhanvar o suKhanvari’ of the same theme collected under ‘Theme Index’.
1
baazu¹ mila ke uRte haiN ruuh-ul-amiiN² se hum
karte haiN sair³-e aalam-e-baala⁴ yahiiN se hum    1.arms, side 2.archangel Gabriel 3.sightseeing, journey 4.higher world i.e., heaven
The whole nazm is about the work and status of poets. Thus, we (poets) fly locking arms with jibriil/Gabriel i.e., we bring divine messages to earth. We journey through high heavens from here (on earth). Thus, the claim can be that poets with their insight are able to create a vision of heaven from here, or perhaps that heaven is within all of us, and they can explore it and describe it for us.
2
lab¹ apne band rakhte haiN GhoGhaa²-e ’aam³ se
khulte haiN⁴ nukta-sanj⁵ o suKhan-aafriN⁶ se hum    1.lips 2.clamour, noise 3.common, trivial 4.open up, speak to 5.discerning taste, critical ability 6.speech/verse appreciator
We (poets) keep our lips sealed, choose to remain silent during trivial, noisy, proforma conversation. We open up to people of discerning taste and those who can appreciate the excellence of verse.
3
aye saakinaan¹-e dair² o haram³ kah rahe ho kya
baahir khaRe haiN halqa⁴-e duniya o diiN⁵ se hum     1.dwellers 2.temple 3.mosque 4.circle 5.faith
O dwellers of the domain of the temple and mosque, what are you saying – this question implies that they don’t understand the nature of the interlocuter and are speaking nonsense. We (poets) stand apart from the domain of worldliness and faith i.e., we have a different domain of thinking – perhaps universal love.
4
aye Ghuncha¹-e sabaah² na yuN muskuraa ke dekh
vaaqif³ haiN unn ke Khanda⁴-e naaz-aafriiN⁵ se hum    1.unopened bud 2.morning, dawn 3.familiar 4.smile 5.coquettish
The unopened bud, perhaps drunk in youthfulness is smilling disdainfully at the poet. He cautions the bud – don’t be dismissive of us or our message. We are familiar with, aware of, know ‘their’ coquettish smile. The ‘their-unn’ are blooming flowers. Knowledge of this implies knowledge of what is coming … the shedding of petals and end of life. Thus, we poets bring the message of the life cycle, the impermanence of life. Don’t be dismissive of our message in your youthful vigour.
5
daaman¹ kisi ka haath meN aa kar nikal gayaa
baiThe pasiina poNchh rahe haiN jabiiN² se hum    1.hem of the garment 2.forehead
The hem of somebody’s garment slipped away from his hand – whose garment-hem? It could be the beloved or symbolically some unspecified opportunity, inspiration. He was not energetic enough to grab the moment and is now sitting regretfully wiping sweat from his brow-a poignant description of lost opportunities.
6
shukr¹-e Khudaa ke itne masaa’eb² ke baavujuud³
vaaqif⁴ nahiN haiN Khaatir⁵-e andoh-giiN⁶ se hum     1.thanks 2.hardships 3.in spite of 4.familiar 5.heart, mind 6.sorrowful, dejected
Thank god that in spite of so many hardships, we (poets) are not familiar with dejection. He is declaring that he is confident that the future will be better, or perhaps saying that this generation has undergone hardships and the next generation will have a better time. This is quite unlike much classical poetry which is all about sorrow and dejection.
7
ahl-e-jahaaN¹ hamaara nasheman² hai aasmaaN
naa-aashnaa³ haiN rasm-o-rivaaj⁴-e zamiiN se hum     1.people of the world 2.nest, dwelling 3.unfamiliar 4.rituals and traditions
O people of the world, understand that we (poets) dwell in the sky – in a different world, perhaps one of universal love, free of restrictive orthodoxy. That is why, we are unfamiliar with the rituals and traditions of the ‘earth’.
8
hum bekasoN¹ ki shaan² kabhi maikade³ meN dekh
karte haiN naaz⁴ jab falak⁵-e haftamiiN⁶ se hum    1.helpless 2.dignity, glory 3.tavern 4.pride 5.sky 6.seventh
The tavern is symbolic of a liberal space where human equality and universal love is the rule, not orthodox restrictions. We (poets) might appear helpless in this restrictive world, but consider our dignity in the tavern, a place of universal love. That is where we show our pride comparable to that of the seventh heaven.
9
maani¹ pinhaa² rahaa hai har ek apne taur³ par
kya josh⁴ kah gaye nigah⁵-e vaapasiiN⁶ se hum     1.meaning, interpretation 2.dressing up 3.way, method 4.pen-name of the poet 5.eye, glance 6.departing glance, glance at the time of death
Everyone is dressing your words with their own meaning in their own way. O josh, what a wondrous thing you have said, recited, written as you depart i.e., there are so many facets to what you have written that each can interpret it in their own way.