ravaaN kyuN ho – murarilal jazb

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

رواں کیوں ہو ۔ مراری لال جذبؔ

۱

زمانہ کاش چھو لے آدمیت کے مراتب کو

شوالے میں بجے ناقوس، مسجد میں اذاں کیوں ہو

۲

جبینِ شوق مجھ کو روکتی ہے اِس پرستش سے

نہ ہو وہ روبرو جس جا، ادا سجدہ وہاں کیوں ہو

۳

جسے منجھدار میں چھوڑا ہے تنہا ناخُدا تُو نے

وہ کشتی جانبِ ساحل رواں ہو تو رواں کیوں ہو

रवां क्यूं हो – मुरारी लाल जज़्ब

ज़माना काश छू ले आदमिय्यत के मरातिब को

शिवाले में बजे नाक़ूस, मस्जिद में अज़’आं क्यूं हो

जबीन-ए शौक़ मुझ को रोकती है इस परस्तिश से

न हो वो रू ब रू जिस जा, अदा सज्दा वहां क्यू हो

जिसे मंझदार में छोढा है तन्हा नाख़ुदा तू ने

वो कश्ती जानिब-ए साहल रवां हो तो रवां क्यूं हो

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. This is one of a series of Ghazal written as a tribute to Ghalib by the Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur. Ghalib Centennial Citizens Committee! The samiti conducted mushaa’era over two years, each inviting Ghazal modeled after selected Ghazal of Ghalib. The poet, murarilal jazb is listed as “Dresser, Railway Hospital”. This series shows the range of occupations of hindu poets who were lovers of urdu even to 1969. Times have changed.
1
zamaana1 kaash2 chhoo le aadmiyyat3 ke maraatib4 ko
shivaale5 meN baje naqoos6, masjid meN az’aaN kyuN ho    
1.times, world 2.I wish 3.humanism 4.plural of martaba, standards/status 5.shiv temple 6.conch shell
How I wish that the world would touch/reach the high standards of humanism. Why should the conch shell sound (only) in the shivala and the az’aan (only) from the masjid.

2
jabin1-e shauq2 mujh ko rokti hai is parastish3 se
na ho vo ruu-ba-ruu4 jis ja5, ada6 sajda7 vahaaN kyuN ho   
1.forehead 2.love 3.devotion, prayer 4.face to face 5.place 6.paid, offered 7.prostration
The poet devotee would rather bow/prostrate to the love of humanity than to an unseen god. His “forehead of love” stops him from (conventional) devotion/prayer. Where he is not face to face before me, why should I bow/prostrate in that place.

3
jise manjhdaar1 meN chhoRa hai tanha2 naaKhuda3 tu ne
vo kashti jaanib4-e saahil5 ravaaN6 ho to ravaaN kyuN ho     
1.whirlpool 2.alone 3.oarsman, boatman 4.towards 5.shore 6.travel
O, boatman, you have abandoned the boat in the whirlpool. If the boat is to travel towards the shore, how can it.

This is one of a series of Ghazal written as a tribute to Ghalib by the Ghalib shataabdi naagarik samiti, jabalpur.  Ghalib Centennial Citizens Committee!  The samiti conducted mushaa’era over two years, each inviting Ghazal modeled after selected Ghazal of Ghalib.  The poet, murarilal jazb is listed as “Dresser, Railway Hospital”.  This series shows the range of occupations of hindu poets who were lovers of urdu even to 1969.  Times have changed.
1
zamaana1 kaash2 chhoo le aadmiyyat3 ke maraatib4 ko
shivaale5 meN baje naqoos6, masjid meN az’aaN kyuN ho

1.times, world 2.I wish 3.humanism 4.plural of martaba, standards/status 5.shiv temple 6.conch shell

How I wish that the world would touch/reach the high standards of humanism.  Why should the conch shell sound (only) in the shivala and the az’aan (only) from the masjid.
2
jabin1-e shauq2 mujh ko rokti hai is parastish3 se
na ho vo ruu-ba-ruu4 jis ja5, ada6 sajda7 vahaaN kyuN ho

1.forehead 2.love 3.devotion, prayer 4.face to face 5.place 6.paid, offered 7.prostration

The poet devotee would rather bow/prostrate to the love of humanity than to an unseen god.  His “forehead of love” stops him from (conventional) devotion/prayer.  Where he is not face to face before me, why should I bow/prostrate in that place.
3
jise manjhdaar1 meN chhoRa hai tanha2 naaKhuda3 tu ne
vo kashti jaanib4-e saahil5 ravaaN6 ho to ravaaN kyuN ho

1.whirlpool 2.alone 3.oarsman, boatman 4.towards 5.shore 6.travel

O, boatman, you have abandoned the boat in the whirlpool.  If the boat is to travel towards the shore, how can it.