rubaaiyaat-sarkash suKhanvari-josh

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

رُباعیات۔سرکش سخنوری۔جوش ملیح آبادی

۱

دِل رسم کے سانچے میں نہ ڈھالا ہم نے

اُسلوبِ سخن نیا نکالا ہم نے

ذرّات کو چھوڑ کر حریفوں کے لئے

خورشید پہ بڑھ کے ہاتھ ڈالا ہم نے

۲

العظمت الاللہ میرا زورِ کلام

افلاک پہ ہلتے ہیں ستاروں کے خیام

میں وہ ہوں کہ دیکھتے ہی لیلائے سخن

ناقے سے اُتر کے مجھ کو کرتی ہے سلام

۳

لاتا ہے زبان پر جو حرفِ تادیب

ہوتا ہے وہ پامالِ صد آفاتِ مہیب

دیکھو کہ فضا پر ہے ابھی تک غلطاں

سقراط کا جامِ زہر، عیسیٰ کا سلیب

۴

گِرداب میں ہم بصد خوشی جاتے ہیں

یوں جھوم کے مرتے ہیں کہ جی جاتے ہیں

تم وہ ہو سمندر جنہیں کھا جاتا ہے

ہم وہ  ہیں سمندر کو جو پی جاتے ہیں

۵

ہم پیشہ و ہم راز سے لڑ بیٹھے ہیں

دِل پرور و دم ساز سے لڑ بیٹھے ہیں

اللہ و شہنشاہ کا کیا ذکر ائے جوش

ہم دِلبرِ طناز سے لڑ بیٹھے ہیں

۶

کیا خوف اگر دورِ فلک ہے دُشمن

تلوار کو کاٹتی ہے میری گردن

طوفان تو بادباں ہے کشتی کا مری

آندھی تو مرے چراغ کا ہے روغن

۷

ہشیار ہو غم کشانِ جذبات پرست

داناؤں کی ہمّت کبھی ہوتی نہیں پست

ہوتے ہیں تفکر سے مسلح جو دِماغ

وہ لشکرِ دِل سے نہیں کھاتے ہیں شکست

 

रुबाईयात-सरकश सुख़नवरी-जोश मलीहाबादी

दिल रस्म के सांचे में न ढाला हम ने

उस्लूब-ए सुख़न नया निकाला हम ने

ज़र्रात को छोड़ कर हरीफ़ौं के लिए

ख़ुरशीद पे बढ़ के हाथ डाला हम ने

अल-अज़्मत-उल-लिल्लाह मेरा ज़ोर-ए कलाम

अफ़्लाक पे हिलते हैं सितारौं के ख़याम

मैं वो हूं के देखते ही लैला-ए सुख़न

नाक़े से इतर ले मुझ को करती है सलाम

लाता है ज़बां पर जो हर्फ़-ए तादीब

होता है वो पाएमाल-ए सद-आफ़ात-ए मोहीब

देखो के फ़िज़ा पर है अभी तक ग़ल्तां

सुक़्रात का जाम-ए ज़हर, ईसा का सलीब

गिर्दाब में हम ब-सद ख़ुशी जाते हैं

यूँ झूम के मरते हैं के जी जाते हैं

तुम वो हो समन्दर जिन्हें खा जाता है

हम वो हैं समन्दर को जो पी जाते हैं

हम पेशा ओ हम-राज़ से लड़ बैठे हैं

दिल परवर ओ दमसाज़ से लड़ बैठे हैं

अल्लाह ओ शहनशाह का क्या ज़िक्र ए जोश

हम दिलबर-ए तनाज़ से लड़ बैठे हैं

क्या ख़ौफ़ अगर दौर-ए फ़लक है दुश्मन

तलवार को काटती है मेरी गर्दन

तूफ़ान तो बादबां है किश्ती का मेरी

आंधी तो मेरे चिराग़ का है रौग़न

होशियार हो ग़म-कुशान-ए जज़्बात परस्त

दानाओं कि हिम्मत कभी होती नहीं पस्त

होते हैं तफ़क्कुर से मुसल्लह जो दिमाग़

वो लश्कर-ए दिल से नहीं खाते हैं शिकस्त

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm. He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal. His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life. He also wrote numerous rubaaii. This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject. This selection is a declaration of daring rebellion/resistance.
1
dil rasm1 ke saaNche2 meN na Dhaala3 hum ne
usloob-e-suKhan4 naya nikaala hum ne
zarraat5 ko chhoR kar hareefauN6 ke liye
Khursheed7 pe baRh ke haath Daala hum ne
1.traditions, rituals 2.mould 3.cast 4.rules of versification 5.dust particles 6.rivals 7.sun
We did not cast our heart/thought/feelings in the mould of ritual/tradition. We invented new rules of versification (this could be a reference to a resolution of the Progressive Writers’ Association which called upon poets to compose verse about issues of justice). Leaving dust particles for rivals we reached for the sun.

2
al-azmat-ul-lillah1 mera zor-e-kalaam2
aflaak3 pe hilte haiN sitaarauN ke Khayaam4
maiN vo huN ke dekhte hi laila-e-suKhan5
naaqe6 se utar ke mujhko karti hai salaam
1.by the greatness of god 2.power of verse 3.skies 4.stations, places 5.laila/Beauty of verse 6.cabin on the back of a camel
By the greatness of god, the power of my verse is such that stars shake in their places in skies. The Beauty of Verse is likened to laila (of laila-majnuN fame). Whenever she sees me, the laila of verse gets off her camel to pay respects to me.

3
laata hai zaban par jo harf1-e taadeeb2
hota hai vo paamaal3-e sad-aafaat4-e moheeb5
dekho ke fiza6 par hai abhi tak GhaltaaN7
suqraat8 ka jaam-e-zahr8, eesa10 ka saleeb11  
1.word of 2.teaching (new thought) 3.trampled 4.hundred calamities 5.fearsome 6.air, atmosphere 7.dissolved 8.Socrates 9.cup of poison 10.Jesus 11.cross
Whoever speaks words of new thinking is trampled underfoot by a hundred fearsome calamities. Look and you can see that still dissolved in the air is the cup of poison of Socrates and the cross of Jesus.

4
girdaab1 meN hum ba-sad2 Khushi jaate haiN
yuN jhoom ke marte haiN ke jee jaate haiN
tum vo ho samandar jinheN khaa jaata hai
hum vo haiN samandar ko jo pii jaate haiN
1.whirlpool 2.with a hundred
With great pleasure we (poets) go into the whirlpool (at the risk of being sucked in and drowned). We give/risk our lives with such bravado that we live forever. You are those who get ‘eaten up’ by the ocean. We are those who drink the ocean.

5
hum-pesha1 o hum-raaz2 se laR baiThe haiN
dil-parvar3 o dumsaaz4 se laR baiThe haiN
allaah o shahanshaah ka kya zikr5 aye josh
hum dilbar-e-tanaaz6 se laR baiThe haiN
1.fellow professional, poets 2.confidant, friend 3.empathizer 4.one who encourages, patron/admirer 5.mention 6.beloved of mischievous/titillating style
The poet, in composing his verse is doing unconventional things and offending everyone … including fellow poets, friends, patrons and sympathizers. Why talk about god and king, we have even offended the beloved (because we are writing about social issues rather than of love and beauty).

6
kya Khauf1 agar daur-e-falak2 hai dushman
talwar ko kaaTti hai meri gardan
toofaan to baadbaaN3 hai kishti ka meri
aandhi to mere chiraaGh ka hai rauGhan4  
1.fear 2.times/era of the skies i.e. fate 3.sail 4.fat, oil
The poet fearlessly turns the table on calamities. He has no fear of fate. The sword ‘normally’ cuts throats but the poet is defiant – this neck can cut the sword. The storm which normally blows ships away will be tamed to act as a sail for his boat. Lamps are normally blown away by strong winds, but he is going to use strong winds as oil for his lamp.

7
hoshiyaar1 ho Gham-kushaan2-e jazbaat-parast3
daanauN4 ki himmat kabhi hoti nahiN past5
hote haiN tafakkur6 se musallah7 jo dimaaGh
vo lashkar-e-dil8 se nahiN khaate haiN shikast9  
1.careful, be warned 2.sorrow causing 3.sentimentality worshipping 4.wise 5.defeated 6.thinking/reasoning 7.armed 8.army of the heart/emotions/sentimentality 9.defeated
Be warned O sorrow causing sentimentalists. Wise people never lose courage. Those that are armed with the ability to reason are not defeated by an onslaught of sentiments.

josh malihabadi is well known for his fiery nazm.  He also wrote many romantic as well as cerebral nazm and Ghazal.  His marsia are a celebration of dignified death rather than bowing to injustice even at the cost of life.  He also wrote numerous rubaaii.  This series is a collection of nearly 300 rubaaiyaat from various books organized by subject.  This selection is a declaration of daring rebellion/resistance.
1
dil rasm1 ke saaNche2 meN na Dhaala3 hum ne
usloob-e-suKhan4 naya nikaala hum ne
zarraat5 ko chhoR kar hareefauN6 ke liye
Khursheed7 pe baRh ke haath Daala hum ne

1.traditions, rituals 2.mould 3.cast 4.rules of versification 5.dust particles 6.rivals 7.sun

We did not cast our heart/thought/feelings in the mould of ritual/tradition.  We invented new rules of versification (this could be a reference to a resolution of the Progressive Writers’ Association which called upon poets to compose verse about issues of justice).  Leaving dust particles for rivals we reached for the sun.
2
al-azmat-ul-lillah1 mera zor-e-kalaam2
aflaak3 pe hilte haiN sitaarauN ke Khayaam4
maiN vo huN ke dekhte hi laila-e-suKhan5
naaqe6 se utar ke mujhko karti hai salaam

1.by the greatness of god 2.power of verse 3.skies 4.stations, places 5.laila/Beauty of verse 6.cabin on the back of a camel

By the greatness of god, the power of my verse is such that stars shake in their places in skies.  The Beauty of Verse is likened to laila (of laila-majnuN fame).  Whenever she sees me, the laila of verse gets off her camel to pay respects to me.
3
laata hai zaban par jo harf1-e taadeeb2
hota hai vo paamaal3-e sad-aafaat4-e moheeb5
dekho ke fiza6 par hai abhi tak GhaltaaN7
suqraat8 ka jaam-e-zahr8, eesa10 ka saleeb11

1.word of 2.teaching (new thought) 3.trampled 4.hundred calamities 5.fearsome 6.air, atmosphere 7.dissolved 8.Socrates 9.cup of poison 10.Jesus 11.cross

Whoever speaks words of new thinking is trampled underfoot by a hundred fearsome calamities.  Look and you can see that still dissolved in the air is the cup of poison of Socrates and the cross of Jesus.
4
girdaab1 meN hum ba-sad2 Khushi jaate haiN
yuN jhoom ke marte haiN ke jee jaate haiN
tum vo ho samandar jinheN khaa jaata hai
hum vo haiN samandar ko jo pii jaate haiN

1.whirlpool 2.with a hundred

With great pleasure we (poets) go into the whirlpool (at the risk of being sucked in and drowned).  We give/risk our lives with such bravado that we live forever.  You are those who get ‘eaten up’ by the ocean.  We are those who drink the ocean.
5
hum-pesha1 o hum-raaz2 se laR baiThe haiN
dil-parvar3 o dumsaaz4 se laR baiThe haiN
allaah o shahanshaah ka kya zikr5 aye josh
hum dilbar-e-tanaaz6 se laR baiThe haiN

1.fellow professional, poets 2.confidant, friend 3.empathizer 4.one who encourages, patron/admirer 5.mention 6.beloved of mischievous/titillating style

The poet, in composing his verse is doing unconventional things and offending everyone … including fellow poets, friends, patrons and sympathizers.  Why talk about god and king, we have even offended the beloved (because we are writing about social issues rather than of love and beauty).
6
kya Khauf1 agar daur-e-falak2 hai dushman
talwar ko kaaTti hai meri gardan
toofaan to baadbaaN3 hai kishti ka meri
aandhi to mere chiraaGh ka hai rauGhan4

1.fear 2.times/era of the skies i.e. fate 3.sail 4.fat, oil

The poet fearlessly turns the table on calamities.  He has no fear of fate.  The sword ‘normally’ cuts throats but the poet is defiant – this neck can cut the sword.  The storm which normally blows ships away will be tamed to act as a sail for his boat.  Lamps are normally blown away by strong winds, but he is going to use strong winds as oil for his lamp.
7
hoshiyaar1 ho Gham-kushaan2-e jazbaat-parast3
daanauN4 ki himmat kabhi hoti nahiN past5
hote haiN tafakkur6 se musallah7 jo dimaaGh
vo lashkar-e-dil8 se nahiN khaate haiN shikast9

1.careful, be warned 2.sorrow causing 3.sentimentality worshipping 4.wise 5.defeated 6.thinking/reasoning 7.armed 8.army of the heart/emotions/sentimentality 9.defeated

Be warned O sorrow causing sentimentalists.  Wise people never lose courage.  Those that are armed with the ability to reason are not defeated by an onslaught of sentiments.

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