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Recitation
رباعیات ۔ سلسلۂ فکر ۔ جوش ملیح آبادی
۱
ہر دعوۂ اِرتقا کو مانا میں نے
ہر گوشۂ کائنات چھانا میں نے
سب جان چکا تو اے حریفِ دم ساز
میں کچھ نہیں جانتا یہ جانا میں نے
۲
اِک قلع سر ہوا ہے اور کچھ بھی نہیں
تخیل کا سلسلہ ہے اور کچھ بھی نہیں
کہتا ہے جِسے فخر سے اِنسان یقین
اِک وہم کا اِرتقا ہے اور کچھ بھی نہیں
۳
ہر سمت سے اِک لوُ سی نکل آتی ہے
اعصاب میں اِک آنچ سی لہراتی ہے
کھاتا ہے غذائے علم جتنی اے جوش
اُتنی ہی کچھ اور بھوک بڑھ جاتی ہے
۴
سرمایۂ اِکرام نہیں مال و جمال
برہانِ بزرگی ہے نہ طاقت نہ جلال
تنہا عظمت کمال میں ہے، لیکن
جو اپنے قصور پر ہو نادم، وہ کمال
۵
کونین کلیجے سے لگائے تجھ کو
آفاق، سر آنکھوں پہ بٹھائے تجھ کو
میری غلطی مجھ کو جتانے والے
اللہ ہر آفت سے بچائے تجھ کو
۶
گردش کرتا ہے جسم میں خونِ زمیں
پہلو میں دھڑکتا ہے دِلِ عرشِ بریں
جب ران پہ کہنی کو ٹکا لیتا ہوں
اور ہات کی اُنگلیوں پہ ہوتی ہے جبیں
۷
تحقیق کی لؤ تپائے جاتی ہے مجھے
تفتیش کی دھُن گھلائے جاتی ہے مجھے
بجھتی نہیں پینے سے بھی افکار کی پیاس
یہ علم کی بھوک کھائے جاتی ہے
۸
خود کو نہ کبھی فریب دینا ائے دِل
کشتی گرداب میں نہ کھینا ائے دِل
ناکامیِ ناقصانِ فن کی سوگند
تعریف کا زہر چکھ نہ لینا ائے دِل
۹
تحقیق کو جس وقت بصیرت نکلی
تطہیر کی اوٹ سے کثافت نکلی
جب علم کی سطح کو ذرا سا کھرچا
اِک جو کی مسافت پہ جہالت نکلی
रुबाईयात-सिलसिला-ए फ़िक्र-जोश मलीहाबादी
१
हर दावा-ए इर्तेक़ा को माना मैं ने
हर गोशा-ए कायनात छाना मैं ने
सब जान चूका तो अए हरीफ़-ए दमसाज़
मैं कुछ नहीं जानता ये जाना मैं ने
२
एक क़िला सर हुआ है और कुछ भी नहीं
तख़’ईल का सिलसिला है और कुछ भी नहीं
कहता है जिसे फ़क़्र से इंसान यक़ीन
एक वहम का इर्तेक़ा है और कुछ भी नहीं
३
हर सम्त से एक लू सी निकल आती है
आ’साब में एक आंच सी लहराती है
खाता है ग़िज़ा-ए इल्म जितनी अए जोश
उतनी ही कुछ और भूक बढ़ जाती है
४
सरमाया-ए एक्राम नहीं माल ओ जमाल
बुरहान-ए बुज़ुर्गी है न ताक़त न जलाल
तन्हा अज़्मत कमाल में है लैकिन
जो अपने क़ुसूर पर हो नादिम, वो कमाल
५
कौनैन कलेजे से लगाए तुझ को
आफ़ाक़, सर आंखों पे बिठाए तुझ को
मेरी ग़लती मुझ को जताने वाले
अल्लाह हर आफ़त से बचाए तुझ को
६
गर्दिश करता है जिस्म में ख़ून-ए ज़मीं
पहलु में धड़कता है दिल-ए अर्श-ए बरीं
जब रान पे कोहनी को टिका लेता हूं
और हाथ कि उंगलियों पे होती है जबीं
७
तहक़ीक़ कि लौ तपाए जाती है
तफ़्तीश कि धुन घुलाए जाती है
बुझती नहीं पीने से भी अफ़्कार कि प्यास
ये इल्म कि भूक खाए जाती है
८
ख़ुद को न कभी फ़रेब देना अए दिल
किश्ती गिरदाब में न खेना अए दिल
नाकामी-ए नाक़िसान-ए फ़न कि सौगंद
तारीफ़ का ज़हर चख न लेना अए दिल
९
तहक़ीक़ को जिस वक़्त बसीरत निकली
ततहीर कि ओट से कसाफ़त निकली
जब इल्म कि सतह को ज़रा सा खिर्चा
एक जौ कि मसाफ़त पे जेहालत निकली
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 shows how strongly josh feels that the essence of life is continuous learning/striving.
1
har daava1-e irteqa2 ko maana3 maiN ne
har gosha4-e kaa’enaat5 chhaana maiN ne
sub jaan chuka to aye hareef-e-damsaaz6
maiN kuchh nahiN jaanta, ye jaana maiN ne 1.claim, proclamation 2.progress, discovery 3.accept 4.corner 5.universe 6.friend and companion
I followed every claim of new discovery. I searched every corner of the universe. When I thought that I had learnt everything, my friend, I learnt that I had not learnt anything.
2
ek qila’1 sar2 hua hai aur kuchh bhi nahiN
taKhayyul3 ka silsila4 hai aur kuchh bhi nahiN
kahta hai jise faqr5 se insaan yaqeen
ek vahm6 ka irteqa7 hai aur kuchh bhi nahiN 1.fort 2.conquer 3.thought, reason 4.continuation 5.pride 6.suspicion, speculation 7.increase, progress
Every step in learning is nothing but the overcoming of one more hurdle (like conquering a fort). It is nothing but another link in the chain of thought/reason. That which is considered certainty/fact/knowledge is nothing but an increase in uncertainty (because you raise more questions).
3
har samt1 se ek loo2 si nikal aati hai
aa’saab3 meN ek aaNch si lahraati hai
khaata hai Ghiza4-e ilm5 jitni aye josh
utni hi kuchh aur bhook baRh jaati hai 1.direction 2.hot desert wind 3.nerves, fibres (of the body) 4.food 5.knowledge, reason, thought
It feels as if a burning wind is blowing from every direction. Every fibre of the body feels like it is on fire. Whenever I partake of food of thought/reason, my hunger increases even more.
4
sarmaaya1-e ekraam2 nahiN maal3 o jamaal4
burhaan5-e buzurgi6 hai na taaqat7 na jalaal8
tanha9 azmat10 kamaal11 meN hai, laikin
jo apne qusoor12 par naadim13, vo kamaal 1.wealth, treasure 2.benevolence, gifts, grants 3.wealth 4.beauty 5.knowledge, proof 6.seniority, age 7.power 8.grandeur 9.alone, only 10.greatness 11.perfection 12.mistake 13.regretful
Your treasury of gifts does not consist of wealth or beauty. It is not due to the wisdom of age or to power or grandeur. Greatness lies in perfection alone, but, they who accept their own mistakes are truly perfect.
5
kaunain1 kaleje2 se lagaaye tujh ko
aafaaq3, sar aaNkhauN pe biThaaye tujh ko
meri Ghalati mujh ko jataane vaale
allaah har aafat4 se bachaaye tujh ko 1.both worlds, heaven and earth 2.used here as heart, bosom 3.skies 4.calamities
josh is offering profuse prayers for those who point out his mistakes … help him correct himself. May heaven and earth clasp you their bosom (may you be happy both here and in heaven). May skies hold you in high esteem (on their head and eyes). May god protect you from every calamity … you who show me my mistakes. Said mirza Ghalib …
aib ka daryaaft karna hai hunar-mandi asad
nuqs par apne hua jo muttal’a kaamil hua
Discovering your errors is like increasing your capabilities, O asad
They who become informed of their shortcomings, become perfect
6
gardish1 karta hai jism2 meN Khoon-e zamiN
pahlu3 meN dhaRakta hai dil-e arsh-e-bariN4
jab raan5 pe kohni6 ko Tika leta huN
aur haat ki uNgliyauN pe hoti hai jabiN7 1.move, flow 2.body 3.side, bosom 4.high heaven 5.thigh 6.elbow 7.forehead, brow
josh is describing Rodin’s celebrated sculpture, Thinker, in praising the act of thinking. The blood of this earth begins to flow through my body, the heart of heavens throbs in my bosom, when I place my elbow on my knee and rest my brow in my fingers.
7
tahqeeq1 ki lau2 tapaa’e3 jaati hai mujhe
tafteesh4 ki dhun ghulaaye jaati hai mujhe
bujhti nahiN peene se bhi afkaar5 ki pyaas
ye ilm6 ki bhook khaaye jaati hai 1.inquire, search 2.flame 3.roast 4.investigation 5.thinking 6.knowledge/learning
The flame of search keeps burning me. The obsession of inquiry keeps consuming (dissolving) me. The thirst for (new) thinking is never quenched. The hunger for learning keeps gnawing at me.
8
Khud ko na kabhi fareb1 dena aye dil
kishti girdaab2 meN na khena3 aye dil
naakaami4-e naaqisaan5-e fun6 ki saugand7
t’aareef8 ka zahr chakh na lena aye dil 1.deception 2.whirlpool 3.paddle 4.failure 5.blemished, mistaken 6.talent 7.swear by, in the name of 8.praise
josh likens praise to a whirlpool that sucks you in. Do not deceive yourselves, poor heart. Do not paddle your boat into that whirlpool. I swear by the failure of many of blemished talent, do not taste of the poison of praise, O, heart.
9
tahqeeq1 ko jis vaqt baseerat2 nikli
tat-heer3 ki oaT4 se kasaafat5 nikli
jab ilm6 ki satah7 ko zara sa khircha8
ek jau9 ki masaafat10 pe jehaalat11 nikli 1.inquiry, search 2.knowledge 3.purity, perfection 4.from behind 5.dirt, impurity 6.knowledge 7.surface 8.scratch 9.grain 10.travel, distance 11.ignorance
When search led to (a little) knowledge, then dirt emerged from (a façade of) purity. When they scratched the surface of knowledge, they found ignorance at the distance of a grain.
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 shows how strongly josh feels that the essence of life is continuous learning/striving.
1
har daava1-e irteqa2 ko maana3 maiN ne
har gosha4-e kaa’enaat5 chhaana maiN ne
sub jaan chuka to aye hareef-e-damsaaz6
maiN kuchh nahiN jaanta, ye jaana maiN ne
1.claim, proclamation 2.progress, discovery 3.accept 4.corner 5.universe 6.friend and companion
I followed every claim of new discovery. I searched every corner of the universe. When I thought that I had learnt everything, my friend, I learnt that I had not learnt anything.
2
ek qila’1 sar2 hua hai aur kuchh bhi nahiN
taKhayyul3 ka silsila4 hai aur kuchh bhi nahiN
kahta hai jise faqr5 se insaan yaqeen
ek vahm6 ka irteqa7 hai aur kuchh bhi nahiN
1.fort 2.conquer 3.thought, reason 4.continuation 5.pride 6.suspicion, speculation 7.increase, progress
Every step in learning is nothing but the overcoming of one more hurdle (like conquering a fort). It is nothing but another link in the chain of thought/reason. That which is considered certainty/fact/knowledge is nothing but an increase in uncertainty (because you raise more questions).
3
har samt1 se ek loo2 si nikal aati hai
aa’saab3 meN ek aaNch si lahraati hai
khaata hai Ghiza4-e ilm5 jitni aye josh
utni hi kuchh aur bhook baRh jaati hai
1.direction 2.hot desert wind 3.nerves, fibres (of the body) 4.food 5.knowledge, reason, thought
It feels as if a burning wind is blowing from every direction. Every fibre of the body feels like it is on fire. Whenever I partake of food of thought/reason, my hunger increases even more.
4
sarmaaya1-e ekraam2 nahiN maal3 o jamaal4
burhaan5-e buzurgi6 hai na taaqat7 na jalaal8
tanha9 azmat10 kamaal11 meN hai, laikin
jo apne qusoor12 par naadim13, vo kamaal
1.wealth, treasure 2.benevolence, gifts, grants 3.wealth 4.beauty 5.knowledge, proof 6.seniority, age 7.power 8.grandeur 9.alone, only 10.greatness 11.perfection 12.mistake 13.regretful
Your treasury of gifts does not consist of wealth or beauty. It is not due to the wisdom of age or to power or grandeur. Greatness lies in perfection alone, but, they who accept their own mistakes are truly perfect.
5
kaunain1 kaleje2 se lagaaye tujh ko
aafaaq3, sar aaNkhauN pe biThaaye tujh ko
meri Ghalati mujh ko jataane vaale
allaah har aafat4 se bachaaye tujh ko
1.both worlds, heaven and earth 2.used here as heart, bosom 3.skies 4.calamities
josh is offering profuse prayers for those who point out his mistakes … help him correct himself. May heaven and earth clasp you their bosom (may you be happy both here and in heaven). May skies hold you in high esteem (on their head and eyes). May god protect you from every calamity … you who show me my mistakes. Said mirza Ghalib …
aib ka daryaaft karna hai hunar-mandi asad
nuqs par apne hua jo muttal’a kaamil hua
Discovering your errors is like increasing your capabilities, O asad
They who become informed of their shortcomings, become perfect
6
gardish1 karta hai jism2 meN Khoon-e zamiN
pahlu3 meN dhaRakta hai dil-e arsh-e-bariN4
jab raan5 pe kohni6 ko Tika leta huN
aur haat ki uNgliyauN pe hoti hai jabiN7
1.move, flow 2.body 3.side, bosom 4.high heaven 5.thigh 6.elbow 7.forehead, brow
josh is describing Rodin’s celebrated sculpture, Thinker, in praising the act of thinking. The blood of this earth begins to flow through my body, the heart of heavens throbs in my bosom, when I place my elbow on my knee and rest my brow in my fingers.
7
tahqeeq1 ki lau2 tapaa’e3 jaati hai mujhe
tafteesh4 ki dhun ghulaaye jaati hai mujhe
bujhti nahiN peene se bhi afkaar5 ki pyaas
ye ilm6 ki bhook khaaye jaati hai
1.inquire, search 2.flame 3.roast 4.investigation 5.thinking 6.knowledge/learning
The flame of search keeps burning me. The obsession of inquiry keeps consuming (dissolving) me. The thirst for (new) thinking is never quenched. The hunger for learning keeps gnawing at me.
8
Khud ko na kabhi fareb1 dena aye dil
kishti girdaab2 meN na khena3 aye dil
naakaami4-e naaqisaan5-e fun6 ki saugand7
t’aareef8 ka zahr chakh na lena aye dil
1.deception 2.whirlpool 3.paddle 4.failure 5.blemished, mistaken 6.talent 7.swear by, in the name of 8.praise
josh likens praise to a whirlpool that sucks you in. Do not deceive yourselves, poor heart. Do not paddle your boat into that whirlpool. I swear by the failure of many of blemished talent, do not taste of the poison of praise, O, heart.
9
tahqeeq1 ko jis vaqt baseerat2 nikli
tat-heer3 ki oaT4 se kasaafat5 nikli
jab ilm6 ki satah7 ko zara sa khircha8
ek jau9 ki masaafat10 pe jehaalat11 nikli
1.inquiry, search 2.knowledge 3.purity, perfection 4.from behind 5.dirt, impurity 6.knowledge 7.surface 8.scratch 9.grain 10.travel, distance 11.ignorance
When search led to (a little) knowledge, then dirt emerged from (a façade of) purity. When they scratched the surface of knowledge, they found ignorance at the distance of a grain.
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