For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
سر پیدا کر – سید محمد شاہدؔ
طرحی مصرع : جو کسی در پہ نہ جُھکتا ہو وہ سر پیدا کر – پیامؔ لکھنوی
۱
حق و باطل جو سمجھ لے وہ فکر پیدا کر
جو کسی در پہ نہ جُھکتا ہو وہ سر پیدا کر
۲
فکر، تحقیق ، گفتگو، تنقید ہیں رہبران علم
اندھے ایمان کا ایقان جو چھوڑے وہ ڈگر پیدا کر
۳
اوہام کی غلام ہے دنیا ابھی تلک
عقل آزاد ہو جس سے وہ نظر پیدا کر
۴
تقلید کے خیال کا قیدی ہے آج بھی
ذہن کے پاؤں کی زنجیر جو کاٹے وہ تبر پیدا کر
۵
دولت کی خدائی ہے محوِِ عبادت ہیں سبھی
جو یہ زرّین مصلّوں کو جلا دے وہ شرر پیدا کر
۶
دورِ یزیدیت ہے سر نگوں سب ہیں
کٹ کے نیزے پہ کھڑا ہو جو وہ سر پیدا کر
۷
قاتل کے وار چلتے ہیں بے روک ہر طرف
مظلوم کی گردن جو بچا لے وہ سپر پیدا کر
۸
وسعط فلک کی تنگیِ پرواز بن گئی
تاروں پرے مکان بنا لے وہ نظر پیدا کر
۹
آب و ہوا ماہ و خلا بس اسیر کر چکے
شاہدؔ انا کو زیر کرے جو وہ ہُنر پیدا کر
सर पैदा कर – शाहेद
तरही मिस्रा – जो किसी दर पे न झुकता हो वो सर पैदा कर – पयाम लखनवी
१
हक़ ओ बातिल जो समझ ले वो फ़िकर पैदा कर
जो किसी दर पे न झुकता हो वो सर पैदा कर
२
फ़िक्र, तहक़ीक़, गुफ़्तगू , तनक़ीद हैं रहबरान ए इल्म
अंधे इमान का ईक़ान जो छोड़े वो डगर पैदा कर
३
औहाम की ग़ुलाम है दुनिया अभी तलक
अक़्ल आज़ाद जो कर दे वो नज़र पैदा कर
४
तक़लीद के ख़्याल का क़ैदी है आज भी
ज़हन के पाऊं कि ज़ंजीर जो काटे वो तबर पैदा कर
५
दौलत की ख़ुदाई है महव-ए इबादत हैं सभी
जो ये ज़र्रीन मुस्सलौं को जला दे वो शरर पैदा कर
६
दौर ए यज़ीदियत है, सर निगूं हैं सब
कट के नैज़े पे खड़ा हो जो वो सर पैदा कर
७
क़ातिल के वार चलते हैं बे रोक हर तरफ़
मज़लूम की गर्दन जो बचा ले वो सिपर पैदा कर
८
वुस’अत फ़लक की तंगी ए परवाज़ बन गई
तारों परे मकान बना ले वो नज़र पैदा कर
९
आब ओ हवा, माह ओ ख़ला बस असीर कर चुके
शाहेद अना को ज़ेर करे जो वो हुनर पैदा कर
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. I composed this many years ago when an invitation was sent out on an urdu shaa’eri forum to compose Ghazals based on a ‘tarahi misra’ – an example hemi-stitch, which has to be used as a part of the Ghazal, most usually as the second misra of the ‘matla, the opening she’r. In this case the tarahi misra was from payaam lakhnavi – ‘jo kisi dar pe na jhukta ho vo sar paida kar’. The implication in the original composition is that the head is to bow only at the door of god. I have turned this upside down, by suggesting that the head is not to bow either at the door of irrationality or of force/oppression. Actually this was my very first attempt at composing urdu shaa’eri.
1
haq1 o baatil2 jo samajh le vo fikar3 paida kar
jo kisi dar4 pe na jhukta ho vo sar paida kar 1.truth 2.falsehood 3.rationality, thought, philosophy 4.door
Truth and falsehood, good and bad can be understood by rational argument. You don’t have to bow your head at any door (of faith) to understand this.
2
fikr5, tahqeeq6, guftagu7, tanqeed8 haiN rahbaraan9-e ilm10
andhe eeman11 ka eeqan12 jo chhoRe vo Dagar13 paida kar 5.reason, logic 6.search, study, investigation 7.conversation, discussion 8.critical evaluation 9.guides 10.knowledge 11.faith 12.certainty 13.pathway
Reason, study, discussion, critical evaluation – these are the guides to knowledge. Leave the certainty of blind faith aside and strike a new path.
3
auhaam1 ki Ghulaam hai duniya abhi talak
aql2 aazad jo kar de, vo nazar3 paida kar 1.superstitions 2.mind 3.sight, point of view
The world is still a slave of superstitions. Create a point of view that frees up the mind.
4
taqleed4 ke Khyaal ka qaidi5 hai aaj bhi
zahn6 ke paauN ki zanjeer jo kaaTe vo tabar7 paida kar 4.(blind) followership, obedience 5.prisoner 6.mind 7.axe
The mind is still a prisoner of blind followership. Develop an axe that will cut the shackles of the mind.
5
daulat ki Khudaai1 hai mahv2 e ibaadat3 haiN sabhi
jo ye zarreen4 mussaloN5 ko jala de vo sharar6 paida kar 1.godlike powers, rule 2.engrossed 3.prayer, worship 4.golden 5.prayer mats 6.sparks
Wealth (capital) has godlike powers and all are engrossed in its worship. Develop the spark that sets fire to these golden prayer mats.
6
daur7-e yazidiat8 hai, sar niguN9 haiN sab
kaT ke naize pe khaRa ho jo vo sar paida kar 7.period, epoch, times 8.yazidiat – rule of Yazid, evil 9.bowed
yazid, who caused husain to be beheaded in karbala is considered the personfication of evil/oppression. husain is the symbol of defiantly standing up for truth in the face of certain death. The story of karbala is that husain’s head was mounted on a lance and presented to yazid in his court. To have heads bowed to anyone/anything (except god) is considered totally unacceptable in Islamic tradition. Here you get a picture of all courtiers bowing their heads to yazid and only husain’s head upright on a lance. Courtiers and yazid, of course need to be translated to present day yazids and present day sycophants. This she’r was inspired by one of aKhter zaidi –
sarauN ki bheeR meN dekho to zulm ke aage
jhuka hua jo nahiN hai, vo sar husain ka hai
7
qaatil ke vaar chalte haiN be-rok har taraf
mazloom1 ki gardan jo bacha le vo sipar2 paida kar 1.victim of oppression 2.shield
The killer strikes unhindered in every direction. Develop the shield that protects the neck of the oppressed.
8
vusa’at3 falak4 ki taNgi5-e parvaaz6 ban gayee
taaroN pare7 makaan8 bana le vo nazar9 paida kar 3.expanse 4.sky 5.narrowness, limit 6.flight 7.on the other side 8.station, place 9.vision
The expanse of the sky now limits your flight (the sky is the limit). Make a station that permits you to develop a vision beyond the stars. This she’r is inspired by one of Ghalib – no.3 in “zikr us parivash ka” in raina’s Ghalib. Also, iqbal’s ‘sitaarauN se aage jahaaN aur bhi haiN’.
9
aab o hava1, maah o Khala2 bas3 aseer4 kar chuke
shahed ana5 ko zer6 kare jo vo hunar7 paida kar 1.water and air, elements 2.moon and emptiness (space) 3.enough, stop 4.capture, conquer 5.self, ego 6.overcome 7.talent
Enough of your claims of conquering the elements and space. It is time you learnt to overcome your ego, O shahed.
paida kar – shahed
I composed this many years ago when an invitation was sent out on an urdu shaa’eri forum to compose Ghazals based on a ‘tarahi misra’ – an example hemi-stitch, which has to be used as a part of the Ghazal, most usually as the second misra of the ‘matla, the opening she’r. In this case the tarahi misra was from payaam lakhnavi – ‘jo kisi dar pe na jhukta ho vo sar paida kar’. The implication in the original composition is that the head is to bow only at the door of god. I have turned this upside down, by suggesting that the head is not to bow either at the door of irrationality or of force/oppression.
1
haq1 o baatil2 jo samajh le vo fikar3 paida kar
jo kisi dar4 pe na jhukta ho vo sar paida kar
1.truth 2.falsehood 3.rationality, thought, philosophy 4.door
Truth and falsehood, good and bad can be understood by rational argument. You don’t have to bow your head at any door (of faith) to understand this.
2
fikr5, tahqeeq6, guftagu7, tanqeed8 haiN rahbaraan9-e ilm10
andhe eeman11 ka eeqan12 jo chhoRe vo Dagar13 paida kar
5.reason, logic 6.search, study, investigation 7.conversation, discussion 8.critical evaluation 9.guides 10.knowledge 11.faith 12.certainty 13.pathway
Reason, study, discussion, critical evaluation – these are the guides to knowledge. Leave the certainty of blind faith aside and strike a new path.
3
auhaam1 ki Ghulaam hai duniya abhi talak
aql2 aazad jo kar de, vo nazar3 paida kar
1.superstitions 2.mind 3.sight, point of view
The world is still a slave of superstitions. Create a point of view that frees up the mind.
4
taqleed4 ke Khyaal ka qaidi5 hai aaj bhi
zahn6 ke paauN ki zanjeer jo kaaTe vo tabar7 paida kar
4.(blind) followership, obedience 5.prisoner 6.mind 7.axe
The mind is still a prisoner of blind followership. Develop an axe that will cut the shackles of the mind.
5
daulat ki Khudaai1 hai mahv2 e ibaadat3 haiN sabhi
jo ye zarreen4 mussaloN5 ko jala de vo sharar6 paida kar
1.godlike powers, rule 2.engrossed 3.prayer, worship 4.golden 5.prayer mats 6.sparks
Wealth (capital) has godlike powers and all are engrossed in its worship. Develop the spark that sets fire to these golden prayer mats.
6
daur7-e yazidiat8 hai, sar niguN9 haiN sab
kaT ke naize pe khaRa ho jo vo sar paida kar
7.period, epoch, times 8.yazidiat – rule of Yazid, evil 9.bowed
yazid, who caused husain to be beheaded in karbala is considered the personfication of evil/oppression. husain is the symbol of defiantly standing up for truth in the face of certain death. The story of karbala is that husain’s head was mounted on a lance and presented to yazid in his court. To have heads bowed to anyone/anything (except god) is considered totally unacceptable in Islamic tradition. Here you get a picture of all courtiers bowing their heads to yazid and only husain’s head upright on a lance. Courtiers and yazid, of course need to be translated to present day yazids and present day sycophants. This she’r was inspired by one of aKhter zaidi –
sarauN ki bheeR meN dekho to zulm ke aage
jhuka hua jo nahiN hai, vo sar husain ka hai
7
qaatil ke vaar chalte haiN be-rok har taraf
mazloom1 ki gardan jo bacha le vo sipar2 paida kar
1.victim of oppression 2.shield
The killer strikes unhindered in every direction. Develop the shield that protects the neck of the oppressed.
8
vusa’at3 falak4 ki taNgi5-e parvaaz6 ban gayee
taaroN pare7 makaan8 bana le vo nazar9 paida kar
3.expanse 4.sky 5.narrowness, limit 6.flight 7.on the other side 8.station, place 9.vision
The expanse of the sky now limits your flight (the sky is the limit). Make a station that permits you to develop a vision beyond the stars. This she’r is inspired by one of Ghalib – no.3 in “zikr us parivash ka” in raina’s Ghalib. Also, iqbal’s ‘sitaarauN se aage jahaaN aur bhi haiN’.
9
aab o hava1, maah o Khala2 bas3 aseer4 kar chuke
shahed ana5 ko zer6 kare jo vo hunar7 paida kar
1.water and air, elements 2.moon and emptiness (space) 3.enough, stop 4.capture, conquer 5.self, ego 6.overcome 7.talent
Enough of your claims of conquering the elements and space. It is time you learnt to overcome your ego, O shahed.
Key Search Words:
Very good try Shahed