For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
صرفِ ہمّت پرواز ۔ فانیؔ بدایونی
۱
کون اُٹھائے مری وفا کے ناز
دل ستم دوست وہ رقیب نواز
۲
اب نئے سُر سے چھیڑ پردۂ ساز
میں ہی تھا ایک دکھ بھری آواز
۳
کھل گیا میری زندگی کا راز
اے شبِ ہجر تیری عمر دراز
۴
صور و منصور و طور ارے توبہ
ایک ہے تیری بات کا انداز
۵
دیکھئیے کیا ہو عشق کا انجام
دل کی ہستی ہے موت کا آغاز
۶
رہ گئی تھی جو بازوؤں میں سکت
ہو گئی صرفِ ہمّت پرواز
۷
آج روزِ وصالِ فانی ہے
موت سے ہو رہے ہیں راز و نیاز
सर्फ़-ए हिम्मत-ए पर्वाज़ – फ़ानी बदायूनी
१
कौन उठाए मेरी वफ़ा के नाज़
दिल सितम-दोस्त वो रक़ीब-नवाज़
२
अब नये सुर से छेढ पर्दा-ए साज़
मैं हि था एक दुख भरी आवाज़
३
खुल गया मेरी ज़िंदगी का राज़
अए शब-ए हिज्र तेरी उम्र दराज़
४
सूर ओ मंसूर ओ तूर अरे तौबा
एक है तेरी बात का अंदाज़
५
देखिये क्या हो इश्क़ का अंजाम
दिल की हस्ती है मौत का आग़ाज़
६
रह गई थी जो बाज़ुऔं में सकत
हो गई सर्फ़-ए हिम्मत-ए पर्वाज़
७
आज रोज़-ए विसाल-ए फ़ानी है
मौत से हो रहे हैं राज़ ओ नियाज़
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mohammed shaukat ali KhaaN faani badayuni (1879-1941), BA 1901, law 1908. Stumbling law practice. Invited to hyderabad by maharaja kishan parshaad in 1932, working as a principal of a reputed school. Alcohol proved to be a bid problem. He died forlorn and destitute. Much of his work was lost. This is one of series of 3 Ghazal that he composed in the zamin of Ghalib, “maiN huN apni shikast ki aavaaz” and also a part of many more linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, shikast ki aavaaz.
1
kaun uThaaye meri vafa1 ke naaz2
dil sitam-dost3 vo raqiib-navaaz4 1.fidelity, faithful in love 2.care for, cater to 3.torture loving, loves to be tortured 4.favouring the rival
The beloved favours the rival and the poet/lover’s heart likes to be tortured (by the beloved). There is no one left to cater to his fidelity – neither the beloved nor his own heart.
2
ab naye sur1 se chheR parda-e-saaz2
maiN hi tha ek dukh bhari aavaaz 1.tune 2.sheet of music
The poet/lover is dead. His was the lone sorrowful singing voice. Now that his voice is silenced, they will have to find a new tune and different sheet of music.
3
khul gaya meri zindagi ka raaz1
aye shab2-e hijr3 teri umr-daraaz4 1.secret 2.night 3.separation (from the beloved) 4.long life
This is sarcastic. O night of separation may you be blessed with a long life. The secret of my life has been revealed i.e., the secret of his life is that his love will never be fulfilled. Thus, he will have a long night of separation.
4
suur1 o mansuur2 o tuur3, are tauba4
ek hai teri baat ka andaaz5 1.horn 2.mansuur al hallaaj 3.mount tuur 4.used here to mean curse on you 5.style
This is a derisive comment on the single minded and monotonous style of the preacher. “suur” is the horn sounded by angel israfeel announcing the end of the world – qayaamat. ‘mansuur al hallaaj’ was a rebel against orthodoxy and was executed for his defiance. Here he is used as a symbol, a lesson to be drawn about being punished if you disobey. ‘tuur’ is the mountain top where Mooses/moosa went to ask to see god and where he received the ten commandments. It is used here as a symbol of divine power. Curse on you, O preacher, you talk in only one style about the day of judgement, punishment and divine power – nothing else.
5
dekhiye kya ho ishq ka anjaam1
dil ki hasti2 hai maut3 ka aaGhaaz4 1.result 2.life, existence 3.death 4.beginning
‘dil ki hasti’ could represent the intense love that the poet/lover feels. This intense love is the beginning of his death. It remains to be seen how love will end (rhetorical – the end is self-evident – death).
6
rah gaii thi jo baazuoN1 meN sakat2
ho gaii sarf3-e himmat4-e parvaaz5 1.arms 2.strength 3.spent 4.courage, daring 5.flight
The image is one of a caged bird. ‘baazu’ – arms are like wings. The little strength that was left in his wings was spent on his daring attempt to fly. It was all uselessly spent because he was caged.
7
aaj roz1-e visaal2-e faani3 hai
maut4 se ho rahe haiN raaz-o-niyaaz5 1.day 2.union with the beloved/god 3.pen-name of the poet, mortal 4.death 5.sharing secrets, conspiring, scheming, making plans
Today is the day of union of faani (this could mean the day of his death). He is exchanging secrets with Death i.e., planning his own end.
mohammed shaukat ali KhaaN faani badayuni (1879-1941), BA 1901, law 1908. Stumbling law practice. Invited to hyderabad by maharaja kishan parshaad in 1932, working as a principal of a reputed school. Alcohol proved to be a bid problem. He died forlorn and destitute. Much of his work was lost. This is one of series of 3 Ghazal that he composed in the zamin of Ghalib, “maiN huN apni shikast ki aavaaz” and also a part of many more linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, shikast ki aavaaz.
1
kaun uThaaye meri vafa1 ke naaz2
dil sitam-dost3 vo raqiib-navaaz4
1.fidelity, faithful in love 2.care for, cater to 3.torture loving, loves to be tortured 4.favouring the rival
The beloved favours the rival and the poet/lover’s heart likes to be tortured (by the beloved). There is no one left to cater to his fidelity – neither the beloved nor his own heart.
2
ab naye sur1 se chheR parda-e-saaz2
maiN hi tha ek dukh bhari aavaaz
1.tune 2.sheet of music
The poet/lover is dead. His was the lone sorrowful singing voice. Now that his voice is silenced, they will have to find a new tune and different sheet of music.
3
khul gaya meri zindagi ka raaz1
aye shab2-e hijr3 teri umr-daraaz4
1.secret 2.night 3.separation (from the beloved) 4.long life
This is sarcastic. O night of separation may you be blessed with a long life. The secret of my life has been revealed i.e., the secret of his life is that his love will never be fulfilled. Thus, he will have a long night of separation.
4
suur1 o mansuur2 o tuur3, are tauba4
ek hai teri baat ka andaaz5
1.horn 2.mansuur al hallaaj 3.mount tuur 4.used here to mean curse on you 5.style
This is a derisive comment on the single minded and monotonous style of the preacher. “suur” is the horn sounded by angel israfeel announcing the end of the world – qayaamat. ‘mansuur al hallaaj’ was a rebel against orthodoxy and was executed for his defiance. Here he is used as a symbol, a lesson to be drawn about being punished if you disobey. ‘tuur’ is the mountain top where Mooses/moosa went to ask to see god and where he received the ten commandments. It is used here as a symbol of divine power. Curse on you, O preacher, you talk in only one style about the day of judgement, punishment and divine power – nothing else.
5
dekhiye kya ho ishq ka anjaam1
dil ki hasti2 hai maut3 ka aaGhaaz4
1.result 2.life, existence 3.death 4.beginning
‘dil ki hasti’ could represent the intense love that the poet/lover feels. This intense love is the beginning of his death. It remains to be seen how love will end (rhetorical – the end is self-evident – death).
6
rah gaii thi jo baazuoN1 meN sakat2
ho gaii sarf3-e himmat4-e parvaaz5
1.arms 2.strength 3.spent 4.courage, daring 5.flight
The image is one of a caged bird. ‘baazu’ – arms are like wings. The little strength that was left in his wings was spent on his daring attempt to fly. It was all uselessly spent because he was caged.
7
aaj roz1-e visaal2-e faani3 hai
maut4 se ho rahe haiN raaz-o-niyaaz5
1.day 2.union with the beloved/god 3.pen-name of the poet, mortal 4.death 5.sharing secrets, conspiring, scheming, making plans
Today is the day of union of faani (this could mean the day of his death). He is exchanging secrets with Death i.e., planning his own end.
