For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
شاعر کا مذہب ۔ پنڈت برج نرائن چکبستؔ
۱
کہتے ہیں جسے ابر وہ میخانہ ہے میرا
جو پھول کِھلا باغ میں پیمانہ ہے میرا
۲
کیفیّتِ گلشن ہے میرے نشّہ کا عالم
کوئل کی صدا نعرۂ مستانہ ہے میرا
۳
پیتا ہوں وہ مئے نشہ اُترتا نہیں جس کا
خالی نہیں ہوتا ہے وہ پیمانہ ہے میرا
۴
دریا مرا آئینہ ہے لہریں مرے گیسو
اور موجِ نسیمِ سحری شانہ ہے میرا
۵
ہر ذرّۂ خاکی ہے مرا مونس و ہمدم
دنیا جسے کہتے ہیں وہ کاشانہ ہے میرا
۶
جس جا ہو خوشی، ہے وہ مجھے منزل راحت
جس گھر میں ہو ماتم وہ عزا خانہ ہے میرا
۷
جس گوشۂ دنیا میں پرستش ہو وفا کی
کعبہ ہے وہی اور وہی بت خانہ ہے میرا
۸
میں دوست بھی اپنا ہوں عدو بھی ہوں میں اپنا
اپنا ہے کوئی اور نہ بیگانہ ہے میرا
۹
عاشق بھی ہوں معشوق بھی یہ طرفہ مزہ ہے
دیوانہ ہوں میں جس کا وہ دیوانہ ہے میرا
۱۰
خاموشی میں یاں رہتا ہے تقریر کا عالم
میرے لبِ خاموش پہ افسانہ ہے میرا
۱۱
کہتے ہیں خودی کس کو خدا نام ہے کس کا
دنیا میں فقط جلوۂ جانانہ ہے میرا
۱۲
ملتا نہیں ہر ایک کو وہ نور ہے مجھ میں
جو صاحبِ بینش ہے وہ پروانہ ہے میرا
۱۳
شاعر کا سخن کم نہیں مجذوب کی بڑ سے
ہر ایک نہ سمجھے گا وہ افسانہ ہے میرا
शा’एर का मज़्हब – पंडित ब्रिज नरायन चकबस्त
१
कहते हैं जिसे अब्र वो मै-ख़ाना है मेरा
जो फूल खिला बाग़ में पैमाना है मेरा
२
कैफ़िय्यत-ए गुलशन है मेरे नश्शे का आलम
को’एल की सदा नारा-ए मस्ताना है मेरा
३
पीता हूं वो मै नशा उतरता नहीं जिसका
ख़ाली नहीं होता है वो पैमाना है मेरा
४
दरिया मेरा आईना है लहरें मेरे गेसु
और मौज-ए नसीम-ए सहरी शाना है मेरा
५
हर ज़र्रा-ए ख़ाकी है मेरा मोनिस ओ हमदम
दुनिया जिसे कहते है वो काशाना है मेरा
६
जिस जा हो ख़ुशी, है वो मुझे मंजिल-ए राहत
जिस घर में हो मातम वो अज़ा-ख़ाना है मेरा
७
जिस गोशा-ए दुनिया में परस्तिश हो वफ़ा की
काबा है वही और वही बुत-ख़ाना है मेरा
८
मैं दोस्त भी अपना हूं और उदू भी हूं मैं अपना
अपना है कोई और न बेगाना है मेरा
९
आशिक़ भी हूं माशूक़ भी ये तुर्फ़ा मज़ा है
दीवाना हूं मैं जिसका वो दीवाना है मेरा
१०
ख़ामोशी में यां रहता है तक़्रीर का आलम
मेरे लब-ए ख़ामोश पे अफ़्साना है मेरा
११
कहते हैं ख़ुदी किस को, ख़ुदा नाम है किस का
दुनिया में फ़क़त जल्वा-ए जानाना है मेरा
१२
मिलता नहीं हर एक को वो नूर है मुझ में
जो साहब-ए बीनिश है वो परवाना है मेरा
१३
शा’एर का सुख़न कम नहीं मज्ज़ूब की बढ से
हर एक नहीं समझेगा वो अफ़्साना है मेरा
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. brij narain chakbast (1882-1926) was born in faizabad into a kashmiri brahmin family who moved to lakhnau soon after his birth. He received his early education from a maulvi, learning urdu, arabi and faarsi. Later, he got a law degree and then practised law in lakhnau. Unfortunately, he died very young of a stroke he suffered while traveling by train to argue a case in bareily. His book was published posthumously. The description of natural beauty and the shaa’er’s relationship to it, has strong echoes of his description of the beauty of kashmir.
1
kahtay haiN jisay abr1 voh mai-Khaanah2 hai mera
jo phool khila3 baaGh meN paimaana4 hai mera 1.cloud 2.tavern 3.blossomed 4.cup
A cloud gives rain. Rainwater collects in flowers that blossom in the shape of a cup. Thus, this collected rainwater is wine, the cloud is a tavern and the flower is cup for the poet. He drinks his fill of natural beauty.
2
kaifiyyat1-e gulshan2 hai meray nashshay3 ka aalam4
ko’el ki sadaa5 naara6-e mastaana7 hai mera 1.mood 2.garden 3.intoxication 4.condition 5.sound 6.call, declaration 7.intoxicating
The mood of the garden shapes the condition of my intoxication. The sound of the ko’el/nightingale is my intoxicating clarion call.
3
piita huN voh mai1 nasha2 utarta3 nahiN jis ka
Khaali nahiN hota hai voh paimaana4 hai mera 1.wine 2.intoxication 3.nasha utarna means effect of wine waning, sobriety 4.cup
The wine he drinks always keeps him heady i.e., he drinks the wine of love and it always keeps him one with humanity. The cup he drinks out of is a ‘bottomless’ cup – there is always more to drink.
4
darya1 mera aaiina hai lahreN2 meray gesu3
aur mauj4-e naseem5-e sahri6 shaana7 hai mera 1.river 2.waves, ripples 3.hair 4.gust 5.fragrant breeze 6.dawn 7.comb (in faarsi)
The river is my mirror, and my hair are like its ripples. The gust of fragrant morning breeze combs my hair.
5
har zarra1-e Khaaki2 hai mera monis3 o hamdam4
duniya jisay kahtay haiN voh kaashaana5 hai mera 1.particle, grain 2.clay, dust 3.sympathizer 4.friend 5.home
Every grain of dust is my friend and sympathizer. That which is called the world is my home i.e., the whole wide earth is his homeland, he does not recognize any narrow boundaries.
6
jis jaa1 ho Khushi, hai voh mujhe manzil2-e raahat3
jis ghar meN ho maatam4 voh azaa-Khaanah5 hai mera 1.place 2.destination, goal 3.comfort, peace, tranquility 4.mourning 5.house of sorrow
Wherever there is joy, is my goal of peace i.e., I like to see joy everywhere. In whichever house there is mourning, is my house of sorrow i.e., I share the sadness of whoever feels it.
7
jis gosha1-e duniya meN parastish2 ho vafa3 ki
k’aaba hai vahi aur vahi but-Khaanah4 hai mera 1.corner 2.worship 3.truthfulness 4.house of idols, temple
In whichever corner of the world truth is worshipped, is my own k’aaba, my own temple i.e., truth is the focus of my prayer/devotion.
8
maiN dost bhi apna huN adu1 bhi huN maiN apna
apna hai koi aur nah begaana2 hai mera 1.enemy 2.other, stranger
I am my friend and my own enemy. There is no one else who is mine nor do I consider anyone else to be the other i.e., I identify every other human as me and my own.
9
aashiq1 bhi huN m’aashooq2 bhi yeh turfah3 maza4 hai
deevana huN maiN jis ka voh deevana hai mera 1.lover 2.beloved 3.amazing 4.pleasure
It is an amazing pleasure that I am both the lover and the beloved that he loves me and I love him. This could either be interpreted as universal love or divine/mystic love for and of the creator.
10
Khamoshi meN yaaN rahta hai taqriir1 ka aalam2
meray lab3-e Khaamosh peh afsaana4 hai mera 1.speech 2.world, condition 3.lips 4.story
‘yaaN’-here, implies ‘my domain of speech/poetry’. In my domain of speech, I express my thoughts in silence. The story that I have to tell is on my lips of silence – the poet does not need to speak in words.
11
kahtay haiN Khudi1 kis ko Khuda naam hai kis ka
duniya meN faqat2 jalva3-e jaanana4 hai mera 1.self-respect, self-identity 2.only, except 3.manifestation, glory 4.beloved, divine
What is it that is called my being/identity, what is god? All I know is that this world is nothing except a reflection of the glory of the (divine) beloved.
12
milta nahiN har aek ko voh noor1 hai mujh meN
jo saahib2-e biinish3 hai voh parvaanah4 hai mera 1.light, brilliance 2.owner 3.(discerning) sight 4.moth, lover
The poet presents himself as a lamp of extraordinary brilliance – perhaps of divine brilliance. He has been granted a kind of brilliance that not everyone is given. Those who have a discerning eye are like a moth that circles a lamp … they circle me.
13
shaa’er ka suKhan1 kam nahiN majzoob-ki-baR2 se
har aek nah samjhega voh afsaana3 hai mera 1.words, poetry 2.see notes 3.story, message
‘majzoob’ is someone who is absorbed/obsessed. It has connotations of obsession with love of the beloved and/or of humanity or the divine. ‘majzoob ki baR’ is the raving and rantings of an obsessed person. Contextually, they can either be meaningless or so deeply meaningful as to appear senseless to the casual listener. Thus, the words of a poet are no less than the rant of an obsessed person. Not everyone will understand the story/message in my verse.
brij narain chakbast (1882-1926) was born in faizabad into a kashmiri brahmin family who moved to lakhnau soon after his birth. He received his early education from a maulvi, learning urdu, arabi and faarsi. Later, he got a law degree and then practised law in lakhnau. Unfortunately, he died very young of a stroke he suffered while traveling by train to argue a case in bareily. His book was published posthumously. The description of natural beauty and the shaa’er’s relationship to it, has strong echoes of his description of the beauty of kashmir.
1
kahtay haiN jisay abr1 voh mai-Khaanah2 hai mera
jo phool khila3 baaGh meN paimaana4 hai mera
1.cloud 2.tavern 3.blossomed 4.cup
A cloud gives rain. Rainwater collects in flowers that blossom in the shape of a cup. Thus, this collected rainwater is wine, the cloud is a tavern and the flower is cup for the poet. He drinks his fill of natural beauty.
2
kaifiyyat1-e gulshan2 hai meray nashshay3 ka aalam4
ko’el ki sadaa5 naara6-e mastaana7 hai mera
1.mood 2.garden 3.intoxication 4.condition 5.sound 6.call, declaration 7.intoxicating
The mood of the garden shapes the condition of my intoxication. The sound of the ko’el/nightingale is my intoxicating clarion call.
3
piita huN voh mai1 nasha2 utarta3 nahiN jis ka
Khaali nahiN hota hai voh paimaana4 hai mera
1.wine 2.intoxication 3.nasha utarna means effect of wine waning, sobriety 4.cup
The wine he drinks always keeps him heady i.e., he drinks the wine of love and it always keeps him one with humanity. The cup he drinks out of is a ‘bottomless’ cup – there is always more to drink.
4
darya1 mera aaiina hai lahreN2 meray gesu3
aur mauj4-e naseem5-e sahri6 shaana7 hai mera
1.river 2.waves, ripples 3.hair 4.gust 5.fragrant breeze 6.dawn 7.comb (in faarsi)
The river is my mirror, and my hair are like its ripples. The gust of fragrant morning breeze combs my hair.
5
har zarra1-e Khaaki2 hai mera monis3 o hamdam4
duniya jisay kahtay haiN voh kaashaana5 hai mera
1.particle, grain 2.clay, dust 3.sympathizer 4.friend 5.home
Every grain of dust is my friend and sympathizer. That which is called the world is my home i.e., the whole wide earth is his homeland, he does not recognize any narrow boundaries.
6
jis jaa1 ho Khushi, hai voh mujhe manzil2-e raahat3
jis ghar meN ho maatam4 voh azaa-Khaanah5 hai mera
1.place 2.destination, goal 3.comfort, peace, tranquility 4.mourning 5.house of sorrow
Wherever there is joy, is my goal of peace i.e., I like to see joy everywhere. In whichever house there is mourning, is my house of sorrow i.e., I share the sadness of whoever feels it.
7
jis gosha1-e duniya meN parastish2 ho vafa3 ki
k’aaba hai vahi aur vahi but-Khaanah4 hai mera
1.corner 2.worship 3.truthfulness 4.house of idols, temple
In whichever corner of the world truth is worshipped, is my own k’aaba, my own temple i.e., truth is the focus of my prayer/devotion.
8
maiN dost bhi apna huN adu1 bhi huN maiN apna
apna hai koi aur nah begaana2 hai mera
1.enemy 2.other, stranger
I am my friend and my own enemy. There is no one else who is mine nor do I consider anyone else to be the other i.e., I identify every other human as me and my own.
9
aashiq1 bhi huN m’aashooq2 bhi yeh turfah3 maza4 hai
deevana huN maiN jis ka voh deevana hai mera
1.lover 2.beloved 3.amazing 4.pleasure
It is an amazing pleasure that I am both the lover and the beloved that he loves me and I love him. This could either be interpreted as universal love or divine/mystic love for and of the creator.
10
Khamoshi meN yaaN rahta hai taqriir1 ka aalam2
meray lab3-e Khaamosh peh afsaana4 hai mera
1.speech 2.world, condition 3.lips 4.story
‘yaaN’-here, implies ‘my domain of speech/poetry’. In my domain of speech, I express my thoughts in silence. The story that I have to tell is on my lips of silence – the poet does not need to speak in words.
11
kahtay haiN Khudi1 kis ko Khuda naam hai kis ka
duniya meN faqat2 jalva3-e jaanana4 hai mera
1.self-respect, self-identity 2.only, except 3.manifestation, glory 4.beloved, divine
What is it that is called my being/identity, what is god? All I know is that this world is nothing except a reflection of the glory of the (divine) beloved.
12
milta nahiN har aek ko voh noor1 hai mujh meN
jo saahib2-e biinish3 hai voh parvaanah4 hai mera
1.light, brilliance 2.owner 3.(discerning) sight 4.moth, lover
The poet presents himself as a lamp of extraordinary brilliance – perhaps of divine brilliance. He has been granted a kind of brilliance that not everyone is given. Those who have a discerning eye are like a moth that circles a lamp … they circle me.
13
shaa’er ka suKhan1 kam nahiN majzoob-ki-baR2 se
har aek nah samjhega voh afsaana3 hai mera
1.words, poetry 2.see notes 3.story, message
‘majzoob’ is someone who is absorbed/obsessed. It has connotations of obsession with love of the beloved and/or of humanity or the divine. ‘majzoob ki baR’ is the raving and rantings of an obsessed person. Contextually, they can either be meaningless or so deeply meaningful as to appear senseless to the casual listener. Thus, the words of a poet are no less than the rant of an obsessed person. Not everyone will understand the story/message in my verse.
