Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. vaheed aKhtar (1935-1996), PhD in philosophy from omsania University and then on the faculty of aligaRh University. His philosophical inclinations clearly show through in his powerful and thoughtful compositions. This is a part of series on “suKhanvar o suKhanvari” on the theme of what various shu’ara say about themselves, their verse, their mission, what inspires them to write and their place in history.
1
Khilwat¹-e zaat² ke mahbas³ meN vo be-naam⁴ umaNg⁵
jis pe kaunain⁶ haiN taNg⁷
chhaan⁸ kar baiThi hai jo vusa’at⁹-e sehra-e zamaaN¹⁰
jis ko raas¹¹ aa na saki rasm¹² o rah¹³-e ahl-e jahaaN¹⁴
nasha-e Gham¹⁵ ki taraNg¹⁶
Khud se bhi bar sar¹⁷-e juNg
pasti¹⁸-e hausla¹⁹ o shauq²⁰ meN hai qaid²¹, vo rooh-e imkaaN²²   1.solitude, privacy 2.person 3.dungeon, prison 4.un-named, undefined, undescribable 5.enthusiasm, ambition 6.both worlds, here and hereafter 7.narrow 8.sift/search through 9.expanse 10.wilderness/desert of the times 11.suited, compatible 12.rituals 13.path, ways 14.(privileged) people of the world 15.intoxication of sorrow 16.song 17.engaged in 18.(sense of) inferiority 12.courage 20.desire 21.imprisoned 22.soul of possibilities
The undescribable hope/passion (of verse) is imprisoned in the solitude/withdrawal of the poet even though it is so vast that even both worlds (here and hereafter) are too narrow for it. His verse has sifted through all the sands of the vast deserts of the world, so it (verse) understands/knows all. The rituals and traditions of the world do not sit well with it. It carries the intoxication of the song of sorrow (it feels the pain of the world). It rebels against everything, even against itself, against conventions of its own creation … or … it rebels against the shaa’er, he constantly struggles with it. Verse, that soul/spirit of possibilities, is imprisoned by a lack of courage and ambition.
2
shor¹-e bazm²-e tarab³ o shaivan⁴-e bazm²-e dil meN
dahr⁵ ki har mahfil⁶ meN
jis ne dekhi hai sada⁷ arsa⁸-e mahshar⁹ ki jhalak¹⁰
buu-e bazaar meN gum-karda¹¹ rahi jis ki mahak¹²
aalam¹³-e aab o gil¹⁴ meN
jahd¹⁵ ki har manzil¹⁶ meN
apne hi saaKhta¹⁷ faanoos¹⁸ meN hai qaid¹⁹ vo sho’le ki lapak 1.sound (joyous) 2.assembly 3.celebration 4.sobbing, wailing 5.world 6.gathering 7.always, many times 8.field 9.doomsday 10.glimpse 11.lost 12.fragrance 13.world of 14.water and clay (everything was created with water and clay) 15.struggle, resistance 16.stage 17.fashioned, constructed 18.chandelier 19.confined
Verse has a place in every assembly of this world both in joyous celebration or in sorrowful mourning. It has always seen (kept its eyes on) glimpses of the field of doomsday/consequences, so it can give an indication of what is coming. Its fragrance spreads through and mingles with the smells of the multitude. It is a part of this world of clay and water (material world), as well as a part of all stages of struggle/resistance. Verse is like a leaping flame confined in a chandelier of its own making – constricted by conventions (poetic, literary or ritualistic). But in spite of this confinement, it still gives light (like a chandelier), it illuminates thought.
3
isi zindaan¹ ki divaarauN pe aate haiN nazar shaam o sahr²
aks³ ban kar shajar⁴-e dahr⁵ ke sab barg o samar⁶
yahiN ehsaas⁷ ki shaaKhauN pe kali banti hai dosheeza⁸-e gul⁹
yahiN jazbaat¹⁰ ke aaiine¹¹ meN aata hai nazar juzv¹² meN kul¹³
yahiN idraak¹⁴ ko milte haiN ta’qqul¹⁵ ke hasiN¹⁶ paimaane¹⁷
yahiN taKh’eel¹⁸ meN naadeeda¹⁹ jahaanauN ke haiN daulat-Khaane²⁰
apna har naqsh-e qadam²¹ chhoR ke jaata hai yahaaN qaafila²²-e vaqt-e ravaaN²³    1.prison 2.night and day 3.reflection, image 4.tree 5.world 6.leaves and fruits 7.sentiments 8.damsel 9.flower 10.emotions 11.mirror (traditionally reflects inner feelings) 12.part 13.whole 14.cognition, awareness 15.rationality 16.beautiful 17.measure, criteria 18.thought, imagination 19.unseen 20.treasure houses 21.foot prints 22.caravan 23.flowing time
On the walls of this same prison (in which Verse is confined) you can see the reflection of the fruit (of labour) of the tree of this world (reflected in Verse). On the branch of sentiments of this tree you see buds blossom into flowers (damsel of love). Here, in the mirror of sentiments, you will be able to see the whole reflected in the part. On the walls of this prison you can find the measure/criteria with which to judge awareness/facts to see if they are rational/wise. Here (in shaa’eri) is where you can imagine/visulaize the treasure-houses of unseen worlds – create a vision for tomorrow. Caravans and cross-roads have been great centres of learning because these are also the paths that scholars have traditionally taken and established schools. Thus, every caravan of time leaves its footprints here.
4
haadesa¹ kaun o makaaN² meN ho kahiN, naqsh³ ubharta⁴ hai yahaaN
yahi divaar-e musavvir⁵ hai shanaasa⁶-e har aaiinda jahaaN⁷
yahiN aazad⁸ zamaaN aur makaaN⁹ se hai vo rooh-e dauraaN¹⁰
jis pe kaunain¹¹ haiN taNg¹²
nasha-e Gham¹³ ki taraNg¹⁴
Khud se bhi bar sar¹⁵-e jaNg
yahiN taKhliq¹⁶ hua karti hai vo baada¹⁷-e afshurda¹⁸-e fun¹⁹
jis ki har boond meN hai zamzama²⁰-e kun²¹ fayakooN²² aks²³ afgan   1.happening 2.time and place 3.reflection 4.emerges 5.wall of the artist 6.knowledgable about 7.future world 8.free of the bounds of 9.time and space 10.spirit of the times 11.both worlds 12.narrow, limiting 13.intoxication of sorrow 14.song 15.engaged in 16.created, made 17.wine 18.juice 19.talent 20.gurgle, melody 21.the word “to be” as in god said – “let there be light” 22.and there it was (and there was light) 23.casting its shadow
If there is a mishap anywhere in the world, its effects are felt/seen here (in Verse). This is the wall of art/artist where the vision of a future world is painted. This is where the spirit of times is free of the bounds of space and time. The spirit so free that it finds both the here and hereafter confining, that carries the intoxication of the song of sorrow and rebels at everything conventional. This is where the wine of the talent of poetry is made, wine, every drop of which carries the music of all creation. God said, “be” and “there it was” casting its own shadow … thus the process of creation and its creativity is reflected in the creativity of verse. The poet says, “be” and “there it is … verse”. Also see vaheed aKhtar’s “maavara”, in which inspiration caught at the right time creates verse, otherwise is lost forever.
5
dahr¹ ki har mahfil² meN
aalam³-e aab o gil⁴ meN
jahd⁵ ki har manzil⁶ meN
ek yahi jur’at⁷-e nadeeda⁸ hai soorat gar⁹-e bazm-e imkaaN¹⁰
chhaan¹¹ kar baiThi hai jo vus’at¹²-e sahra-e zamaaN¹³
jis ko raas¹⁴ aa na saki rasm¹⁵ o rah¹⁶-e ahl-e jahaaN¹⁷    1.world 2.gathering 3.world 4.water and clay 5.struggle, resistance 6.stage 7.daring 8.unseen, unexampled 9.image creating, possibility creating 10.field/realm of possibilities 11.sift through 12.expanse 13.deserts of the world 14.compatible, agreeable 15.rituals 16.ways 17.(privileged) people of the world
In every gathering/society of the world, in the world of water and clay (material world), at every stage of struggle and resistance only this (Verse) unexampled courage can be seen opening up possibilities. This (Verse) which does not agree with rituals/conventions and the ways of this world.
6
yahiN Khud-saaKhta¹ faanoos² meN hai qaid³ vo sho’le⁴ ki lapak
hum-nafas⁵ jis ki hai sad-guuna⁶ jahannum ke azaabauN⁷ ki kasak⁸
phir bhi dikhlaati hai har aaNkh ko jo jannat-e farda⁹ ki jhalak¹⁰    1.self-made 2.chandelier 3.imprisoned, confined 4.flame 5.(same breath), familiar with 6.a hundred times 7.curses 8.pain 9.future heaven 10.glimpse
The flame of this (Verse) is confined to a chandelier of its own making (this chandelier could well be the words … thus the thought behind the verse is more sublime than words can possibly express). Even though it is familiar with the pain hundred times as painful as that of hell (it has suffered the pain of hell), in spite of this, it is able to show the world a glimpse of future heaven/possibilities.