shaiKh o vaa’ez – chandr bhan kaifi dehlavi

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “English” or “Notes” tab.

شیخ و واعظ ۔ مُنشی چندر بھان کیفیؔ دہلوی

۱

زاہدِ خشک کو باہر کرو میخانے سے

جو ریا کار ہیں ایسوں کا یہاں کام نہیں

۲

شیخ بھی کیفیؔ ٹھٹک جاتا ہے میخانے کے پاس

مُنہ میں بھر آتا ہے پانی دورِ ساغر دیکھ کر

۳

کیفیؔ کو رِند جان کے جانے نہیں دیا

ہے بارگاہِ خاص میں وہ باریاب کب

۴

کیفیؔ ہے ایک بات خدا کی نگاہ میں

کافر بنا دیا کہ مسلماں بنا دیا

۵

شیخ حورانِ بہشتی سے لگے جی کیوں کر

کوئی گُلفام نہیں، کوئی گُل اندام نہیں

۶

ایک بھی بندہ نہیں جس کا ہو مذہب بندگی

کوئی کافر ہو گیا، کوئی مسلماں ہو گیا

۷

کفر و ایماں میں نہ رہتی یہ کشاکش کیفیؔ

کعبہ و دیر کو میخانہ بنایا ہوتا

۸

مہنگی شراب ہو گئی کیفیؔ نے چھوڑ دی

کافر کو مفلسی نے مسلماں بنا دیا

۹

بتا دوں کیا تجھے زاہد جو دیکھا ہے وہ دیکھا ہے

تری آنکھوں میں کیوں کر ڈال دوں ذوقِ نظر اپنا

۱۰

مئے کوثر ملے گی جب ملے گی اب تو اے واعظ

بہار آئی ہے جلسے ہو رہے ہیں بادہ خواروں میں

۱۱

غلافِ کعبۂ دِل بن گئیں اُن کی سیہ زُلفیں

حفاظت کُفر کے ہاتھوں میں ہے اب دین و ایماں کی

۱۲

شیخ کا جنّت میں، میخانہ میں ہے کیفیؔ کا شغل

ہر جگہ ہے میکدہ، مے خوار ہونا چاہئیے

۱۳

میں تو کافر سہی، ایمان سے لیکن یہ بتا

شیخ یہ ناز، یہ انداز کہیں اور بھی ہے

۱۴

اے شیخ مِل چکی رہِ عرفاں نماز سے

جا میکدے میں پوچھ کسی پاکباز سے

۱۵

ذکرِ کوثر جو کرے شیخ تو کیفیؔ کہنا

یہ بتا بادۂ انگور کہیں اور بھی ہے

शैख़ ओ वा’एज़ – मुंशी चन्द्र भान कैफ़ी देहलवी

ज़ाहद-ए ख़ुश्क को बाहर करो मैख़ाने से

जो रियाकार हैं ऐसौं का यहां काम नहीं

शैख़ भी कैफ़ी ठिठक जाता है मैख़ाने के पास

मुंह में भर आता है पानी दौर-ए साग़र देख कर

कैफ़ी को रिंद जान के जाने नहीं दिया

है बारगाह-ए ख़ास में वो बारयाब कब

कैफ़ी है एक बात ख़ुदा की निगाह में

काफ़र बना दिया के मुसल्मां बना दिया

शैख़ हूरान-ए बेहिश्ती से लगे जी क्यूंकर

कोई गुल्फ़ाम नहीं, कोई गुल-अंदाम नहीं

एक भी बंदा नही जिस का हो मज़्हब बंदगी

कोई काफ़र हो गया कोई मुसल्मां हो गया

कुफ़्र ओ ईमां में न रहती ये कशाकश कैफ़ी

का’बा ओ दैर को मैख़ाना बनाया होता

महंगी शराब हो गई, कैफ़ी ने छोढ दी

काफ़र को मुफ़्लिसी ने मुसल्मां बना दिया

बता दूं क्या तुझे ज़ाहद, जो देखा है वो देखा है

तेरी आंखौं में क्यूंकर डाल दूं ज़ौक़-ए नज़र अपना

१०

मय-ए कौसर मिलेगी जब मिलेगी अब तो अए वा’एज़

बहार आई है जल्से हो रहे हैं बादा-ख़्वारौं में

११

ग़िलाफ़-ए का’बा-ए दिल बन गईं उन की सियाह ज़ुल्फ़ें

हिफ़ाज़त कुफ़्र के हाथौं में है अब दीन ओ ईमां की

१२

शैख़ का जन्नत में, कैफ़ी का है मैख़ाने में शुग़्ल

हर जगह है मय-कदा मयख़्वार होना चाहिये

१३

मैं तो काफ़र हि सही, ईमान से लैकिन ये बता

शैख़ ये नाज़, ये अंदाज़ कहीं देखे हैं

१४

अए शैख़ मिल चुकी रह-ए ईर्फ़ां नमाज़ से

जा मयकदे में पूछ किसी पाकबाज़ से

१५

ज़िक्र-ए कौसर जो करे शैख़ तो कैफ़ी कहना

ये बता बादा-ए अंगूर कहीं और भी है

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. munshi chandr bhaan kaifi dehlavi (????-1941). He taught faarsi and urdu and was editor of a bi-weekly magazine called ‘hamaari zabaan’. Much of his work was lost. One of his shaagird, sheesh chandr taalib dehlavi, collected and published it ten years after his death. He wrote Ghazal in classical style on classical themes but also wrote many nationalistic nazm.
1
zaahid1-e Khushk2 ko baahir karo maiKhaane3 se
jo riakaar4 haiN aisoN ki yahaaN kaam nahiN   
1.observant 2.dry … but zaahid-e Khushk means one who is observant only for show 3.tavern 4.hypocrite
Get this superficial observant out of the tavern. There is no place for hypocrites here.

2
shaiKh bhi kaifi ThiThak jaata hai maiKhaane ke paas
muNh meN bhar aata hai paani daur1-e saaGhar2 dekh kar
1.circulation, passing around 2.cup (of wine)
Even the shaiKh tarries at the tavern door as he passes by. He salivates when he sees the wine cup being passed around. Said Ghalib …
kahaaN maiKhaane ka darvaaza Ghalib aur kahaaN vaa’ez
par itna jaante haiN, kal vo jaata tha ke hum nikle
The door to the tavern Ghalib, and the preacher there
But this much I know that yesterday, he entered as we came out

3
kaifi ko rind1 jaan ke jaane nahiN diya
hai baargaah2-e Khaas3 meN vo baaryaab4 kab
1.one who drinks, drunkard 2.court, palace 3.special 4.admitted, allowed to enter
The “special court” could be a place of worship or heaven itself. When the orthodox (or angels) was kaifi coming, knowing that he was an imbiber (therefore a sinner) they stopped him. When (i.e. never) is he allowed in this special court.

4
kaifi hai ek baat Khuda ki nigaah1 meN
kaafir2 bana diya ke musalmaaN bana diya
1.eyes 2.believer of a different faith
O, kaifi, it is the same (no difference) in the eyes of god. He made you musalmaan or of another faith (it is the same to him – it is we who think it is different).

5
shaiKh hooraan-e behishti se lage ji kyuNkar
koii gulfaam nahiN, koii gul-andaam nahiN
1.angels 2.of heaven 3.fragrant like flowers 4.flower bodied, delicate, graceful
O shaiKh, how can I be happy with the angels of heaven. They are not as graceful and fragrant as the beloved. Also see number 13 below. Said daaGh dehlavi …
jis meN laakhoN baras ki hooreN ho
aisi jannat ka kya kare koii
That which has angels a thousand years old
What can one do with heaven like that

6
ek bhi banda1 nahiN jis ka ho mazhab2 bandagi3
koii kaafir4 ho gaya koii musalmaaN ho gaya  
1.servant, follower, person 2.religion 3.obeying, following (the will of god) 4.non-believer
The word “banda” (especially in punjabi) is used to mean a person. Also, “kaafir” is used many times to mean “person of faith other than islam”. It does not have to necessarily mean non-believer in the sense of being without any faith. Thus there is no one here whose religion it is to follow the will of god. They have either become muslim or of some other faith – but no one follows god.

7
kufr1 o eemaaN2 meN na rahti ye kashaakash3 kaifi
k’aaba o dair4 ko maiKhaana5 banayaa hota   
1.other belief (hinduism) 2.faith (islam) 3.struggle, conflict 4.temple 5.tavern
There would not have been a conflict between hinduism and islam, O, kaifi, if he (god) or they (orthodoxy) had made temple and mosque into a tavern.

8
mahaNgi1 sharaab ho gayii, kaifi ne chhoR di
kaafir2 ko muflisi3 ne musalmaaN bana diya
1.expensive 2.non-believer, hindu 3.poverty, destitution
Wine has become expensive now and kaifi/the poet has given up drinking. This poverty has converted a non-believer into a muslim.

9
bata duN kya tujhe zaahid, jo dekha hai vo dekha hai
teri aaNkoN meN kyuNkar Daal duN zauq-e nazar apna
1.observant, religious 2.how, I wish I could 3.desire, refinement, ability (to see) 4.sight
How can I show you O, shaiKh, that which I see. How I wish I could put into your eyes the taste/refinement/finesse of sight that I have.

10
mai1-e kauser2 milegi jab milegi ab to aye vaa’ez3
bahaar aaii hai jalse ho rahe haiN baada-KhwaaroN4 meN
1.wine 2.river (of wine) in heaven 3.preacher 4.revelers, patrons of the tavern
We will get the river of wine in paradise whenever we get it (sometime in the distant and uncertain future) but now, it is spring, and wine drinkers are gathered to celebrate, O, preacher.

11
Ghilaaf1-e k’aaba-e dil gaiiN un ki siyah2 zulfeN3
hifaazat4 kufr5 ki haathoN meN hai ab deen-o-eemaaN6 ki
1.curtain 2.dark 3.hair 4.protection 5.non-belief 6.islamic belief and faith
The heart is often referred to as the seat of god and therefore it is the same as the k’aaba, the house of god. The k’aaba has black drapes all around it. The beloved’s dark tresses have won the poet’s heart and it is like they are the protective curtain around the k’aaba. Thus, the imagery of the poet’s heart (which is non-belief) covered by the protective curtain of dark hair represents k’aaba. Therefore, his unbelief now is under protection of faith.

12
shaiKh ka jannat meN, kaifi ka hai maiKhaane1 meN shuGhl2
har jagah hai maikada1 maiKhwaar3 hona chaahiye    
1.tavern 2.pastime, indulgence, drinking 3.one who drinks
It is commonly believed/said that heaven has rivers of wine flowing and it will be available there. Therefore, the shaiKh when he goes to heaven will indulge in drinking wine. The poet/kaifi on the other hand has the same pastime/indulgence in the tavern. Thus there is a tavern everywhere, here and in heaven. Therefore, one must become an imbiber.

13
maiN to kaafir1 hi sahi, eemaan2 se laikin bata
shaiKh ye naaz3, ye andaaz4 kahiN dekha hai  
1.unbeliever 2.honesty 3.coquetry 4.style
I may be an unbeliever, but honestly, tell me, O, shaiKh, have you ever seen such coquetry and such style anywhere else. Recall that in she’r (number 5) above, he was suggesting that he could be happy with the angels of heaven.

14
aye shaiKh mil chuki rah1-e irfaaN2 namaaz se
jaa maikade3 meN poochh kisi paakbaaz4 se
1.path 2.(mystic) salvation 3.tavern 4.pious
O, shaiKh, you can (sarcastically, not) find the path to salvation through ritual prayer. Go ask any pious (sarcastic) patron of the tavern. This implies that he will confirm that you cannot find the path to salvation in namaaz or that he will tell you that the path lies through the tavern.

15
zikr1-e kausar2 jo kare shaiKh to kaifi kahna
ye bata baada3-e aNgoor kahiN aur bhi hai  
1.narration, mention 2.river of heaven 3.wine
If the shaiKh talks about rivers of wine in paradise, ask him O, kaifi – is wine of grapes available anywhere else. The implication is that it is available right here on earth in taverns. So why wait until we get to heaven when we can have it right here.

munshi chandr bhaan kaifi dehlavi (????-1941).  He taught faarsi and urdu and was editor of a bi-weekly magazine called ‘hamaari zabaan’.  Much of his work was lost.  One of his shaagird, sheesh chandr taalib dehlavi, collected and published it ten years after his death.  He wrote Ghazal in classical style on classical themes but also wrote many nationalistic nazm.
1
zaahid1-e Khushk2 ko baahir karo maiKhaane3 se
jo riakaar4 haiN aisoN ki yahaaN kaam nahiN

1.observant 2.dry … but zaahid-e Khushk means one who is observant only for show 3.tavern 4.hypocrite

Get this superficial observant out of the tavern.  There is no place for hypocrites here.
2
shaiKh bhi kaifi ThiThak jaata hai maiKhaane ke paas
muNh meN bhar aata hai paani daur1-e saaGhar2 dekh kar

1.circulation, passing around 2.cup (of wine)

Even the shaiKh tarries at the tavern door as he passes by.  He salivates when he sees the wine cup being passed around.  Said Ghalib …
kahaaN maiKhaane ka darvaaza Ghalib aur kahaaN vaa’ez
par itna jaante haiN, kal vo jaata tha ke hum nikle
The door to the tavern Ghalib, and the preacher there
But this much I know that yesterday, he entered as we came out
3
kaifi ko rind1 jaan ke jaane nahiN diya
hai baargaah2-e Khaas3 meN vo baaryaab4 kab

1.one who drinks, drunkard 2.court, palace 3.special 4.admitted, allowed to enter

The “special court” could be a place of worship or heaven itself.  When the orthodox (or angels) was kaifi coming, knowing that he was an imbiber (therefore a sinner) they stopped him.  When (i.e. never) is he allowed in this special court.
4
kaifi hai ek baat Khuda ki nigaah1 meN
kaafir2 bana diya ke musalmaaN bana diya

1.eyes 2.believer of a different faith

O, kaifi, it is the same (no difference) in the eyes of god.  He made you musalmaan or of another faith (it is the same to him – it is we who think it is different).
5
shaiKh hooraan-e behishti se lage ji kyuNkar
koii gulfaam nahiN, koii gul-andaam nahiN

1.angels 2.of heaven 3.fragrant like flowers 4.flower bodied, delicate, graceful

O shaiKh, how can I be happy with the angels of heaven.  They are not as graceful and fragrant as the beloved.  Also see number 13 below.  Said daaGh dehlavi …
jis meN laakhoN baras ki hooreN ho
aisi jannat ka kya kare koii
That which has angels a thousand years old
What can one do with heaven like that
6
ek bhi banda1 nahiN jis ka ho mazhab2 bandagi3
koii kaafir4 ho gaya koii musalmaaN ho gaya

1.servant, follower, person 2.religion 3.obeying, following (the will of god) 4.non-believer

The word “banda” (especially in punjabi) is used to mean a person.  Also, “kaafir” is used many times to mean “person of faith other than islam”.  It does not have to necessarily mean non-believer in the sense of being without any faith.  Thus there is no one here whose religion it is to follow the will of god.  They have either become muslim or of some other faith – but no one follows god.
7
kufr1 o eemaaN2 meN na rahti ye kashaakash3 kaifi
k’aaba o dair4 ko maiKhaana5 banayaa hota

1.other belief (hinduism) 2.faith (islam) 3.struggle, conflict 4.temple 5.tavern

There would not have been a conflict between hinduism and islam, O, kaifi, if he (god) or they (orthodoxy) had made temple and mosque into a tavern.
8
mahaNgi1 sharaab ho gayii, kaifi ne chhoR di
kaafir2 ko muflisi3 ne musalmaaN bana diya

1.expensive 2.non-believer, hindu 3.poverty, destitution

Wine has become expensive now and kaifi/the poet has given up drinking.  This poverty has converted a non-believer into a muslim.
9
bata duN kya tujhe zaahid, jo dekha hai vo dekha hai
teri aaNkoN meN kyuNkar Daal duN zauq-e nazar apna

1.observant, religious 2.how, I wish I could 3.desire, refinement, ability (to see) 4.sight

How can I show you O, shaiKh, that which I see.  How I wish I could put into your eyes the taste/refinement/finesse of sight that I have.
10
mai1-e kauser2 milegi jab milegi ab to aye vaa’ez3
bahaar aaii hai jalse ho rahe haiN baada-KhwaaroN4 meN

1.wine 2.river (of wine) in heaven 3.preacher 4.revelers, patrons of the tavern

We will get the river of wine in paradise whenever we get it (sometime in the distant and uncertain future) but now, it is spring, and wine drinkers are gathered to celebrate, O, preacher.
11
Ghilaaf1-e k’aaba-e dil gaiiN un ki siyah2 zulfeN3
hifaazat4 kufr5 ki haathoN meN hai ab deen-o-eemaaN6 ki

1.curtain 2.dark 3.hair 4.protection 5.non-belief 6.islamic belief and faith

The heart is often referred to as the seat of god and therefore it is the same as the k’aaba, the house of god.  The k’aaba has black drapes all around it.  The beloved’s dark tresses have won the poet’s heart and it is like they are the protective curtain around the k’aaba.  Thus, the imagery of the poet’s heart (which is non-belief) covered by the protective curtain of dark hair represents k’aaba.  Therefore his unbelief now is under protection of faith.
12
shaiKh ka jannat meN, kaifi ka hai maiKhaane1 meN shuGhl2
har jagah hai maikada1 maiKhwaar3 hona chaahiye

1.tavern 2.pastime, indulgence, drinking 3.one who drinks

It is commonly believed/said that heaven has rivers of wine flowing and it will be available there.  Therefore, the shaiKh when he goes to heaven will indulge in drinking wine.  The poet/kaifi on the other hand has the same pastime/indulgence in the tavern.  Thus there is a tavern everywhere, here and in heaven.  Therefore, one must become an imbiber.
13
maiN to kaafir1 hi sahi, eemaan2 se laikin bata
shaiKh ye naaz3, ye andaaz4 kahiN dekha hai

1.unbeliever 2.honesty 3.coquetry 4.style

I may be an unbeliever, but honestly, tell me, O, shaiKh, have you ever seen such coquetry and such style anywhere else.  Recall that in she’r (number 5) above, he was suggesting that he could be happy with the angels of heaven.
14
aye shaiKh mil chuki rah1-e irfaaN2 namaaz se
jaa maikade3 meN poochh kisi paakbaaz4 se

1.path 2.(mystic) salvation 3.tavern 4.pious

O, shaiKh, you can (sarcastically, not) find the path to salvation through ritual prayer.  Go ask any pious (sarcastic) patron of the tavern.  This implies that he will confirm that you cannot find the path to salvation in namaaz or that he will tell you that the path lies through the tavern.
15
zikr1-e kausar2 jo kare shaiKh to kaifi kahna
ye bata baada3-e aNgoor kahiN aur bhi hai

1.narration, mention 2.river of heaven 3.wine

If the shaiKh talks about rivers of wine in paradise, ask him O, kaifi – is wine of grapes available anywhere else.  The implication is that it is available right here on earth in taverns.  So why wait until we get to heaven when we can have it right here.

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