For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
شمعِ شبِ تارِ غریباں ہونا ۔ آنند نرائن مُلّا
۱
غیر کے درد پہ بھی اشک بداماں ہونا
یہی معراجِ بشر ہے، یہی اِنساں ہونا
۲
اشکِ غم دیکھ، اِس اعزاز کے شایاں ہونا
ہے تجھے شمعِ شبِ تارِ غریباں ہونا
۳
دِل تو صد چاک مگر لب پہ تبسّم ہے وہی
گُل سے سیکھو چمنِ دہر میں خنداں ہونا
۴
خلشِ عشق ہی بن جائے گی سرمایہِ زیست
اِسی نشتر کو ہے اِک روز رگِ جاں ہونا
۵
اُف ری ناکامیِ پیہم کہ کبھی بہرِ دعا
ہاتھ اُٹھانا تو اُٹھاتے ہی پشیماں ہونا
۶
قسمتِ صولتِ شاہی میں لکھا تھا اِک دِن
چینِ پیشانیِ دہقاں سے نمایاں ہونا
۷
ہائے وہ عشق کے آغاز کا اندازِ لطیف
دِل کا خود اپنی تمنّا پہ پشیماں ہونا
۸
کچھ بھی کہنے کی مجھے اُن سے ضرورت نہ پڑی
آ گیا کام مرا بے سر و ساماں ہونا
۹
کتنے پودوں کی مِلی خاک میں رعنائیِ قد
تب کِسی سرو نے سیکھا ہے خراماں ہونا
۱۰
وہ اگر خوش بھی ہے عرفانِ خوشی اُس کو نہیں
جس نے جانا نہ کسی غم میں پریشاں ہونا
۱۱
اِس کو مژگاں میں چھپا لے کہ ہے غم کی توہین
عصمتِ اشک کا آلودۂ داماں ہونا
۱۲
آمدِ موسمِ حِرماں کا وہ اندازِ حسیں
شاخِ مژگاں کا سمن پوش و گُل افشاں ہونا
۱۳
اِس کو خودداریِ مُلّا نے گوارا نہ کیا
آتشِ غیر کے شعلوں سے فروزاں ہونا
शमा-ए शब-ए तार-ए ग़रीबाँ होना – आनंद नरायन मुल्ला
१
ग़ैर के दर्द पे भी अश्क बा-दामाँ होना
यही मेराज-ए बशर है, यही इन्साँ होना
२
अश्क-ए ग़म देख, इस ए’ज़ाज़ के शयाँ होना
है तुझे शमा-ए शब-ए तार-ए ग़रीबाँ होना
३
दिल तो सद-चाक मगर लब पे तबस्सुम है वही
गुल से सीखो चमन-ए दहर में ख़न्दाँ होना
४
ख़लिश-ए इश्क़ ही बन जाए गी सरमाया-ए ज़ीस्त
इसी नश्तर को है एक रोज़ रग-ए जाँ होना
५
उफ़ री नाकामी-ए पैहम के कभी बहर-ए दुआ
हाथ उठाना तो उठाते ही पशेमाँ होना
६
क़िस्मत-ए सौलात-ए शाही में लिखा था एक दिन
चीन-ए पेशानी-ए दहक़ाँ से नुमायाँ होना
७
हाए वो इश्क़ के आग़ाज़ का अंदाज़-ए लतीफ़
दिल का ख़ुद अपनी तमन्ना पे पशेमाँ होना
८
कुछ भी कहने कि मुझे उन से ज़रूरत ना पड़ी
आ गया काम मेरा बे-सर ओ सामाँ होना
९
कितने पौदोँ कि मिली ख़ाक में रानाई-ए क़द
तब किसी सर्व ने सीखा है ख़रामाँ होना
१०
वो अगर ख़ुश भी है इर्फ़ान-ए ख़ुशी उस को नहीँ
जिस ने जाना ना किसी ग़म में परेशाँ होना
११
इस को मिज़्श्गाँ में छुपा ले, के है ग़म की तौहीन
इस्मत-ए अश्क का आलूदा-ए दामाँ होना
१२
आमद-ए मोसम-ए हिर्माँ का वो अंदाज़-ए हसीँ
शाख़-ए मिज़्श्गाँ का समन-पोश ओ गुल-अफ़्शाँ होना
१३
इस को ख़ुद-दारी-ए मुल्ला ने गवारा ना किया
आतिश-ए ग़ैर के शोलोँ से फ़रोज़ाँ होना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. anand narain mulla (1901-1997), a kashmiri panDit from lukhnow, a high court judge, member of lok sabha and then of the rajya sabha was a liberal thinker reaching across communal lines with a strong love of urdu. In this Ghazal he lays out the essential qualities of being human. It remind’s me of Ghalib’s ‘aadmi ko bhi maiassar nahiN insaaN hona’.
1
Ghair1 ke dard pe bhi ashk2 ba-daamaaN3 hona
yahi m’eraaj4-e bashar5 hai, yahi insaaN hona 1.other 2.tears 3.in the hem of the robe 4.apex 5.man
“ashk ba-daamaaN” is tears collected in the hem of the robe … conventionally that is how tears are wiped. Thus, feeling the pain of the other and crying over it is an essential of being human. See raina’s Ghalib with begum aKhtar singing …
baske dushvaar hai har kaam ka aasaaN hona
aadmi ko bhi mai’assar nahiN insaaN hona
2
ashk-e Gham dekh, is e’zaaz1 ke shayaaN2 hona
hai tujhe shama-e shab-e taar3-e GharibaaN hona 1.honor 2.deserving of the dignity 3.dark
The poet is addressing the “tears of sorrow”. You, O tears, have to deserve this honor. Remember you have to become the lamp of the dark night of the needy.
3
dil to sad-chaak1 magar lab pe tabassum2 hai vahi
gul se seekho chaman-e dahr3 meN KhandaaN4 hona 1.hundred tears/wounds 2.smile 3.world 4.smile
When the flower blooms, its heart is torn open with a hundred wounds and yet smiles (or at least appears so to those who look at it). That is a lesson to be drawn, hide your wounds and keep smiling.
4
Khalish1-e ishq hi ban jaaye gi sarmaaya2-e zeest3
isi nashtar4 ko hai ek roz rag-e-jaaN5 hona 1.pain, wound 2.treasure 3.life 4.knife 5.jugular vein
The pain of love is to be nurtured. It will become the “treasure of life”. It may be painful, like a knife now, but one day it will become the jugular vein … the memories that you will live by.
5
uff ri naakami1-e paiham2 ke kabhi bahr-e-dua3
haath uThaana to uThaate hi pashemaaN4 hona 1.failure 2.repeated 3.for the sake of prayer 4.regret, ashamed
The poet/lover has repeatedly failed, not only in love, but also when in desperation he raised his hands in prayer and immediately realized that that is not the right thing to do. He lowered his hands in shame. Another failure.
6
qismat-e saulat1-e shaahi meN likha tha ek din
cheen2-e peshaani-e dahqaaN3 se numaayaN4 hona 1.pomp, glory 2.wrinkle, furrow 3.farmer 4.appear
A furrowed brow is a sign of anger. Thus, it is the fate of the pomp of royalty to appear as anger on the brow of the farmer/worker.
7
haaye vo ishq ke aaGhaaz1 ka andaaz2-e lateef3
dil ka Khud apni tamanna4 pe pashemaaN5 hona 1.start 2.style 3.pleasant 4.desire 5.regret, shame
Possibly the poet/lover is recalling the first time he fell in love. What a pleasant feeling it was, when the heart was bashful of its own desires.
8
kuchh bhi kahne ki mujhe un se zaroorat na paRi
aa gaya kaam mera be-sar-o-saamaaN1 hona 1.broken and destitute, mad in love
The poet/lover did not need to say anything to the beloved. She could see his condition and discern his love.
9
kitne paudoN ki mili Khaak meN raanaai1-e qad2
tab kisi sarv3 ne seekha hai KharamaN4 hona 1.beauty 2.stature 3.cypress 4.gait
In urdu poetic tradition the cypress is considered a symbol of beauty because of its stature and because it is slender with a swaying gait. How many other little saplings died and rotted into the soil so that this one cypress could acquire its gait.
10
vo agar Khush bhi hai irfaan1-e Khushi us ko nahiN
jis ne jaana na kisi Gham meN pareshaaN hona 1.spirit
Even if he is comfortable, he does not know the spirit of happiness, he who never experienced the discomfort of sorrow.
11
is ko mizshgaaN1 meN chhupa le, ke hai Gham ki tauheen2
ismat3-e ashk ka aalooda4-e daamaaN hona 1.eye lashes 2.insult 3.piety, cleanliness 4.smear, mix with
Keep tears hidden in your eyelashes. It will be an insult to Sorrow if pure/clean tears smear the hem of the robe.
12
aamad1-e mosam-e hirmaaN2 ka vo andaaz3-e hasiN
shaaKh-e mizshgaaN4 ka saman-posh5 o gul-afshaaN6 hona 1.arrival 2.sorrow, hopelessness 3.style 4.eyelashes 5.wearing jasmine 6.scattering flowers
The arrival – spring and disappointment in love – of the time of hopelessness has its own beautiful style. It brings tears which are like jasmine flowers on the branch of eyelashes. Dripping tears are like flowers being scattered.
13
is ko Khud-daari1-e mulla2 ne gavaara3 na kiya
aatish4-e Ghair5 ke sholoN6 se farozaaN7 hona 1.self-respect 2.pen-name of the poet 3.tolerate 4.fire 5.other 6.flames 7.shine
The self-respect of mulla could not tolerate that he shine using the flames of the fire of someone else. I write my own ash’aar in my own way, I don’t copy others.
anand narain mulla (1901-1997), a kashmiri panDit from lukhnow, a high court judge, member of lok sabha and then of the rajya sabha was a liberal thinker reaching across communal lines with a strong love of urdu. In this Ghazal he lays out the essential qualities of being human. It remind’s me of Ghalib’s ‘aadmi ko bhi maiassar nahiN insaaN hona’.
1
Ghair1 ke dard pe bhi ashk2 ba-daamaaN3 hona
yahi m’eraaj4-e bashar5 hai, yahi insaaN hona
1.other 2.tears 3.in the hem of the robe 4.apex 5.man
“ashk ba-daamaaN” is tears collected in the hem of the robe … conventionally that is how tears are wiped. Thus, feeling the pain of the other and crying over it is an essential of being human. See raina’s Ghalib with begum aKhtar singing …
baske dushvaar hai har kaam ka aasaaN hona
aadmi ko bhi mai’assar nahiN insaaN hona
2
ashk-e Gham dekh, is e’zaaz1 ke shayaaN2 hona
hai tujhe shama-e shab-e taar3-e GharibaaN hona
1.honor 2.deserving of the dignity 3.dark
The poet is addressing the “tears of sorrow”. You, O tears, have to deserve this honor. Remember you have to become the lamp of the dark night of the needy.
3
dil to sad-chaak1 magar lab pe tabassum2 hai vahi
gul se seekho chaman-e dahr3 meN KhandaaN4 hona
1.hundred tears/wounds 2.smile 3.world 4.smile
When the flower blooms, its heart is torn open with a hundred wounds and yet smiles (or at least appears so to those who look at it). That is a lesson to be drawn, hide your wounds and keep smiling.
4
Khalish1-e ishq hi ban jaaye gi sarmaaya2-e zeest3
isi nashtar4 ko hai ek roz rag-e-jaaN5 hona
1.pain, wound 2.treasure 3.life 4.knife 5.jugular vein
The pain of love is to be nurtured. It will become the “treasure of life”. It may be painful, like a knife now, but one day it will become the jugular vein … the memories that you will live by.
5
uff ri naakami1-e paiham2 ke kabhi bahr-e-dua3
haath uThaana to uThaate hi pashemaaN4 hona
1.failure 2.repeated 3.for the sake of prayer 4.regret, ashamed
The poet/lover has repeatedly failed, not only in love, but also when in desperation he raised his hands in prayer and immediately realized that that is not the right thing to do. He lowered his hands in shame. Another failure.
6
qismat-e saulat1-e shaahi meN likha tha ek din
cheen2-e peshaani-e dahqaaN3 se numaayaN4 hona
1.pomp, glory 2.wrinkle, furrow 3.farmer 4.appear
A furrowed brow is a sign of anger. Thus, it is the fate of the pomp of royalty to appear as anger on the brow of the farmer/worker.
7
haaye vo ishq ke aaGhaaz1 ka andaaz2-e lateef3
dil ka Khud apni tamanna4 pe pashemaaN5 hona
1.start 2.style 3.pleasant 4.desire 5.regret, shame
Possibly the poet/lover is recalling the first time he fell in love. What a pleasant feeling it was, when the heart was bashful of its own desires.
8
kuchh bhi kahne ki mujhe un se zaroorat na paRi
aa gaya kaam mera be-sar-o-saamaaN1 hona
1.broken and destitute, mad in love
The poet/lover did not need to say anything to the beloved. She could see his condition and discern his love.
9
kitne paudoN ki mili Khaak meN raanaai1-e qad2
tab kisi sarv3 ne seekha hai KharamaN4 hona
1.beauty 2.stature 3.cypress 4.gait
In urdu poetic tradition the cypress is considered a symbol of beauty because of its stature and because it is slender with a swaying gait. How many other little saplings died and rotted into the soil so that this one cypress could acquire its gait.
10
vo agar Khush bhi hai irfaan1-e Khushi us ko nahiN
jis ne jaana na kisi Gham meN pareshaaN hona
1.spirit
Even if he is comfortable, he does not know the spirit of happiness, he who never experienced the discomfort of sorrow.
11
is ko mizshgaaN1 meN chhupa le, ke hai Gham ki tauheen2
ismat3-e ashk ka aalooda4-e daamaaN hona
1.eye lashes 2.insult 3.piety, cleanliness 4.smear, mix with
Keep tears hidden in your eyelashes. It will be an insult to Sorrow if pure/clean tears smear the hem of the robe.
12
aamad1-e mosam-e hirmaaN2 ka vo andaaz3-e hasiN
shaaKh-e mizshgaaN4 ka saman-posh5 o gul-afshaaN6 hona
1.arrival 2.sorrow, hopelessness 3.style 4.eyelashes 5.wearing jasmine 6.scattering flowers
The arrival – spring and disappointment in love – of the time of hopelessness has its own beautiful style. It brings tears which are like jasmine flowers on the branch of eyelashes. Dripping tears are like flowers being scattered.
13
is ko Khud-daari1-e mulla2 ne gavaara3 na kiya
aatish4-e Ghair5 ke sholoN6 se farozaaN7 hona
1.self-respect 2.pen-name of the poet 3.tolerate 4.fire 5.other 6.flames 7.shine
The self-respect of mulla could not tolerate that he shine using the flames of the fire of someone else. I write my own ash’aar in my own way, I don’t copy others.
Key Search Words:
