Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. This Ghazal appeared in earlier publications of Ghalib’s divaan, but in the later versions, which have become “official” and more common, he abbreviated it to 5 ash’aar. This full version is dated 1812 when Ghalib was fifteen years old. mushaa’era at the time was a private affair for shu’ara and patrons by invitation only. Sitting in a circle along with 50-60 year old stalwarts, holding his own!!!!!

1
naqsh¹ fariyaadi² hai kis ki shoKhi³-e tahrir⁴ ka
kaGhazi⁵ hai pairahan⁶ har paikar⁷-e tasvir ka     1.mark, sketch 2.appellant, plaintiff 3.mischief 4.writing 5.of paper 6.dress 7.face
It was ancient practice that people who appealed for justice would wear paper gowns. So the face/image of every sketch/symbol/word written on paper is imagined as wearing paper clothes, appealing for justice. Against whom are words appealing? Most experts write that “picture” is symbolic of human beings, appealing to god against the injustice of an imperfect world. A few have taken a different view. They say that the “picture” is the written word, appealing against the injustice of the imperfection of the creator i.e. poet. Thus, Ghalib himself is admitting his limitations in translating his sublime thoughts into words. That is why he chooses this as the opening Ghazal instead of a ‘hamd’. faiz adds a twist – that shooKhi implies ‘intensity’ and that pen and paper are protesting that they cannot handle the intensity of feeling that Ghalib puts into them. He presents Ghalib’s faarsi she’r as evidence …
Ghalib nabuvad sheva-e man qaafiya bandi
zulmiist ke bar kilk o varaq meekunam imshab
O, Ghalib, it is not my practice to do word-smithing
It is cruelty that I visit on pen and paper tonight
2
kaav kaav¹-e saKht-jaani-haa²-e tanhaaii³ na puuchh
sub’h karna shaam ka laana hai juu-e-shir⁴ ka    1.digging, scratching 2.shamelessly refusing to die, also the “haa” makes it an awkward plural, thus, repeatedly resisting death 3.loneliness 4.river of milk
This draws on the legend of shiriN-farhaad. As a condition of winning the hand of shirin, farhaad was set a task to cut a channel through the mountain and make a river of milk flow to the palace. This is used as a symbol of an impossible task. Loneliness is trying to kill the poet. But he shamelessly lives on, again and again. His loneliness is so intense that to pass the night of separation (subah karna shaam ka) is an impossible task. There is a further implication that IF the task is ever completed he will die, just like farhaad killed himself.
3
jazba¹-e be-eKhtiyaar²-e shauq³ dekha chaahiye
siina-e shamshir⁴ se baahar hai dam⁵ shamshir ka     1.passion 2.uncontrollable 3.eagerness/desire 4.sword 5.life, breath, sharp edge, shine
The “eagerness/desire” is either the eagerness of the poet/lover to be killed at the hands of the beloved or the desire of the beloved to kill him. In either case, this desire is so intense and uncontrollable that it should be seen to be believed. It is possible that “seena-e shamshir” may be interpreted to mean the scabbard. The sword is drawn out of the scabbard and is ready. The “breath of the sword is out of its bosom”. The vision created is that of someone out of breath because they are out of control. In this case it is the sword that is too eager. The word play is that “dam” in addition to breath also means the sharp edge, shining edge of the sword.
4
aagahi¹ daam²-e shunidan³ jis qadar⁴ chaahe bichhaaye
mudd’ua⁵ anqaa⁶ hai apne aalam⁷-e taqrir⁸ ka   1.awareness, knowledge 2.net, trap 3.hearing, understanding 4.much, quantity 5.goal, intent 6.imaginary/invisible bird 7.world 8.speech
The world of speech of the poet is their verse/poetry. ‘anqa’ is a legendary bird that no one can see. Thus, Ghalib recognizes, perhaps declares it is his intention, that his verse is difficult to understand. However much to try spread the net of understanding, you will not be able to catch this bird. There is such profound meaning in what I write that it will be difficult for anyone to understand.
5
baske¹ huuN Ghalib asiri² meN bhi aatish-zer-paa³
muu⁴-e aatish-diida⁵ hai halqa⁶ meri zanjir ka     1.even though 2.bondage 3.fire under foot i.e. restless 4.hair, follicle 5.exposed to/seen fire 6.circle, link
When a hair follicle is exposed to fire it curls up into a circle like a link of a chain. Thus, even though I am in bondage, O, Ghalib, I am restless and eager to break out. Every link of the chain that binds me is but like a curled up hair follicle i.e. My frenzy is so strong that I should be able to break it and leave in spite of my bondage.
6
aatishiN-paa¹ huN gudaaz²-e vahshat³-e zindaaN⁴ na puuchh
muu⁵-e aatish-diida⁶ hai har halqa⁷ yaaN zanjir ka    1.fiery/burning feet, restlessness 2.comfort 3.frenzy, passion 4.confinement 5.hair, follicle 6.that which has seen fire, singed 7.link
This she’r has the same meaning as 5 above and is an earlier version.
7
shoKhi¹-e nairaNg² say’d³-e vahshat⁴-e taa’uus⁵ hai
daam⁶-e sabza⁷ meN hai parvaaz⁸-e chaman-tasKhir⁹ ka     1.playfulness, mischief 2.illusion, fascination 3.prey, victim 4.frenzy, passion 5.peacock 6.web, net, trap 7.vegetation 8.flight 9.garden encircling
Normally the peacock should be able to fly all around and across the garden and enjoy/display its fascinating colours. But it does not do that. It stays in the forest because it is trapped by its passion for wilderness and green vegetation. What does this imply for the poet and his audience? This is pure speculation on my part. The peacock and its colourful display are the poet and his verse. The poet is passionate about his words and the dense vegetation of the forest (his imagination and his ‘tasavvuf-mysticism’ and prefers to stay hidden there rather than display it in the comfortable environment of the garden/mushaa’era.
8
lazzat¹-e iijaad²-e naaz³ afsuun⁴-e arz⁵-e zauq⁶-e qatl⁷
n’aal⁸ aatish⁹ meN hai teGh¹⁰-e yaar¹¹ se naKhchiir¹² ka     1.pleasure 2.invention, creativity 3.coquetry 4.fascination, magical spell 5.appeal 6.desire 7.killing 8.horshoe 9.fire 10.sword 11.beloved 12.prey
The beloved invents new styles of coquetry. Each new style casts such a magical spell on the poet/lover that he appeals to die at her hands. She derives pleasure at seeing this effect of her coquetry. “n’aal dar aatish buvad” is a farsi expression that means getting impatient and restless. Looking at the beloved’s sword the prey i.e. poet/lover is eager/restless. Of course, the beloved’s sword could be alluding to her scimitar like eye lashes.
9
Khisht¹ pusht²-e dast³-e ijz⁴ o qaalib⁵ aaGhosh⁶-e vid’aa⁷
pur⁸ hua hai say’l⁹ se paimaana¹⁰ kis t’aamir¹¹ ka   1.brick 2.back 3.hand 4.helpless, giving up 5.body/structure/skeleton 6.lap, embrace 7.farewell 8.filled 9.flood 10.cup, measure 11.construction, building
Picture an arm-wrestling match when the hand that has lost, given up, is pushed down on its back. Bricks have become helpless like that. The whole body/structure/skeleton is in the embrace of farewell/death i.e. about to disintegrate. “paimaana pur hona” is an expression meaning that things have reached a limit, filled to the brim. There has been a flood and the limits of endurance of this building have been reached. Ghalib leaves his audience to guess what the building is and what the flood was. Of course, the rhetorical answer is that the flood is the overpowering wrath of the beloved and the structure that is flooded is the poet/lover. I must add that my interpretation is different from any that I have read. I prefer mine. Surprise!
10
vahshat¹-e Khwaab²-e adam³ shor⁴-e tamaasha⁵ hai asad
juz mizsha⁶ jauhar⁷ nahiN aaiina-e t’aabir⁸ ka    1.fear, terror 2.sleep 3.non-existence 4.noise, tumult 5.spectacle 6.eyelash 7.brilliance, quality 8.interpretation
Back in those days, mirrors were polished metal surfaces. Polishing left very fine hairline scratches on the surface. The measure of the quality of the mirror was the fineness of hairline scratches. This has similititude with eyelashes. Eyes themselves are likened to mirror and should reflect the reality they see. Thus, those eyelashes that are not like fine polish lines for the eyes, and those eyes are not like a good mirror, they are not eyelashes at all and the eyes are not really good or seeing/discriminating eyes. Instead of seeing reality all they see is the terror of the sleep of non-existence (fear of death) and a tumultous spectacle (drama of the material world). If they had been real seeing/discriminating eyes, with fine polish lines, then they could see reality. What is this reality? The audience is left to guess.