For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
صبح آزادی ۔ پنڈت آنند نرائن مُلّا
۱
شبِ مردہ کی لیے لاش حسیں شانوں پر
کُنکُنا جس کا ابھی تک ہے بدن
رقص کرتا ہوا آتا ہے نیا طفلکِ صبح
صبح آزادیِ زندانِ وطن
۲
لڑکھڑاتے ہوئے اِس بارِ گراں کے نیچے
بہکے بہکے ابھی پڑتے ہیں قدم
پھر بھی اک خُلدِ نظر، جنّتِ کیف
مستیِ رقص سے ہر عضوِ حسیں نشہ میں چور
۳
تن پہ زرتار سہ رنگی پوشاک
زعفراں، سبز و سفید
جو سرکتی ہے ہر اک جنبش پا سے کچھ اور
نگہِ گرم تمنّا کے لیے ایک مہمیز
۴
اور اندر سے فروزاں وہ دہکتا ہوا جسم
جیسے فانوس میں اک شعلۂ لرزاں کی تڑپ
رفتہ رفتہ جو اُبھرتا ہی چلا آتا ہے
گُلِ نورس کوئی جیسے چمنستاں میں کھِلے
۵
شوخ، طرّار، جواں گام، سبک رو، مغرور
دلربائی پہ جسے اپنی بھروسہ پورا
لب پہ ہلکی سی وہ اک موجِ تبسُّم غلطاں
جس میں انگڑائیاں لیتا ہے امیدوں کا شباب
اور مچلتے ہوئے ارماں بے تاب
۶
اس کی نظروں میں ہے اک خوابِ حیات
اُس کی ہر جنبشِ پا ہے کہ ہے مضرابِ حیات
جس سے دیتا ہے گزرتے ہوئے انفاس پہ تال
۷
گرم رو، برق خرام
موج صرصر میں اُڑاتی ہوئی پرچم اک لَو
اور تیزی سے بجاتا ہوا اپنے گھنگرو
جس کے ہر بول کی گونجی ہوئی آواز میں ہے
قلبِ ہستی کے دھڑکنے کی صدا
۸
شوق کی زندہ و تابندہ شبیہ
خوابِ ارماں کی سنہری تعبیر
لمحۂ حاصلِ زیست
جس کے سینے میں نہاں ایک نشاطِ ابدی
सुब’ह-ए आज़ादी – पंडित आनंद नरायण मुल्ला
१
शब-ए मुर्दा की लिए लाश हसीं शानों पर
कुनकुना जिस का अभी तक है बदन
रक़्स करता हुआ आता है नया तिफ़्लक-ए सुब’ह
सुब’ह-ए आज़ादी-ए ज़िन्दान-ए वतन
२
लढखढाते हुए इस बार-ए गिरां के नीचे
बहके बहके अभी पढते हैं क़दम
फिर भी एक ख़ुल्द-ए नज़र, जन्नत-ए कैफ़
मस्ती-ए रक़्स से हर उज़्व-ए हसीं नशा में चूर
३
तन पे ज़रतार सह-रंगी पोशाक
ज़ाफ़्रां, सब्ज़ ओ सफ़ेद
जो सरकती है हर एक जुंबिश-ए पा से कुछ और
निग’ह-ए गर्म तमन्ना के लिए एक महमेज़
४
और अंदर से फ़रोज़ां वो दहकता हुआ जिस्म
जैसे फ़ानूस में एक शोला-ए लर्ज़ां की तढप
रफ़्ता रफ़्ता जो उभरता ही चला आता है
गुल-ए नौरस कोई जैसे चमनिस्तां में खिले
५
शूख़, तर्रार, जवां-गाम, सबुक-रौ, मग़्रूर
दिलरुबाई पे जिसे अपनी भरोसा पूरा
लब पे हल्की सी वो एक मौज-ए तबस्सुम ग़ल्तां
जिस में अंगढाइयाँ लेता है उमीदों का शबाब
और मचलते हुए अर्मां बे-ताब
६
उस की नज़रों में है एक ख़्वाब-ए हयात
उस की हर जुंबिश-ए पा है के है मिज़्राब-ए हयात
जिस से देता है गुज़रते हुए अन्फ़ास पे ताल
७
गर्म-रौ, बर्क़-ख़िराम
मौज-ए सरसर में उढाती हुई परचम एक लौ
और तेज़ी से बजाता हुआ अपने घुंघरू
जिस के हर बोल की गूंजी हुई आवाज़ में है
क़ल्ब-ए हस्ती के धढकने की सदा
८
शौक़ की ज़िंदा ओ ताबिंदा शबीह
ख़्वाब-ए अर्मां की सुनहरी ताबीर
लम्हा-ए हासिल-ए ज़ीस्त
जिस के सीने में नेहां एक निशात-ए अबदी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. MA English Literature. Learnt urdu and faarsi at home. First venture into poetry translation of parts of iqbal’s ‘payaam-e mashriq’ into English. First urdu nazm published 1925. Ardent urdu lover as a language of the people. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. This nazm is linked to others under Independence-Partition on the Theme Index page.
1
shab1-e murda ki liye laash2 hasiiN3 shanoN4 par
kunkuna5 jis ka abhi tak hai badan6
raqs7 karta hua aata hai naya tiflak8-e sub’h
sub’h-e aazaadi-e zindaan9-e vatan 1.night 2.corpse 3.beautiful 4.shoulders 5.luke warm 6.body 7.dancing 8.infant, toddler 9.prison
Carrying the corpse of the dead night (colonialism) on its beautiful shoulders; the just dead corpse, still warm; the new infant of the morn arrives dancing; the dawn of deliverance of the homeland from the prison of foreign rule.
2
laRkhaRaate1 hue iss baar2-e giraaN3 ke niiche
bahke-bahke4 abhi paRte haiN qadam
phir bhi ek Khuld5-e nazar6, jannat-e kaif7
masti-e raqs8 se har juzv9-e hasiiN10 nashshe meN chuur 1.stumbling 2.burden 3.heavy 4.staggering 5.heaven 6.sight 7.pleasure, intoxication 8.dance 9.limb, part 10.beautiful
The infant dawn of independence is coming … stumbling under its heavy burden; a stagger in its gait/wait; but still a heaven to behold, a heaven of inebriation and pleasure. Every sculpted limb beautiful in the intoxication of its dance; drunk with joy.
3
tan pe zartaar1 seh-raNgi2 poshaak3
zaafraaN4, sabz5 o safed
jo sarakti6 hai har ek jumbish7-e paa8 se kuchh aur
nig’h-e garm-e tamanna9 ke liye ek mahmez10 1.golden thread 2.tri-colour 3.garment 4.saffron 5.green 6.slipping off 7.movement 8.step 9.desire, love 10.spur
The ‘infant’ is now portrayed as a young maiden using romantic imagery, with her garment slipping off. The body draped in a tri-coloured garment saffron, green and white, sewn with a golden thread; slipping off at every step, spurring on the eager gaze of love.
4
aur andar se farozaaN1 voh dahakta2 hua jism3
jaise fanoos4 meN ek sho’la5-e larzaaN6 ki taRap
rafta-rafta7 jo ubharta8 hi chala aata hai
gul-e-nauras9 koi jaise chamanistaaN meN khile 1.shining, bright 2.glowing 3.body 4.candelabra, glass shade 5.flame 6.trembling, fluttering 7.slowly 8.emerge, rise 9.newly blossomed rose
And from behind the tri-coloured garment a shining, glowing body, like a fluttering flame in a candelabra; slowly approaching; emerging into sight like a newly blossomed rose in the garden.
5
shoKh1, tarraar2, jawaaN-gaam3, subuk-rau4, maGhroor5
dilrubaaii6 pe jise apni bharosa7 poora
lab8 pe halki si voh ek mauj-e-tabassum9 GhaltaaN10
jis meN aNgRaaiyaaN11 leta hai umeedoN12 ka shabaab13
aur machalte hue armaaN14 betaab15 1.playful, mischievous 2.sharp 3.youthful step 4.fast paced 5.proud 6.heart-winning, alluring 7.confidence 8.lips 9.fleeting smile 10.immersed 11.stretching, waking up 12.hopes 13.youth, vigour 14.desires 15.impatient
By now the infant dawn has blossomed into a youthful maiden. Playful, sharp, youthful, fast paced and proud, fully confident of her alluring beauty; her lips painted with fleeting smiles in which awaken hopes/dreams of vigour and restless desires eager to breakout.
6
uss ki nazroN1 meN hai ek Khwaab2-e hayaat3
uss ki har jumbish4-e paa5 hai keh hai mizraab6-e hayaat
jis se deta hai guzarte7 hue anfaas8 pe taal9 1.eyes 2.dream, vision 3.life 4.movement 5.step 6.musical pluck 7.passing 8.breaths, moments 9.rhythmic beat
In her eyes she carries a vision of life. Every movement of her feet plucks the strings of life with which she lends a rhythmic beat to every passing moment.
7
garm-rau1, barq-Khiraam2
mauj-e-sarsar3 meN uRaati hui parcham4 ek lau5
aur tezi se bajaata hua apne ghunghru
jis ke har bol ki goonji hui aavaaz meN hai
qalb6-e hasti7 ke dhaRakne ki sada8 1.energetic step 2.lightning gait 3.gust of wind 4.flag 5.flame also means expectation, ardent desire as in lau lagaana 6.heart 7.life, existence 8.sound
The youthful damsel of freedom moves with an energetic step, with the gait/style of lightning; waving a banner of hope and desire in the gusty wind; her ankle bells tinkling to her fast pace; in whose echoes are the sounds of the beating heart of life.
8
shauq1 ki zinda o taabinda2 shabiih3
Khwaab-e armaaN4 ki sunahri5 taabiir6
lamha7-e haasil8-e ziist9
jis ke siine meN nehaaN10 aek nishaat11-e abadi12 1.desire, love 2.shining 3.image 4.longing, desire 5.golden 6.fulfillment 7.moment 8.result, yield 9.life, existence 10.hidden 11.pleasure, happiness 12.eternal
The youthful damsel of freedom represents the living and shining image of desires, the rich fulfillment of dreams, the moment of the full realization of life in whose bosom is hidden an eternal bliss. (Editorial comment … the dream has turned into a nightmare).
panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thoughtprovoking shaa’er. MA English Literature. Learnt urdu and faarsi at home. First venture into poetry translation of parts of iqbal’s ‘payaam-e mashriq’ into English. First urdu nazm published 1925. Ardent urdu lover as a language of the people. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. This nazm is linked to others under Independence-Partition on the Theme Index page.
1
shab1-e murda ki liye laash2 hasiiN3 shanoN4 par
kunkuna5 jis ka abhi tak hai badan6
raqs7 karta hua aata hai naya tiflak8-e sub’h
sub’h-e aazaadi-e zindaan9-e vatan
1.night 2.corpse 3.beautiful 4.shoulders 5.luke warm 6.body 7.dancing 8.infant, toddler 9.prison
Carrying the corpse of the dead night (colonialism) on its beautiful shoulders; the just dead corpse, still warm; the new infant of the morn arrives dancing; the dawn of deliverance of the homeland from the prison of foreign rule.
2
laRkhaRaate1 hue iss baar2-e giraaN3 ke niiche
bahke-bahke4 abhi paRte haiN qadam
phir bhi ek Khuld5-e nazar6, jannat-e kaif7
masti-e raqs8 se har juzv9-e hasiiN10 nashshe meN chuur
1.stumbling 2.burden 3.heavy 4.staggering 5.heaven 6.sight 7.pleasure, intoxication 8.dance 9.limb, part 10.beautiful
The infant dawn of independence is coming … stumbling under its heavy burden; a stagger in its gait/wait; but still a heaven to behold, a heaven of inebriation and pleasure. Every sculpted limb beautiful in the intoxication of its dance; drunk with joy.
3
tan pe zartaar1 seh-raNgi2 poshaak3
zaafraaN4, sabz5 o safed
jo sarakti6 hai har ek jumbish7-e paa8 se kuchh aur
nig’h-e garm-e tamanna9 ke liye ek mahmez10
1.golden thread 2.tri-colour 3.garment 4.saffron 5.green 6.slipping off 7.movement 8.step 9.desire, love 10.spur
The ‘infant’ is now portrayed as a young maiden using romantic imagery, with her garment slipping off. The body draped in a tri-coloured garment saffron, green and white, sewn with a golden thread; slipping off at every step, spurring on the eager gaze of love.
4
aur andar se farozaaN1 voh dahakta2 hua jism3
jaise fanoos4 meN ek sho’la5-e larzaaN6 ki taRap
rafta-rafta7 jo ubharta8 hi chala aata hai
gul-e-nauras9 koi jaise chamanistaaN meN khile
1.shining, bright 2.glowing 3.body 4.candelabra, glass shade 5.flame 6.trembling, fluttering 7.slowly 8.emerge, rise 9.newly blossomed rose
And from behind the tri-coloured garment a shining, glowing body, like a fluttering flame in a candelabra; slowly approaching; emerging into sight like a newly blossomed rose in the garden.
5
shoKh1, tarraar2, jawaaN-gaam3, subuk-rau4, maGhroor5
dilrubaaii6 pe jise apni bharosa7 poora
lab8 pe halki si voh ek mauj-e-tabassum9 GhaltaaN10
jis meN aNgRaaiyaaN11 leta hai umeedoN12 ka shabaab13
aur machalte hue armaaN14 betaab15
1.playful, mischievous 2.sharp 3.youthful step 4.fast paced 5.proud 6.heart-winning, alluring 7.confidence 8.lips 9.fleeting smile 10.immersed 11.stretching, waking up 12.hopes 13.youth, vigour 14.desires 15.impatient
By now the infant dawn has blossomed into a youthful maiden. Playful, sharp, youthful, fast paced and proud, fully confident of her alluring beauty; her lips painted with fleeting smiles in which awaken hopes/dreams of vigour and restless desires eager to breakout.
6
uss ki nazroN1 meN hai ek Khwaab2-e hayaat3
uss ki har jumbish4-e paa5 hai keh hai mizraab6-e hayaat
jis se deta hai guzarte7 hue anfaas8 pe taal9
1.eyes 2.dream, vision 3.life 4.movement 5.step 6.musical pluck 7.passing 8.breaths, moments 9.rhythmic beat
In her eyes she carries a vision of life. Every movement of her feet plucks the strings of life with which she lends a rhythmic beat to every passing moment.
7
garm-rau1, barq-Khiraam2
mauj-e-sarsar3 meN uRaati hui parcham4 ek lau5
aur tezi se bajaata hua apne ghunghru
jis ke har bol ki goonji hui aavaaz meN hai
qalb6-e hasti7 ke dhaRakne ki sada8
1.energetic step 2.lightning gait 3.gust of wind 4.flag 5.flame also means expectation, ardent desire as in lau lagaana 6.heart 7.life, existence 8.sound
The youthful damsel of freedom moves with an energetic step, with the gait/style of lightning; waving a banner of hope and desire in the gusty wind; her ankle bells tinkling to her fast pace; in whose echoes are the sounds of the beating heart of life.
8
shauq1 ki zinda o taabinda2 shabiih3
Khwaab-e armaaN4 ki sunahri5 taabiir6
lamha7-e haasil8-e ziist9
jis ke siine meN nehaaN10 aek nishaat11-e abadi12
1.desire, love 2.shining 3.image 4.longing, desire 5.golden 6.fulfillment 7.moment 8.result, yield 9.life, existence 10.hidden 11.pleasure, happiness 12.eternal
The youthful damsel of freedom represents the living and shining image of desires, the rich fulfillment of dreams, the moment of the full realization of life in whose bosom is hidden an eternal bliss. (Editorial comment … the dream has turned into a nightmare).
