suKhanvari – urdu – mirza Ghalib

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

سخنوری ۔ اُردو ۔ مرزا غالبؔ

منتخب اشعار

۱

ہیں اور بھی دنیا میں سخنور بہت اچّھے
کہتے ہیں کہ غالبؔ کا ہے اندازِ بیاں اور

۲

آتے ہیں غیب سے یہ مضامیں خیال میں
غالبؔ صریرِ خامہ نوائے سروش ہے

۳

گنجئینہِ معنی کا طلسم اُس کو سمجھئے

جو لفظ کہ غالبؔ میرے اشعار میں آوے

۴

دیکھنا تقر یر کی لذّت کہ جو اُس نے کہا

میں نے یہ جانا کہ گویا یہ بھی میرے دِل میں ہے

۵

پھر دیکھئے اندازِ گل افشانیِ گفتار

رکھ دے کوئی پئیمانہِ صہبا میرے آگے

۶

آگہی دامِ شنیدن جس قدر چاہے بچھائے

مدّعا عنقہ ہے اپنے عالمِ تقریر کا

۷

نہ ستائش کی تمنا نہ صلے کی پروا

گر نہیں ہیں مرے اشعار میں معنی نہ سہی

۸

ہمارے شعر ہیں اب صرف دل لگی کے اسدؔ

کھلا کہ فائدہ عرضِ ہنر میں خاک نہیں

۹

لکھتا ہوں اسدؔ سوزشِ دِل سے سخنِ گرم

تا رکھ نہ سکے کوئی میرے حرف پر انگشت

۱۰

ادائے خاص سے غالبؔ ہوا ہے نکتہ سرا

صلائے عام ہے یارانِ نکتہ داں کے لئے

۱۱

یہ مصائلِ تصوّف یہ تیرا بیان غالبؔ

تجھے ہم ولی سمجھتے جو نہ بادا خوار ہوتا

۱۲

ذِکر اس پری وش کا اور پھر بیاں اپنا
بن گیا رقیب آخر تھا جو راز داں اپنا

۱۳

غالبِؔ خستہ کے بغیر کون سے کام بند ہیں
روئیے زار زار کیا کیجیے ہاے ہاے کیوں

सुख़नवरी – उर्दू – मिर्ज़ा ग़ालेब

मुन्तख़ब अश’आर

हैं और भी दुनिया में सुख़न-वर बहुत अच्छे
कहते हैं कि ग़ालिब का है अंदाज़-ए बयाँ और

आते हैं ग़ैब से ये मज़ामीं ख़याल में
ग़ालेब सरीर-ए ख़ामा नवा-ए सरोश है

गंजीना ए म’अनी का तिलस्म उस को समझिये

जो लफ़्ज़ के ग़ालेब मेरे अश’आर में आवे

देखना तक़्रीर की लज़्ज़त के जो उस ने कहा

मैं ने ये जाना के गोया ये भी मेरे दिल में है

फिर देखिये अंदाज़-ए गुल अफ़्शानी-ए गुफ़्तार

रख दे कोई पैमाना ए सहबा मेरे आगे

आगही दाम ए शुनीदन जिस क़दर चाहे बिछाए

मुद्दुआ अन्क़ा है अपने आलम-ए तक़रीर का

न सताएश की तमन्ना न सिले की पर्वा

गर नहीं हैं मेरे अश’आर में मा’नी न सही

हमारे शेर हैं अब सिर्फ़ दिल-लगी के असद

खुला के फ़ाएदा अर्ज़-ए हुनर में ख़ाक नहीं

लिखता हुं असद सोज़िश-ए दिल से सुख़न-ए गरम

ता रख न सके कोई मेरे हर्फ़ पर अंगुश्त

१०

अदा-ए ख़ास से ग़ालेब हुआ है नुक्ता-सरा

सला-ए आम है यारान-ए नुक्ता दां के लिए

११

ये मसा’एल ए तसव्वुफ़, ये तेरा बयान ग़ालेब

तुझे हम वली समझते, जो न बादा ख़्वार होता

१२

ज़िक्र उस परी-वश का और फिर बयाँ अपना
बन गया रक़ीब आख़र था जो राज़-दाँ अपना

१३

ग़ालेब-ए ख़स्ता के बग़ैर कौन-से काम बंद हैं
रोइये ज़ार ज़ार क्या कीजिये हाए हाए क्यूँ

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869), pre-eminent urdu poet – mysticism, romance, human nature, wit, irreverence, secular and philosophical underpinnings. 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 and their place in history. Many other selections are nazm. For Ghalib I had to collect ash’aar from different Ghazal. This is a collection of urdu ash’aar. There is a similar collection of his faarsi ash’aar translated into urdu by shahed, also posted on this site.
1
haiN aur bhi dunya meN suKhan-var1 bahut achchhe
kahte haiN ke Ghalib ka hai andaaz2-e bayaaN3 aur  
1.people of versification, poets 2.style 3.speaking, reciting, writing
There are many other very good shaa’er in this world. But they say that the Ghalib’s style is something else.

2
aate haiN Ghaib1 se ye mazaamiiN2 Khayaal meN
Ghaalib sariir3-e Khaamah4 navaa5-e sarosh6 hai   
1.unknown, beyond 2.themes 3.scraping sound 4.pen 5.sound (of flapping wings) 6.angel
These themes/thoughts come to me from the unknown beyond. O, Ghalib the sound of the scraping pen is but the flapping of the wings the angel (bringing a message from the beyond).

3
ganjiina1-e m’aani2 ka tilasm3 us ko samajhye
jo lafz ke Ghalib mere ash’ar meN aave
1.store-house, treasure 2.meaning 3.enchantment
Consider it a treasure-house of meaning. Every word that I allow to enter into my she’r, O Ghalib.

4
dekhna taqrir1 ki lazzat2 ke jo us ne kahaa
maiN ne ye jaana ke goya3 ye bhi mere dil meN hai
1.speech, spoken word 2.pleasure 3.as if, also means spoken word in farsi
Ghalib is very subtly changing his role. He is now in the audience listening to the poet (himself) and defining the pleasure of poetry from the point of view of the listener. The pleasure of the spoken word is that, that which he says, I feel as if it is already in my heart i.e. the poet speaks Truth/Beauty which touches the audience’s heart.

5
phir dekhiye andaaz1-e gul afshaani2-e guftaar3
rakh de koi paimaana4-e sahba5 mere aage
1.style 2.spreading/scattering rose petals 3.speech 4.goblet 5.wine
Let someone place a goblet of wine before me and THEN see the style of rose petal scattering speech/versification. There is an implied challenge for anyone else to do better.

6

aagahi1 daam2-e shunidan3 jis qadar chaahe bichhaye
muddua4 anqa5 hai apne aalam6-e taqrir7 ka
1.awareness, knowledge 2.net 3.listening, understanding 4.purpose, meaning 5.legendary/imaginary bird which no one has seen, whose shadow falling on someone brings good fortune to them 6.world 7.speech, spoken word
Knowledge (aagahi) is personified and has become a hunter. It is spreading its net of listening (trying to understand) to catch a bird. But the bird is an “anqa” … a legendary bird which no one has ever seen and which CANNOT be seen. Says Ghalib … Knowledge may spread its net of understanding as much as it likes. It will not be able to get the meaning of the world of my speech because my purpose is “anqa” which cannot be seen.

7
na sataa’esh1 ki tamanna2 na sile3 ki parva
gar4 nahiN haiN mere ash’aar meN m’aani na sahi   
1.praise 2.desire, wish 3.compensation, payment 4.if
Ghalib was criticized by critics and fellow poets for his difficult to understand verse, one even calling it ‘meaningless’. He replied, I do not wish/care for any praise, nor do I seek compensation. If there is no meaning in my ash’aar, then so be it.

8
hamaare she’r haiN ab sirf1 dil-lagi2 ke asad3
khula keh faayeda arz4-e hunar5 meN Khaak6 nahiN
1.only 2.trivial pleasure, joke 3.Ghalib’s name and other taKhallus 4.reciting, speaking 5.talent 6.dust, worthless, nothing
Ghalib wrote this when some senior colleagues advised him to write simpler ash’aar which people would understand. Now are our verse is meant only for trivial pleasure, O, asad. It is now apparent/open that the benefit to writing/reciting high talent verse is nothing.

9
likhta huN asad sozish-e dil se suKhan-e garam
taa rakh na sake koii mere harf par aNgusht   
1.fire 2.verse 3.so that 4.words 5.finger
I write hot/passionate words, O, asad, with the fire/passion of my heart, so that no one may be able to put their finger on/touch/criticize my words.

10
adaa-e-Khaas1 se Ghalib hua hai nukta-sara2
salaa-e-aam3 hai yaaraan4-e nukta-daaN5 ke liye   
1.special style 2.explaining fine/subtle points 3.common voice 4.friends 5.sarcastically – those who understand fine points, critics
Ghalib writes fine/subtle verse in a special style. Let others write in the common style for my friends, the critics.

11

ye masa’el1-e tasavvuf2, ye tera bayaan3 Ghalib
tujhe hum vali4 samajhte, jo na baada-Khwaar5 hota
1.puzzles, mysteries 2.mysticism, philosophy 3.sayings, pronouncements, versification 4.inspired by god, successor to prophets 5.wine drinker
These puzzles of mysticism, and your brilliant analysis, O Ghalib, we would surely have considered you a vali, had you not been a drunk.

12
zikr1 us parii-vash2 ka aur phir bayaaN apna
ban gaya raqiib3 aaKhir tha jo raaz-daaN4 apna
1.narration, description 2.angel/fairy like 3.rival 4.confidante
Ghalib has been describing the beauty of the beloved to his friend/confidante. Narration of her angelic beauty and on top of it my words. The inevitable result is that the friend/confidante himself has fallen in love with her and is now become a rival.

13
Gaalib-e Khasta1 ke baGhair kaun-se kaam band haiN
roiye zaar zaar kya kiijiye haaye haaye kyuuN  
1.broken, ineffective
The broken Ghalib is gone. Dead. The world keeps going as if nothing has changed. Why wail and cry, why beat your head.

asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869), pre-eminent urdu poet – mysticism, romance, human nature, wit, irreverence, secular and philosophical underpinnings.  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 and their place in history.  Many other selections are nazm.  For Ghalib I had to collect ash’aar from different Ghazal.  This is a collection of urdu ash’aar.  There is a similar collection of his faarsi ash’aar translated into urdu by shahed, also posted on this site.
1
haiN aur bhi dunya meN suKhan-var1 bahut achchhe
kahte haiN ke Ghalib ka hai andaaz2-e bayaaN3 aur

1.people of versification, poets 2.style 3.speaking, reciting, writing

There are many other very good shaa’er in this world.  But they say that the Ghalib’s style is something else.
2
aate haiN Ghaib1 se ye mazaamiiN2 Khayaal meN
Ghaalib sariir3-e Khaamah4 navaa5-e sarosh6 hai

1.unknown, beyond 2.themes 3.scraping sound 4.pen 5.sound (of flapping wings) 6.angel

These themes/thoughts come to me from the unknown beyond.  O, Ghalib the sound of the scraping pen is but the flapping of the wings the angel (bringing a message from the beyond).
3
ganjiina1-e m’aani2 ka tilasm3 us ko samajhye
jo lafz ke Ghalib mere ash’aar meN aave

1.store-house, treasure 2.meaning 3.enchantment

Consider it a treasure-house of meaning.  Every word that I allow to enter into my she’r, O Ghalib.
4
dekhna taqrir1 ki lazzat2 ke jo us ne kahaa
maiN ne ye jaana ke goya3 ye bhi mere dil meN hai

1.speech, spoken word 2.pleasure 3.as if, also means spoken word in farsi

Ghalib is very subtly changing his role.  He is now in the audience listening to the poet (himself) and defining the pleasure of poetry from the point of view of the listener.  The pleasure of the spoken word is that, that which he says, I feel as if it is already in my heart i.e. the poet speaks Truth/Beauty which touches the audience’s heart.
5
phir dekhiye andaaz1-e gul afshaani2-e guftaar3
rakh de koi paimaana4-e sahba5 mere aage

1.style 2.spreading/scattering rose petals 3.speech 4.goblet 5.wine

Let someone place a goblet of wine before me and THEN see the style of rose petal scattering speech/versification.  There is an implied challenge for anyone else to do better.
6

aagahi1 daam2-e shunidan3 jis qadar chaahe bichhaaye
muddua4 anqa5 hai apne aalam6-e taqrir7 ka

1.awareness, knowledge 2.net 3.listening, understanding 4.purpose, meaning 5.legendary/imaginary bird which no one has seen, whose shadow falling on someone brings good fortune to them 6.world 7.speech, spoken word

Knowledge (aagahi) is personified and has become a hunter.  It is spreading its net of listening (trying to understand) to catch a bird.  But the bird is an “anqa” … a legendary bird which no one has ever seen and which CANNOT be seen.  Says Ghalib … Knowledge may spread its net of understanding as much as it likes.  It will not be able to get the meaning of the world of my speech because my purpose is “anqa” which cannot be seen.
7
na sataa’esh1 ki tamanna2 na sile3 ki parva
gar4 nahiN haiN mere ash’aar meN m’aani na sahi

1.praise 2.desire, wish 3.compensation, payment 4.if

Ghalib was criticized by critics and fellow poets for his difficult to understand verse, one even calling it ‘meaningless’.  He replied, I do not wish/care for any praise, nor do I seek compensation.  If there is no meaning in my ash’aar, then so be it.
8
hamaare she’r haiN ab sirf1 dil-lagi2 ke asad3   
khula keh faayeda arz4-e hunar5 meN Khaak6 nahiN

1.only 2.trivial pleasure, joke 3.Ghalib’s name and other taKhallus 4.reciting, speaking 5.talent 6.dust, worthless, nothing

Ghalib wrote this when some senior colleagues advised him to write simpler ash’aar which people would understand.  Now are our verse is meant only for trivial pleasure, O, asad.  It is now apparent/open that the benefit to writing/reciting high talent verse is nothing.
9
likhta huN asad sozish-e dil se suKhan-e garam
taa rakh na sake koii mere harf par aNgusht

1.fire 2.verse 3.so that 4.words 5.finger

I write hot/passionate words, O, asad, with the fire/passion of my heart, so that no one may be able to put their finger on/touch/criticize my words.
10
adaa-e-Khaas1 se Ghalib hua hai nukta-sara2
salaa-e-aam3 hai yaaraan4-e nukta-daaN5 ke liye

1.special style 2.explaining fine/subtle points 3.common voice 4.friends 5.sarcastically – those who understand fine points, critics

Ghalib writes fine/subtle verse in a special style.  Let others write in the common style for my friends, the critics.
11
ye masa’el1-e tasavvuf2, ye tera bayaan3 Ghalib
tujhe hum vali4 samajhte, jo na baada-Khwaar5 hota

1.puzzles, mysteries 2.mysticism, philosophy 3.sayings, pronouncements, versification 4.inspired by god, successor to prophets 5.wine drinker

These puzzles of mysticism, and your brilliant analysis, O Ghalib, we would surely have considered you a vali, had you not been a drunk.
12

zikr1 us parii-vash2 ka aur phir bayaaN apna
ban gaya raqiib3 aaKhir tha jo raaz-daaN4 apna

 

1.narration, description 2.angel/fairy like 3.rival 4.confidante

Ghalib has been describing the beauty of the beloved to his friend/confidante.  Narration of her angelic beauty and on top of it my words.  The inevitable result is that the friend/confidante himself has fallen in love with her and is now become a rival.

13

Gaalib-e Khasta1 ke baGhair kaun-se kaam band haiN
roiye zaar zaar kya kiijiye haaye haaye kyuuN

1.broken, ineffective

The broken Ghalib is gone.  Dead.  The world keeps going as if nothing has changed.  Why wail and cry, why beat your head.

2 comments:

  1. While I think your efforts are very admirable to keep Urdu Alive,you will need to select poetry which is easily understood by many others who are not as advanced in their Urdu knowledge
    I agree while it is not easy to understand Farsi language as is mostly used by Ghalib he nevertheless has also complied Poetry which the main stream people can understand.

    Syed Ali

    1. Janab: I hope you have seen the tab marked “English” or “Notes”. There not only word meanings but an explanatory discussion of ash’aar is included. Please let me know if that helps in understanding difficult selections.

Comments are closed.