For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the “Roman” or “Notes” tab.
Recitation
تجلّی کی سحر ہو کر ۔ اسرار الحق مجازؔ
۱
یونہی بیٹھے رہو بس دردِ دل سے بے خبر ہو کر
بنو کیوں چارہ گر تم کیا کروگے چارہ گر ہو کر
۲
دکھا دے ایک دن اے حسنِ رنگیں جلوہ گر ہو کر
وہ نظارہ جو اِن آنکھوں میں رہ جائے نظر ہو کر
۳
دلِ سوز آشنا کے جلوے تھے جو منتشر ہو کر
فضائے دہر میں چمکا کئے برق و شرر ہو کر
۴
وہی جلوے جو اک دن دامن دل سے گریزاں تھے
نظر میں رہ گئے گل ہائے دامانِ نظر ہو کر
۵
فلک کی سمت کس حسرت سے تکتے ہیں معاذ اللہ
یہ نالے نارسا ہو کر یہ آہیں بے اثر ہو کر
۶
یہ کس کے حسن کے رنگین جلوے چھائے جاتے ہیں
شفق کی سرخیاں بن کر تجلّی کی سحر ہو کر
तजल्ली की सहर हो कर – अस्रार-उल-हक़ मजाज़
१
यूँही बैठे रहो बस दर्द-ए दिल से बे-ख़बर हो कर
बनो क्यूँ चारागर तुम क्या करोगे चारागर हो कर
२
दिखा दे एक दिन अए हुस्न-ए रंगीं जल्वा-गर हो कर
वो नज़्ज़ारा जो इन आँखों में रह जाए नज़र हो कर
३
दिल-ए सोज़-आश्ना के जल्वे थे जो मुंतशर हो कर
फ़ज़ा-ए दहर में चमका किए बर्क़ ओ शरर हो कर
४
वही जल्वे जो एक दिन दामन-ए दिल से गुरेज़ाँ थे
नज़र में रह गए गुल-हा-ए दामान-ए नज़र हो कर
५
फ़लक की सम्त किस हस्रत से तकते हैं म’आज़-अल्लाह
ये नाले ना-रसा हो कर ये आहें बे-असर हो कर
६
ये किस के हुस्न के रंगीन जल्वे छाए जाते हैं
शफ़क़ की सुर्ख़ियाँ बन कर तजल्ली की सहर हो कर
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. asrar-ul haq majaz (1911-1955) was progressive as well as romantic poet, a heartthrob. He received his BA from aligaRh after interruptions in earlier schooling. He developed close relationships with progressives and was a major force in the Progressive Writers’ Association. He lived in aligaRh, dehli and lucknow working for radio stations, editing magazines on and off but with no steady income. He met with a rather tragic end at the young age of 44. This Ghazal is a celebration of the arrival of the dawn of social justice.
1
yuNhi baiThe raho bas dard-e dil se be-Khabar1 ho kar
bano kyuN chaaragar2 tum kya karoge chaaragar2 ho kar 1.unaware, oblivious 2.healer
This is addressed in sarcasm and bitterness to the ruling class. Sit comfortably, oblivious to the pain (of the masses). Why would you become a healer (you are comfortable in your own lifestyle), what would you do by becoming a healer.
2
dikha de ek din aye husn1-e raNgiiN2 jalva-gar3 ho kar
vo nazzara4 jo in aaNkhoN meN rah jaa’e nazar5 ho kar 1.beauty 2.colourful 3.manifest 4.sight, scene 5.vision
Here ‘husn-e raNgiiN-colourful beauty’ is the beauty of the socialist order. The poet/progressive is calling upon this beauty to manifest itself one of these days. Show us the sight that will remain in our eyes like a vision/dream (of justice).
3
dil-e soz1-ashna2 ke jalve3 the jo muntashir4 ho kar
faza5-e dahr6 meN chamka kiye barq7 o sharar8 ho kar 1.fire, pain 2.familiar with 3.images, visions, dreams 4.scattered, distributed 5.atmosphere, ambience 6.world 7.lightning 8.spark
The heart (of the oppressed masses) had visions of justice. But these visions were scattered and isolated, shining now and then in this world like lightning flash here and a spark there.
4
vahi jalve1 jo ek din daaman2-e dil se gurezaaN3 the
nazar4 meN rah ga’e gul-haa5-e daamaan-e-nazar6 ho kar 1.images, visions 2.hem of the robe, possession, domain 3.running away 4.sight 5.roses 6.domain of visions/dreams
The same visions (hopes) that had escaped the domain of the heart, came back into sight like roses in the domain of vision (instead of being scattered here and there like momentary flashes and sparks) i.e., a coherent vision of the future developed.
5
falak1 ki samt2 kis hasrat3 se takte4 haiN m’aaz-allah5
ye naale6 na-rasa7 ho kar ye aahen8 be-asar9 ho kar 1.skies, heaven 2.towards 3.longing, hope 4.stare, gaze 5.god save us 6.wailing 7.unable to reach 8.sighs 9.ineffective
The oppressed masses (god help them) gaze towards the heavens, with wails and sighs that are ineffective and unable to reach there.
6
ye kis ke husn1 ke raNgiin2 jalve3 chhaa’e jaate haiN
shafaq4 ki surKkiyaaN5 ban kar tajalli6 ki sahar7 ho kar 1.beauty 2.colourful 3.images 4.horizon 5.redness 6.brilliance 7.dawn
In progressive urdu poetry, redness of the horizon and the dawn of brilliance are all metaphors for the coming of socialism. Whose images of colourful beauty are these that are spread all over us like the redness of the horizon and the dawn of brilliance.
asrar-ul haq majaz (1911-1955) was progressive as well as romantic poet, a heartthrob. He received his BA from aligaRh after interruptions in earlier schooling. He developed close relationships with progressives and was a major force in the Progressive Writers’ Association. He lived in aligaRh, dehli and lucknow working for radio stations, editing magazines on and off but with no steady income. He met with a rather tragic end at the young age of 44. This Ghazal is a celebration of the arrival of the dawn of social justice.
1
yuNhi baiThe raho bas dard-e dil se be-Khabar1 ho kar
bano kyuN chaaragar2 tum kya karoge chaaragar2 ho kar
1.unaware, oblivious 2.healer
This is addressed in sarcasm and bitterness to the ruling class. Sit comfortably, oblivious to the pain (of the masses). Why would you become a healer (you are comfortable in your own lifestyle), what would you do by becoming a healer.
2
dikha de ek din aye husn1-e raNgiiN2 jalva-gar3 ho kar
vo nazzara4 jo in aaNkhoN meN rah jaa’e nazar5 ho kar
1.beauty 2.colourful 3.manifest 4.sight, scene 5.vision
Here ‘husn-e raNgiiN-colourful beauty’ is the beauty of the socialist order. The poet/progressive is calling upon this beauty to manifest itself one of these days. Show us the sight that will remain in our eyes like a vision/dream (of justice).
3
dil-e soz1-ashna2 ke jalve3 the jo muntashir4 ho kar
faza5-e dahr6 meN chamka kiye barq7 o sharar8 ho kar
1.fire, pain 2.familiar with 3.images, visions, dreams 4.scattered, distributed 5.atmosphere, ambience 6.world 7.lightning 8.spark
The heart (of the oppressed masses) had visions of justice. But these visions were scattered and isolated, shining now and then in this world like lightning flash here and a spark there.
4
vahi jalve1 jo ek din daaman2-e dil se gurezaaN3 the
nazar4 meN rah ga’e gul-haa5-e daamaan-e-nazar6 ho kar
1.images, visions 2.hem of the robe, possession, domain 3.running away 4.sight 5.roses 6.domain of visions/dreams
The same visions (hopes) that had escaped the domain of the heart, came back into sight like roses in the domain of vision (instead of being scattered here and there like momentary flashes and sparks) i.e., a coherent vision of the future developed.
5
falak1 ki samt2 kis hasrat3 se takte4 haiN m’aaz-allah5
ye naale6 na-rasa7 ho kar ye aahen8 be-asar9 ho kar
1.skies, heaven 2.towards 3.longing, hope 4.stare, gaze 5.god save us 6.wailing 7.unable to reach 8.sighs 9.ineffective
The oppressed masses (god help them) gaze towards the heavens, with wails and sighs that are ineffective and unable to reach there.
6
ye kis ke husn1 ke raNgiin2 jalve3 chhaa’e jaate haiN
shafaq4 ki surKkiyaaN5 ban kar tajalli6 ki sahar7 ho kar
1.beauty 2.colourful 3.images 4.horizon 5.redness 6.brilliance 7.dawn
In progressive urdu poetry, redness of the horizon and the dawn of brilliance are all metaphors for the coming of socialism. Whose images of colourful beauty are these that are spread all over us like the redness of the horizon and the dawn of brilliance.
