tark-e aaiin-e mohabbat hi sahi-jamna parshad raahi

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

ترکِ آئینِ محبّت ہی سہی ۔ جمنا پرشاد راہیؔ

۱

ترکِ آئینِ محبّت ہی سہی

بدظنی ہے تو عداوت ہی سہی

۲

اُس کا ارماں میری وحشت ہی سہی

آرزو باعثِ حسرت ہی سہی

۳

آیتِ دل کا خُلاصہ کیجے

مسلکِ عشق میں بدعت ہی سہی

۴

آنکھ زخموں کی زباں بولتی ہے

مسکرانا تری عادت ہی سہی

۵

ہجر بیگانۂ رسوائی تھا

وصل ہم معنیٔ راحت ہی سہی

۶

کوئی بے پر کی اُڑا دے واعظ

تیرا فتویٰ میری شہرت ہی سہی

۷

بیٹھئیے قرب سے اُٹھئیے نہ جناب

اِک ذرا دیر کی زحمت ہی سہی

۸

اُس کا شیوہ جو نہیں وضعِ وفا

عشق باوضعِ عداوت ہی سہی

۹

زندگی کس کو گراں ہوتی ہے

ہر نفس باعثِ زحمت ہی سہی

۱۰

ہم بھی اعلانِ جفا کرتے ہیں

زندگی تجھ سے بغاوت ہی سہی

۱۱

کچھ تو اِلزام مرے سر رکھئیے

کم سے کم عشق کی تہمت ہی سہی

तर्क-ए आईन-ए मोहब्बत हि सही – जम्ना परशाद राही

तर्क-ए आईन-ए मोहब्बत हि सही

बद-ज़नी है तो अदावत हि सही

उस का अर्मां मेरी वहशत हि सही

आर्ज़ू बा’अस-ए हस्रत हि सही

आ’एत-ए दिल का ख़ुलासा कीजे

मस्लक-ए इश्क़ में बिद’अत हि सही

आंख ज़ख़्मौं कि ज़बां बोलती है

मुस्कुराना तेरी आदत हि सही

हिज्र बेगाना-ए रुस्वाई था

वस्ल हम-मानी-ए राहत हि सही

कोई बे-पर कि उढा दे वा’एज़

तेरा फ़त्वा मेरी शोहरत हि सही

बैठिये क़ुर्ब से उठिये न जनाब

एक ज़रा देर कि ज़हमत हि सही

उस का शेवा जो नहीं वज़’अ वफ़ा

इश्क़ बा-वज़’अ अदावत हि सही

ज़िंदगी किस को गिरां होती है

हर नफ़स बा’अस-ए ज़हमत हि सही

१०

हम भी एलान-ए जफ़ा करते हैं

ज़िंदगी तुझ से बग़ावत हि सही

११

कुछ तो इल्ज़ाम मेरे सर रखिये

कम से कम इश्क़ की तोहमत हि सही

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jamna parshad raahi (1940-2017), aligaRh. Sahitya Akademi, UP, awardee. President, Progressive Writers’ Association. He specialized in composing in the style of Ghalib and traced his literary lineage to daaGh dehlavi, though not a shaagird of Ghalib, was deeply influenced by him. He has a 200+ page book of Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib called, ‘baazgasht-e Ghalib’. This Ghazal is in the style of Ghalib’s ‘ishq mujh ko nahiN, vahshat hi sahi’.
1
tark1-e aaiin2-e mohabbat hi sahi
bad-zani3 hai to adaavat4 hi sahi    
1.to give up, stop 2.traditions, rules 3.ill-feeling, suspicion 4.enmity, anger
The conventions of love require the poet/lover to be forever faithful to the beloved and the beloved in turn may offer a carrot here and there and keep him dangling. She makes not commitment, but also does not harbour ill-feelings towards him. Apparently, in this case she has crossed that line and the poet/lover suggests that now that you have done this, why not go all the way. If you have abandoned the traditions of love and have ill-feelings towards me, go ahead treat me like an enemy.

2
us ka armaaN1 meri vahshat2 hi sahi
aarzu3 baa’as4-e hasrat5 hi sahi   
1.longing 2.madness/passion bordering on lust 3.desire 4.basis, cause of 5.intense grief
Longing for her maybe my mad/passion. This desire may be the cause of my grief. The implication is that he is willing to suffer madness and grief, but he will continue to long for her.

3
aayat1-e dil ka Khulaasa2 kiije
maslak3-e ishq meN bid’at4 hi sahi   
1.sign, clue, hint 2.gist, explanation 3.way, method, procedure 4.disallowed
The path/way/traditions of love dictate that the beloved speak only in ambiguous signs, many times keeping the poet/lover guessing. But now he is demanding that she explain these hints clearly, even if the traditional path of love does not allow it.

4
aaNkh zaKhmoN1 ki zabaaN bolti hai
muskuraana2 teri aadat3 hi sahi   
1.wounds, pain 2.smile 3.habit
The poetic tradition is that poet/lover suffers, and the beloved is openly or secretly happy to see the effect of her beauty and coquetry. Thus, the eyes of the poet speak the language of pain i.e., they shed tears, even if the beloved’s habit be to laugh at his wailing. Alternatively, it is the beloved’s eyes that are speaking and the language they speak is the language of inflicting (not suffering) pain. She inflicts this pain even as she smiles.

5
hijr1 begaana2-e rusvaaii3 tha
vasl4 ham-m’aani5-e raahat6 hi sahi   
1.separation 2.unfamiliar with, stranger 3.humiliation 4.union (with the beloved) 5.same meaning 6.comfort, pleasure
Union with the beloved is the same as happiness, in fact, it is the definition of happiness. Even though it may be so, by a strange twist of logic, the poet/lover states that hijr/separation may be preferable. This is because union is subject to humiliation. She can throw him out and he will be insulted. On the other hand, hijr/separation is totally unfamiliar with this kind of humiliation. It already is in pain and already separated/thrown out and in no danger of being thrown out.

6
koii be-par1 ki uRa de vaa’ez2
tera fatwa3 meri shohrat4 hi sahi   
1.wingless, that which cannot fly, words that have no credibility, nonsense 2.preacher 3.edict 4.fame
The preacher is going to make baseless allegations and pronounce judgement/issue an edict against the poet/lover. This will have no credibility and only end up making the poet/lover famous. Thus, he challenges the preacher – go ahead and speak your nonsense.

7
baiThiye qurb1 se uThiye na janaab2
ek zara der ki zahmat3 hi sahi   
1.nearness, intimacy 2.honorific addressed in this case to the beloved 3.inconvenience
Be near me, do not get up/get away even if you have to bear this inconvenience for a while.

8
us ka sheva1 jo nahiN vaz’a2 vafa3
ishq ba-vaz’a4 adaavat5 hi sahi   
1.nature, character 2.ways of, style 3.fidelity 4.by way of, in the style of 5.enmity, anger
It is the nature/character of the beloved not to be faithful, but to keep a long line of admirers. The poet/lover seems to understand and accept that. If fidelity is not your nature, at least show your love in the style of anger i.e., her anger shows that she cares.

9
zindagi kis ko giraaN1 hoti hai
har nafas2 baa’as3-e zahmat4 hi sahi   
1.heavy, unpleasant 2.breath 3.basis, cause 4.inconvenience, pain
Every breath may be the cause of pain, but it still does not make life an unpleasant burden i.e., everyone wants to continue to live.

10
hum bhi e’laan1-e jafa2 karte haiN
zindagi tujh se baGhaavat3 hi sahi   
1.declaration, announcement 2.torture, cruelty 3.rebellion
The tradition of life is that the poet/lover suffers in silence, does not malign the reputation of the beloved. But things have gotten so bad that he is ready to tell everyone about the cruelty that the beloved inflicts on him. He is ready to rebel against the traditions of life.

11
kuchh to ilzaam1 mere sar rakhiye
kam se kam ishq ki tohmat2 hi sahi   
1.blame, crime 2.accusation
Place some blame on me, at the very least an accusation of being love with you. The implication is that it is far worse to be ignored by the beloved.

jamna parshad raahi (1940-2017), aligaRh.  Sahitya Akademi, UP, awardee.  President, Progressive Writers’ Association.  He specialized in composing in the style of Ghalib and traced his literary lineage to daaGh dehlavi, though not a shaagird of Ghalib, was deeply influenced by him.  He has a 200+ page book of Ghazal composed in the style of Ghalib called, ‘baazgasht-e Ghalib’.  This Ghazal is in the style of Ghalib’s ‘ishq mujh ko nahiN, vahshat hi sahi’.
1
tark1-e aaiin2-e mohabbat hi sahi
bad-zani3 hai to adaavat4 hi sahi

1.to give up, stop 2.traditions, rules 3.ill-feeling, suspicion 4.enmity, anger

The conventions of love require the poet/lover to be forever faithful to the beloved and the beloved in turn may offer a carrot here and there and keep him dangling.  She makes not commitment, but also does not harbour ill-feelings towards him.  Apparently, in this case she has crossed that line and the poet/lover suggests that now that you have done this, why not go all the way.  If you have abandoned the traditions of love and have ill-feelings towards me, go ahead treat me like an enemy.
2
us ka armaaN1 meri vahshat2 hi sahi
aarzu3 baa’as4-e hasrat5 hi sahi

1.longing 2.madness/passion bordering on lust 3.desire 4.basis, cause of 5.intense grief

Longing for her maybe my mad/passion.  This desire may be the cause of my grief.  The implication is that he is willing to suffer madness and grief, but he will continue to long for her.
3
aayat1-e dil ka Khulaasa2 kiije
maslak3-e ishq meN bid’at4 hi sahi

1.sign, clue, hint 2.gist, explanation 3.way, method, procedure 4.disallowed

The path/way/traditions of love dictate that the beloved speak only in ambiguous signs, many times keeping the poet/lover guessing.  But now he is demanding that she explain these hints clearly, even if the traditional path of love does not allow it.
4
aaNkh zaKhmoN1 ki zabaaN bolti hai
muskuraana2 teri aadat3 hi sahi

1.wounds, pain 2.smile 3.habit

The poetic tradition is that poet/lover suffers, and the beloved is openly or secretly happy to see the effect of her beauty and coquetry.  Thus, the eyes of the poet speak the language of pain i.e., they shed tears, even if the beloved’s habit be to laugh at his wailing.  Alternatively, it is the beloved’s eyes that are speaking and the language they speak is the language of inflicting (not suffering) pain.  She inflicts this pain even as she smiles.
5
hijr1 begaana2-e rusvaaii3 tha
vasl4 ham-m’aani5-e raahat6 hi sahi

1.separation 2.unfamiliar with, stranger 3.humiliation 4.union (with the beloved) 5.same meaning 6.comfort, pleasure

Union with the beloved is the same as happiness, in fact, it is the definition of happiness.  Even though it may be so, by a strange twist of logic, the poet/lover states that hijr/separation may be preferable.  This is because union is subject to humiliation.  She can throw him out and he will be insulted.  On the other hand, hijr/separation is totally unfamiliar with this kind of humiliation.  It already is in pain and already separated/thrown out and in no danger of being thrown out.
6
koii be-par1 ki uRa de vaa’ez2
tera fatwa3 meri shohrat4 hi sahi

1.wingless, that which cannot fly, words that have no credibility, nonsense 2.preacher 3.edict 4.fame

The preacher is going to make baseless allegations and pronounce judgement/issue an edict against the poet/lover.  This will have no credibility and only end up making the poet/lover famous.  Thus, he challenges the preacher – go ahead and speak your nonsense.
7
baiThiye qurb1 se uThiye na janaab2
ek zara der ki zahmat3 hi sahi

1.nearness, intimacy 2.honorific addressed in this case to the beloved 3.inconvenience

Be near me, do not get up/get away even if you have to bear this inconvenience for a while.
8
us ka sheva1 jo nahiN vaz’a2 vafa3
ishq ba-vaz’a4 adaavat5 hi sahi

1.nature, character 2.ways of, style 3.fidelity 4.by way of, in the style of 5.enmity, anger

It is the nature/character of the beloved not to be faithful, but to keep a long line of admirers.  The poet/lover seems to understand and accept that.  If fidelity is not your nature, at least show your love in the style of anger i.e., her anger shows that she cares.
9
zindagi kis ko giraaN1 hoti hai
har nafas2 baa’as3-e zahmat4 hi sahi

1.heavy, unpleasant 2.breath 3.basis, cause 4.inconvenience, pain

Every breath may be the cause of pain, but it still does not make life an unpleasant burden i.e., everyone wants to continue to live.
10
hum bhi e’laan1-e jafa2 karte haiN
zindagi tujh se baGhaavat3 hi sahi

1.declaration, announcement 2.torture, cruelty 3.rebellion

The tradition of life is that the poet/lover suffers in silence, does not malign the reputation of the beloved.  But things have gotten so bad that he is ready to tell everyone about the cruelty that the beloved inflicts on him.  He is ready to rebel against the traditions of life.
11
kuchh to ilzaam1 mere sar rakhiye
kam se kam ishq ki tohmat2 hi sahi

1.blame, crime 2.accusation

Place some blame on me, at the very least an accusation of being love with you.  The implication is that it is far worse to be ignored by the beloved.