For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
تسلیم و رضا اور ہی کچھ ہے ۔۰۱۔۱۲۔امیرؔ مینائی
۱
او بندۂ بُت دیکھ خدا اور ہی کچھ ہے
بُت پردہ ہیں پردے میں چھپا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۲
اے چرخ حسینوں کی جفا اور ہی کچھ ہے
معشوق کی چھیڑوں میں مزا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۳
رنگ آج تو پھولوں کا صبا اور ہی کچھ ہے
آمد ہے جو اُس گُل کی ہوا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۴
آغازِ جوانی میں ادا اور ہی کچھ ہے
اُٹھتی ہوئی کوپل میں مزا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۵
قاصد یہ زباں اُس کی، بیاں اُس کا نہیں ہے
دھوکا ہے تجھے اُس نے کہا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۶
آفت تو ہے وہ ناز بھی انداز بھی لیکن
مرتا ہوں میں جس پر وہ ادا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۷
چہرے کو چھپائیں وہ بدن کو بھی چرائیں
آنکھیں یہی کہتی ہیں حیا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۸
عارف سے یہ کہہ دو جو ترے فہم میں آے
وہ سب ہے ترا وہم خدا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۹
آیا مرے بالیں پہ تو بولا یہ پری خواں
آسیب نہیں ہے یہ بلا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۱۰
کی اُس کی جفا پر جو وفا تُو نے تو اے دل
نازاں نہ ہو اِس پر کہ وفا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۱۱
کہتے ہو کہ ہم درد کسی کا نہیں سنتے
میں نے تو رفیقوں سے سُنا اور ہی کچھ ہے
۱۲
بیدرد کی فریاد کو کوئی نہیں سُنتا
جس پر ہے اثر غش وہ دعا اور ہی کچھ ہے
तस्लीम ओ रज़ा और ही कुछ है -०१-१२- अमीर मीनाई
१
ओ बन्दा-ए बुत देख ख़ुदा और ही कुछ है
बुत पर्दा हैं, पर्दे में छुपा और ही कुछ है
२
अए चर्ख़ हसीनों की जफ़ा और ही कुछ है
मा’शूक़ की छेढौं में मज़ा और ही कुछ है
३
रंग आज तो फूलों का सबा और ही कुछ है
आमद है जो उस गुल की हवा और ही कुछ है
४
आग़ाज़-ए जवानी में अदा और ही कुछ है
उठती हुई कोपल में मज़ा और ही कुछ है
५
क़ासिद ये ज़ुबाँ उस की, बयां उस का नहीं है
धोका है तुझे, उस ने कहा और ही कुछ है
६
आफ़त तो है वो नाज़ भी अन्दाज़ भी लैकिन
मरता हूँ मैं जिस पर वो अदा और ही कुछ है
७
चेहरे को छुपाएं वो बदन को भी चुराएं
आँखें यही कहती हैं हया और ही कुछ है
८
आरेफ़ से ये कह दो जो तेरे फ़हम में आए
वो सब है तेरा वहम, ख़ुदा और ही कुछ है
९
आया मेरे बालीं पे तो बोला ये परी-ख़्वाँ
आसेब नहीं है, ये बला और ही कुछ है
१०
की उस की जफ़ा पर जो वफ़ा तू ने तो अए दिल
नाज़ाँ न हो इस पर के वफ़ा और ही कुछ है
११
कहते हो के हम दर्द किसी का नहीं सुनते
मैं ने तो रफ़ीक़ौं से सुना और ही कुछ है
१२
बे-दर्द की फ़र्याद को कोई नहीं सुनता
जिस पर है असर ग़श वो दुआ और ही कुछ है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. amir minaaii (1829-1900) was contemporary and close friend of daaGh dehlavi and much like him received patronage in rampur and later in hyderabad, but where he died within a year of his arrival. He is buried there. This Ghazal is posted in two parts because of its length and both parts are linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal on the Refrain Index page.
1
o bandah1-e but2 dekh Khuda aur hi kuchh hai
but2 parda3 haiN, parde meN chhupa aur hi kuchh hai 1.servant, devotee 2.idol 3.veil, front
This can be interpreted in two different ways. One – the ‘but-idol’ can be the beloved and the poet suggests that the beauty of the beloved is but a veil/cover for the beauty of the divine spirit. Two – the ‘but-idol’ can be literally an idol that is being worshipped. ‘nirgun’ and ‘sagun’ are two major streams of concepts in idol worship – the former saying that the divine does not have any physical attributes and the latter saying that it can be represented by physical attributes. In the spirit of reconciliation of nirgun and sagun concepts, the poet suggests that even behind the veil of the physical idol is the beauty of the divine spirit.
2
aye charKh1 hasinoN2 ki jafaa3 aur hi kuchh hai
maa’shuuq4 ki chheDauN5 meN maza6 aur hi kuchh hai 1.sky, heavens 2.beauties, beloved 3.torture 4.beloved 5.teasing 6.pleasure
O heavens, torture at the hands of the beloved is something else. There is nothing else like the pleasure in her teasing.
3
raNg aaj to phooloN ka sabaa1 aur hi kuchh hai
aamad2 hai jo uss gul3 ki havaa4 aur hi kuchh hai 1.breeze 2.arrival 3.rose 4.atmoshphere, ambience
Here ‘gul’ is symbolic of the beloved. She is about to arrive in the garden. Addressing the breeze, the poet says that in anticipation of the beloved’s arrival the colour/nature/attitude of the flowers has become something else. Note that ‘havaa’ in the second misra complements ‘sabaa’ in the first.
4
aaGhaaz1-e javaani meN ada2 aur hi kuchh hai
uThti hui kopal3 meN maza4 aur hi kuchh hai 1.beginning 2.style, coquetry 3.new shoot/leaf 4.pleasure
The beloved is an adolescent just breaking into youth. At this stage her coquetry and style change into ‘something else’, just like the pleasure of seeing new growth is ‘something else’.
5
qaasid1 yeh zubaaN2 us ki, bayaaN3 us ka nahiN hai
dhokaa4 hai tujhe, uss ne kaha aur hi kuchh hai 1.messenger 2.language 3.words 4.mistake
The messenger has arrived with either an oral or a written message from the beloved. The lover hears or reads her message and is surprised. It is left for us to guess whether the message is bitter and angry or unexpectedly loving. In either case, lover reacts … O messenger, these cannot be her language, these are not her words, you must be mistaken.
6
aafat1 to hai vo naaz2 bhi andaaz3 bhi laikin
marta huN maiN jis par vo adaa4 aur hi kuchh hai 1.astute, cunning, troublemaker 2.pride, coquetry 3.gesture, posture 4.style, grace
Every coquetry, every gesture of the beloved is astute and mischiefmaking, but the one graceful style that I die for is ‘something else’.
7
chehre1 ko chhupaa’eN voh badan2 ko bhi churaa’eN3
aaNkheN yahi kahti haiN hayaa4 aur hi kuchh hai 1.face 2.body 3.pull back/shrink away in modesty 4.shyness, coyness, modesty
She may hide her face, she may shrink away but her eyes say that her modesty is ‘something else’.
8
aarif1 se yeh kah do jo tere fahm2 meN aaye
voh sab hai tera vahm3, Khuda aur hi kuchh hai 1.mystic, scholar 2.knowledge, wisdom 3.illusion, delusion
Tell the mystic scholar that that which he understands/knows is his delusion; god is ‘something else’ i.e., cannot be understood/known.
9
aaya mere baaliiN1 peh to bola yeh pari-KhwaaN2
aaseb3 nahi hai, yeh balaa4 aur hi kuchh hai 1.head of the bed or grave 2.lord of fairies and jinns 3.ghoul, evil spirit 4.calamity
The lover is either on his death bed or already and dead. The chief of fairies and jinns arrives and the head of his bed or funeral bier and explains himself. I sounds like he is saying ‘none of my fairies or jinns did this to you. Whatever or whoever did it, is not a ghoul or a jinn, it is some other calamity’. Thus, the beloved is ‘something else’.
10
kii uss ki jafaa1 par jo vafaa2 tu ne to aye dil
naazaaN3 na ho iss par keh vafaa aur hi kuchh hai 1.torture 2.faithful 3.proud
O heart, do not be proud just because you have been steadfast/faithful in love even in the face of the torture she inflicts on you because ‘vafaa-steadfast love’ is ‘something else’. The poet leaves it to us to imagine what that might be. I will leave it at that.
11
kahte ho keh hum dard kisi ka nahiN sunte
maiN ne to rafiqoN1 se suna aur hi kuchh hai 1.rivals
The lover has finally gotten access to the beloved and complains about the pain he feels because of her indifference. She tells him that she does not take the time to listen to anyone’s complaints of pain/sorrow. He protests … but I have heard something else from the rivals i.e., they have claimed before me that they got a sympathetic/hearing from you.
12
be-dard1 ki faryaad2 ko koi nahiN sunta
jis par hai asar3 Ghash4 voh dua5 aur hi kuchh hai 1.unfeeling, cruel 2.plea, complaint 3.effect 4.faint 5.prayer, plea
‘asar Ghash hona’ is being used as an expression to mean the something is so effective that it is like effectiveness (personified) itself faints because of the intensity of the plea. The beloved is unfeeling and cruel. But it seems that she has complained about the lover – not clear to whom or about what. Perhaps to god or just a general complaint and perhaps about his perceived infidelity. Nobody listens to/believes such complaints, says the poet/lover. The plea that has a strong effect is ‘something else’. Perhaps the implication is that his own plea is so justified that it will be much more effective.
amir minaaii (1829-1900) was contemporary and close friend of daaGh dehlavi and much like him received patronage in rampur and later in hyderabad, but where he died within a year of his arrival. He is buried there. This Ghazal is posted in two parts because of its length and both parts are linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal on the Refrain Index page.
1
o bandah1-e but2 dekh Khuda aur hi kuchh hai
but2 parda3 haiN, parde meN chhupa aur hi kuchh hai
1.servant, devotee 2.idol 3.veil, front
This can be interpreted in two different ways. One – the ‘but-idol’ can be the beloved and the poet suggests that the beauty of the beloved is but a veil/cover for the beauty of the divine spirit. Two – the ‘but-idol’ can be literally an idol that is being worshipped. ‘nirgun’ and ‘sagun’ are two major streams of concepts in idol worship – the former saying that the divine does not have any physical attributes and the latter saying that it can be represented by physical attributes. In the spirit of reconciliation of nirgun and sagun concepts, the poet suggests that even behind the veil of the physical idol is the beauty of the divine spirit.
2
aye charKh1 hasinoN2 ki jafaa3 aur hi kuchh hai
maa’shuuq4 ki chheDauN5 meN maza6 aur hi kuchh hai
1.sky, heavens 2.beauties, beloved 3.torture 4.beloved 5.teasing 6.pleasure
O heavens, torture at the hands of the beloved is something else. There is nothing else like the pleasure in her teasing.
3
raNg aaj to phooloN ka sabaa1 aur hi kuchh hai
aamad2 hai jo uss gul3 ki havaa4 aur hi kuchh hai
1.breeze 2.arrival 3.rose 4.atmoshphere, ambience
Here ‘gul’ is symbolic of the beloved. She is about to arrive in the garden. Addressing the breeze, the poet says that in anticipation of the beloved’s arrival the colour/nature/attitude of the flowers has become something else. Note that ‘havaa’ in the second misra complements ‘sabaa’ in the first.
4
aaGhaaz1-e javaani meN ada2 aur hi kuchh hai
uThti hui kopal3 meN maza4 aur hi kuchh hai
1.beginning 2.style, coquetry 3.new shoot/leaf 4.pleasure
The beloved is an adolescent just breaking into youth. At this stage her coquetry and style change into ‘something else’, just like the pleasure of seeing new growth is ‘something else’.
5
qaasid1 yeh zubaaN2 us ki, bayaaN3 us ka nahiN hai
dhokaa4 hai tujhe, uss ne kaha aur hi kuchh hai
1.messenger 2.language 3.words 4.mistake
The messenger has arrived with either an oral or a written message from the beloved. The lover hears or reads her message and is surprised. It is left for us to guess whether the message is bitter and angry or unexpectedly loving. In either case, lover reacts … O messenger, these cannot be her language, these are not her words, you must be mistaken.
6
aafat1 to hai vo naaz2 bhi andaaz3 bhi laikin
marta huN maiN jis par vo adaa4 aur hi kuchh hai
1.astute, cunning, troublemaker 2.pride, coquetry 3.gesture, posture 4.style, grace
Every coquetry, every gesture of the beloved is astute and mischiefmaking, but the one graceful style that I die for is ‘something else’.
7
chehre1 ko chhupaa’eN voh badan2 ko bhi churaa’eN3
aaNkheN yahi kahti haiN hayaa4 aur hi kuchh hai
1.face 2.body 3.pull back/shrink away in modesty 4.shyness, coyness, modesty
She may hide her face, she may shrink away but her eyes say that her modesty is ‘something else’.
8
aarif1 se yeh kah do jo tere fahm2 meN aaye
voh sab hai tera vahm3, Khuda aur hi kuchh hai
1.mystic, scholar 2.knowledge, wisdom 3.illusion, delusion
Tell the mystic scholar that that which he understands/knows is his delusion; god is ‘something else’ i.e., cannot be understood/known.
9
aaya mere baaliiN1 peh to bola yeh pari-KhwaaN2
aaseb3 nahi hai, yeh balaa4 aur hi kuchh hai
1.head of the bed or grave 2.lord of fairies and jinns 3.ghoul, evil spirit 4.calamity
The lover is either on his death bed or already and dead. The chief of fairies and jinns arrives and the head of his bed or funeral bier and explains himself. I sounds like he is saying ‘none of my fairies or jinns did this to you. Whatever or whoever did it, is not a ghoul or a jinn, it is some other calamity’. Thus, the beloved is ‘something else’.
10
kii uss ki jafaa1 par jo vafaa2 tu ne to aye dil
naazaaN3 na ho iss par keh vafaa aur hi kuchh hai
1.torture 2.faithful 3.proud
O heart, do not be proud just because you have been steadfast/faithful in love even in the face of the torture she inflicts on you because ‘vafaa-steadfast love’ is ‘something else’. The poet leaves it to us to imagine what that might be. I will leave it at that.
11
kahte ho keh hum dard kisi ka nahiN sunte
maiN ne to rafiqoN1 se suna aur hi kuchh hai
1.rivals
The lover has finally gotten access to the beloved and complains about the pain he feels because of her indifference. She tells him that she does not take the time to listen to anyone’s complaints of pain/sorrow. He protests … but I have heard something else from the rivals i.e., they have claimed before me that they got a sympathetic/hearing from you.
12
be-dard1 ki faryaad2 ko koi nahiN sunta
jis par hai asar3 Ghash4 voh dua5 aur hi kuchh hai
1.unfeeling, cruel 2.plea, complaint 3.effect 4.faint 5.prayer, plea
‘asar Ghash hona’ is being used as an expression to mean the something is so effective that it is like effectiveness (personified) itself faints because of the intensity of the plea. The beloved is unfeeling and cruel. But it seems that she has complained about the lover – not clear to whom or about what. Perhaps to god or just a general complaint and perhaps about his perceived infidelity. Nobody listens to/believes such complaints, says the poet/lover. The plea that has a strong effect is ‘something else’. Perhaps the implication is that his own plea is so justified that it will be much more effective.
