tasveer-e-dard   mohammed iqbal
Overview

“tasveer-e dard” is a beautiful sample of Iqbal’s “universalism” (inclusiveness of the Hindu-Muslim community of the subcontinent) before he adopted a more reactionary position. It is also a fine example of how the tradition of ambiguity and multiple meaning in Urdu poetry came in useful to elude censorship. It is a long composition and can be cosidered divided into seven sections/Ghazals strung together. Each section has its own radeef-qaafiya with a concluding she’r in a different radeef-qaafiya. Themes between sections overlap quite a lot and each excels the other in beauty of composition.

The first section focuses on proclaiming the universality of his message and how it is inevitable that it will spread in spite of its painful content and in spite of the powers to stop/restrict this message.

The second section is a tongue in cheek expression of humility and an expression of mysticism about existence and of “self”. I am a hidden treasure, nobody pays any attention to me, but I say what I see (and I see that which no one else seems to be able to see).

The third section re-inforces the power of the poet’s words and his ability to see far into the future. Here I like to think that Iqbal is NOT talking about himself personally but of “the poet” … every poet. In this section he is also exhorting his country men to listen and look at the disaster that is about to befall them … all because of communalism, infighting and lack of action against the oppressor.

The fourth section is a beautiful and powerful expression of the poet’s determination to set things right, to promote harmony among all the oppressed, so they may present a united front to the oppressor.

The fifth section is a beautiful expression of the poet’s pain at the indifference and backwardness of his countrymen and exhorting them to look outside, learn and to take action.

The sixth section uses sufi mystic themes/vocabulary to preach “universal love”, repeating that discrimination between fellow humans (communalism) is the cause of downfall of nations.

The seventh section re-inforces the theme of “universal love”, declares that it is this that manifests itself in everything, giving it a “god like” quality.

The eighth and concluding section, much like the previous two, repeats the message of Universal Love with Sufi overtones.

It is illustrative to read and compare “tasveer-e-dard” (1904) with “shikwa” (1909). The first nazm is full of Sufi thoughts, universal love, inclusiveness and Hindu-Muslim unity. It is of the same vintage and character as “naya shivala” and “taraana-e-hindi”. The second is bitter, angry, inciteful and divisive. What a difference 5 years makes. During this time Iqbal had lived in England and Germany, completed his post-graduate studies, become stridently Islamic.

tasveer-e-dard – mohammed iqbal

First Section

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for meanings and discussion. The first section focuses on proclaiming the universality of his message and how it is inevitable that it will spread in spite of its painful content and in spite of the powers to stop/restrict this message.

nahiN minnat kash¹ e taab-e-shunidan² dastaaN³ meri
Khamoshi guftagu hai bezabani hai zabaaN meri
ye dastoor⁴ e zabaN bandi⁵ hai kaisa teri mehfil⁶ meN
yahaaN to baat karne ko tarasti hai zabaN meri1.under obligation 2.burden of hearing 3.story 4.tradition, law 5.order to hold your tongue, censorship 6.assembly
My story does not easily bear the burden of the obligation of being heard. My silence is my conversation, my silence is my speech. What kind of a tradition of “sealed lips” have you promulgated in this confining place, my tongue longs to speak out. iqbal is speaking out against censorship.

uThae kuchh varaq⁷ laale⁸ ne, kuchh nargis⁹ ne, kuchh gul¹⁰ ne
chaman meN har taraf bikhri hui hai dastaaN meri
uRa liiN qumriyoN¹¹ ne, tootiyoN¹² ne, andaliboN¹³ ne
chaman vaaloN ne mil kar looT li tarz-e-fuGhaN¹⁴ meri7.pages 8.tulip 9.hyacinth 10.rose 11.dove 12.parrot 13.bulbul 14.tune of the song
The tulip picked up some pages, the hyacinth others, the rose the rest. My story is scattered all over the garden, the dove, the parrot and the bulbul have made off with it. Birds now sing my song all over the garden i.e. my words have spread far and wide.

Tapak ae sham’a aaNsu ban ke parvane ki aankhoN se
saraapa¹ dard huN hasrat² bhari hai daastaN meri
ilahi phir maza kya hai yahaN duniya meN rehne ka
hayat-e javidaN³ meri na marg-e nagahaN⁴ meri
mera rona nahiN, rona hai ye saare gulistaN ka
vo gul huN maiN, KhizaaN⁵ har gul ki hai goya KhizaaN meri1.head to toe 2.longing, desire 3.eternal life 4.sudden (unpredictable) death 5.fall/winter, wilting of flowers (pain)
O my beloved country, manifest yourself in the tears of the poet. I am the embodiment of pain, my story is full of love of you. What use is there o god, of living in this world, I have no control over my life or on my death. This lament, is not mine alone, it is the lament of the whole garden. It is as if my pain is the pain of every flower here. sham’a-parvaana, in Urdu poetry is beloved and lover. In this case, country is the beloved and poet, the lover.

dar eeN¹ hasrat sara² umreest³ afsoon-e-jaras⁴ daram⁵
ze-faiz⁶ e dil-tapeedan-ha⁷ Kharosh-e-be-nafas⁸ daram1.in this 2.abode of desire i.e.world 3.life-long 4.enchantment of bells/music i.e.false promises 5.has been 6.because of its benevolence (sarcastic) 7.the throbbing of my heart 8.spiritiless sound I have been enchanted by gloss and glitter of this world for a lifetime. The heart surely beats but the sound is hollow and spiritless.Iqbal quotes this she’r from Bedil. Again, there is a double meaning … this could well be talking about god, spirituality vs materialism but in the context of censorship, Iqbal is talking about colonialism.