tere ruKh ke javaab meN-panDit javaahar naath saaqi

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

ترے  رُخ  کے  جواب  میں  ۔  پنڈت  جواہر  ناتھ  ساقیؔ

۱

تنویر  کیا  ہو  نُورِ  مہ  و  آفتاب  میں

دونوں  خجِل  ہوئے  ترے  رُخ  کے  جواب  میں

۲

وہمِ  دوئی  سے  ہیں  قلق  و  اضطراب  میں

اِس  زندگی  نے  ڈال  دیا  ہے  عذاب  میں

۳

ہم  کو  بھرم  نے  بحرِ  توہّم  بنا  دیا

دریا  سمجھ  کے  کُود  پڑے  ہم  سراب  میں

۴

ہستی  تری  حجاب  ہے  خود  بے  حجاب  ہو

ہوگی  کشودِ  راہ  کشادِ  حجاب  میں

۵

ویراں  کدہ  ہے  ہستیِ  موہوم  حق  شناس

ہشیار  ہو  بقا  نہیں  دیرِ  خراب  میں

۶

محوِ  لقا  جو  ہیں  ملکوتی  خصال  ہیں

بیدار  ہو  کے  بھی  نظر  آتے  ہیں  خواب  میں

۷

دونوں  جہاں  سے  ہاتھ  جِنھوں  نے  اُٹھا  لیا

آتے  وہی  ہیں  عشق  کے  بس  اِنتخاب  میں

۸

ترکِ  سوال  نے  متوکّل  بنا  دیا

لا  و  نعم  ہے  کیا  سخنِ  لا  جواب  میں

۹

تم  بے  حجاب  ہو  تو  قیامت  ہو  آشکار

رخنے  یہ  کم  نہیں  ہیں  تمہاری  نقاب  میں

۱۰

فتح  و  شکست  راز  ہے  تعمیرِ  وقت  کا

کیا  جبر  و  اختیار  ہے  اِس  فتحباب  میں

۱۱

عریاں  ہوئے  تو  سارے  یہ  پردے  سمٹ  گئے

ہم  خود  ہوئے  حجاب  کا  پردہ  حجاب  میں

۱۲

قالب  کو  اپنے  چھوڑ  کے  مقلوب  ہو  گئے

کیا  اور  کوئی  قلب  ہے  اِس  اِنقلاب  میں

۱۳

جس  پر  نظر  پڑی  وہی  مجذوب  ہو  گیا

اے  پیرِ  مغ  سلوک  بھی  ہو  اِنجذاب  میں

۱۴

حسنِ  کرشمہ  خیز  جو  چاہے  وہ  کر  دکھائے

تخصیص  کچھ  نہیں  ہے  یہاں  شیخ  و  شاب  میں

۱۵

صوفی  یہی  مقامِ  تحیر  ہے  ذاتِ  بحت

حیرت  ہوئی  ہے  آئینہ  وحدت  کے  باب  میں

۱۶

ساقیؔ  بھی  پی  کے  جرعۂ  مے  مست  ہو  گئے

ہے  کیفِ  عشق  پیرِ  مغاں  کی  شراب  میں

तेरे रुख़ के जवाब में – पंडित जवाहर नाथ साक़ी

तन्वीर क्या हो नूर-ए मह ओ आफ़्ताब में

दोनों ख़जिल हुए तेरे रुख़ के जवाब में

वहम-ए दोई से हैं क़लक़ ओ इज़्तराब में

इस ज़ंदगी ने डाल दिया है अज़ाब में

हम को भरम ने बहर-ए तवह्हुम बना दिया

दर्या समझ के कूद पढे हम सराब में

हस्ती तेरी हिजाब है ख़ुद, बेहिजाब हो

होगी कुशूद-ए राह कुशाद-ए हिजाब में

वीरां-कदा है हस्ती-ए मौहूम, हक़-शिनास

होश्यार हो बक़ा नहीं दैर-ए ख़राब में

महव-ए लक़ा जो हैं मलकूती ख़िसाल हैं

बेदार हो के भी नज़र आते हैं ख़्वाब में

दोनों जहां से हाथ जिन्हों ने उठा लिया

आते वही हैं इश्क़ के बस इंतख़ाब में

तर्क-ए सवाल ने मुतवक्किल बना दिया

ला ओ न’आम है क्या सुख़न-ए लाजवाब में

तुम बेहिजाब हो तो क़यामत हो आश्कार

रख़्ने ये कम नहीं हैं तुम्हारी नक़ाब में

१०

फ़तह ओ शिकस्त राज़ है ता’मीर-ए वक़्त का

क्या जब्र ओ एख़्तियार है इस फ़तह-बाब में

११

उर्यां हुए तो सारे ये पर्दे सिमट गये

हम ख़ुद हुए हिजाब का पर्दा हिजाब में

१२

क़ालब को अपने छोढ के मक़्लूब हो गये

क्या और कोई क़ल्ब है इस इन्क़लाब में

१३

जिस पर नज़र पढी वही मज्ज़ूब हो गया

अए पीर-ए मुग़ सुलूक भि हो इंजज़ाब में

१४

हुस्न-ए करिश्मा-ख़ेज़ जो चाहे वो कर दिखाए

तख़्सीस कुछ नहीं है यहां शैख़ ओ शाब में

१५

सूफ़ी यही मक़ाम-ए तहय्युर है ज़ात-ए बहस

हैरत हुई है आईना वहदत के बाब में

१६

साक़ी भी पी के जुर’अ-ए मय मस्त हो गए

है केफ़-ए इश्क़ पीर-ए मुग़ां की शराब में

 

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit javaahar nath saaqi (1864-1916) was born into a kashmiiri panDit family with a long history of serving the emperor starting with akbar. It also had an equally long list of urdu shu’ara. He himself lived under straitened conditions, like a jogi/sufi. He had the good fortune to receive advice/correction for his compositions from three of Ghalib’s shaagird – hargopal tufta, mohammed zakariah zaki, and qurbaan ali saalik. This Ghazal, in the style of Ghalib’s ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’, is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, along with that of his ustaad, zakariah zaki. This Ghazal is highly sufiyaana/mystical.
1
tanviir1 kya ho noor2-e mah3 o aaftaab4 meN
donoN Khajil5 hue tere ruKh6 ke javaab7 meN    
1.brilliance 2.light 3.moon 4.sun 5.embarrassed, ashamed 6.face, beauty 7.answer, comparison
How can the light of the sun and moon be (any more) brilliant. Both of them are put to shame by comparison with your beauty. This can be an exaggerated description of the beloved’s beauty or of the beauty of the divine spirit.

2
vahm1-e duii2 se haiN qalaq3 o inzteraab4 meN
is zindagi ne Daal diya hai azaab5 meN  
1.illusion 2.duality 3.anxiety 4.restlessness 5.curse
For a sufi and a believer in ‘advaita’ – non-duality, coming into this world, getting life, implies separation from the great spirit. The ultimate goal is ‘fana’ – annihilation of the self and merger into the great spirit. Thus, this life, which is an illusion of duality, has made us anxious and restless. Life has become like a curse, with unfulfilled yearning for removal of this illusion of duality and unification with the great spirit.

3
ham ko bharam1 ne bahr2-e tavahhum3 banaa diya
darya4 samajh ke kood paRe hum saraab5 meN   
1.aberration, suspicion 2.ocean 3.illusion 4.sea 5.mirage
The material world is not ‘real’. It is only a mirage. The spiritual world is real. This aberration in our understanding has thrown us into this ocean of illusion. We mistakenly take this life to be a body of water and jump into it, when it is merely a mirage.

4
hasti1 teri hijaab2 hai Khud, behijaab3 ho
hogi kushood4-e raah5 kushaad6-e hijaab2 meN   
1.existence, being 2.veil, mystery 3.unveiled, manifest 4.opening up 5.path 6.width, expanse
This is addressed to god/great spirit. Your being itself is a mystery. Why do you need to hide your being behind a veil. Come out of it. With the expanse of your vision/manifestation the path (to salvation) will open up.

5
viiraaN-kada1 hai hasti2-e mauhoom3, haq-shinaas4
hoshiyaar5 ho, baqaa6 nahiN dair7-e Kharaab8 meN   
1.house of desolation 2.being, existence 3.illusory 4.truth knower, wise 5.careful, mindful 6.permanence 7.(material) world 8.mortal, brittle, impermanent
O wise one, this illusion of life is nothing but a house of desolation. Be careful, there is no permanence in this mortal world.

6
mahv1-e laqaa2 jo haiN malakuuti3 Khisaal4 haiN
bedaar5 ho ke bhi nazar6 aate haiN Khwaab7 meN   
1.engrossed 2.beauty 3.angelic, viruous 4.nature 5.awake 6.appear 7.sleep, trance
Those who are engrossed and focused on divine beauty are of an angelic nature. Even when awake, they appear to be in a trance (disregarding the material and focusing on the spiritual).

7
donoN jahaaN1 se haath jinhoN ne uTha2 liya
aate vahi haiN ishq3 ke bas inteKhaab4 meN    
1.worlds 2.haath uThaa lena means – to not have any vested attachments 3.love 4.selection, choosing
The conventional value of not having an attachment to the material world is clear. Not having an attachment to the next world should be interpreted to mean – not doing something only for rewards of the next world, as in Ghalib’s …
taa’at meN taa rahe na mai o aNgabiiN ki laag
dozaKh meN Daal do koii le kar behisht ko
Thus, those who have no attachments to either this or the next world, are the ones chosen by (universal) love.

8
tark1-e savaal2 ne mutavakkil3 banaa diya
laa4 o n’aam5 hai kya suKhan6-e laajavaab7 meN   
1.give up, quit 2.question, demand, desire 3.trust in god (tavakkul) 4.(from arabic) no 5.(from arabic) yes 6.words, conversation 7.without answer, without equal, perfect
Not asking for anything (praying), made me put my trust completely in god. How can there be any room for “yes or no” in a conversation that is perfect. Said Ghalib …
gar tujh ko hai yaqiin-e ijaabat duaa na maaNg
y’aanii baGhair-e yak dil-e be-muddaa na maaNg

9
tum be-hijaab1 ho to qayaamat2 ho aashkaar3
raKhne4 ye kam nahiN haiN tumhaari naqaab5 meN   
1.unveiled, revealed 2.tumult, doomsday 3.manifest 4.slits, gaps 5.veil
If the beloved were to unveil herself, there would be great tumult, so great that it will be like doomsday. The slits/gaps in your veil are enough. This applies both to the romantic and the divine beloved.

10
fatah1 o shikast2 raaz3 hai taa’miir4-e vaqt ka
kya jabr5 o eKhtiyaar6 hai is fatah-baab7 meN   
1.success 2.failure 3.reason 4.progress 5.pre-determined 6.free will 7.constellation of stars that is an ill omen, bad luck, poor fate
Success and failure are a part of life, of the progress of time. This is not due to any pre-determined fate or free will in this world of ill omen (the material world).

11
uryaaN1 hue to saare ye parde simaT2 gaye
ham Khud hue hijaab3 ka parda hijaab meN   
1.naked, revealed 2.shrink, gather (folded) 3.mystery
When the great spirit manifests itself than all curtains are pulled/gathered away. Its beauty if revealed for all to see. But we ourselves became the curtain that hides/veils this mystery i.e., we are unable to see/observe the beauty of the great spirit.

12
qaalib1 ko apne chhoR ke maqloob2 ho gaye
kya aur koii qalb3 hai is inqelaab4 meN  
1.frame, mould, body 2.that which is moulded 3.intelligence, understanding, explanation (this is one of the many meanings from arabi) 4.change, turning back
When we leave this body, we get moulded into the great spirit. What other explanation can there be of returning to the origin.

13
jis par nazar1 paRi vahi majzoob2 ho gaya
aye piir-e-muGh3-e sulook4 bhi ho injezaab5 meN      
1.glance 2.absorbed 3.short for piir-e muGhaaN, chief wine-maker, saaqi 4.behaviour, conduct, rules 5.act/process of getting absorbed/merged
Whoever you cast your eyes upon is immediately absorbed/merged/attracted to you. O saaqi there should be some (gentler) rule for the process of merger/attraction. This could apply both to the earthly beloved and to the divine beloved where merger is a realization of vahdat-ul-vujood, advaita.

14
husn1-e karishma-Khez2 jo chaahe vo kar dikhaa’e
taKhsiis3 kuchh nahiN hai yahaaN shaiKh4 o shaab5 meN   
1.beauty, skill, capabilities 2.miracle worker, god 3.discrimination 4.elder 5.youth
The miracle worker – karishma-Khez – is god and his capabilities are unlimited and he can do whatever he wants. But he does not discriminate between anyone (shaiKh o shaab are used here as only representative).

15
suufi1 yahi maqaam2-e tahayyur3 hai zaat4-e bahs5
hairat6 hui hai aaiina vahdat7 ke baab8 meN   
1.mystic 2.place/occasion 3.amazement 4.being, person 5.discussion 6.amazement, bewilderment 7.one-ness as in vahdat-ul-vujood 8.theme
O sufi, the discussion of this being is an occasion for amazement. Bewilderment itself is a mirror that refects him (portrays his image) in the theme of one-ness of the universe. Said mir taqi mir …
muNh takaa hi kara hai jis tis ka
hairati hai ye aaiina kis ka

16
saaqi1 bhi pii ke jur’a2-e mai3 mast4 ho gaye
hai kaif5-e ishq6 piir-e-muGhaaN7 ki sharaab meN    
1.pen-name of the poet 2.sip, mouthful 3.wine 4.intoxicated 5.pleasure 6.love 7.chief winemaker
Chief winemaker (piir-e-muGhaaN) could be another possible description of the universal spirit. There is such magic and pleasure of (universal) love in the wine offered by the great spirit that saaqi was intoxicated with just one sip.

panDit javaahar nath saaqi (1864-1916) was born into a kashmiiri panDit family with a long history of serving the emperor starting with akbar.  It also had an equally long list of urdu shu’ara.  He himself lived under straitened conditions, like a jogi/sufi.  He had the good fortune to receive advice/correction for his compositions from three of Ghalib’s shaagird – hargopal tufta, mohammed zakariah zaki, and qurbaan ali saalik.  This Ghazal, in the style of Ghalib’s ‘saaqi ne kuchh mila na diya ho sharaab meN’, is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, along with that of his ustaad, zakariah zaki.  This Ghazal is highly sufiyaana/mystical.
1
tanviir1 kya ho noor2-e mah3 o aaftaab4 meN
donoN Khajil5 hue tere ruKh6 ke javaab7 meN

1.brilliance 2.light 3.moon 4.sun 5.embarrassed, ashamed 6.face, beauty 7.answer, comparison

How can the light of the sun and moon be (any more) brilliant.  Both of them are put to shame by comparison with your beauty.  This can be an exaggerated description of the beloved’s beauty or of the beauty of the divine spirit.
2
vahm1-e duii2 se haiN qalaq3 o inzteraab4 meN
is zindagi ne Daal diya hai azaab5 meN

1.illusion 2.duality 3.anxiety 4.restlessness 5.curse

For a sufi and a believer in ‘advaita’ – non-duality, coming into this world, getting life, implies separation from the great spirit.  The ultimate goal is ‘fana’ – annihilation of the self and merger into the great spirit.  Thus, this life, which is an illusion of duality, has made us anxious and restless.  Life has become like a curse, with unfulfilled yearning for removal of this illusion of duality and unification with the great spirit.
3
ham ko bharam1 ne bahr2-e tavahhum3 banaa diya
darya4 samajh ke kood paRe hum saraab5 meN

1.aberration, suspicion 2.ocean 3.illusion 4.sea 5.mirage

The material world is not ‘real’.  It is only a mirage.  The spiritual world is real.  This aberration in our understanding has thrown us into this ocean of illusion.  We mistakenly take this life to be a body of water and jump into it, when it is merely a mirage.
4
hasti1 teri hijaab2 hai Khud, behijaab3 ho
hogi kushood4-e raah5 kushaad6-e hijaab2 meN

1.existence, being 2.veil, mystery 3.unveiled, manifest 4.opening up 5.path 6.width, expanse

This is addressed to god/great spirit.  Your being itself is a mystery.  Why do you need to hide your being behind a veil.  Come out of it.  With the expanse of your vision/manifestation the path (to salvation) will open up.
5
viiraaN-kada1 hai hasti2-e mauhoom3, haq-shinaas4
hoshiyaar5 ho, baqaa6 nahiN dair7-e Kharaab8 meN

1.house of desolation 2.being, existence 3.illusory 4.truth knower, wise 5.careful, mindful 6.permanence 7.(material) world 8.mortal, brittle, impermanent

O wise one, this illusion of life is nothing but a house of desolation.  Be careful, there is no permanence in this mortal world.
6
mahv1-e laqaa2 jo haiN malakuuti3 Khisaal4 haiN
bedaar5 ho ke bhi nazar6 aate haiN Khwaab7 meN

1.engrossed 2.beauty 3.angelic, viruous 4.nature 5.awake 6.appear 7.sleep, trance

Those who are engrossed and focused on divine beauty are of an angelic nature.  Even when awake, they appear to be in a trance (disregarding the material and focusing on the spiritual).
7
donoN jahaaN1 se haath jinhoN ne uTha2 liya
aate vahi haiN ishq3 ke bas inteKhaab4 meN

1.worlds 2.haath uThaa lena means – to not have any vested attachments 3.love 4.selection, choosing

The conventional value of not having an attachment to the material world is clear.  Not having an attachment to the next world should be interpreted to mean – not doing something only for rewards of the next world, as in Ghalib’s  …
taa’at meN taa rahe na mai o aNgabiiN ki laag
dozaKh meN Daal do koii le kar behisht ko
Thus, those who have no attachments to either this or the next world, are the ones chosen by (universal) love.
8
tark1-e savaal2 ne mutavakkil3 banaa diya
laa4 o n’aam5 hai kya suKhan6-e laajavaab7 meN

1.give up, quit 2.question, demand, desire 3.trust in god (tavakkul) 4.(from arabic) no 5.(from arabic) yes 6.words, conversation 7.without answer, without equal, perfect

Not asking for anything (praying), made me put my trust completely in god.  How can there be any room for “yes or no” in a conversation that is perfect.  Said Ghalib …
gar tujh ko hai yaqiin-e ijaabat duaa na maaNg
y’aanii baGhair-e yak dil-e be-muddaa na maaNg
9
tum be-hijaab1 ho to qayaamat2 ho aashkaar3
raKhne4 ye kam nahiN haiN tumhaari naqaab5 meN

1.unveiled, revealed 2.tumult, doomsday 3.manifest 4.slits, gaps 5.veil

If the beloved were to unveil herself, there would be great tumult, so great that it will be like doomsday.  The slits/gaps in your veil are enough.  This applies both to the romantic and the divine beloved.
10
fatah1 o shikast2 raaz3 hai taa’miir4-e vaqt ka
kya jabr5 o eKhtiyaar6 hai is fatah-baab7 meN

1.success 2.failure 3.reason 4.progress 5.pre-determined 6.free will 7.constellation of stars that is an ill omen, bad luck, poor fate

Success and failure are a part of life, of the progress of time.  This is not due to any pre-determined fate or free will in this world of ill omen (the material world).
11
uryaaN1 hue to saare ye parde simaT2 gaye
ham Khud hue hijaab3 ka parda hijaab meN

1.naked, revealed 2.shrink, gather (folded) 3.mystery

When the great spirit manifests itself than all curtains are pulled/gathered away.  Its beauty if revealed for all to see.  But we ourselves became the curtain that hides/veils this mystery i.e., we are unable to see/observe the beauty of the great spirit.
12
qaalib1 ko apne chhoR ke maqloob2 ho gaye
kya aur koii qalb3 hai is inqelaab4 meN

1.frame, mould, body 2.that which is moulded 3.intelligence, understanding, explanation (this is one of the many meanings from arabi) 4.change, turning back

When we leave this body, we get moulded into the great spirit.  What other explanation can there be of returning to the origin.
13
jis par nazar1 paRi vahi majzoob2 ho gaya
aye piir-e-muGh3-e sulook4 bhi ho injezaab5 meN

1.glance 2.absorbed 3.short for piir-e muGhaaN, chief wine-maker, saaqi 4.behaviour, conduct, rules 5.act/process of getting absorbed/merged

Whoever you cast your eyes upon is immediately absorbed/merged/attracted to you.  O saaqi, there should be some (gentler) rule for the process of merger/attraction.  This could apply both to the earthly beloved and to the divine beloved where merger is a realization of vahdat-ul-vujood, advaita.
14
husn1-e karishma-Khez2 jo chaahe vo kar dikhaa’e
taKhsiis3 kuchh nahiN hai yahaaN shaiKh4 o shaab5 meN

1.beauty, skill, capabilities 2.miracle worker, god 3.discrimination 4.elder 5.youth

The miracle worker – karishma-Khez – is god and his capabilities are unlimited and he can do whatever he wants.  But he does not discriminate between anyone (shaiKh o shaab are used here as only representative).
15
suufi1 yahi maqaam2-e tahayyur3 hai zaat4-e bahs5
hairat6 hui hai aaiina vahdat7 ke baab8 meN

1.mystic 2.place/occasion 3.amazement 4.being, person 5.discussion 6.amazement, bewilderment 7.one-ness as in vahdat-ul-vujood 8.theme

O sufi, the discussion of this being is an occasion for amazement.  Bewilderment itself is a mirror that refects him (portrays his image) in the theme of one-ness of the universe.  Said mir taqi mir …
muNh takaa hi kara hai jis tis ka
hairati hai ye aaiina kis ka
16
saaqi1 bhi pii ke jur’a2-e mai3 mast4 ho gaye
hai kaif5-e ishq6 piir-e-muGhaaN7 ki sharaab meN

1.pen-name of the poet 2.sip, mouthful 3.wine 4.intoxicated 5.pleasure 6.love 7.chief winemaker

Chief winemaker (piir-e-muGhaaN) could be another possible description of the universal spirit.  There is such magic and pleasure of (universal) love in the wine offered by the great spirit that saaqi was intoxicated with just one sip.