For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
تم سا ہے کہاں اور ۔ عطا الرحمٰن عطاؔ کاکوی
۱
کیا رہنے کو اپنے کوئی ڈھونڈا ہے مکاں اور
دل ہی میں نہ جب تم ہو تو پھر ڈھونڈیں کہاں اور
۲
ہنس ہنس کے جو کرتے ہیں محبت کی وہ باتیں
کیا جانئے کیوں دل پہ گزرتا ہے گماں اور
۳
وہ نغمہ سمجھتے ہیں تیرے نالۂ غم کو
اے دل کوئی ایجاد کر اب طرزِ فغاں اور
۴
تھا حسن پسِ پردہ تو تھی تابِ نظر بھی
بے پردہ ہوا جب تو ہے آنکھوں سے نہاں اور
۵
کیا چشمِ ہوس دیکھ سکے مرتبہ اس کا
ہے عشق کی دنیا کی زمیں اور زماں اور
۶
تم حسن کی یکتائی سے واقف نہیں اپنے
لو آئینہ دیکھو کوئی تم سا ہے کہاں اور
۷
اس غمکدۂ دہر میں مشکل ہے عطاؔ زیست
پیدا کر اب اپنے لیے تو کوئی مکاں اور
तुम सा है कहाँ और – अता-उर-रहमान अता काकवी
१
क्या रहने को अपना कोई ढूंढा है मकां और
दिल ही में न जब तुम हो तो फिर ढूँढ़ें कहाँ और
२
हंस हंस के जो करते हैं मोहब्बत की वो बातें
क्या जानें क्यूं दिल पे गुज़रता है गुमां और
३
वो नग़्मा समझते हैं तेरे नाला-ए ग़म को
अए दिल कोई ईजाद कर अब तर्ज़-ए फ़ुग़ां और
४
था हुस्न पस-ए पर्दा तो थी ताब-ए नज़र भी
बे-पर्दा हुआ जब तो है आँखों से नेहां और
५
क्या चश्म-ए हवस देख सके मर्तबा उस का
है इश्क़ की दुनिया की ज़मीं और ज़मां और
६
तुम हुस्न की यक्ताई से वाक़ेफ़ नहीं अपने
लो आईना देखो कोई तुम सा है कहाँ और
७
इस ग़म-कदा-ए दहर में मुश्किल है अता ज़ीस्त
पैदा कर अब अपने लिए तू कोई मकां और
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. ata kaakvi-syed shah ata-ur-rahman (1904-1998), UGC professor faarsi paTna university. Head of the Institute of Research in urdu and faarsi. Prolific writer – authored 19, compiled 82 and translated 6 books. This is one of several Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib linked to ‘andaaz-e bayaaN aur’, Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, on the Theme page.
1
kya rahnay ko apnay koii DhoonDa hai makaaN aur
dil hi meN na jab tum ho to phir DhoonDeN kahaaN aur Have you found another home for yourself. If I cannot find you in my heart, where else can I search. This could apply both to the earthly and the divine beloved.
2
haNs haNs ke jo kartay haiN mohabbat ki voh baateN
kya jaaniye kyuN dil peh guzarta1 hai gumaaN2 aur 1.passes, happens 2.doubt, suspicion
The beloved laughs and jokingly/lightly and talks about love. It appears that she is not serious. Says the poet/lover – I don’t know why suspicions pass through my mind.
3
voh naGhma1 samajhte haiN teray naala2-e Gham ko
aye dil koii iijaad3 kar ab tarz4-e fuGhaaN5 aur 1.song 2.wailing 3.invent, create 4.method 5.complaint, lamentation
She thinks that your sorrowful wailing is a song. O heart, you should invent a new method of complaining/lamenting.
4
tha husn1 pas2-e parda to thi taab3-e nazar4 bhi
be-parda hua jab to hai aaNkhoN se nehaaN5 aur 1.beauty 2.behind 3.ability, power, capacity 4.seeing 5.hidden
The beloved is so beautiful that no one can bear to see her. When she was behind the curtain/veil, her beauty filtered through and admirers had the capacity to see. But when she came out from behind the veil, her beauty was so dazzling that no one could bear to see her, she was hidden from the eyes more than before.
5
kya chashm1-e havas2 dekh sakay martaba3 uss ka
hai ishq ki duniya ki zamiiN4 aur zamaaN5 aur 1.eye 2.greed, lust 3.status, dignity 4.region, rules 5.times, traditions
Poetic traditions distinguish between lust and love. How can the lustful eye perceive her dignity. The rules and traditions of the world of love are different. It havas is interpreted as material greed then this she’r can apply to the divine beloved.
6
tum husn1 ki yaktaaii2 se vaaqif3 nahiN apnay
lo aaiina dekho koii tum sa hai kahaaN aur 1.beauty 2.uniqueness, unequalled 3.aware
You are not aware of your unique/unequalled beauty. Here, look into the mirror and decide if there is anyone else like you.
7
iss Gham-kada1-e dahr2 meN mushkil3 ata4 ziist
paida5 kar ab apnay liye tu koii makaaN aur 1.house of sorrows 2.world 3.difficult 4.pen-name of the poet 5.grow, make
O ata, life is difficult is this house of sorrows of this world. Make a different home for yourselves now.
ata kaakvi-syed shah ata-ur-rahman (1904-1998), UGC professor faarsi paTna university. Head of the Institute of Research in urdu and faarsi. Prolific writer – authored 19, compiled 82 and translated 6 books. This is one of several Ghazal in the zamin of Ghalib linked to ‘andaaz-e bayaaN aur’, Ghalib naqsh-e qadam, on the Theme page.
1
kya rahnay ko apnay koii DhoonDa hai makaaN aur
dil hi meN na jab tum ho to phir DhoonDeN kahaaN aur
Have you found another home for yourself. If I cannot find you in my heart, where else can I search. This could apply both to the earthly and the divine beloved.
2
haNs haNs ke jo kartay haiN mohabbat ki voh baateN
kya jaaniye kyuN dil peh guzarta1 hai gumaaN2 aur
1.passes, happens 2.doubt, suspicion
The beloved laughs and jokingly/lightly and talks about love. It appears that she is not serious. Says the poet/lover – I don’t know why suspicions pass through my mind.
3
voh naGhma1 samajhte haiN teray naala2-e Gham ko
aye dil koii iijaad3 kar ab tarz4-e fuGhaaN5 aur
1.song 2.wailing 3.invent, create 4.method 5.complaint, lamentation
She thinks that your sorrowful wailing is a song. O heart, you should invent a new method of complaining/lamenting.
4
tha husn1 pas2-e parda to thi taab3-e nazar4 bhi
be-parda hua jab to hai aaNkhoN se nehaaN5 aur
1.beauty 2.behind 3.ability, power, capacity 4.seeing 5.hidden
The beloved is so beautiful that no one can bear to see her. When she was behind the curtain/veil, her beauty filtered through and admirers had the capacity to see. But when she came out from behind the veil, her beauty was so dazzling that no one could bear to see her, she was hidden from the eyes more than before.
5
kya chashm1-e havas2 dekh sakay martaba3 uss ka
hai ishq ki duniya ki zamiiN4 aur zamaaN5 aur
1.eye 2.greed, lust 3.status, dignity 4.region, rules 5.times, traditions
Poetic traditions distinguish between lust and love. How can the lustful eye perceive her dignity. The rules and traditions of the world of love are different. It havas is interpreted as material greed then this she’r can apply to the divine beloved.
6
tum husn1 ki yaktaaii2 se vaaqif3 nahiN apnay
lo aaiina dekho koii tum sa hai kahaaN aur
1.beauty 2.uniqueness, unequalled 3.aware
You are not aware of your unique/unequalled beauty. Here, look into the mirror and decide if there is anyone else like you.
7
iss Gham-kada1-e dahr2 meN mushkil3 ata4 ziist
paida5 kar ab apnay liye tu koii makaaN aur
1.house of sorrows 2.world 3.difficult 4.pen-name of the poet 5.grow, make
O ata, life is difficult is this house of sorrows of this world. Make a different home for yourselves now.
