For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اُردو زبان ہے ۔ پنڈت آنند موہن گلزارؔ دہلوی
اِنتخاب
۱
تحریک حُرّیت کا یہ زندہ نشان ہے
تہذیبِ ہند و پاک کی یہ آن بان ہے
دِلّی و لکھنؤ میں مُقیّد نہیں ہے اب
مقبول کُل جہان میں اُردو زبان ہے
۲
نغمہ زن ہے ادب کی شہنائی
شور و غوٖغا سنائی دیتا ہے
مُلتفت ہیں جو اپنے بیگانے
فیضِ اُردو دکھائی دیتا ہے
۳
تاریخِ وطن حُسنِ وفا ہے اُردو
ہر ذرّے پہ بھارت کے فدا ہے اُردو
آزادی کی تحریک پہ ڈالو تو نظر
کھل جائے گا یہ راز کہ کیا ہے اُردو
۴
گیتا کی نہ توریت و گرو صاحب کی
اِنجیل نہ قرآں کی زباں ہے اُردو
مذہب کی نہ صوبوں کی نہ فِرقوں کی فقط
واللہ کہ ہر دل کی زباں ہے اُردو
۵
ادیان کے سنگم کا نشاں ہے اُردو
یکجہتیِ عالم کی زباں ہے اُردو
شائستۂ تہذیب جو مرکز تھا کبھی
اُس دِلّیِ مرحوم کی جاں ہے اُردو
۶
باعثِ فخر و شاد مانی ہے
پوری تہذیب کی جوانی ہے
کیوں نہ اُردو پہ جان بھی دے دوں
میرے اسلاف کی نشانی ہے
उर्दू ज़बान है – पंडित आनंद मोहन गुलज़ार देहलवी
इन्तेख़ाब
१
तहरीक-ए हुर्रियत का ये ज़िंदा निशान है
तहज़ीब-ए हिंद ओ पाक की ये आन-बान है
दिल्ली ओ लखनऊ में मुक़य्यद नहीं है अब
मक़्बूल कुल जहान में उर्दू ज़बान है
२
नग़्मा-ज़न है अदब की शहनाई
शोर ओ ग़ोग़ा सुनाई देता है
मुल्तफ़ित हैं जो अपने बेगाने
फ़ैज़-ए उर्दू दिखाई देता है
३
तारीख़-ए वतन हुस्न-ए वफ़ा है उर्दू
हर ज़र्रे पे भारत के फ़िदा है उर्दू
आज़ादी कि तहरीक पे डालो तो नज़र
खुल जाएगा ये राज़ के क्या है उर्दू
४
गीता कि न तौरेत ओ गुरु साहिब की
इंजील न क़ुर’आं कि ज़बां है उर्दू
मज़्हब कि न सूबौं की न फ़िरक़ौं की फ़क़त
वल्लाह के हर दिल की ज़बां है उर्दू
५
अद्यान के संगम का निशां है उर्दू
यकजहती-ए आलम की ज़बां है उर्दू
शा’एस्ता-ए तहज़ीब जो मर्कज़ था कभी
उस दिल्ली-ए मरहूम की जां है उर्दू
६
बाइस-ए फ़ख़्र ओ शाद-मानी है
पूरी तहज़ीब की जवानी है
क्यूं न उर्दू पे जान भी दे दूँ
मेरे अस्लाफ़ की निशानी है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-2020), a kashmiri panDit, a scholar and lover of urdu and totally committed to communal harmony. Over his long and fruitful life has written with much love and admiration about many illustrious figures – political, religious and literary. His diivaan and kulliyaat are sprinkled with qat’aat and rubaai’yaat about urdu. This is one of several collections.
1
tahreek1-e hurriyyat2 ka ye zinda nishaan3 hai
tahziib4-e hind o paak ki ye aan-baan5 hai
dilli o lakhanau meN muqayyad6 nahiiN hai ab
maqbuul7 kul-jahaaN8 meN urdu zabaan9 hai 1.movement 2.freedom 3.symbol 4.culture 5.pride and glory 6.confined 7.popular, beloved 8.whole world 9.language
The poet celebrates urdu as a living symbol (zinda nishaan) of the freedom movement (tahreek-e hurriyat). He describes it as the pride (aan baan) of the shared culture (tahziib) of India and pakistan. urdu, once confined to dehli and lukhnau, is now beloved (maqbuul) across the world (kul jahaan).
2
naGhma-zan1 hai adab2 ki shahnaai
shor-o-GhoGha3 sunaaii deta hai
multafit4 haiN jo apne begaane5
faiz6-e urdu dikhaaii deta hai 1.singing song 2.literature 3.sound and trumpeting, stirring call 4.inclined towards, attentive to 5.others, strangers 6.grace, gift, benevolence
urdu is the melodious flute (shahnaai) that sings the songs of literature (adab). In its sounds is a stir (shor o GhoGha) and captivates the attention of friends and strangers (begaane) alike. The beauty and grace (faiz) of urdu are so compelling that they draw everyone’s attention, emphasizing urdu’s universal appeal and its ability to enchant listeners (particularly with its musicality and stirring sound).
3
taariiKh1-e vatan2 husn3-e vafaa4 hai urdu
har zarre5 pe bhaarat ke fidaa6 hai urdu
aazaadi ki tahreek7 pe Daalo to nazar8
khul jaa’ega ye raaz9 keh kya hai urdu 1.history 2.homeland 3.beauty, excellence, epitome 4.loyalty, fidelity 5.particle/grain of sand 6.devoted 7.movement 8.glance 9.secret, essence
The poet describes urdu as the epitome of loyalty (husn-e vafaa) to the homeland and an embodiiment of its history (taariKh). It is devoted (fidaa) to every particle/grain of sand (zarra) of India. If one examines (Daalo to nazar) urdu’s role in the freedom movement (aazaadi ki tahreek), its true essence (raaz) will be revealed.
4
giita1 ki na taurait2 o guru-saahib3 ki
injiil4 na qur’aaN ki zabaaN5 hai urdu
mazhab6 ki na sooboN7 ki na firqoN8 ki faqat9
vallaah10 ki har dil ki zabaaN hai urdu 1.bhagwat giita 2.the torah, Psalms of David 3.granth saahib 4.Bible 5.language 6.religion 7.district, region 8.sects 9.only, confined to 10.by god
The poet declares that urdu is not the language of any single religion or scripture—it is not the language of the gita, torah, guru granth saahib, Bible, or the qur’aan. It transcends religious, regional (soobon), and sectarian (firqon) boundaries. urdu is, in truth (vallaah), the language of every heart (har dil), celebrating its universal appeal, particularly in expressing heartfelt emotions.
5
adyaaN1 ke saNgam2 ka nishaaN3 hai urdu
yakjahti4-e aalam5 ki zabaaN6 hai urdu
shaa’esta7-e tahziib8 jo markaz9 thaa kabhi
us dilli-e marhuum10 ki jaaN11 hai urdu 1.religions (plural of diin-faith) 2.confluence 3.symbol 4.unity 5.world 6.language 7.refined, delicate 8.culture 9.centre 10.dead, destroyed
The poet describes urdu as a symbol (nishaaN) of the confluence (sangam) of religions (adyaaN) and a language of global unity (yakjahti-e aalam). It is the refined essence (shaa’esta-e tahziib) of culture and the soul (jaaN) of the late, lamented Delhi (dilli-e marhuum).
6
baa’is1-e faKhr2 o shaad-maanii3 hai
puurii tahziib4 ki javaanii5 hai
kyuN na urdu pe jaan bhii de duuN
mere aslaaf6 ki nishaanii7 hai 1.basis, foundation, reason 2.pride 3.joyous celebration 4.culture 5.youth, vigour 6.forebears, ancestors 7.symbol, memory, legacy
The poet declares that urdu is the basis/reason of pride (fakhr) and celebration of joy (shaad-maani), calling it the essence of the youthful vigour (javaanii) of culture (tahziib). He is so devoted to urdu that he is willing to give his life (jaan bhii de duuN) for it, as it is a legacy (nishaanii) of his ancestors (aslaaf).
anand mohan gulzar dehlavi (1926-2020), a kashmiri panDit, a scholar and lover of urdu and totally committed to communal harmony. Over his long and fruitful life has written with much love and admiration about many illustrious figures – political, religious and literary. His diivaan and kulliyaat are sprinkled with qat’aat and rubaai’yaat about urdu. This is one of several collections.
1
tahreek1-e hurriyyat2 ka ye zinda nishaan3 hai
tahziib4-e hind o paak ki ye aan-baan5 hai
dilli o lakhanau meN muqayyad6 nahiiN hai ab
maqbuul7 kul-jahaaN8 meN urdu zabaan9 hai
1.movement 2.freedom 3.symbol 4.culture 5.pride and glory 6.confined 7.popular, beloved 8.whole world 9.language
The poet celebrates urdu as a living symbol (zinda nishaan) of the freedom movement (tahreek-e hurriyat). He describes it as the pride (aan baan) of the shared culture (tahziib) of India and pakistan. urdu, once confined to dehli and lukhnau, is now beloved (maqbuul) across the world (kul jahaan).
2
naGhma-zan1 hai adab2 ki shahnaai
shor-o-GhoGha3 sunaaii deta hai
multafit4 haiN jo apne begaane5
faiz6-e urdu dikhaaii deta hai
1.singing song 2.literature 3.sound and trumpeting, stirring call 4.inclined towards, attentive to 5.others, strangers 6.grace, gift, benevolence
urdu is the melodious flute (shahnaai) that sings the songs of literature (adab). In its sounds is a stir (shor o GhoGha) and captivates the attention of friends and strangers (begaane) alike. The beauty and grace (faiz) of urdu are so compelling that they draw everyone’s attention, emphasizing urdu’s universal appeal and its ability to enchant listeners (particularly with its musicality and stirring sound).
3
taariiKh1-e vatan2 husn3-e vafaa4 hai urdu
har zarre5 pe bhaarat ke fidaa6 hai urdu
aazaadi ki tahreek7 pe Daalo to nazar8
khul jaa’ega ye raaz9 keh kya hai urdu
1.history 2.homeland 3.beauty, excellence, epitome 4.loyalty, fidelity 5.particle/grain of sand 6.devoted 7.movement 8.glance 9.secret, essence
The poet describes urdu as the epitome of loyalty (husn-e vafaa) to the homeland and an embodiiment of its history (taariKh). It is devoted (fidaa) to every particle/grain of sand (zarra) of India. If one examines (Daalo to nazar) urdu’s role in the freedom movement (aazaadi ki tahreek), its true essence (raaz) will be revealed.
4
giita1 ki na taurait2 o guru-saahib3 ki
injiil4 na qur’aaN ki zabaaN5 hai urdu
mazhab6 ki na sooboN7 ki na firqoN8 ki faqat9
vallaah10 ki har dil ki zabaaN hai urdu
1.bhagwat giita 2.the torah, Psalms of David 3.granth saahib 4.Bible 5.language 6.religion 7.district, region 8.sects 9.only, confined to 10.by god
The poet declares that urdu is not the language of any single religion or scripture—it is not the language of the gita, torah, guru granth saahib, Bible, or the qur’aan. It transcends religious, regional (soobon), and sectarian (firqon) boundaries. urdu is, in truth (vallaah), the language of every heart (har dil), celebrating its universal appeal, particularly in expressing heartfelt emotions.
5
adyaaN1 ke saNgam2 ka nishaaN3 hai urdu
yakjahti4-e aalam5 ki zabaaN6 hai urdu
shaa’esta7-e tahziib8 jo markaz9 thaa kabhi
us dilli-e marhuum10 ki jaaN11 hai urdu
1.religions (plural of diin-faith) 2.confluence 3.symbol 4.unity 5.world 6.language 7.refined, delicate 8.culture 9.centre 10.dead, destroyed
The poet describes urdu as a symbol (nishaaN) of the confluence (sangam) of religions (adyaaN) and a language of global unity (yakjahti-e aalam). It is the refined essence (shaa’esta-e tahziib) of culture and the soul (jaaN) of the late, lamented Delhi (dilli-e marhuum).
6
baa’is1-e faKhr2 o shaad-maanii3 hai
puurii tahziib4 ki javaanii5 hai
kyuN na urdu pe jaan bhii de duuN
mere aslaaf6 ki nishaanii7 hai
1.basis, foundation, reason 2.pride 3.joyous celebration 4.culture 5.youth, vigour 6.forebears, ancestors 7.symbol, memory, legacy
The poet declares that urdu is the basis/reason of pride (fakhr) and celebration of joy (shaad-maani), calling it the essence of the youthful vigour (javaanii) of culture (tahziib). He is so devoted to urdu that he is willing to give his life (jaan bhii de duuN) for it, as it is a legacy (nishaanii) of his ancestors (aslaaf).
