For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
nayyara noor
عریاں نکلا ۔ مرزا غالب
۱
شوق ہر رنگ رقیبِ سر و ساماں نکلا
قیس تصویر کے پردے میں بھی عریاں نکلا
۲
زخم نے داد نہ دی تنگیِ دل کی یا رب
تیر بھی سینۂ بسمل سے پر افشاں نکلا
۳
بوئے گل نالۂ دل دودِ چراغِ محفل
جو تری بزم سے نکلا سو پریشاں نکلا
۴
دلِ حسرت زدہ تھا مائدۂ لذّتِ درد
کام یاروں کا بہ قدرِ لب و دنداں نکلا
۵
تھی نو آموزِ فنا ہمّتِ دشوار پسند
سخت مشکل ہے کہ یہ کام بھی آساں نکلا
۶
دل میں پھر گریے نے اک شور اٹھایا غالب
آہ جو قطرہ نہ نکلا تھا سو طوفاں نکلا
उर्याँ निकला – मिर्ज़ा ग़ालिब
१
शौक़ हर रंग रक़ीब-ए सर‐ओ‐सामाँ निकला
क़ैस तस्वीर के पर्दे में भी उर्याँ निकला
२
ज़ख़्म ने दाद न दी तंगी-ए दिल की या रब
तीर भी सीना-ए बिस्मिल से पर-अफ़शाँ निकला
३
बू-ए गुल नाला-ए दिल दूद-ए चिराग़-ए महफ़िल
जो तिरी बज़्म से निकला सो परेशाँ निकला
४
दिल-ए हसरत-ज़दह था माइदा-ए लज़्ज़त-ए दर्द
काम यारों का ब क़दर-ए लब‐ओ‐दंदाँ निकला
५
थी नौ-आमोज़-ए फ़ना हिममत-ए दुश्वार-पसंद
सख़्त मुशकिल है कि ये काम भी आसाँ निकला
६
दिल में फिर गिरये ने इक शोर उठाया ग़ालिब
आह जो क़तरा न निकला था सो तूफ़ाँ निकला
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. There are two Ghazal of the same radeef/qaafiya, both dated 1821 (nusKha-e raza – kalidas gupta raza) when Ghalib was still in the phase of composing complex verse. There is a third (this Ghazal) with a mix and match of the first two that Ghalib included in his final print version of the diivaan. All three are posted with different titles. They are linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’ along with others composed by later shu’ara in the same radeef/qaafiya.
1
shauq1 har-raNg2 raqiib3-e sar-o-saamaaN4 niklaa
qais5 tasviir ke parde meN bhii uriyaaN6 niklaa1.love, passion 2.every shape/condition 3.rival of, opposite to 4.dignity and possessions 5.majnuN (of laila majnuN legend), mad passionate lover 6.naked
Tradition is that whenever qais/majnuN is painted he is shown naked or with bare/tattered garments. Thus, even behind the veil of a picture he turned out to be naked. That is because passion/love under all conditions will be incompatible with pomp and show.
2
zaKhm ne daad1 na dii tangii2-e dil kii yaa rab
tiir bhii siinah-e bismil3 se par-afshaaN4 niklaa1.appreciation, do justice to 2.narrowness, constriction 3.wounded victim, lover/poet 4.flying/fluttering wings
“bismil”, the sacrificial animal is the lover/poet whose heart is narrow/constricted because it is full of sorrow. The wound of the arrow of the beloved’s looks are supposed to give it great joy. The pain of that wound is highly valued and all other pain is insignificant in comparison. But in this case the heart was so constricted with accumulated sorrow that the wound of the beloved’s arrow did not do justice to it … did not relieve the other pain. In fact the arrow emerged from the bosom like a frightened bird with fluttering wings.
3
buu-e gul1 naalah2-e dil duud3-e chiraaGh-e mahfil
jo tirii bazm4 se niklaa so pareshaaN5 niklaa1.fragrance of rose 2.moan/sigh (of the heart) 3.wisp of smoke 4.gathering, festive party 4.assembly, gathering 5.worried, dissipating, spreading
Fragrance spreads, the sound of moaning/sighing propagates and smoke dissipates. Who ever comes out of the assembly of the beloved is similarly dissipated – also worried.
4
dil-e hasrat-zada1 thaa maa’eda2-e lazzat3-e dard4
kaam yaarauN kaa ba qadr5-e lab-o-dandaaN6 niklaa1.grief/longing stricken heart (of the poet) 2.festive table of food 3.pleasure 4.pain 5.to the extent of 6.lips and teeth
The grief stricken/loving heart of the poet has set out a festive table for everyone to enjoy the “pleasure of pain” on offer. But his friends only taste it … to the extent of lips and teeth. The poetry on offer requires deep understanding to fully appreciate its pain and pleasure. His friends are satisfied with a superficial taste.
5
thii nau-aamoz1-e fanaa2 himmat3-e dushvaar4-pasand
saKht mushkil hai ke ye kaam bhii aasaaN niklaa1.novice 2.oblivion, non-existence 3.courage 4.difficulty
Courage of the poet/lover loves difficulty. It likes to be set tasks that no one else can perform. It was set a new task in which it was a novice i.e. the task of obtaining Oblivion. Alas, how difficult it is that even this turned out to be easy.
6
dil meN phir girye1 ne ek shor uThaayaa Ghaalib
aah2 jo qatra3 na niklaa thaa so tuufaaN niklaa1.lamentation 2.sigh, alas 3.drop
The poet/lover controls his lamentation in order to avoid humiliation. He manages to hold back that one drop, which then raised such a loud tumult in his heart that it became a storm.
mirza asadullah KhaaN Ghalib (1797-1869). I dare not write any introduction. On more than one occasion Ghalib has warned his readers that he needs no introduction or even address. I humbly comply. There are two Ghazal of the same radeef/qaafiya, both dated 1821 (nusKha-e raza – kalidas gupta raza) when Ghalib was still in the phase of composing complex verse. There is a third (this Ghazal) with a mix and match of the first two that Ghalib included in his final print version of the diivaan. All three are posted with different titles. They are linked to ‘Ghalib naqsh-e qadam’ along with others composed by later shu’ara in the same radeef/qaafiya.
1
shauq1 har-raNg2 raqiib3-e sar-o-saamaaN4 niklaa
qais5 tasviir ke parde meN bhii uriyaaN6 niklaa
1.love, passion 2.every shape/condition 3.rival of, opposite to 4.dignity and possessions 5.majnuN (of laila majnuN legend), mad passionate lover 6.naked
Tradition is that whenever qais/majnuN is painted he is shown naked or with bare/tattered garments. Thus, even behind the veil of a picture he turned out to be naked. That is because passion/love under all conditions will be incompatible with pomp and show.
2
zaKhm ne daad1 na dii tangii2-e dil kii yaa rab
tiir bhii siinah-e bismil3 se par-afshaaN4 niklaa
1.appreciation, do justice to 2.narrowness, constriction 3.wounded victim, lover/poet 4.flying/fluttering wings
“bismil”, the sacrificial animal is the lover/poet whose heart is narrow/constricted because it is full of sorrow. The wound of the arrow of the beloved’s looks are supposed to give it great joy. The pain of that wound is highly valued and all other pain is insignificant in comparison. But in this case the heart was so constricted with accumulated sorrow that the wound of the beloved’s arrow did not do justice to it … did not relieve the other pain. In fact the arrow emerged from the bosom like a frightened bird with fluttering wings.
3
buu-e gul1 naalah2-e dil duud3-e chiraaGh-e mahfil
jo tirii bazm4 se niklaa so pareshaaN5 niklaa
1.fragrance of rose 2.moan/sigh (of the heart) 3.wisp of smoke 4.gathering, festive party 4.assembly, gathering 5.worried, dissipating, spreading
Fragrance spreads, the sound of moaning/sighing propagates and smoke dissipates. Who ever comes out of the assembly of the beloved is similarly dissipated – also worried.
4
dil-e hasrat-zada1 thaa maa’eda2-e lazzat3-e dard4
kaam yaarauN kaa ba qadr5-e lab-o-dandaaN6 niklaa
1.grief/longing stricken heart (of the poet) 2.festive table of food 3.pleasure 4.pain 5.to the extent of 6.lips and teeth
The grief stricken/loving heart of the poet has set out a festive table for everyone to enjoy the “pleasure of pain” on offer. But his friends only taste it … to the extent of lips and teeth. The poetry on offer requires deep understanding to fully appreciate its pain and pleasure. His friends are satisfied with a superficial taste.
5
thii nau-aamoz1-e fanaa2 himmat3-e dushvaar4-pasand
saKht mushkil hai ke ye kaam bhii aasaaN niklaa
1.novice 2.oblivion, non-existence 3.courage 4.difficulty
Courage of the poet/lover loves difficulty. It likes to be set tasks that no one else can perform. It was set a new task in which it was a novice i.e. the task of obtaining Oblivion. Alas, how difficult it is that even this turned out to be easy.
6
dil meN phir girye1 ne ek shor uThaayaa Ghaalib
aah2 jo qatra3 na niklaa thaa so tuufaaN niklaa
1.lamentation 2.sigh, alas 3.drop
The poet/lover controls his lamentation in order to avoid humiliation. He manages to hold back that one drop, which then raised such a loud tumult in his heart that it became a storm.
uriyaaN nikla – raina’s Rendition
1
Never could this world of safe device defiant love suppress
No trappings could ever conceal the fact of Majnu’s nakedness
2
The sprawling wound within could not release my stifled heart
Even the arrow, like a bird in fright, did panic and depart
3
The scent of flowers, silent moan, the smoke from pensive flame
Whatever emerged from your abode, took Despair for its name
4
My yearning heart was like a feast of poetic turbulence
Friends and fans did all devour, each unto his sense
5
What courage must one needs possess to brace the last refrain
O that even this awesome enterprise should have proved to me so plain
6
My gathering pain does once again imperiously reform
What had barely been a tear before, in an overflowing storm
