For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
وہم و گماں ہے ساقی ۔ گوپال مِتّل
۱
موسمِ گُل ہے ہوا عطر فشاں ہے ساقی
دیکھ گلزار پہ جنت کا گماں ہے ساقی
۲
آج فطرت نے گُلِستاں میں اُلٹ دی ہے نقاب
اوج پر قِسمتِ صاحب نظراں ہے ساقی
۳
وہ گھٹا جھوم کے اُٹّھی وہ جوانی برسی
آج دنیا کی ہر ایک چیز جواں ہے ساقی
۴
دیکھ کس شان سے میخانے کی جانب ہے رواں
دیدنی سر خوشیِ بادہ کشاں ہے ساقی
۵
لا پلا بادۂ گلگوں کہ غنیمت ہے یہ وقت
یہ جہاں ورنہ جہانِ گزراں ہے ساقی
۶
شیخ کی ہرزہ سرائی کی نہ کر کچھ پرواہ
اُس کی فردوس بس اِک وہم و گماں ہے ساقی
۷
اس کے اوہام کی تردید تو دشوار نہیں
بحث کا ہم کو مگر وقت کہاں ہے ساقی
۸
اس کو حوروں کے تصوّر کے مزے لینے دے
اُس کے اِس شغل میں کیا اپنا زیاں ہے ساقی
۹
اُس کے اک قطرے پہ ہیں کوثر و تسنیم نثار
تیرے ہاتھوں میں جو یہ رطلِ گراں ہے ساقی
۱۰
ایسے موسم میں حماقت ہے تمنائے بہشت
یہ زمیں غیرتِ گلزارِ جِناں ہے ساقی
वहम ओ गुमां है साक़ी – गोपाल मित्तल
१
मौसम-ए गुल है हवा अतर फ़िशां है साक़ी
देख गुलज़ार पे जन्नत का गुमां है साक़ी
२
आज फ़ितरत ने गुलिस्ताँ में उलट दी है नक़ाब
औज पर क़िस्मत-ए साहब-नज़रां है साक़ी
३
वो घटा झूम के उट्ठी वो जवानी बरसी
आज दुनिया की हर एक चीज़ जवां है साक़ी
४
देख किस शान से मयख़ाने की जानिब है रवां
दीदनी सर-ख़ुशी-ए बादा-कशां है साक़ी
५
ला पिला बादा-ए गुलगूं के ग़नीमत है ये वक़्त
ये जहां वर्ना जहान-ए गुज़रां है साक़ी
६
शैख़ की हरज़ा-सराई की न कर कुछ परवा
उसकी फ़िर्दौस बस एक वहम-ओ-गुमां है साक़ी
७
उसके औहाम की तर्दीद तो दुश्वार नहीं
बहस का हम को मगर वक़्त कहां है साक़ी
८
उसको हूरों के तसव्वुर के मज़े लेने दे
उसके इस शुग़्ल में क्या अपना ज़ियां है साक़ी
९
उसके एक क़तरे पे हैं कौसर-ओ-तस्नीम निसार
तेरे हाथों में जो ये रतल-ए गिरां है साक़ी
१०
ऐसे मौसम में हिमाक़त है तमन्ना-ए बेहिश्त
ये ज़मीं ग़ैरत-ए गुलज़ार-ए जिनां है साक़ी
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. gopal mittal (1901-1993) migrated from lahore to dehli is 1948. He has written eloquently about communal harmony, univeral love and Reason. This Ghazal is a celebration of spring, liberalism and a sarcastic exposition of superstitions and blind faith.
1
mausam-e-gul1 hai havaa atr-fishaaN2 hai saaqi
dekh gulzaar3 pe jannat ka gumaaN4 hai saaqi 1.season of flowers, spring 2.perfume spreading 3.garden 4.suspicion
Spring is a celebration of rejuvenation and new birth. It is also a season of rains, love and celebratory dance. Thus, it is spring and the air spreads fragrance all around. Looking at the garden one suspects it is the garden of heaven. Of course, the saaqi is at hand to serve wine.
2
aaj fitrat1 ne gulistaaN2 meN ulaT3 dii hai naqaab4
auj5 par qismat-e saahib-nazaraaN6 hai saaqi 1.nature 2.garden 3.lifted, turned over 4.veil 5.peak 6.possessors of vision/sight
Nature is portrayed as a young damsel who has lifted her veil, revealing her glory/beauty. The fate of those who possess sight/get a chance to view is at its peak.
3
voh ghaTaa1 jhoom2 ke uTThi voh javaani barsi3
aaj duniya ki har ek chiiz javaaN hai saaqi 1.rain clouds 2.swing, sway 3.rained
Culturally, spring clouds and rain are welcomed with joy. Thus, rain clouds rise with a titillating swind and youth/energy/life rains down from the skies. Everything on earth today is young and vigorous, O saaqi.
4
dekh kis shaan1 se maiKhaaNe2 ki jaaNib3 hai ravaaaN4
diid’ni5 sar-Khushi6-e baadah-kashaaN7 hai saaqi 1.glory, joy, pleasure 2.tavern 3.towards 4.going, departing 5.worth seeing 6.extreme joy 7.wine drinkers
Spring rains are a harbinger of merriment including drinking wine. The tavern is a gathering place of the unorthodox, liberal thinkers and wine is symbolic of universal love in which everyone is welcome. See, with how much pleasure wine drinkers go towards the tavern. Their extreme joy is worth seeing, O saaqi.
5
laa pilaa baada1-e gulguuN2 keh Ghaniimat3 hai yeh vaqt
ye jahaaN4 varna5 jahaan-e guzaraaN6 hai saaqi 1.wine 2.rose coloured, red 3.good, suitable, opportune 4.world 5.otherwise 6.fleeting
Bring and offer red wine for this is an opportune time, otherwise this world/life is but a fleeting moment, O saaqi.
6
shaiKh ki harza-saraai1 ki na kar kuchh parvaa2
uski firdaus3 bas ek vahm-o-gumaaaN4 hai saaqi 1.nonsensical talk, rambling 2.care for, pay attention to 3.heaven 4.superstition and imaginary suspicion
Do not pay any attention to the nonsensical rambling of the preacher, O saaqi. His heaven is nothing but a superstition and an imaginary suspicion.
7
uss ke auhaam1 ki tardiid2 to dushvaar3 nahiN
bahas4 ka hum ko magar vaqt kahaaN hai saaqi 1.superstitions 2.contradiction, disprove 3.difficult 4.argument, discussion
It is not very difficult to disprove his superstitions, but where do we find time to argue with him (shaiKh, preacher), O saaqi.
8
uss ko huuroN1 ke tasavvur2 ke maze3 lene de
uss ke is shuGhl4 meN kya apna ziyaaN5 hai saaqi 1.heavenly nymphs, angels 2.imagination 3.pleasure 4.pastime 5.harm
Let him (shaiKh, preacher) enjoy the pleasures of imaginary nymphs/angels/huur or heaven. What harm is there to us with his pastime, O saaqi.
9
uss ke ek qatr’e1 pe haiN kausar-o-tasniim2 nisaar3
tere haathoN meN jo ye ratl-e-giraaN4 hai saaqi 1.drop 2.two rivers in heaven 3.sacrificial offering 4.large cup of wine
I can sacrifice (the promise of) rivers of wine and honey in heaven for a single drop of the large cup of wine that you hold in your hand, O saaqi.
10
aise mausam1 meN himaaqat2 hai tamanna3-e behisht4
ye zamiiN Ghairat5-e gulzaar6-e jinaaN7 hai saaqi 1.season, weather 2.foolishness 3.desire, longing 4.heaven 5.envy 6.garden 7.heaven
It is sheer foolishness to long for heaven in this atmosphere. The earth is the envy of the garden of heaven, O saaqi.
gopal mittal (1901-1993) migrated from lahore to dehli is 1948. He has written eloquently about communal harmony, univeral love and Reason. This Ghazal is a celebration of spring, liberalism and a sarcastic exposition of superstitions and blind faith.
1
mausam-e-gul1 hai havaa atr-fishaaN2 hai saaqi
dekh gulzaar3 pe jannat ka gumaaN4 hai saaqi
1.season of flowers, spring 2.perfume spreading 3.garden 4.suspicion
Spring is a celebration of rejuvenation and new birth. It is also a season of rains, love and celebratory dance. Thus, it is spring and the air spreads fragrance all around. Looking at the garden one suspects it is the garden of heaven. Of course, the saaqi is at hand to serve wine.
2
aaj fitrat1 ne gulistaaN2 meN ulaT3 dii hai naqaab4
auj5 par qismat-e saahib-nazaraaN6 hai saaqi
1.nature 2.garden 3.lifted, turned over 4.veil 5.peak 6.possessors of vision/sight
Nature is portrayed as a young damsel who has lifted her veil, revealing her glory/beauty. The fate of those who possess sight/get a chance to view is at its peak.
3
voh ghaTaa1 jhoom2 ke uTThi voh javaani barsi3
aaj duniya ki har ek chiiz javaaN hai saaqi
1.rain clouds 2.swing, sway 3.rained
Culturally, spring clouds and rain are welcomed with joy. Thus, rain clouds rise with a titillating swind and youth/energy/life rains down from the skies. Everything on earth today is young and vigorous, O saaqi.
4
dekh kis shaan1 se maiKhaaNe2 ki jaaNib3 hai ravaaaN4
diid’ni5 sar-Khushi6-e baadah-kashaaN7 hai saaqi
1.glory, joy, pleasure 2.tavern 3.towards 4.going, departing 5.worth seeing 6.extreme joy 7.wine drinkers
Spring rains are a harbinger of merriment including drinking wine. The tavern is a gathering place of the unorthodox, liberal thinkers and wine is symbolic of universal love in which everyone is welcome. See, with how much pleasure wine drinkers go towards the tavern. Their extreme joy is worth seeing, O saaqi.
5
laa pilaa baada1-e gulguuN2 keh Ghaniimat3 hai yeh vaqt
ye jahaaN4 varna5 jahaan-e guzaraaN6 hai saaqi
1.wine 2.rose coloured, red 3.good, suitable, opportune 4.world 5.otherwise 6.fleeting
Bring and offer red wine for this is an opportune time, otherwise this world/life is but a fleeting moment, O saaqi.
6
shaiKh ki harza-saraai1 ki na kar kuchh parvaa2
uski firdaus3 bas ek vahm-o-gumaaaN4 hai saaqi
1.nonsensical talk, rambling 2.care for, pay attention to 3.heaven 4.superstition and imaginary suspicion
Do not pay any attention to the nonsensical rambling of the preacher, O saaqi. His heaven is nothing but a superstition and an imaginary suspicion.
7
uss ke auhaam1 ki tardiid2 to dushvaar3 nahiN
bahas4 ka hum ko magar vaqt kahaaN hai saaqi
1.superstitions 2.contradiction, disprove 3.difficult 4.argument, discussion
It is not very difficult to disprove his superstitions, but where do we find time to argue with him (shaiKh, preacher), O saaqi.
8
uss ko huuroN1 ke tasavvur2 ke maze3 lene de
uss ke is shuGhl4 meN kya apna ziyaaN5 hai saaqi
1.heavenly nymphs, angels 2.imagination 3.pleasure 4.pastime 5.harm
Let him (shaiKh, preacher) enjoy the pleasures of imaginary nymphs/angels/huur or heaven. What harm is there to us with his pastime, O saaqi.
9
uss ke ek qatr’e1 pe haiN kausar-o-tasniim2 nisaar3
tere haathoN meN jo ye ratl-e-giraaN4 hai saaqi
1.drop 2.two rivers in heaven 3.sacrificial offering 4.large cup of wine
I can sacrifice (the promise of) rivers of wine and honey in heaven for a single drop of the large cup of wine that you hold in your hand, O saaqi.
10
aise mausam1 meN himaaqat2 hai tamanna3-e behisht4
ye zamiiN Ghairat5-e gulzaar6-e jinaaN7 hai saaqi
1.season, weather 2.foolishness 3.desire, longing 4.heaven 5.envy 6.garden 7.heaven
It is sheer foolishness to long for heaven in this atmosphere. The earth is the envy of the garden of heaven, O saaqi.
