For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
وصفِ زبان ۔ ۱۔۸ ۔ دُرگا سہائے سرور
۱
ترے نطق میں ہے عجب جاںفزائی
شکستہ دلوں کو ہے تو مومیائی
بھری تجھ میں ہے کُوٹ کر دل ربائی
تری ہر ادا میں ہے رنگیں ادائی
وہ جادو بیاں نطق کی تو دلہن ہے
کہ لٹ تیرے گیسو کی زلفِ سخن ہے
۲
جواہر کی لڑیاں ہیں فقرے مسلسل
کہ ہے تو فصاحت کی گردن کی ہیکل
ستم تیری شوخی غضب تیری چھل بل
مگر ہے کسی بت کے پاؤں کی چھاگل
تکلم کی گھنگرو بجاتی ہے چھم چھم
کہ تو ناطقہ کو نچاتی ہے چھم چھم
۳
پپیہا کبھی بن کے تو بولتی ہے
کبھی بن کے طوطی شکر گھولتی ہے
ہر اک رازِ سر بستہ کو کھولتی ہے
کہ کانٹے میں پھولوں کو تو تولتی ہے
سخن سنج ہے تیری میزانِ دانش
ترا نطق ہے جوہرِ کانِ دانش
۴
بنایا عجب تیرا قدرت نے پیکر
مَلا روغنِ نطق کا قاز منہ پر
کیا نظم نے زیبِ سر لا کے جھومر
پنہایا تجھے نثر نے اپنا زیور
بلاغت نے ہاتھوں میں مہندی لگائی
فصاحت نے زلفِ معنبر بنائی
۵
دہن میں جو تو بن کے تقریر آئی
ترے ساتھ لفظوں کی تاثیر آئی
لیے حسنِ مغنیٰ کی تنویر آئی
کہ تو نطق کی بن کے تصویر آئی
بجاتی ہوئی ارگنِ نطق آئی
اُڑاتی ہوئی توسنِ نطق آئی
۶
وہ دلچسپ نیچر کا چھیڑا ترانہ
کہ غش ہو گیا جس کو سن کر زمانہ
کیا نطق نے تیرے گیسو میں شانہ
کہ تھی وضع تیری عجب شاہدانہ
تجھے قال نے اپنے سانچے میں ڈھالا
رنگیلی، غضب تو نے جوبن نکالا
۷
فصاحت کے پھولوں کی او گہنے والی
تکلم کے پردے میں او رہنے والی
کسی کی کڑی تو نہیں سننے والی
کہ ہے ایک کے مکھ پہ دس کہنے والی
نہیں تجھ کو صولت پناہوں کی ہیبت
کہ غالب نہیں تجھ پہ شاہوں کی ہیبت
۸
سِناں ہو کہ نیزہ چھری ہو کہ خنجر
زرہ ہو کہ بکتر ہو یا خود و مِغفر
ہو اورنگ و دیہیم یا تاج و افسر
ہیں تیرے لیے اے زباں سب برابر
وہ آزاد رَو ہے کہ رکتی نہیں تو
وہ سر ہے درِ شہ پہ جھکتی نہیں تو
वस्फ़-ए जबान – दुर्गा सहाय सुरूर जहानाबादी
१
तेरे नुत्क़ में है अजब जां फ़ज़ाई
शिकस्ता दिलों को है तू मोमीयाई
भरी तुझ में है कूट कर दिलरुबाई
तेरी हर अदा में है रंगीं अदाई
वोह जादू बयान-ए नुत्क़ कि तू दुल्हन है
के लट तेरे गेसू की जुल्फ़-ए सोख़न है
२
जवाहर की लढियां है फ़िक़्रे मुसलसल
के है तू फ़साहत की गर्दन की हेकल
सितम तेरी शूख़ी ग़ज़ब तेरी छल बल
मगर है किसी बुत के पांव की छागल
तक्कलुम की घुंघरू बजाती है छम छम
के तू नातक़े को नचाती है छम छम
३
पपीहा कभी बनके तू बोलती है
कभी बनके तूती शकर घोलती है
हर एक राज़-ए सर-बस्ता को खोलती है
के कांटे में फूलों को तू तोलती है
सोख़न संज है तेरी मीज़ान-ए दानिश
तेरा नुत्क़ है जौहर-ए कान-ए दानिश
४
बनाया अजब तेरा क़ुद्रत ने पैकर
मला नुत्क़ का रौग़न-ए क़ाज़ मुंह पर
किया नज़्म ने ज़ेब-ए सर ला के झूमर
पिन्हाया तुझे नस्र ने अपना ज़ेवर
बालाग़त ने हाथों में मेहंदी लगाई
फ़साहत ने ज़ुल्फ़-ए मो’अम्बर बनाई
५
दहन में जो तू बन के तक़्रीर आई
तेरे साथ लफ़्ज़ौं की तासीर आई
लिये हुस्न मुग़न्ना की तनवीर आई
के तू नुत्क़ की बन के तस्वीर आई
बजाती हुई अर्गुन-ए नुत्क़ आई
उढाती हुई तौसन-ए नुत्क़ आई
६
वोह दिलचस्प नेचर का छेढा तराना
के ग़श हो गया जिसको सुनकर ज़माना
किया नुत्क़ ने तेरे गेसू में शाना
के थी वज़’अ तेरी अजब शाहेदाना
तुझे क़ाल ने अपने सांचे में ढाला
रंगीली, ग़ज़ब तूने जोबन निकाला
७
फ़साहत के फूलों की वो गहने वाली
तकल्लुम के पर्दे में ओ रहने वाली
किसी की कढी तू नहीं सुनने वाली
के है एक के मुख पे दस कहने वाली
नहीं तुझको सौलत पनाहौं कि हैबत
के ग़ालिब नहीं तुझ पे शाहौं की हैबत
८
सिनां हो के नैज़ा, छुरी हो के ख़ंजर
ज़िरह हो के बक्तर हो या ख़ूद ओ मिग़्फ़र
हो औरंग ओ देहीम या ताज ओ अफ़्सर
हैं तेरे लिए अए ज़बां सब बराबर
वोह आज़ादा रौ है के रुकती नहीं तू
वोह सर है दर-ए शह पर झुकती नहीं तू
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. durga sahay suroor (1873-1910) died young, probably because of excessive drinking. Tellingly, his books are named Khum-kada-e suroor, paimaana-e suroor, and Khum-Khaana-e suroor. He wrote about hindu religious themes also and moved easily and rhythmically between chaste urdu/farsi and hindi/khaRi boli. This nazm, in praise of urdu is linked to ‘urdu’ on the Theme Index page.
1
teray nutq1 meN hai ajab2 jaaNfazaaii3
shakista4 diloN ko hai tu momiyaaii5
bhari tujh meN hai kooT kar dilrubaaii6
teri har ada7 meN hai raNgiiN adaaii
voh jaadu bayaaN8 nutq1 ki tuu dulhan hai
keh laT9 tairay gesu10 ki zulf11-e suKhan12 hai 1.sound 2.unusual, enchanting 3.life-giving 4.broken 5.salve for broken bones 6.beauty 7.style, gesture 8.speech, voice 9.strand (of hair) 10.hair 11.tresses 12.poetry
Your sounds have an enchanting life-giving quality. You are a salve for broken hearts. You are full of/stuffed with beauty. Your every gesture is a colourful style. You are the bride of the sound of a magical voice. The beautiful tresses of poetry are made of strands of your hair.
2
javaahir1 ki laRyaaN2 haiN fiqray3 musalsal4
keh hai tu fasaahat5 ki gardan ki haikal6
sitam7 teri shooKhi8 Ghazab9 teri chhal-bal10
magar hai kisi but11 ke paa’uN ki chhaagal12
takallum13 ki ghuNgru bajaati hai chham-chham
keh tu naatiqay14 ko nachaati hai chham-chham 1.jewels 2.strands 3.phrases, sayings 4.constant, continuous 5.eloquence 6.shape, form 7.cruely (used here to mean playful) 8.mischief 9.intense 10.movement, swaying 11.idol, beloved 12.anklet 13.conversation, speech 14.power of speech
Your phrases are flowing strands of jewels. Your eloquence is like the slender neck of the beloved. Your mischief plays with our emotions, there is intensity of feelings in your swaying. You are the ankle bells on the beloved’s feet, tinkling with every word. You make speech dance with music.
3
papiiha kabhi ban ke tu bolti hai
kabhi ban ke tooti1 shakar gholti2 hai
har ek raaz3-e sar-basta4 ko kholti hai
keh kaaNTay5 meN phooloN ko tu tolti6 hai
suKhan-sanj7 hai teri miizaan8-e daanish9
tera nutq10 hai jauhar11-e kaan12-e daanish 1.parrot 2.dissolve sugar, make sweetness 3.secrets, mysteries 4.closed, hidden 5.thorn, balance 6.weigh, compare, evaluate 7.selecting poetry 8.balance, judgement 9.wisdom 10.sound 11.jewel 12.mine, cave
Sometimes you speak like a papiiha. At other times you spread sweetness like a parrot. You open/unravel/reveal every hidden mystery. You have the ability to ability to weigh flowers on a thorn/balance i.e., you have the ability to discern/compare beauty. You discriminating taste in poetry weighs it on the balance of wisdom/ideas. Your sound is rich like a diamond mine.
4
banaaya ajab1 tera qudrat2 ne paikar3
mala4 rauGhan-e-nutq5 ka qaaz6 muNh par
kiya nazm ne zeb7-e sar laa ke jhoomer
pinhaaya tujhe nasr8 ne apna zevar
balaaGhat9 ne haathoN meN mehndi lagaaii
fasaahat10 ne zulf11-e mu’ambar12 banaaii 1.unusual, exceptional 2.nature, god 3.image 4.rub 5.butter of sound 6.butter, fat 7.adornment 8.prose 9.rhetoric, refined language 10.eloquence 11.hair 12.amber perfume, fragrant
Nature/god made your image/form exceptional. It rubbed the butter of sound on your face. Rubbing butter/fat was/is considered high taste. By ‘butter of sound’ is meant the cream of the cream of sound i.e., the sounds of urdu poetry are of high refinement. Many poets have observed this. Poetry brought a jhoomer for your forehead and prose adorned you with its jewelry. Refined language applied henna to your hands and eloquence gave the fragrance of amber to your hair.
5
dahan1 meN jo tu ban ke taqreer2 aayi
tere saath lafzoN3 ki taaseer4 aayi
liye husn5 muGhanni6 ki tanveer7 aayi
keh tu nutq8 ki ban ke tasveer aayi
bajaati hui argun9-e nutq aayi
uRaati hui tausan10-e nutq8 aayi 1.mouth, lips 2.speech 3.words 4.effect, impact 5.beauty 6.singer, musician 7.brilliance 8.power of speech 9.musical organ, harmonium 10.horse
When you came out of the lips in the form of speech, the impact of words came with you. It brought along the beauty and brilliance of music. You came as the embodiment of speech, playing harmonious music, flying the horse of the power of speech.
6
voh dilchasp1 nature ka cheRa taraanah2
keh Ghash3 ho gaya jis ko sun kar zamaana4
kiya nutq5 ne taeray gesuu6 meN shaana7
keh thi vaz’a8 teri ajab9 shaahedaana10
tujhe qaal11 ne apne saaNchay12 meN Dhaala
raNgiili13, Ghazab14 tu ne joban15 nikaala 1.interesting, engrossing 2.anthem, song 3.faint, trance 4.world 5.speech 6.hair 7.comb 8.conduct, attitude 9.exceptional 10.like that of the beloved 11.speech 12.mold 13.colourful, beautiful, beloved 14.devastating 15.youth, body, beauty
You burst into such an engrossing song of nature that the whole world went into a trance. Speech itself combed your hair for your manner/conduct was like that of the beloved. Speech cast you in its own mould. O beautiful, what a devastating body/form have you acquired.
7
fasaahat1 ke phooloN ki o gahne2 vaali
takallum3 ke parday meN o rahne vaali
kisi ki kaRi4 tu nahiN sun’nay vaali
keh hai aek ke mukh5 peh das kahnay vaali
nahiN tujh ko saulat-panaahoN6 ki haibat7
keh Ghalib8 nahiN tujh peh shaahoN ki haibat7 1.eloquence 2.garland 3.speech 4.bitter, rude 5.face 6.powerful, showing off 7.fear 8.overwhelming
O you, of the flower garlands of eloquence, who hides behind the veil of speech. You are not ready to meekly hear any rude words, you answer them in full measure. You are not awed by pomp and grandeur. The fear of kings does not overwhelm you.
8
sinaaN1 ho keh naizah2, chhurii3 ho keh Khanjar4
zir’ah5 ho keh baktar6, ho yaa Khood7 o miGhfar8
ho auraNg9 o de’hiim10 ya taaj o afsar
haiN teray liye aye zabaaN11 sab baraabar
voh azaada-rau12 hai keh rukti nahiN tu
voh sar hai dar13-e shah peh jhukti nahiN tu 1.sword 2.spear 3.knife 4.dagger 5.chain armour 6.armour 7.metal helmet 8.face chain 9.throne 10.crown 11.language 12.free roaming 13.door
Be it sword or spear, knife or dagger, armour or chain, throne or crown, monarchy or high office – for you, O language, they are all equal. You are so freedom loving that you stop nowhere. Your head does not bow at any door.
durga sahay suroor (1873-1910) died young, probably because of excessive drinking. Tellingly, his books are named Khum-kada-e suroor, paimaana-e suroor, and Khum-Khaana-e suroor. He wrote about hindu religious themes also and moved easily and rhythmically between chaste urdu/farsi and hindi/khaRi boli. This nazm, in praise of urdu is linked to ‘urdu’ on the Theme Index page.
1
teray nutq1 meN hai ajab2 jaaNfazaaii3
shakista4 diloN ko hai tu momiyaaii5
bhari tujh meN hai kooT kar dilrubaaii6
teri har ada7 meN hai raNgiiN adaaii
voh jaadu bayaaN8 nutq1 ki tuu dulhan hai
keh laT9 tairay gesu10 ki zulf11-e suKhan12 hai
1.sound 2.unusual, enchanting 3.life-giving 4.broken 5.salve for broken bones 6.beauty 7.style, gesture 8.speech, voice 9.strand (of hair) 10.hair 11.tresses 12.poetry
Your sounds have an enchanting life-giving quality. You are a salve for broken hearts. You are full of/stuffed with beauty. Your every gesture is a colourful style. You are the bride of the sound of a magical voice. The beautiful tresses of poetry are made of strands of your hair.
2
javaahir1 ki laRyaaN2 haiN fiqray3 musalsal4
keh hai tu fasaahat5 ki gardan ki haikal6
sitam7 teri shooKhi8 Ghazab9 teri chhal-bal10
magar hai kisi but11 ke paa’uN ki chhaagal12
takallum13 ki ghuNgru bajaati hai chham-chham
keh tu naatiqay14 ko nachaati hai chham-chham
1.jewels 2.strands 3.phrases, sayings 4.constant, continuous 5.eloquence 6.shape, form 7.cruely (used here to mean playful) 8.mischief 9.intense 10.movement, swaying 11.idol, beloved 12.anklet 13.conversation, speech 14.power of speech
Your phrases are flowing strands of jewels. Your eloquence is like the slender neck of the beloved. Your mischief plays with our emotions, there is intensity of feelings in your swaying. You are the ankle bells on the beloved’s feet, tinkling with every word. You make speech dance with music.
3
papiiha kabhi ban ke tu bolti hai
kabhi ban ke tooti1 shakar gholti2 hai
har ek raaz3-e sar-basta4 ko kholti hai
keh kaaNTay5 meN phooloN ko tu tolti6 hai
suKhan-sanj7 hai teri miizaan8-e daanish9
tera nutq10 hai jauhar11-e kaan12-e daanish
1.parrot 2.dissolve sugar, make sweetness 3.secrets, mysteries 4.closed, hidden 5.thorn, balance 6.weigh, compare, evaluate 7.selecting poetry 8.balance, judgement 9.wisdom 10.sound 11.jewel 12.mine, cave
Sometimes you speak like a papiiha. At other times you spread sweetness like a parrot. You open/unravel/reveal every hidden mystery. You have the ability to ability to weigh flowers on a thorn/balance i.e., you have the ability to discern/compare beauty. You discriminating taste in poetry weighs it on the balance of wisdom/ideas. Your sound is rich like a diamond mine.
4
banaaya ajab1 tera qudrat2 ne paikar3
mala4 rauGhan-e-nutq5 ka qaaz6 muNh par
kiya nazm ne zeb7-e sar laa ke jhoomer
pinhaaya tujhe nasr8 ne apna zevar
balaaGhat9 ne haathoN meN mehndi lagaaii
fasaahat10 ne zulf11-e mu’ambar12 banaaii
1.unusual, exceptional 2.nature, god 3.image 4.rub 5.butter of sound 6.butter, fat 7.adornment 8.prose 9.rhetoric, refined language 10.eloquence 11.hair 12.amber perfume, fragrant
Nature/god made your image/form exceptional. It rubbed the butter of sound on your face. Rubbing butter/fat was/is considered high taste. By ‘butter of sound’ is meant the cream of the cream of sound i.e., the sounds of urdu poetry are of high refinement. Many poets have observed this. Poetry brought a jhoomer for your forehead and prose adorned you with its jewelry. Refined language applied henna to your hands and eloquence gave the fragrance of amber to your hair.
5
dahan1 meN jo tu ban ke taqreer2 aayi
tere saath lafzoN3 ki taaseer4 aayi
liye husn5 muGhanni6 ki tanveer7 aayi
keh tu nutq8 ki ban ke tasveer aayi
bajaati hui argun9-e nutq aayi
uRaati hui tausan10-e nutq8 aayi
1.mouth, lips 2.speech 3.words 4.effect, impact 5.beauty 6.singer, musician 7.brilliance 8.power of speech 9.musical organ, harmonium 10.horse
When you came out of the lips in the form of speech, the impact of words came with you. It brought along the beauty and brilliance of music. You came as the embodiment of speech, playing harmonious music, flying the horse of the power of speech.
6
voh dilchasp1 nature ka cheRa taraanah2
keh Ghash3 ho gaya jis ko sun kar zamaana4
kiya nutq5 ne taeray gesuu6 meN shaana7
keh thi vaz’a8 teri ajab9 shaahedaana10
tujhe qaal11 ne apne saaNchay12 meN Dhaala
raNgiili13, Ghazab14 tu ne joban15 nikaala
1.interesting, engrossing 2.anthem, song 3.faint, trance 4.world 5.speech 6.hair 7.comb 8.conduct, attitude 9.exceptional 10.like that of the beloved 11.speech 12.mold 13.colourful, beautiful, beloved 14.devastating 15.youth, body, beauty
You burst into such an engrossing song of nature that the whole world went into a trance. Speech itself combed your hair for your manner/conduct was like that of the beloved. Speech cast you in its own mould. O beautiful, what a devastating body/form have you acquired.
7
fasaahat1 ke phooloN ki o gahne2 vaali
takallum3 ke parday meN o rahne vaali
kisi ki kaRi4 tu nahiN sun’nay vaali
keh hai aek ke mukh5 peh das kahnay vaali
nahiN tujh ko saulat-panaahoN6 ki haibat7
keh Ghalib8 nahiN tujh peh shaahoN ki haibat7
1.eloquence 2.garland 3.speech 4.bitter, rude 5.face 6.powerful, showing off 7.fear 8.overwhelming
O you, of the flower garlands of eloquence, who hides behind the veil of speech. You are not ready to meekly hear any rude words, you answer them in full measure. You are not awed by pomp and grandeur. The fear of kings does not overwhelm you.
8
sinaaN1 ho keh naizah2, chhurii3 ho keh Khanjar4
zir’ah5 ho keh baktar6, ho yaa Khood7 o miGhfar8
ho auraNg9 o de’hiim10 ya taaj o afsar
haiN teray liye aye zabaaN11 sab baraabar
voh azaada-rau12 hai keh rukti nahiN tu
voh sar hai dar13-e shah peh jhukti nahiN tu
1.sword 2.spear 3.knife 4.dagger 5.chain armour 6.armour 7.metal helmet 8.face chain 9.throne 10.crown 11.language 12.free roaming 13.door
Be it sword or spear, knife or dagger, armour or chain, throne or crown, monarchy or high office – for you, O language, they are all equal. You are so freedom loving that you stop nowhere. Your head does not bow at any door.
