virsa-sahir

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

ورثہ ۔ ساحر لدھیانوی

 

یہ وطن تیری میری نسل کی جاگیر نہیں
سینکڑوں نسلوں کی محنت نے سنوارا ہے اِسے

 

کتنے ذہنوں کا لہو، کتنی نگاہوں کا عرق
کتنے چہروں کی حیا، کتنی جبینوں کی شفق
خاک کی نذر ہوئی تب یہ نظارے نکھرے

 

پتھروں سے یہ تراشے ہوئے اصنامِ جواں
یہ صداؤں کے خم وپیچ یہ رنگوں کی زباں
چمنیوں سے یہ نکلتا ہوا پُر پیچ دھواں

 

تیری تخلیق نہیں ہے، میری تخلیق نہیں
ہم اگر ضد بھی کریں اِس پہ، تو تصدیق نہیں

 

علم سولی پہ چڑھا، تب کہیں تخمینہ بنا
زہر صدیوں نے پیا، تب کہیں نوشینہ بنا
سینکڑوں پاؤں کٹے تب کہیں اک زینہ بنا

 

تیرے قدموں کے تلے، یا میرے قدموں کے تلے
نوعِ اِنساں کے شب و روز کی تقدیر نہیں
یہ وطن تیری میری نسل کی جاگیر نہیں
سینکڑوں نسلوں کی محنت نے سنوارا ہے اِسے

 

تیرا غم کچھ بھی سہی، میرا الم کچھ بھی سہی
اہلِ سروت کی سیاست کا ستم کچھ بھی سہی
کل کی نسلیں بھی کوئی چیز ہیں ہم کچھ بھی سہی

 

جِس سے دہقان کو روزی نہیں مِلنے پاتی
میں نہ دوں گا تجھے وہ کھیت جلانے کا سبق
فصل باقی ہے تو تقسیم بدل سکتی ہے
فصل کی خاک سے کیا مانگے گا جمہور کا حق

 

پُل سلامت ہے تو تو پار اُتر سکتا ہے
چاہے تبلیغِ بغاوت کے لئے ہی اُترے
ورنہ غالب کی زباں میں مرے ہمدم مرے دوست
دامِ ہر موج میں ہے حلقہ صد کام نہنگ
سوچ لے پھر کوئی تعمیر گرائے
تیری تعمیر سے ہے جنگ، کہ تخریب سے جنگ

 

اہلِ منصب ہیں غلط کار تو اُن کے منصب
تیری تائید سے ڈھالے گئے، توُ مجرم ہے
میری تائید سے ڈھالے گئے، میں مجرم ہوں
پٹریاں ریل کی، سڑکوں کی بسیں، فون کے تار
تیری اور میری خطاؤں کی سزا کیوں بھگتیں

 

اُن پہ کیوں ظلم ہو جِن کی کوئی تقصیر نہیں
یہ وطن تیری میری نسل کی جاگیر نہیں
سینکڑوں نسلوں کی محنت نے سنوارا ہے اِسے

 

تیرا شکوہ بھی بجا میری شکایت بھی دُرست
رنگِ ماحول بدلنے کی ضرورت بھی دُرست
کون کہتا ہے کہ حالات پہ تنقید نہ کر
حکمرانوں کے غلط دعوؤں کی تردید نہ کر
تجھ کو اِظہارِ خیالات کا حق حاصل ہے

 

اور ۔ یہ حق کوئی تاریخ کی خیرات نہیں
تیرے اور میرے رفیقوں نے لہو دے دے کر
ظلم کی خاک میں اِس حق کا شجر بویا ہے
سالہا سال میں وہ برگ و ثمر لایا ہے

 

اپنا حق مانگ مگر اُن کے تعاون سے نہ مانگ
جو تیرے حق کا تصوّر ہی فنا کر ڈالیں
ہاتھ اُٹھا اپنے، مگر اُن کے جلو میں نہ اُٹھا
جو ترے ہاتھ ترے تن سے جدا کر ڈالیں

 

خوابِ آزادیٔ اِنساں کی یہ تعبیر نہیں
یہ وطن تیری میری نسل کی جاگیر نہیں
سینکڑوں نسلوں کی محنت نے سنوارا ہے اِسے

विरसा – साहिर लुधियानवी

 

ये वतन तेरी मेरी नस्ल की जागीर नहीं

सैंकड़ों नस्लौं की मेहनत न संवारा है इसे

 

कितने ज़हनों का लहू, कितनी निगाहौं का अरक़

कितने चेहरों की हया, कितनी जबीनों की शफ़क़

ख़ाक की नज़र हुई, तब ये नज़ारे निकले

 

पत्थरौं से ये तराशे हुए अस्नाम-ए जवां

ये सदाओं के ख़म ओ पेच, ये रंगों की ज़बां

चिमनियौं से ये निकलता हुआ पुर पेच धुआं

 

तेरी तख़्लीक़ नहीं है, मेरी तख़्लीक़ नहीं

हम अगर ज़िद्द भी करें इस पे तो तस्दीक़ नहीं

 

इल सूली पे चढ़ा, तब कहीं तख़्मीना बना

ज़हर सदियों ने पिया, तब कहीं नौशीना बना

सैंकड़ौं पाऊं कटे तब कहीं एक ज़ीना बना

 

तेरे क़द्मौं के तले, या मेरे क़द्मौं के तले

नौ-ए इंसाँ के शब ओ रोज़ की तक़्दीर नहीं

ये वतन तेरी मेरी नस्ल की जागीर नहीं

सैंकड़ौं नस्लौं की मेहनत ने संवारा है इसे

 

तेरा ग़म कुछ भी सही, मेरा अलम कुछ भी सही

अहल-ए सरवत की सियासत का सितम कुछ भी सही

कल की नस्लें भी कोई चीज़ हैं, हम कुछ भी सही

 

जिस से दहक़ान को रोज़ी नहीं मिलने पाती

मैं न दूं गा तुझे वो खेत जलाने का सबक़

फ़स्ल बाक़ी है तक़्सीम बदल सकती है

फ़स्ल की ख़ाक से क्या मांगे गा जमहूर का हक़

 

पुल सलामत है तो तू पार उतर सकता है

चाहे तब्लीग़-ए बग़ावत के लिए ही उतरे

वरना ग़ालिब की ज़बां में मेरे हमदम मेरे दोस्त

दाम-ए हर मौज में है हल्क़ा-ए सद काम-ए निहंग

सोच ले फिर कोई तामीर गिराए

तेरी तामीर से है जंग के तख़रीब से जंग

 

अहल-ए मनसब हैं ग़लत-कार तो उन के मनसब

तेरी ताईद से ढाले गए तू मुजरिम है

मेरी ताईद से ढाले गए मैं मुजरिम हूं

पटरियां रेल की, सड़कौं की बसें, फ़ोन के तार

तेरी और मेरी ख़ताओं की सज़ा क्यूं भुगतें

 

उन पे क्यूं ज़ुल्म हो जिन की कोई तक़्दीर नहीं

ये वतन तेरी मेरी नस्ल की जागीर नहीं

सैंकड़ौं नस्लौं की मेहनत ने संवारा है इसे

 

तेरा शिकवा भी बज, मेरी शिकायत भी दुरुस्त

रंग-ए माहौल बदलने की ज़रुरत भी दुरुस्त

कौन कहता है के हालात पे तन्क़ीद न कर

हुक्मरानों के ग़लत दावों की तरदीद न कर

तुझ को इज़हार-ए ख़्यालात का हक़ हासिल है

 

और ये हक़ कोई तारीख़ की ख़ैरात नहीं

तेरे और मेरे रफ़ीक़ों ने लहू दे दे कर

ज़ुल्म की ख़ाक में इस हक़ का शजर बनोय है

साल-हा साल में वो बर्ग-ओ-समर लाया है

 

अपना हक़ मांग मगर उन के ता’वुन से न मांग

जो तेरे हक़ का तसव्वुर ही फ़ना कर डालें

हाथ उठा अपने, मगर उन के जिलौ में न उठा

जो तेरे हाथ तेरे तन से जुदा कर डालें

 

ख़्वाब-ए आज़ादी-ए इन्सां की ये ता’बीर नहीं

ये वतन तेरी मेरी नस्ल की जागीर नहीं

सैंकड़ों नस्लौं की मेहनत ने संवारा है इसे

 

virsa – sahir ludhianavi

Click here for overall comments and on any passage for word meanings and comments. It appears as if sahir wrote this at the end of a strike/protest movement in which there was a lot of destruction of public property. He is critical of such destruction and beautifully combines it with the thought that all resources are a legacy of future generations and should be preserved for them.

ye vatan teri meri nasl1 ki jageer2 nahiN
saiNkRauN naslauN ki mehnat ne saNwaara hai ise
1.generation 2.patrimony, exclusive property
The homeland is not the exclusive property of your or my generation. Millions of generations have toiled to nurture it.

kitne zahnauN1 ka lahu2, kitni nigaahauN ka araq3
kitne chehrauN ki haya4, kitni jabeenauN5 ki shafaq6
Khaak7 ki nazr8 hui, tab ye nazaare9 nikle
1.minds 2.blood, used here to mean work 3.essence, love 4.dignity 5.forehead, brow 6.twilight, redness, colour 7.earth 8.sacrifical offering 9.scenes, images
The work of many minds, the love of many eyes, the dignity of many faces, the colour of many brows were sacrificed to this earth. Only then, did the homeland take this shape.

pattharuaN se ye taraashe1 hue asnaam2-e javaaN
ye sadaauN3 ke Kham-o-pech4, ye raNgauN ki zabaaN
chimniyauN se ye nikalta hua pur-pech5 dhuaaN
1.carved, sculpted 2.idols 3.sounds, voices 4.ups and downs, lilting 5.swirling
Sahir is alluding to accomplishments in the arts and in industry. These beautiful idols carved out of rock, lilting sounds of music, these colourful words and this smoke swirling out of chimneys.

teri taKhleeq1 nahiN hai, meri taKhleeq nahiN
hum agar zidd2 bhi kareN is pe to tasdeeq3 nahiN
1.creation 2.insist 3.authenticity
All these, are not your creation. They are not my creation. Even if we insist, there is no aunthenticity to our claims.

ilm1 sooli2 pe chaRha, tab kahiN taKhmeena3 bana
zahr sadiyauN4 ne piya, tab kahiN nausheena5 bana
saiNkRauN paauN kaTe tab kahiN ek zeena6 bana
1.knowledge 2.gallows 3.estimation, measurement 4.centuries 5.elixir 6.stair
Generations went to the gallows to acquire this knowledge, only then were they able to take the proper measure of things. Centuries swallowed poison, only then did elixir emerge. Millions of feet were cut off, only then did a stair come into existence.

tere qadmauN1 ke taley, ya mere qadmauN ke taley
nau-e-insaaN2 ke shab-o-roz3 ki taqdeer4 nahiN
ye vatan teri meri nasl5 ki jageer6 nahiN
saiNkRauN naslauN ki mehnat ne saNwaara hai ise
1.feet 2.human species 3.day and night, livelihood 4.fate 5.generation 6.patrimony
The fate/survival of the human species is neither under my feet or your feet – meaning not ours to control/misuse. This homeland is not the patrimony of our generation. Millions of generations have worked hard to make it beautiful.

tera Gham kuchh bhi sahi, mera alam1 kuchh bhi sahi
ahl-e-sarvat2 ki siyaasat3 ka sitam4 kuchh bhi sahi
kal ki nasleN5 bhi koii cheez haiN hum kuchh bhi sahi
1.sorrow 2.people of wealth 3.politics 4.injustice 5.generations
Whatever sorrows you and I may have, whatever injustice the politics of the wealthy might visit on us, future generations also matter, whatever we may be.

jis se dahqaan1 ko rozi2 nahiN milne paati
maiN na dooNga tujhe vo khet jalaane ka sabaq3
fasl4 baaqi hai to taqseem5 badal sakti hai
fasl ki Khaak se kya maaNge ga jamhoor ka haq6 
1.farmer 2.livelihood 3.lesson, advice 4.harvest 5.division, distribution 6.rights
It is unfortunate that this may be interpreted as a strike against iqbal. I don’t think that iqbal, when he wrote the following she’r literally meant that wheat fields should be set on fire.
jis khet se dahqaaN ko mai’assar nahiN rozi
us khet ke har Khosha-e gandum ko jalaa do
It was a poetic expression of anger at injustice, with a call to correct it. I think that sahir is using it here as a convenient ‘handle’ rather than as a criticism of iqbal. Thus … I would not advise you to burn the field that does not yield a fair livelihood for the farmer. If the harvest is saved, distribution can be changed. How can you demand democratic rights from ashes of the harvest.

pul1 salaamat2 hai to tu paar utar sakta hai
chaahe tableeGh-e-baGhaawat3 ke liye hi utre
varna Ghalib ki zabaaN meN mere humdum4 mere dost
daam5-e har mauj6 meN hai halqa7-e sad-kaam8-e nihaNg9
soch le phir, koii taameer10 giraaye
teri taameer se hai juNg, ke taKhreeb11 se juNg
1.bridge 2.survive, intact 3.preaching of revolution 4.friend 5.net, trap 6.wave 7.encirclement 8.hundreds of throats/jaws 9.crocodile 10.construction/building 11.destruction
Ghalib’s misra is used to mean ‘there are many unseen traps you can fall into’. For a fuller discussion of the she’r see ‘asar hone tak’ in raina’s Ghalib. If the bridge is intact, then you can get across even to preach revolution. Otherwise, remember that Ghalib said, there are hidden traps, unforeseen consequences at every step. Think before you destroy any asset. Is your struggle against assets or against destruction/exploitation.

ahl-e-mansab1 haiN Ghalat-kaar2 to un ke mansab3
teri taa’eed4 se Dhaale5 gaye, tu mujrim6 hai
meri taa’eed se Dhaale gaye, maiN mujrim huN
paTriyaaN rail ki, saRkauN ki buseN, fon ke taar
teri aur meri KhataauN7 ki saza kyuN bhugteN8 
1.people of position/wealth 2.wrong acting 3.status/wealth 4.agreement, acquiescence 5.cast, made, accumulated 6.criminal/responsible 7.mistakes 8.bear, suffer
The wrongful actions of the priveleged and their priveleges, if they have come about because of my acquiescence then I am responsible. If they have come about because of your cooperation, then you are responsible. Why should railroads, buses or telephone wires bear the consequences of our mistakes.

un pe kyuN zulm1 ho jin ki koii taqdeer2 nahiN
ye vatan3 teri meri nasl4 ki jaagir5 nahiN
saiNkRauN naslauN ki mehnat ne saNwaara hai ise
1.cruelty, injustice 2.fate, fortune 3.homeland 4.generation 5.patrimony
Why should they (the future generations) suffer who are already unfortunate. This homeland is not the patrimony of your or my generation. Millions of generations have worked hard to make it beautiful.

tera shikwa1 bhi baja2, meri shikaayet3 bhi durust4
raNg-e-mahaul5 badalne ki zaroorat bhi durust
kaun kahta hai ke haalaat pe tanqeed6 na kar
hukmraanauN ke Ghalat daavauN7 ki tardeed8 na kar
tujh ko izhaar-e-Khyaalat9 ka haq10 haasil11 hai
1.complaint 2.justified 3.complaint 4.correct, right 5.atmosphere, conditions 6.criticism 7.claims 8.rejection 9.expression of thought 10.rights 11.available, to have
Your complaint is justified, mine is correct too. Yes, it is necessary to change these conditions. Who says, you cannot criticize the way things are, or reject the claims of the powerful. You have the right to express your thoughts.

aur ye haq1 koii tariKh2 ki Khairaat3 nahiN
tere aur mere rafeeqauN4 ne lahu5 de de kar
zulm6 ki Khaak7 meN is haq1 ka shajar8 boya9 hai
saal-ha-saal10 meN vo barg-o-samar11 laaya hai
1.right 2.history 3.alms, gift 4.friends, partisans 5.blood 6.oppression 7.soil 8.tree 9.sow, plant 10.many years 11.leaf and fruit
And this right is not a (free) gift of history. Your and my friends/helpers gave their blood to plant the tree of rights in the soil of oppression. Only after many years has it borne fruit.

apna haq maaNg magar un ke ta’avun1 se na maaNg
jo tere haq ka tasavvur2 hi fana3 kar DaaleN
haath uTha apne, magar un ke jilau4 meN na uTha
jo tere haath tere tan se juda5 kar DaaleN
1.cooperation, agreement, permission 2.concept 3.destroy, obliterate 4.together with
Demand your rights, but do not demand them with the permission of those who will obliterate the very concept of your rights. Raise your hands (to pray? to work? to strike?) but not in cooperation with them who are intent on cutting off your hands.

Khwaab-e aazadi-e insaaN ki ye ta’abeer1 nahiN
ye vatan teri meri nasl ki jaagir nahiN
saiNkRaun naslauN ki mehnat ne saNwaara hai ise
1.fullfilment
This (destrution) is not the fulfilment of the dream of liberation of man. This homeland is not the patrimony of your or my generation. Millions of generations have worked hard to make it beautiful.

virsa – sahir ludhianavi

It appears as if sahir wrote this at the end of a strike/protest movement in which there was a lot of destruction of public property.  He is critical of such destruction and beautifully combines it with the thought that all resources are a legacy of future generations and should be preserved for them.

ye vatan teri meri nasl1 ki jageer2 nahiN
saiNkRauN naslauN ki mehnat ne saNwaara hai ise

1.generation 2.patrimony, exclusive property

The homeland is not the exclusive property of your or my generation.  Millions of generations have toiled to nurture it.

kitne zahnauN1 ka lahu2, kitni nigaahauN ka araq3
kitne chehrauN ki haya4, kitni jabeenauN5 ki shafaq6
Khaak7 ki nazr8 hui, tab ye nazaare9 nikle

1.minds 2.blood, used here to mean work 3.essence, love 4.dignity 5.forehead, brow 6.twilight, redness, colour 7.earth 8.sacrifical offering 9.scenes, images

The work of many minds, the love of many eyes, the dignity of many faces, the colour of many brows were sacrificed to this earth.  Only then, did the homeland take this shape.

pattharuaN se ye taraashe1 hue asnaam2-e javaaN
ye sadaauN3 ke Kham-o-pech4, ye raNgauN ki zabaaN
chimniyauN se ye nikalta hua pur-pech5 dhuaaN

1.carved, sculpted 2.idols 3.sounds, voices 4.ups and downs, lilting 5.swirling

Sahir is alluding to accomplishments in the arts and in industry.  These beautiful idols carved out of rock, lilting sounds of music, these colourful words and this smoke swirling out of chimneys.

teri taKhleeq1 nahiN hai, meri taKhleeq nahiN
hum agar zidd2 bhi kareN is pe to tasdeeq3 nahiN

1.creation 2.insist 3.authenticity

All these, are not your creation.  They are not my creation.  Even if we insist, there is no aunthenticity to our claims.

ilm1 sooli2 pe chaRha, tab kahiN taKhmeena3 bana
zahr sadiyauN4 ne piya, tab kahiN nausheena5 bana
saiNkRauN paauN kaTe tab kahiN ek zeena6 bana

1.knowledge 2.gallows 3.estimation, measurement 4.centuries 5.elixir 6.stair

Generations went to the gallows to acquire this knowledge, only then were they able to take the proper measure of things.  Centuries swallowed poison, only then did elixir emerge.  Millions of feet were cut off, only then did a stair come into existence.

tere qadmauN1 ke taley, ya mere qadmauN ke taley
nau-e-insaaN2 ke shab-o-roz3 ki taqdeer4 nahiN
ye vatan teri meri nasl5 ki jageer6 nahiN
saiNkRauN naslauN ki mehnat ne saNwaara hai ise

1.feet 2.human species 3.day and night, livelihood 4.fate 5.generation 6.patrimony

The fate/survival of the human species is neither under my feet or your feet – meaning not ours to control/misuse.  This homeland is not the patrimony of our generation.  Millions of generations have worked hard to make it beautiful.

tera Gham kuchh bhi sahi, mera alam1 kuchh bhi sahi
ahl-e-sarvat2 ki siyaasat3 ka sitam4 kuchh bhi sahi
kal ki nasleN5 bhi koii cheez haiN hum kuchh bhi sahi

1.sorrow 2.people of wealth 3.politics 4.injustice 5.generations

Whatever sorrows you and I may have, whatever injustice the politics of the wealthy might visit on us, future generations also matter, whatever we may be.

jis se dahqaan1 ko rozi2 nahiN milne paati
maiN na dooNga tujhe vo khet jalaane ka sabaq3
fasl4 baaqi hai to taqseem5 badal sakti hai
fasl ki Khaak se kya maaNge ga jamhoor ka haq6

1.farmer 2.livelihood 3.lesson, advice 4.harvest 5.division, distribution 6.rights

It is unfortunate that this may be interpreted as a strike against iqbal.  I don’t think that iqbal, when he wrote the following she’r literally meant that wheat fields should be set on fire.
jis khet se dahqaaN ko mai’assar nahiN rozi
us khet ke har Khosha-e gandum ko jalaa do
It was a poetic expression of anger at injustice, with a call to correct it.  I think that sahir is using it here as a convenient ‘handle’ rather than as a criticism of iqbal.  Thus … I would not advise you to burn the field that does not yield a fair livelihood for the farmer.  If the harvest is saved, distribution can be changed.  How can you demand democratic rights from ashes of the harvest.

pul1 salaamat2 hai to tu paar utar sakta hai
chaahe tableeGh-e-baGhaawat3 ke liye hi utre
varna Ghalib ki zabaaN meN mere humdum4 mere dost
daam5-e har mauj6 meN hai halqa7-e sad-kaam8-e nihaNg9
soch le phir, koii taameer10 giraaye
teri taameer se hai juNg, ke taKhreeb11 se juNg

1.bridge 2.survive, intact 3.preaching of revolution 4.friend 5.net, trap 6.wave 7.encirclement 8.hundreds of throats/jaws 9.crocodile 10.construction/building 11.destruction

Ghalib’s misra is used to mean ‘there are many unseen traps you can fall into’.  For a fuller discussion of the she’r see ‘asar hone tak’ in raina’s Ghalib.  If the bridge is intact, then you can get across even to preach revolution.  Otherwise, remember that Ghalib said, there are hidden traps, unforeseen consequences at every step.  Think before you destroy any asset.  Is your struggle against assets or against destruction/exploitation.

ahl-e-mansab1 haiN Ghalat-kaar2 to un ke mansab3
teri taa’eed4 se Dhaale5 gaye, tu mujrim6 hai
meri taa’eed se Dhaale gaye, maiN mujrim huN
paTriyaaN rail ki, saRkauN ki buseN, fon ke taar
teri aur meri KhataauN7 ki saza kyuN bhugteN8

1.people of position/wealth 2.wrong acting 3.status/wealth 4.agreement, acquiescence 5.cast, made, accumulated 6.criminal/responsible 7.mistakes 8.bear, suffer

The wrongful actions of the priveleged and their priveleges, if they have come about because of my acquiescence then I am responsible.  If they have come about because of your cooperation, then you are responsible.  Why should railroads, buses or telephone wires bear the consequences of our mistakes.

un pe kyuN zulm1 ho jin ki koii taqdeer2 nahiN
ye vatan3 teri meri nasl4 ki jaagir5 nahiN
saiNkRauN naslauN ki mehnat ne saNwaara hai ise

1.cruelty, injustice 2.fate, fortune 3.homeland 4.generation 5.patrimony

Why should they (the future generations) suffer who are already unfortunate.  This homeland is not the patrimony of your or my generation.  Millions of generations have worked hard to make it beautiful.

tera shikwa1 bhi baja2, meri shikaayet3 bhi durust4
raNg-e-mahaul5 badalne ki zaroorat bhi durust
kaun kahta hai ke haalaat pe tanqeed6 na kar
hukmraanauN ke Ghalat daavauN7 ki tardeed8 na kar
tujh ko izhaar-e-Khyaalat9 ka haq10 haasil11 hai

1.complaint 2.justified 3.complaint 4.correct, right 5.atmosphere, conditions 6.criticism 7.claims 8.rejection 9.expression of thought 10.rights 11.available, to have

Your complaint is justified, mine is correct too.  Yes, it is necessary to change these conditions.  Who says, you cannot criticize the way things are, or reject the claims of the powerful.  You have the right to express your thoughts.

aur ye haq1 koii tariKh2 ki Khairaat3 nahiN
tere aur mere rafeeqauN4 ne lahu5 de de kar
zulm6 ki Khaak7 meN is haq1 ka shajar8 boya9 hai
saal-ha-saal10 meN vo barg-o-samar11 laaya hai

1.right 2.history 3.alms, gift 4.friends, partisans 5.blood 6.oppression 7.soil 8.tree 9.sow, plant 10.many years 11.leaf and fruit

And this right is not a (free) gift of history.  Your and my friends/helpers gave their blood to plant the tree of rights in the soil of oppression.  Only after many years has it borne fruit.

apna haq maaNg magar un ke ta’avun1 se na maaNg
jo tere haq ka tasavvur2 hi fana3 kar DaaleN
haath uTha apne, magar un ke jilau4 meN na uTha
jo tere haath tere tan se juda5 kar DaaleN

1.cooperation, agreement, permission 2.concept 3.destroy, obliterate 4.together with

Demand your rights, but do not demand them with the permission of those who will obliterate the very concept of your rights.  Raise your hands (to pray? to work? to strike?) but not in cooperation with them who are intent on cutting off your hands.

Khwaab-e aazadi-e insaaN ki ye ta’abeer1 nahiN
ye vatan teri meri nasl ki jaagir nahiN
saiNkRaun naslauN ki mehnat ne saNwaara hai ise

1.fullfilment

This (destrution) is not the fulfilment of the dream of liberation of man.  This homeland is not the patrimony of your or my generation.  Millions of generations have worked hard to make it beautiful.