For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
وہ رشکِ گلستاں اپنا ۔ راجہ کشن کمار وقارؔ
۱
شگفتہ غنچۂ دل کیوں نہ ہو اے باغباں اپنا
ہوا ہے کن ریاضوں سے وہ رشکِ گلستاں اپنا
۲
ذرا خونِ دِل و لختِ جگر تیّار ہو جاتا
پس از مُدّت غمِ جاناں ہوا ہے میہماں اپنا
۳
دہانِ یار کے غم نے یہ کھویا ہے موے پر بھی
نہیں ملتا فرشتوں کو بھی مرقد میں نشاں اپنا
۴
خیالِ ابروئے خمدار میں اک تیر قامت کا
خمیدہ ہو گیا یکدست قد مِثلِ کماں اپنا
۵
کہیں تو منہ کی کِھلوائے گا لپکا بدزبانی کا
نکالو حوصلہ دے کے ہمیں تم گالیاں اپنا
۶
اِلٓہِ العالمیں تو ہی بتا اب دل کسے دیں ہم
نظر آتا نہیں معشوق کوئی قدرداں اپنا
۷
چھپانے سے نہیں چھپتےسر مو عشق و مشک اصلاً
عیاں درپردہ اُن پر ہو گیا رازِ نہاں اپنا
۸
بنا لیں گے نشیمن ہمصفیرو شاخِ طوبیٰ پر
ریاضِ دہر سے اُجڑے گا جس دن آشیاں اپنا
۹
وقارؔ اللہ اگر سیدھا ہے کیا کھٹکا ہے کج رو کا
بنا سکتا نہیں ہے کچھ بگڑ کر آسماں اپنا
वो रश्क-ए गुल्सितां अपना – राजा किशन कुमार वक़ार
१
शगुफ़्ता ग़ुंचा-ए दिल क्यूं न हो अए बाग़्बां अपना
हुआ है किन रियाज़ौं से वो रश्क-ए गुल्सितां अपना
२
ज़रा ख़ून-ए दिल ओ लख़्त-ए जिगर तय्यार हो जाता
पस अज़ मुद्दत ग़म-ए जानां हुआ है मेहमां अपना
३
दहान-ए यार के ग़म ने ये खोया है मुए पर भी
नहीं मिलता फ़रिश्तौं को भी मर्क़द में निशां अपना
४
ख़याल-ए अब्रू-ए ख़मदार में एक तीर क़ामत का
ख़मीदा हो गया यकदस्त क़द मिस्ल-ए कमां अपना
५
कहीं तो मुंह कि खिल्वाएगा लप्का बदज़बानी का
निकालो हौस्ला दे के हमें तुम गालियां अपना
६
इलाह-इल-आलमीं तू हि बता अब दिल किसे दें हम
नज़र आता नहीं माशूक़ कोई क़द्र-दां अपना
७
छुपाने से नहीं छुपते सर-ए मू इश्क़ ओ मुश्क अस्लन
अयां दरपर्दा उन पर हो गया राज़-ए नेहां अपना
८
बना लेंगे नशेमन हमसफ़ीरो शाख़-ए तूबा पर
रियाज़-ए दहर से उज्ढेगा जिस दिन आशियां अपना
९
वक़ार अल्लाह अगर सीधा है क्या खटका है कज रौ का
बना सकता नहीं है कुछ बिगढ कर आस्मां अपना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. kishan kumaar vaqaar (~1840-xxxx) was a local lord of muradabad and badayuun. In 1877 his title was elevated from rai to rajah. His first collection of Ghazal was published in 1873 by avadh aKhbaar press. I put his date of birth as a rough guess, at 1840. He has several Ghazal composed in the zamin of Ghalib. This is one of two that vaqaar composed in the style of ‘zikr us parivash ka aur phir bayaaN apna’. There are many others in the same zamin composed by several other shu’araa.
1
shagufta1 Ghuncha2-e dil kyuN na ho aye baaGhbaaN3 apna
hua hai kin riyaazoN4 se vo rashk5-e gulsitaaN6 apna 1.open, blossom, bloom 2.bud 3.gardener 4.repetitive effort/practice 5.envy 6.garden
The beloved is so beautiful that she is the envy of the garden. The poet/lover has finally won her heart. Then, O gardener, why should the bud of my heart not blossom into a flower!
2
zara Khoon-e dil o laKht1-e jigar2 tayyaar3 ho jaata
pas-az-muddat4 Gham5-e jaanaaN6 hua hai mehmaaN7 apna 1.piece of 2.liver 3.ready, able 4.after a long time 5.pain (of love) 6.beloved 7.guest
After a long time the beloved has done something to re-awaken the pain (of love) in his heart. Perhaps she has been simply ignoring him for a while and suddenly/unexpectedly offered a glance or a word. Thus, “Gham-e jaanaaN” has once again become a guest in his heart. But his heart and liver are not up to it. He wishes that they had been more ready. In urdu poetic tradition the heart causes tears of blood to be shed and the liver produces the supply of blood. Both of these don’t seem to be ready.
3
dahaan1-e yaar2 ke Gham ne khoya3 hai mu’e4 par bhi
nahiN milta farsihtoN5 ko bhi marqad6 meN nishaaN7 apna 1.mouth, face 2.beloved 3.lost 4.dead man 5.angels 6.grave 7.mark, trace
The poet/lover is dead and buried. Angels arrive in the grave to question him and take an account of his good and bad deeds. But even they cannot find a trace of him. Why, because he is still wandering the desert like majnuN pining away for his beloved. Even in death, the pining away for love of the beloved has caused him to be lost.
4
Khayaal1-e abru2-e Khamdaar3 meN ek tiir qaamat4 ka
Khamiida5 ho gaya yak-dast6 qad7 misl8-e kamaaN apna 1.thought, imagination, memory 2.eye brows 3.curved 4.stature 5.bent 6.arm’s length 7.height 8.similar to, like
The stature of the poet/lover used to be straight like an arrow. But when he thought of the curved eye-brows of the beloved it became bent like an arrow, losing an arm’s length of height.
5
kahiN to muNh ki khilvaa’ega lapka1 bad-zabaani2 ka
nikaalo hausla3, de ke hameN tum gaaliyaaN apna 1.leap to snatch, bad habit 2.abusive language 3.courage, aspiration, desire
“muNh ki khaana” is to be insulted badly in public and “muNh ki khilvaana” is causative – to cause someone to be insulted in public. It seems that the poet/lover is offering himself as a target of abuse. Take out your desire by heaping insults on me – reading the second misra as “apna hausla nikaalo hameN gaaliyaaN de ke”. I am afraid that you are going to insult someone else with your habit of heaping abuse.
6
ilaah-il-aalamiiN1 tu hi bataa ab dil kise deN ham
nazar2 aata nahiN maashooq3 koii qadr-daaN4 apna 1.lord of all worlds 2.see 3.beloved 4.one who values/respects
O lord of all worlds, you tell me who I can give my heart to. I do not see any beloved who is willing to give me (even the slightest) respect.
7
chhupaane se nahiN chhupte sar-e-muu1 ishq2 o mushk3 aslan4
ayaaN5 dar-parda6 un par ho gaya raaz7-e nehaaN8 apna 1.hair’s breadth 2.love 3.musk 4.real, genuine 5.revealed 6.behind the veil 7.secret 8.hidden
Genuine musk has a strong fragrance. However much you try to hide it, it cannot be hidden even a hair-breadth’s worth. The same is true about true love. The hidden secret of the poet’s love for her was revealed to the beloved even behind the veil.
8
banaa leNge nasheman1 hamsafiiro2 shaaKh3-e tuuba4 par
riyaaz5-e dahr6 se ujRega jis din aashiyaaN7 apna 1.nest 2.fellow travelers, friends 3.branch 4.legendary tree in heaven 5.garden 6.material world 7.nest
The poet is a bird and he expects to go to heaven. O friends, when my nest in this material world is destroyed, i.e., when I die, I will make a nest on the tuuba in heaven.
9
vaqaar1 allaah agar siidha hai kya khaTka2 hai kaj-rau3 ka
banaa sakta nahiN kuchh bigaR4 kar aasmaaN5 apna 1.pen-name of the poet 2.danger, fear 3.crooked path 4.annoyed 5.sky, fate
In the Indian cultural tradition (urdu poetic tradition is very much a part of it) fate determines everything. If fate is annoyed, then it can do a lot of harm. Also ‘aasmaan/sky’ which covers/overwhelms us determines our fate. The first misra has a very awkward syntax which I read as … allaah, agar vaqaar siidha hai to kaj-rau (kaj-ravi) ka kya khaTka hai … O god, if vaqaar is straight/virtuous then what is the fear of going astray (on a crooked path). Even the sky/fate cannot do anything to me by being annoyed.
kishan kumaar vaqaar (~1840-xxxx) was a local lord of muradabad and badayuun. In 1877 his title was elevated from rai to rajah. His first collection of Ghazal was published in 1873 by avadh aKhbaar press. I put his date of birth as a rough guess, at 1840. He has several Ghazal composed in the zamin of Ghalib. This is one of two that vaqaar composed in the style of ‘zikr us parivash ka aur phir bayaaN apna’. There are many others in the same zamin composed by several other shu’araa.
1
shagufta1 Ghuncha2-e dil kyuN na ho aye baaGhbaaN3 apna
hua hai kin riyaazoN4 se vo rashk5-e gulsitaaN6 apna
1.open, blossom, bloom 2.bud 3.gardener 4.repetitive effort/practice 5.envy 6.garden
The beloved is so beautiful that she is the envy of the garden. The poet/lover has finally won her heart. Then, O gardener, why should the bud of my heart not blossom into a flower!
2
zara Khoon-e dil o laKht1-e jigar2 tayyaar3 ho jaata
pas-az-muddat4 Gham5-e jaanaaN6 hua hai mehmaaN7 apna
1.piece of 2.liver 3.ready, able 4.after a long time 5.pain (of love) 6.beloved 7.guest
After a long time the beloved has done something to re-awaken the pain (of love) in his heart. Perhaps she has been simply ignoring him for a while and suddenly/unexpectedly offered a glance or a word. Thus, “Gham-e jaanaaN” has once again become a guest in his heart. But his heart and liver are not up to it. He wishes that they had been more ready. In urdu poetic tradition the heart causes tears of blood to be shed and the liver produces the supply of blood. Both of these don’t seem to be ready.
3
dahaan1-e yaar2 ke Gham ne khoya3 hai mu’e4 par bhi
nahiN milta farsihtoN5 ko bhi marqad6 meN nishaaN7 apna
1.mouth, face 2.beloved 3.lost 4.dead man 5.angels 6.grave 7.mark, trace
The poet/lover is dead and buried. Angels arrive in the grave to question him and take an account of his good and bad deeds. But even they cannot find a trace of him. Why, because he is still wandering the desert like majnuN pining away for his beloved. Even in death, the pining away for love of the beloved has caused him to be lost.
4
Khayaal1-e abru2-e Khamdaar3 meN ek tiir qaamat4 ka
Khamiida5 ho gaya yak-dast6 qad7 misl8-e kamaaN apna
1.thought, imagination, memory 2.eye brows 3.curved 4.stature 5.bent 6.arm’s length 7.height 8.similar to, like
The stature of the poet/lover used to be straight like an arrow. But when he thought of the curved eye-brows of the beloved it became bent like an arrow, losing an arm’s length of height.
5
kahiN to muNh ki khilvaa’ega lapka1 bad-zabaani2 ka
nikaalo hausla3, de ke hameN tum gaaliyaaN apna
1.leap to snatch, bad habit 2.abusive language 3.courage, aspiration, desire
“muNh ki khaana” is to be insulted badly in public and “muNh ki khilvaana” is causative – to cause someone to be insulted in public. It seems that the poet/lover is offering himself as a target of abuse. Take out your desire by heaping insults on me – reading the second misra as “apna hausla nikaalo hameN gaaliyaaN de ke”. I am afraid that you are going to insult someone else with your habit of heaping abuse.
6
ilaah-il-aalamiiN1 tu hi bataa ab dil kise deN ham
nazar2 aata nahiN maashooq3 koii qadr-daaN4 apna
1.lord of all worlds 2.see 3.beloved 4.one who values/respects
O lord of all worlds, you tell me who I can give my heart to. I do not see any beloved who is willing to give me (even the slightest) respect.
7
chhupaane se nahiN chhupte sar-e-muu1 ishq2 o mushk3 aslan4
ayaaN5 dar-parda6 un par ho gaya raaz7-e nehaaN8 apna
1.hair’s breadth 2.love 3.musk 4.real, genuine 5.revealed 6.behind the veil 7.secret 8.hidden
Genuine musk has a strong fragrance. However much you try to hide it, it cannot be hidden even a hair-breadth’s worth. The same is true about true love. The hidden secret of the poet’s love for her was revealed to the beloved even behind the veil.
8
banaa leNge nasheman1 hamsafiiro2 shaaKh3-e tuuba4 par
riyaaz5-e dahr6 se ujRega jis din aashiyaaN7 apna
1.nest 2.fellow travelers, friends 3.branch 4.legendary tree in heaven 5.garden 6.material world 7.nest
The poet is a bird and he expects to go to heaven. O friends, when my nest in this material world is destroyed, i.e., when I die, I will make a nest on the tuuba in heaven.
9
vaqaar1 allaah agar siidha hai kya khaTka2 hai kaj-rau3 ka
banaa sakta nahiN kuchh bigaR4 kar aasmaaN5 apna
1.pen-name of the poet 2.danger, fear 3.crooked path 4.annoyed 5.sky, fate
In the Indian cultural tradition (urdu poetic tradition is very much a part of it) fate determines everything. If fate is annoyed, then it can do a lot of harm. Also ‘aasmaan/sky’ which covers/overwhelms us determines our fate. The first misra has a very awkward syntax which I read as … allaah, agar vaqaar siidha hai to kaj-rau (kaj-ravi) ka kya khaTka hai … O god, if vaqaar is straight/virtuous then what is the fear of going astray (on a crooked path). Even the sky/fate cannot do anything to me by being annoyed.
