For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
یارب اثر ملے ۔ مُرلی دھر شادؔ
۱
وہ مجھ سے کیا ملے پسِ پردہ اگر ملے
باتوں میں کس طرح مجھے لطفِ نظر ملے
۲
کہہ دوں نہ اُن سے راہ میں موقع اگر ملے
دنیا میں چاہئے کہ بشر کو بشر ملے
۳
پڑتی رہے نگاہِ کرم بھی کبھی کبھی
بندہ نواز عشق میں غم بیشتر ملے
۴
دُشمن، رقیب، غیر، بہت سے ابھی تو ہیں
اُلفت میں موت کو ابھی کیوں میرا گھر ملے
۵
انکار زہر سے بھی نہ ہو مے کا ذکر کیا
اُس نازنیں کلائی سے ساغر اگر ملے
۶
گم کردہ ہوش ہو کے رہوں ہجرِ یار میں
جب تک مری دعاؤں کو یارب اثر ملے
۷
قاصد کو بھیجنے سے دعا پہلے مانگ لوں
وعدے کی رات ہے کوئی اچھی خبر ملے
۸
ساقی کے فیضِ عام میں کس کو کلام ہے
پی لے سلام کر کے جسے جس قدر ملے
۹
کوچہ میں اُن کے خضر کی حاجت نہ تھی ہمیں
جتنے ملے نشانِ قدم راہبر ملے
۱۰
کعبہ ہے ایک سمت تو بُت خانہ ایک سمت
اُس کی تلاش ہے ہمیں اب وہ جدھر ملے
۱۱
غالب کی اِس زمیں میں لکھوں شادؔ میں غزل
بیخود کے فیضِ خاص سے حصّہ اگر ملے
यारब असर मिले – मुर्ली धर शाद
१
वो मुझ से क्या मिले पस-ए पर्दा अगर मिले
बातौं में किस तरह मुझे लुत्फ़-ए नज़र मिले
२
कह दूं न उन से राह में मौक़’अ अगर मिले
दुनिया में चाहिये के बशर को बशर मिले
३
पढती रहे निगाह-ए करम भी कभी कभी
बंदा नवाज़ इश्क़ में ग़म बेश्तर मिले
४
दुश्मन, रक़ीब, ग़ैर, बहुत से अभी तो हैं
उल्फ़त में मौत को अभी क्यूं मेरा घर मिले
५
इन्कार ज़हर से भी न हो, मय का ज़िक्र क्या
उस नाज़नीं कलाई से साग़र अगर मिले
६
गुम-कर्दा होश हो के रहूं हिज्र-ए यार में
जब तक मेरी दुआऔं को यारब असर मिले
७
क़ासद को भेजने से दुआ पहले मांग लूं
वा’दे कि रात है, कोई अच्छी ख़बर मिले
८
साक़ी के फ़ैज़-ए आम में किस को कलाम है
पी ले सलाम कर के जिसे जिस क़दर मिले
९
कूचे में उन के ख़िज़्र की हाजत न थी हमें
जितने मिले निशान-ए क़दम राहबर मिले
१०
का’बा है एक सम्त तो बुत ख़ाना एक सम्त
उस की तलाश है हमें अब वो जिधर मिले
११
ग़ालिब की इस ज़मीं में लिखूं शाद मैं ग़ज़ल
बेख़ुद के फ़ैज़-ए ख़ास से हिस्सा अगर मिले
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. murli dhar shaad (~1910?-1950). His diivaan was published posthumously by his uncle, shaNkar lal shaNkar, who was himself a shaa’er and died soon afterwards (~1952). shaad’s father, founder of lyallpur mills and later DCM, established the ‘shaNkar-shaad Memorial Trust’ which organizes annual hind-pak mushaa’era (with political interruptions in 1965 and covid in 2020), aimed at promoting urdu and communal harmony. shaad also organized annual mushaa’era in lyallpur in the 1940s inviting shu’ara from all over India, for the employees of the textile mills. This Ghazal is in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘mera salaam kahiyo agar naamabar mile’ also pays tribute to his ustaad, beKhud dehlavi in the maqt’a.
1
vo mujh se kya mile pas1-e parda agar mile
baatoN meN kis tarah mujhe lutf2-e nazar3 mile 1.behind 2.pleasure 3.sight, seeing
What kind of a get-together will it be if she meets me from behind a curtain. Just by conversation (through the curtain) how can I get the pleasure of looking at her.
2
kah duN na un se raah1 meN mauq’a2 agar mile
duniya meN chaahiye keh bashar3 ko bashar mile 1.path, street 2.occasion, chance 3.human
I would tell her if I encounter her on the street, and if I get a chance that in this life it is necessary for a human to meet/befriend another human i.e. I will ask her to meet me.
3
paRti rahe nigaah1-e karam2 bhi kabhi kabhi
banda-navaaz3 ishq meN Gham beshtar4 mile 1.glance 2.kindness 3.benefactor of this slave i.e. beloved 4.many
O my beloved, at least occasionally a glance of kindness towards me. In love all I have received is a lot of sorrow/disapproval from you.
4
dushman, raqiib1, Ghair2, bahut se abhi to haiN
ulfat3 meN maut4 ko abhi kyuN mera ghar mile 1.rival 2.other 3.love 4.death
There are still many enemies, rivals, others left in the world. In the field of love why should Death find my home now.
5
inkaar1 zahr2 se bhi na ho, mai3 ka zikr4 kya
us naazniiN5 kalaaii6 se saaGhar7 agar mile 1.refusal 2.poison 3.wine 4.mention, talk 5.delicate 6.wrist, hand 7.cup (of wine)
If I were handed a cup by her delicate hand, I would not refuse even poison, why talk of wine.
6
gum-karda1 hosh2 ho ke rahuN hijr3-e yaar4 meN
jab tak meri dua’oN ko yaarab5 asar6 mile 1.lost 2.senses 3.separation 4.friend, beloved 5.prayers 6.effect
I would remain lost/senseless throughout separation from the beloved, O god, until my prayers are answered.
7
qaasid1 ko bhejne se dua pahle maaNg luuN
vaa’de2 ki raat hai, koii achchhi Khabar3 mile 1.messenger 2.promise 3.news
Before sending the messenger (to the beloved, reminding her of her promise), I should offer prayers. This is the night she had promised to come. My prayers may bring good news.
8
saaqi ke faiz1-e aam2 meN kis ko kalaam3 hai
pii le salaam kar ke jise jis qadar4 mile 1.benevolence 2.common, everyone 3.speak (complain) 4.much
Who can speak words of complaint about the benevolence of the saaqi to one and all. Just offer salaam/thanks and drink as much as you are given. In this case ‘saaqi’ could be god. Just be thankful for what you have received and make the best use of it. Ghalib, on the other hand, protests …
dete haiN baada zarf-e qadah Khwaar dekh kar
9
kooche1 meN un ke Khizr2 ki haajit3 na thi hameN
jitne mile nishaan4-e qadam5 raahbar6 mile 1.street 2.legendary old man (see note below) 3.necessity 4.marks, signs 5.steps 6.guide
Khizr is a legendary old man mentioned in the Bible and the qur’aan. He is used as a metaphor for guidance to lost travelers. The poet/lover has no need for the guidance of Khizr in the street of the beloved. All footprints on the street were guides for him i.e. all travelers before him were going to the beloved’s house.
10
kaa’ba hai ek samt1 to but-Khaana2 ek samt1
us ki talaash3 hai hameN ab vo jidhar4 mile 1.direction 2.house of idols, temple 3.search 4.wherever
In one direction is the k’aaba and in the other the temple. We are searching for him (god), wherever we find him i.e. both are legitimate places to look for god.
11
Ghalib ki is zamiN1 meN likhuN shaad2 maiN Ghazal
beKhud3 ke faiz4-e Khaas5 se hissa6 agar mile 1.background, structure, style 2.pen-name of the poet 3.beKhud dehlavi – poet’s ustaad 4.benevolence 5.special 6.portion
I will be able to compose this Ghazal in the style of Ghalib, O shaad, if I receive a portion of the special blessing of my ustaad, beKhud dehlavi.
murli dhar shaad (~1910?-1950). His diivaan was published posthumously by his uncle, shaNkar lal shaNkar, who was himself a shaa’er and died soon afterwards (~1952). shaad’s father, founder of lyallpur mills and later DCM, established the ‘shaNkar-shaad Memorial Trust’ which organizes annual hind-pak mushaa’era (with political interruptions in 1965 and covid in 2020), aimed at promoting urdu and communal harmony. shaad also organized annual mushaa’era in lyallpur in the 1940s inviting shu’ara from all over India, for the employees of the textile mills. This Ghazal is in the zamin of Ghalib’s ‘mera salaam kahiyo agar naamabar mile’ also pays tribute to his ustaad, beKhud dehlavi in the maqt’a.
1
vo mujh se kya mile pas1-e parda agar mile
baatoN meN kis tarah mujhe lutf2-e nazar3 mile
1.behind 2.pleasure 3.sight, seeing
What kind of a get-together will it be if she meets me from behind a curtain. Just by conversation (through the curtain) how can I get the pleasure of looking at her.
2
kah duN na un se raah1 meN mauq’a2 agar mile
duniya meN chaahiye keh bashar3 ko bashar mile
1.path, street 2.occasion, chance 3.human
I would tell her if I encounter her on the street, and if I get a chance that in this life it is necessary for a human to meet/befriend another human i.e. I will ask her to meet me.
3
paRti rahe nigaah1-e karam2 bhi kabhi kabhi
banda-navaaz3 ishq meN Gham beshtar4 mile
1.glance 2.kindness 3.benefactor of this slave i.e. beloved 4.many
O my beloved, at least occasionally a glance of kindness towards me. In love all I have received is a lot of sorrow/disapproval from you.
4
dushman, raqiib1, Ghair2, bahut se abhi to haiN
ulfat3 meN maut4 ko abhi kyuN mera ghar mile
1.rival 2.other 3.love 4.death
There are still many enemies, rivals, others left in the world. In the field of love why should Death find my home now.
5
inkaar1 zahr2 se bhi na ho, mai3 ka zikr4 kya
us naazniiN5 kalaaii6 se saaGhar7 agar mile
1.refusal 2.poison 3.wine 4.mention, talk 5.delicate 6.wrist, hand 7.cup (of wine)
If I were handed a cup by her delicate hand, I would not refuse even poison, why talk of wine.
6
gum-karda1 hosh2 ho ke rahuN hijr3-e yaar4 meN
jab tak meri dua’oN ko yaarab5 asar6 mile
1.lost 2.senses 3.separation 4.friend, beloved 5.prayers 6.effect
I would remain lost/senseless throughout separation from the beloved, O god, until my prayers are answered.
7
qaasid1 ko bhejne se dua pahle maaNg luuN
vaa’de2 ki raat hai, koii achchhi Khabar3 mile
1.messenger 2.promise 3.news
Before sending the messenger (to the beloved, reminding her of her promise), I should offer prayers. This is the night she had promised to come. My prayers may bring good news.
8
saaqi ke faiz1-e aam2 meN kis ko kalaam3 hai
pii le salaam kar ke jise jis qadar4 mile
1.benevolence 2.common, everyone 3.speak (complain) 4.much
Who can speak words of complaint about the benevolence of the saaqi to one and all. Just offer salaam/thanks and drink as much as you are given. In this case ‘saaqi’ could be god. Just be thankful for what you have received and make the best use of it. Ghalib, on the other hand, protests …
dete haiN baada zarf-e qadah Khwaar dekh kar
9
kooche1 meN un ke Khizr2 ki haajit3 na thi hameN
jitne mile nishaan4-e qadam5 raahbar6 mile
1.street 2.legendary old man (see note below) 3.necessity 4.marks, signs 5.steps 6.guide
Khizr is a legendary old man mentioned in the Bible and the qur’aan. He is used as a metaphor for guidance to lost travelers. The poet/lover has no need for the guidance of Khizr in the street of the beloved. All footprints on the street were guides for him i.e. all travelers before him were going to the beloved’s house.
10
kaa’ba hai ek samt1 to but-Khaana2 ek samt1
us ki talaash3 hai hameN ab vo jidhar4 mile
1.direction 2.house of idols, temple 3.search 4.wherever
In one direction is the k’aaba and in the other the temple. We are searching for him (god), wherever we find him i.e. both are legitimate places to look for god.
11
Ghalib ki is zamiN1 meN likhuN shaad2 maiN Ghazal
beKhud3 ke faiz4-e Khaas5 se hissa6 agar mile
1.background, structure, style 2.pen-name of the poet 3.beKhud dehlavi – poet’s ustaad 4.benevolence 5.special 6.portion
I will be able to compose this Ghazal in the style of Ghalib, O shaad, if I receive a portion of the special blessing of my ustaad, beKhud dehlavi.
