For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
یہ اعتبار اپنا ۔ قربان علی سالکؔ
۱
رہے گا دوشِ صبا پر ہی جسمِ زار اپنا
زمین پر نہ بنے گا کہیں مزار اپنا
۲
ضرور رحم ہے اُفتادگانِ خاک پہ بھی
سمندِ ناز ذرا روک شہ سوار اپنا
۳
اُٹھا کے مجھ کو سرِ بزم یہ ستم دیکھو
جتانے بیٹھے ہیں دشمن پہ افتخار اپنا
۴
یہ فخر کم ہے کہ تو بزم سے اٹھاے مجھے
کروں نہ تذکرہ کس طور بار بار اپنا
۵
پھنسا ہوں دام میں آوارگی سے تنگ آکر
ہوا ہوں آپ ہی صیّاد میں شکار اپنا
۶
ہم اور دیکھ سکیں تیرے پاس دشمن کو
خدا کرے تیرے گھر میں نہ ہو گزار اپنا
۷
زمین پر نظر آ جائے ایک اور زمیں
ذرا بھی دل سے نکل جائے گر غبار اپنا
۸
جفا تمہاری، وفا اپنی، پھر کمی کیا ہے
وہ اعتبار تمہارا، یہ اعتبار اپنا
۹
گلی میں اُس بتِ سفّاک کی چلے ہیں ولے
خدا کو کرتے ہیں سالکؔ نگاہ دار اپنا
ये ए’तेबार अपना – क़ुर्बान अली सालिक
१
रहेगा दोश-ए सबा पर ही जिस्म-ए ज़ार अपना
ज़मीन पर ना बनेगा कहीं मज़ार अपना
२
ज़रूर रहम है उफ़्तादगान-ए ख़ाक पे भी
समंद-ए नाज़ ज़रा रोक शह-सवार अपना
३
उठा के मुझको सर-ए बज़्म ये सितम देखो
जताने बैठे हैं दुश्मन पे इफ़्तेख़ार अपना
४
ये फ़ख़्र कम है के तू बज़्म से उठाए मुझे
करूं न तज़्करा किस तौर बार-बार अपना
५
फंसा हूं दाम में आवारगी से तंग आकर
हुआ हूं आप ही सय्याद मैं शिकार अपना
६
हम और देख सकें तेरे पास दुश्मन को
ख़ुदा करे तेरे घर में ना हो गुज़ार अपना
७
ज़मीन पर नज़र आ जाए एक और जमीं
ज़रा भी दिल से निकल जाए गर ग़ुबार अपना
८
जफ़ा तुम्हारी, वफ़ा अपनी, फिर कमी क्या है
वो ए’तेबार तुम्हारा, ये ए’तेबार अपना
९
गली में उस बुत-ए सफ़्फ़ाक की चले हैं वले
ख़ुदा को करते हैं सालिक निगाह-दार अपना
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. qurbaan ali saalik (1824-1880), born in hyderabad, brought up in dehli and moved back to hyderabad after a brief stay in alwaar following the 1857 war. Initially he was a shaagird of momin and used the taKhallus ‘qurbaan’. But after momin’s death, he became a shaagird of Ghalib and adopted the taKhallus ‘saalik’. panDit javaahar nath saaqi sought his advice and simultaneously of zakariah zaki and can be considered a shaagird of both. This Ghazal styled after Ghalib’s ‘mizshgaan-e aahu pusht-Khaar apna’, is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
rahega dosh1-e sabaa2 par hi jism3-e zaar4 apna
zamiin par na banega kahiiN mazaar5 apna 1.back, shoulders 2.breeze 3.body 4.sorrowful, broken 5.tomb
My sorrowful body will forever be carried on the shoulders of the breeze. My tomb will never be built on land. Said Ghalib …
hue mar ke ham jo rusvaa, hue kyuN na Gharq-e darya
na kabhi janaaza uThta, na kahiiN mazaar hota
Here the dead poet’s body is being blown around by the breeze rather than drowned in water. The way I read it is … the poet considers that his body will be reduced to dust and that is the only permanent marker of his life. It will forever be blown by the wind.
2
zaruur1 rahm2 hai uftaadagaan3-e Khaak4 pe bhi
samand5-e naaz6 zara rok shah-savaar7 apna 1.necessary, required 2.kindness, pity 3.fallen 4.dust 5.horse, stallion 6.proud 7.honoured/respected rider
The beloved is out on her horse riding proudly. Her many lovers have fallen on the dust and she is about to ride over and trample them. The poet does not call upon her directly to have pity on them but addresses the horse … it is required that you be kind to even those who have fallen into the dust. O stallion (the embodiment of the beloved’s conceit), stop your honoured rider from trampling on them.
3
uTha ke mujh ko sar-e-bazm1 ye sitam2 dekho
jataane3 baiThe haiN dushman4 pe ifteKhaar5 apna 1.openly in the gathering 2.tyranny 3.assert 4.rival 5.honour
The beloved has ejected the poet/lover from her gathering, in front of everyone. And now, look at the tyranny on top of this, she displays her dignity/attentions towards the rival.
4
ye faKhr1 kam hai keh tu bazm2 se uThaaye mujhe
karuN na tazkira3 kis taur4 baar-baar5 apna 1.pride 2.gathering 3.talk about 4.in what way, how 5.again and again
The beloved has ejected the poet/lover from her gathering. This appears to be a source of pride for him – she at least considers him worth paying enough attention to have him expelled. It is such a source of pride that he cannot stop talking about it. Thus, he says … how can I not talk about it again and again.
5
phaNsa1 huN daam2 meN aavaaragi3 se taNg4 aa kar
hua huN aap hi sayyaad5 maiN shikaar6 apna 1.caught, tangled 2.net 3.aimless wandering 4.tired 5.hunter 6.hunted
The beloved is the hunter, and the poet/lover is the hunted prey. Before meeting/seeing the beloved, he used to wander aimlessly. He was tired of this wandering and anchored his love to the beloved. Thus, he says, O beloved/hunter, I myself have chosen to become the prey and have voluntarily got caught in your web.
6
ham aur dekh sakeN tere paas dushman1 ko
Khuda kare tere ghar meN na ho guzaar2 apna 1.enemy, rival 2.passing, sojourn
I, and be able to see the rival near you! May god that it never happen, that I should pass through your house. He seems to be sure that rival is lodged in her house.
7
zamiin par nazar aa jaaye aek aur zamiiN
zara bhi dil se nikal jaaye gar Ghubaar1 apna 1.ill-feeling, suspicion
Whose heart and whose ill-feeling? The poet’s own heart and the feelings he carries towards the rival or the rest of the world or the beloved’s heart and the ill-feelings and suspicions of unfaithfulness she carries towards him. In either case, the first misra can result from the clearing up of this Ghubaar – he will see a different scene on this earth altogether.
8
jafaa1 tumhaari, vafaa2 apni, phir kami3 kya hai
vo e’tebaar4 tumhaara, ye e’tebaar apna 1.tyranny 2.fidelity 3.shortage 4.trust
Your tyranny, my steadfast love/fidelity, what more do we want. You trust your tyranny and I trust my fidelity. Every need is met.
9
gali meN us but1-e saffaak2 ki chale haiN vale3
Khuda ko karte haiN saalik4 nigaah-daar5 apna 1.idol, beloved 2.cruel 3.so be it 4.pen-name of the poet 5.guardian
The poet/lover is getting ready to step into the lane of the beloved, whatever the consequence. He has placed his life in the hands of god.
qurbaan ali saalik (1824-1880), born in hyderabad, brought up in dehli and moved back to hyderabad after a brief stay in alwaar following the 1857 war. Initially he was a shaagird of momin and used the taKhallus ‘qurbaan’. But after momin’s death, he became a shaagird of Ghalib and adopted the taKhallus ‘saalik’. panDit javaahar nath saaqi sought his advice and simultaneously of zakariah zaki and can be considered a shaagird of both. This Ghazal styled after Ghalib’s ‘mizshgaan-e aahu pusht-Khaar apna’, is linked to Ghalib naqsh-e qadam.
1
rahega dosh1-e sabaa2 par hi jism3-e zaar4 apna
zamiin par na banega kahiiN mazaar5 apna
1.back, shoulders 2.breeze 3.body 4.sorrowful, broken 5.tomb
My sorrowful body will forever be carried on the shoulders of the breeze. My tomb will never be built on land. Said Ghalib …
hue mar ke ham jo rusvaa, hue kyuN na Gharq-e darya
na kabhi janaaza uThta, na kahiiN mazaar hota
Here the dead poet’s body is being blown around by the breeze rather than drowned in water. The way I read it is … the poet considers that his body will be reduced to dust and that is the only permanent marker of his life. It will forever be blown by the wind.
2
zaruur1 rahm2 hai uftaadagaan3-e Khaak4 pe bhi
samand5-e naaz6 zara rok shah-savaar7 apna
1.necessary, required 2.kindness, pity 3.fallen 4.dust 5.horse, stallion 6.proud 7.honoured/respected rider
The beloved is out on her horse riding proudly. Her many lovers have fallen on the dust and she is about to ride over and trample them. The poet does not call upon her directly to have pity on them but addresses the horse … it is required that you be kind to even those who have fallen into the dust. O stallion (the embodiment of the beloved’s conceit), stop your honoured rider from trampling on them.
3
uTha ke mujh ko sar-e-bazm1 ye sitam2 dekho
jataane3 baiThe haiN dushman4 pe ifteKhaar5 apna
1.openly in the gathering 2.tyranny 3.assert 4.rival 5.honour
The beloved has ejected the poet/lover from her gathering, in front of everyone. And now, look at the tyranny on top of this, she displays her dignity/attentions towards the rival.
4
ye faKhr1 kam hai keh tu bazm2 se uThaaye mujhe
karuN na tazkira3 kis taur4 baar-baar5 apna
1.pride 2.gathering 3.talk about 4.in what way, how 5.again and again
The beloved has ejected the poet/lover from her gathering. This appears to be a source of pride for him – she at least considers him worth paying enough attention to have him expelled. It is such a source of pride that he cannot stop talking about it. Thus, he says … how can I not talk about it again and again.
5
phaNsa1 huN daam2 meN aavaaragi3 se taNg4 aa kar
hua huN aap hi sayyaad5 maiN shikaar6 apna
1.caught, tangled 2.net 3.aimless wandering 4.tired 5.hunter 6.hunted
The beloved is the hunter, and the poet/lover is the hunted prey. Before meeting/seeing the beloved, he used to wander aimlessly. He was tired of this wandering and anchored his love to the beloved. Thus, he says, O beloved/hunter, I myself have chosen to become the prey and have voluntarily got caught in your web.
6
ham aur dekh sakeN tere paas dushman1 ko
Khuda kare tere ghar meN na ho guzaar2 apna
1.enemy, rival 2.passing, sojourn
I, and be able to see the rival near you! May god that it never happen, that I should pass through your house. He seems to be sure that rival is lodged in her house.
7
zamiin par nazar aa jaaye aek aur zamiiN
zara bhi dil se nikal jaaye gar Ghubaar1 apna
1.ill-feeling, suspicion
Whose heart and whose ill-feeling? The poet’s own heart and the feelings he carries towards the rival or the rest of the world or the beloved’s heart and the ill-feelings and suspicions of unfaithfulness she carries towards him. In either case, the first misra can result from the clearing up of this Ghubaar – he will see a different scene on this earth altogether.
8
jafaa1 tumhaari, vafaa2 apni, phir kami3 kya hai
vo e’tebaar4 tumhaara, ye e’tebaar apna
1.tyranny 2.fidelity 3.shortage 4.trust
Your tyranny, my steadfast love/fidelity, what more do we want. You trust your tyranny and I trust my fidelity. Every need is met.
9
gali meN us but1-e saffaak2 ki chale haiN vale3
Khuda ko karte haiN saalik4 nigaah-daar5 apna
1.idol, beloved 2.cruel 3.so be it 4.pen-name of the poet 5.guardian
The poet/lover is getting ready to step into the lane of the beloved, whatever the consequence. He has placed his life in the hands of god.
