For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
یہ مضحکہ کا کیا ہے۔ پنڈت لبھورام جوشؔ ملسیانی
۱
زندگی دی تو پھر قضا کیا ہے
میرے خالق یہ مضحکہ کیا ہے
۲
حیف اے اُلفتِ فریب انجام
اِبتدا کیا تھی اِنتہا کیا ہے
۳
آپ بے وجہ مدّعی کیوں ہیں
آپ کا اِس سے مدّعا کیا ہے
۴
زندگی خود ہی جب ہو جی کا زیاں
ایسے جینے سے فائدہ کیا ہے
۵
تو اگر بے نیاز ہے سب سے
یہ خدائی پھر اے خدا کیا ہے
۶
جتنی رونق تھی میرے دم سے تھی
اُن کی محفل میں اب دھرا کیا ہے
۷
تم گِلہ سُن کے رُوٹھ جاتے ہو
اور تم سے مجھے گِلہ کیا ہے
۸
بدحواسی میں خط تو لکھ ڈالا
یہ نہ لِکّھا کہ مُدّعا کیا ہے
۹
میں تو مشتاق ہوں شہادت کا
وار کر وار سوچتا کیا ہے
۱۰
میں معافی بھی مانگ لیتا ہوں
یہ تو معلوم ہو خطا کیا ہے
۱۱
تلخ ہو زندگی ہی جب اے جوشؔ
شعر کہنے میں پھر مزا کیا ہے
ये मज़्हका क्या है – पंडित लभुराम जोश मल्सियानी
१
ज़िंदगी दी तो फिर क़ज़ा क्या है
मेरे ख़ालिक़ ये मज़्हका क्या है
२
हैफ़ ऐ उल्फ़त-ए फ़रेब अंजाम
इब्तिदा क्या थी, इन्तहा क्या है
३
आप बे-वजह मद्दई क्यूँ हैं
आप का इस से मद्दआ क्या है
४
ज़िंदगी ख़ुद ही जब हो जी का ज़ियाँ
ऐसे जीने से फ़ायदा क्या है
५
तू अगर बे-नियाज़ है सब से
ये ख़ुदाई फिर ऐ ख़ुदा क्या है
६
जितनी रौनक थी मेरे दम से थी
उन की महफ़िल में अब धरा क्या है
७
तुम गिला सुन के रूठ जाते हो
और तुम से मुझे गिला क्या है
८
बद-हवासी में ख़त तो लिख डाला
ये न लिक्खा के मद्दआ क्या है
९
मैं तो मुश्ताक़ हूँ शहादत का
वार कर, वार सोचता क्या है
१०
मैं माफ़ी भी माँग लेता हूँ
ये तो मालूम हो ख़ता क्या है
११
तल्ख़ हो ज़िंदगी ही जब ऐ जोश
शेर कहने में फिर मज़ा क्या है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit labhuram josh malsiani (1884-1976) from malsian in the now pakistani side of punjab. He was orphaned at 14, without any material inheritance and grew up very poor, in an atmosphere devoid of any poetic tradition. Migrated to India a little before partition/independence. He has written with great feeling about communal harmony and about the loss of his homeland – pakistan. daaGh dehlavi was his ustaad for a brief duration (1902-1905). His son, baalmukund arsh malsiani was also a well recognized poet. Honoured with padma-shrii in 1971. This Ghazal is linked to ‘yaa ilaahi yeh maajra kya hai’ under Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme Index.
1
zindagi dii to phir qazaa1 kya hai
mere Khaaliq2 ye mazhaka3 kya hai 1.death 2.creator 3.joke, irony
You granted me life, then what is death? O my creator, what kind of irony is this? The word mazhaka (mockery, irony) intensifies the emotional disillusionment. This she’r speaks to the existential absurdity many poets have wrestled with; why must something so vibrant be temporary?
2
haif1 aye ulfat2-e fareb-anjaam3
ibtedaa4 kyaa thi, intehaa5 kya hai 1.alas 2.love 3.deceitful result 4.beginning 5.end, culmination
Alas, O love of deceitful outcome; look at what the beginning was, and what it culminates in! Said mir taqi mir …
raah-e duur-e ishq meN rotaa hai kyaa
aage aage dekhiye hotaa hai kyaa
3
aap be-vaj’h1 mudda’ii2 kyuN haiN
aap kaa is se mudd’aa3 kya hai 1.without reason 2.plaintiff, claimant, accuser 3.purpose, objective
This is probably addressed to the beloved. Why are you, without reason, making accusations? What is your real objective in this? It might also be a critique of those who judge or interfere without cause, perhaps societal moralists or hypocrites.
4
zindagi Khud1 hi jab ho jii2 kaa ziyaaN3
aise jiine4 se faa’edaa5 kya hai 1.itself 2.life, spirit 3.loss 4.living 5.benefit, use
When life itself is a loss of spirit (joyless), then what’s the point of such living? This existential verse questions the value of a life devoid of fulfillment. jii kaa ziyaaN (loss of soul/spirit) reflects conventional thinking about spiritual vs material.
5
tuu agar1 be-niyaaz2 hai sab se
yeh Khudaaii3 phir aye Khudaa kya hai 1.if 2.unmindful, indifferent 3.reigning over the universe, lordship
If you are indifferent to everyone (implied – to the pain and suffering of everyone); then what is the meaning of being creator and sustainer/reigning over the universe! How can divinity claim love if it shows no care? Also see dwarka das sho’la …
tuu bhi mohtaaj hai Khushaamad ka
aye Khuda varna bandagi kya hai
6
jitni raunaq1 thi mer’e dam2 se thi
unn ki mahfil3 meN ab dharaa4 kya hai 1.glory, splendour 2.power, capacity 3.gathering, assembly 4.remaining
In poetic convention, the poet alone is a true lover; pure lover without any expectations. All others/rivals are lustful pretenders. Thus, all the splendor existed because of me; what remains in her gathering now? The poet/lover has probably been thrown out or forbidden entry and this is a reflection on the poet’s departure from the gathering of admirers.
7
tum gilaa1 sunn ke ruuTh2 jaat’e ho
aur tum se mujh’e gilaa kya hai 1.complaint 2.offended, annoyed
There is a (perhaps delightfully intentional) self-contradiction in this she’r. The poet/lover has complained about something-perhaps her neglect/indifference. The beloved gets offended. He reacts – the only complaint I have is that you get offended when I complain. Thus, there was an original complaint (indifference) and then there was a complaint about getting offended. There are at least two right here.
8
bad-havaasi1 meN Khat to likh Daalaa
yeh na likkhaa keh mudd’aa2 kya hai 1.confusion, disorientation 2.purpose, objective
The poet/lover was distraught and wrote a letter in haste/confusion, but forgot to write what it was about; what he wanted. He is so overwhelmed by his emotions and sorrow that that is all he wrote about but forgot to declare his love.
9
maiN to mushtaaq1 huN shahaadat2 kaa
vaar3 kar, vaar sochtaa kya hai 1.desirous, eager 2.martyrdom 3.strike, blow
In poetic convention, the lover is eager to be slaughtered at the hands of the beloved. He derives pleasure from it. Thus, I am eager to be martyred at your hands. Strike, strike! What are you thinking about, why are you hesitating!
10
maiN mu’aafi1 bhi maaNg letaa huN
yeh to maa’luum2 ho, Khataa3 kya hai 1.forgiveness 2.know 3.fault, offence
The poet is more than willing to ask for forgiveness; all he wants to know is what his offence was.
11
talKh1 ho zindagi hii jab aye josh2
she’r kahne meN phir mazaa3 kya hai
panDit labhuram josh malsiani (1884-1976) from malsian in the now pakistani side of punjab. He was orphaned at 14, without any material inheritance and grew up very poor, in an atmosphere devoid of any poetic tradition. Migrated to India a little before partition/independence. He has written with great feeling about communal harmony and about the loss of his homeland – pakistan. daaGh dehlavi was his ustaad for a brief duration (1902-1905). His son, baalmukund arsh malsiani was also a well recognized poet. Honoured with padma-shrii in 1971. This Ghazal is linked to ‘yaa ilaahi yeh maajra kya hai’ under Ghalib naqsh-e qadam on the Theme Index.
1
zindagi dii to phir qazaa1 kya hai
mere Khaaliq2 ye mazhaka3 kya hai
1.death 2.creator 3.joke, irony
You granted me life, then what is death? O my creator, what kind of irony is this? The word “mazhaka” (mockery, irony) intensifies the emotional disillusionment. This she’r speaks to the existential absurdity many poets have wrestled with; why must something so vibrant be temporary?
2
haif1 aye ulfat2-e fareb-anjaam3
ibtedaa4 kyaa thi, intehaa5 kya hai
1.alas 2.love 3.deceitful result 4.beginning 5.end, culmination
Alas, O love of deceitful outcome; look at what the beginning was, and what it culminates in! Said mir taqi mir …
raah-e duur-e ishq meN rotaa hai kyaa
aage aage dekhiye hotaa hai kyaa
3
aap be-vaj’h1 mudda’ii2 kyuN haiN
aap kaa is se mudd’aa3 kya hai
1.without reason 2.plaintiff, claimant, accuser 3.purpose, objective
This is probably addressed to the beloved. Why are you, without reason, making accusations? What is your real objective in this? It might also be a critique of those who judge or interfere without cause, perhaps societal moralists or hypocrites.
4
zindagi Khud1 hi jab ho jii2 kaa ziyaaN3
aise jiine4 se faa’edaa5 kya hai
1.itself 2.life, spirit 3.loss 4.living 5.benefit, use
When life itself is a loss of spirit (joyless), then what’s the point of such living? This existential verse questions the value of a life devoid of fulfillment. jii kaa ziyaaN (loss of soul/spirit) reflects conventional thinking about spiritual vs material.
5
tuu agar1 be-niyaaz2 hai sab se
yeh Khudaaii3 phir aye Khudaa kya hai
1.if 2.unmindful, indifferent 3.reigning over the universe, lordship
If you are indifferent to everyone (implied – to the pain and suffering of everyone); then what is the meaning of being creator and sustainer/reigning over the universe! How can divinity claim love if it shows no care? Also see dwarka das sho’la …
tuu bhi mohtaaj hai Khushaamad ka
aye Khuda varna bandagi kya hai
6
jitni raunaq1 thi mer’e dam2 se thi
unn ki mahfil3 meN ab dharaa4 kya hai
1.glory, splendour 2.power, capacity 3.gathering, assembly 4.remaining
In poetic convention, the poet alone is a true lover; pure lover without any expectations. All others/rivals are lustful pretenders. Thus, all the splendor existed because of me; what remains in her gathering now? The poet/lover has probably been thrown out or forbidden entry and this is a reflection on the poet’s departure from the gathering of admirers.
7
tum gilaa1 sunn ke ruuTh2 jaat’e ho
aur tum se mujh’e gilaa kya hai
1.complaint 2.offended, annoyed
There is a self-contradiction (perhaps delightfully intentional) in this she’r. The poet/lover has complained about something-perhaps her neglect/indifference. The beloved gets offended. He reacts – the only complaint I have is that you get offended when I complain. Thus, there was an original complaint (indifference) and then there was a complaint about getting offended. There are at least two right here.
8
bad-havaasi1 meN Khat to likh Daalaa
yeh na likkhaa keh mudd’aa2 kya hai
1.confusion, disorientation 2.purpose, objective
The poet/lover was distraught and wrote a letter in haste/confusion, but forgot to write what it was about; what he wanted. He is so overwhelmed by his emotions and sorrow that that is all he wrote about but forgot to declare his love.
9
maiN to mushtaaq1 huN shahaadat2 kaa
vaar3 kar, vaar sochtaa kya hai
1.desirous, eager 2.martyrdom 3.strike, blow
In poetic convention, the lover is eager to be slaughtered at the hands of the beloved. He derives pleasure from it. Thus, I am eager to be martyred at your hands. Strike, strike! What are you thinking about, why are you hesitating!
10
maiN mu’aafi1 bhi maaNg letaa huN
yeh to maa’luum2 ho, Khataa3 kya hai
1.forgiveness 2.know 3.fault, offence
The poet is more than willing to ask for forgiveness; all he wants to know is what his offence was.
11
talKh1 ho zindagi hii jab aye josh2
she’r kahne meN phir mazaa3 kya hai
1.bitter 2.pen-name 3.pleasure
This is a conventional complaint about the bitterness of life, quite opposite to the celebration of the vitality of life by josh malihabadi. See zindagi kya hai on the Theme Index page for a variety of perspectives on life. Here – when life itself is bitter, O josh, what pleasure is there in writing verse? One noteworthy feature; in the second misra he could easily have said aise jiine meN phir mazaa kya hai but he said, “she’r kahne meN phir mazaa kya hai” elevating the value of she’r kahna over that of living itself.
