For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
زندگی کی دعا نہ دے ۔ پنڈت آنند نرائن مُلّا
۱
ترا لطف آتشِ شوق کو، حدِ زندگی سے بڑھا نہ دے
کہیں بجھ نہ جائے چراغ ہی، اُسے دیکھ اتنی ہوا نہ دے
۲
ترا غم ہے دولتِ دل تری، اُسے آنسوؤں میں لٹا نہ دے
وہی آہ نقدِ حیات ہے، جسے لب پہ لا کے گنوا نہ دے
۳
مری زندگی کی حقیقتوں، کو نہ پُوچھ اور میں کیا کہوں
مرا دوست آج وہی ہے جو، مجھے زندگی کی دعا نہ دے
۴
یہی زندگی نے سبق دیا، کہ کبھی فریبِ کرم نہ کھا
یہ اُمید رکھ نہ کسی سے تو، کہ مٹا سکے تو مٹا نہ دے
۵
مجھے غم ہی دے نہ خوشی سہی، نہ کرم سہی تو ستم سہی
مگر اتنا کم بھی کرم نہ ہو، کہ ترا ستم بھی مزا نہ دے
۶
مرے دل کی خود یہ مجال تھی، کہ وہ شامِ غم کو سحر کرے
تری یاد آ کے گھڑی گھڑی، اگر آنسوؤں کو ہنسا نہ دے
۷
ترے دل پہ حق ہے جہاں کا بھی، یہ فرارِ عشق روا نہیں
غمِ دوست خوب ہے جب تلک، غمِ زندگی کو بھلا نہ دے
۸
وہ خدائے حسن ہی کیوں نہ ہو، کوئی شے ہے غیرتِ عشق بھی
جو تری صدا پہ کُھلے نہ در، وہ کُھلے بھی جب تو صدا نہ دے
۹
مرے دشمنوں کے لبوں پہ تھی، جو ہنسی وہ مُلّا اب اُڑ چلی
انہیں ڈر ہے اب یہی غم مرا، مری زندگی کو بنا نہ دے
ज़िंदगी की दुआ न दे – पंडित आनंद नरायन मुल्ला
१
तेरा लुत्फ़ आतिश-ए शौक़ को हद-ए ज़िंदगी से बढ़ा न दे
कहीं बुझ न जाए चराग़ ही उसे देख इतनी हवा न दे
२
तेरा ग़म है दौलत-ए दिल तेरी उसे आँसुओं में लुटा न दे
वही आह नक़्द-ए हयात है जिसे लब पे ला के गँवा न दे
३
मेरी ज़िंदगी की हक़ीक़तौं को न पूछ और मैं क्या कहूँ
मेरा दोस्त आज वही है जो मुझे ज़िंदगी की दुआ न दे
४
यही ज़िंदगी ने सबक़ दिया के कभी फ़रेब-ए करम न खा
ये उमीद रख न किसी से तू के मिटा सके तो मिटा न दे
५
मुझे ग़म ही दे न ख़ुशी सही न करम सही तो सितम सही
मगर इतना कम भी करम न हो के तेरा सितम भी मज़ा न दे
६
मेरे दिल की ख़ुद ये मजाल थी के वो शाम-ए ग़म को सहर करे
तेरी याद आ के घढी घढी अगर आँसुओं को हँसा न दे
७
तेरे दिल पे हक़ है जहाँ का भी ये फ़रार-ए इश्क़ रवा नहीं
ग़म-ए दोस्त ख़ूब है जब तलक ग़म-ए ज़िंदगी को भुला न दे
८
वो ख़ुदा-ए हुस्न ही क्यूँ न हो कोई शय है ग़ैरत-ए इश्क़ भी
जो तेरी सदा पे खुले न दर वो खुले भी जब तो सदा न दे
९
मेरे दुश्मनों के लबौं पे थी जो हँसी वो मुल्ला अब उढ चली
उन्हें डर है अब यही ग़म मेरा मेरी ज़िंदगी को बना न दे
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thought provoking shaa’er. urdu lover. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. This is a very unusual Ghazal for mulla. He usually composes cerebral and resistance poetry. There is seldom any romance in them. I am guessing that he was challenged by his critics to show his ability to write romantic Ghazal and he produced this one. There is some evidence of that in the final she’r. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal, ‘mujhe zindagi ki dua na de’ on the ‘Refrain-radeef’ page.
1
tera lutf1 aatish2-e shauq3 ko had4-e zindagi se baRha na de
kahiN bujh na jaa’e charaaGh5 hi usay dekh itni hava6 na de 1.favours, courtesy 2.fire 3.desire, love 4.boundaries 5.lamp 6.blow on
‘hava dena’ is an expression used to mean increase the intensity of something. In this case it also applies literally in the sense of blowing on embers increase the flames. This is addressed to the beloved. Her courtesies and attention to the lover may increase the fire of love beyond the boundaries of life i.e., causing the lover’s death. Be careful that the candle of life may blow out, don’t blow on it so hard.
2
tera Gham hai daulat1-e dil teri use aaNsuoN meN luTa2 na de
vahi aah3 naqd-e-hayaat4 hai jise lab5 pe laa ke gaNva6 na de 1.wealth, treasure 2.squander, waste 3.sigh 4.value of life 5.lips 6.lose, waste
This is addressed to the lover or himself. Your pain/sorrow of love is your wealth, do not squander/waste it in tears. Only that sigh has value which is not lost through the lips i.e., do not show your deep feelings either through tears or through sighs.
3
meri zindagi ki haqiqatoN1 ko na puuchh aur maiN kya kahuN
mera dost2 aaj vahi hai jo mujhe zindagi ki dua na de 1.truths, realities 2.friend
Do not ask me about the bitter truths of my life, what more can I say. My friend now is one who does not pray for my long life i.e., the lover is so distraught that he wishes to die and does not want anyone to pray for his life or ask him to relate his sad story.
4
yahi zindagi ne sabaq1 diya keh kabhi fareb2-e karam3 na kha
ye umiid4 rakh na kisi se tu keh miTa5 sake to miTa na de 1.lesson 2.deception 3.kindness 4.hope, expectation 5.erase, wipe, destroy
Life teaches this lesson – never be deceived by kindness. Do not expect from anyone that they will not wipe you out, if they can i.e., expect the worst.
5
mujhe Gham hi de na Khushi sahi na karam1 sahi to sitam2 sahi
magar itna kam bhi karam1 na ho keh tera sitam2 bhi maza3 na de 1.kindness 2.torture, cruelty, injustice 3.taste, pleasure
This is addressed to the beloved. At least give me sorrow, if you cannot give happiness; if not kindness, then at least cruelty/pain. But unlike poetic convention there is a qualification. But let not your kindness do down so much that your torture does not give any pleasure. Thus, mulla seems to concede the poetic convention that the beloved’s torture gives pleasure, but he maintains a tangential diversion that there should be some level of compensatory kindness for the lover to be able to enjoy the torture.
6
mere dil ki Khud ye majaal1 thi keh vo shaam2-e Gham ko sahar3 kare
teri yaad aa ke ghaRi-ghaRi4 agar5 aaNsuoN ko haNsa na de 1.courage, daring, gall 2.night 3.dawn 4.frequently 5.if
The lover’s heart had the gall to think that it could pass the night of sorrow/separation through dawn, but only if memories of her do not frequently cause his tears to stop and him to smile. This implies that it became more difficult to pass the night of sorrow/separation because his tears were frequently interrupted with memories bringing smiles to his lips. Why this would be, I am not sure. Perhaps each interruption increases the intensity of pain.
7
tere dil pe haq1 hai jahaaN2 ka bhi ye faraar3-e ishq rava4 nahiN
Gham-e dost5 Khuub hai jab talak6 Gham-e zindagi ko bhula na de 1.rights, claims 2.world 3.escape from 4.allowed 5.friend, beloved 6.until
This she’r reflects the call of the Progressive Writers’ Association. They called upon poets to write about the suffering/pain of the people and not about classical romance and love. The poets asserts … the world too has claims/rights over your heart. The escape into the world of love is not allowed-not acceptable. The sorrow of the love of the beloved is fine, as long you don’t forget the pain/sorrow of life (of the people).
8
voh Khuda-e husn1 hi kyuN na ho koi shai2 hai Ghairat3-e ishq bhi
jo teri sada4 pe khule na dar5 vo khule bhi jab to sada na de 1.beauty 2.thing 3.dignity 4.sound, call 5.door
The beloved may be the godess of beauty, but the dignity of love/lover is something too. The door which is not opened on your call, do not call on that door even it is later opened. This reminds me of Ghalib …
bandagii meN bhii vo aazaadah-o-Khud-biiN haiN ke hum
ulTe phir aae dar-e-kaabah agar vaa na huaa
9
mere dushmanoN1 ke laboN2 pe thi jo haNsi vo mulla3 ab uR4 chali
unheN Dar5 hai ab yahi Gham mera meri zindagi ko bana na de 1.enemies, critics 2.lips 3.pen-name of the poet 4.fly away, gone 5.fear
Like I observed in the background notes above, this is a very unusual Ghazal for mulla. He usually composes cerebral and resistance poetry. There is seldom any romance in them. I am guessing that he was challenged by his critics to show his ability to write romantic Ghazal and he produced this one. This she’r gives a clue. The smile on the lips of my critics, O mulla, has been wiped out. Now they are afraid that this sorrow (conventional romance Ghazal) of mine, will make my life i.e., establish me as an all-round poet.
panDit anand narain mulla (1901-1997), lukhnow, thoughtful and thought provoking shaa’er. urdu lover. High court justice, parliamentarian and strong secularist and rationalist/atheist. This is a very unusual Ghazal for mulla. He usually composes cerebral and resistance poetry. There is seldom any romance in them. I am guessing that he was challenged by his critics to show his ability to write romantic Ghazal and he produced this one. There is some evidence of that in the final she’r. This Ghazal is linked to other ham-radeef Ghazal, ‘mujhe zindagi ki dua na de’ on the ‘Refrain-radeef’ page.
1
tera lutf1 aatish2-e shauq3 ko had4-e zindagi se baRha na de
kahiN bujh na jaa’e charaaGh5 hi usay dekh itni hava6 na de
1.favours, courtesy 2.fire 3.desire, love 4.boundaries 5.lamp 6.blow on
‘hava dena’ is an expression used to mean increase the intensity of something. In this case it also applies literally in the sense of blowing on embers increase the flames. This is addressed to the beloved. Her courtesies and attention to the lover may increase the fire of love beyond the boundaries of life i.e., causing the lover’s death. Be careful that the candle of life may blow out, don’t blow on it so hard.
2
tera Gham hai daulat1-e dil teri use aaNsuoN meN luTa2 na de
vahi aah3 naqd-e-hayaat4 hai jise lab5 pe laa ke gaNva6 na de
1.wealth, treasure 2.squander, waste 3.sigh 4.value of life 5.lips 6.lose, waste
This is addressed to the lover or himself. Your pain/sorrow of love is your wealth, do not squander/waste it in tears. Only that sigh has value which is not lost through the lips i.e., do not show your deep feelings either through tears or through sighs.
3
meri zindagi ki haqiqatoN1 ko na puuchh aur maiN kya kahuN
mera dost2 aaj vahi hai jo mujhe zindagi ki dua na de
1.truths, realities 2.friend
Do not ask me about the bitter truths of my life, what more can I say. My friend now is one who does not pray for my long life i.e., the lover is so distraught that he wishes to die and does not want anyone to pray for his life or ask him to relate his sad story.
4
yahi zindagi ne sabaq1 diya keh kabhi fareb2-e karam3 na kha
ye umiid4 rakh na kisi se tu keh miTa5 sake to miTa na de
1.lesson 2.deception 3.kindness 4.hope, expectation 5.erase, wipe, destroy
Life teaches this lesson – never be deceived by kindness. Do not expect from anyone that they will not wipe you out, if they can i.e., expect the worst.
5
mujhe Gham hi de na Khushi sahi na karam1 sahi to sitam2 sahi
magar itna kam bhi karam1 na ho keh tera sitam2 bhi maza3 na de
1.kindness 2.torture, cruelty, injustice 3.taste, pleasure
This is addressed to the beloved. At least give me sorrow, if you cannot give happiness; if not kindness, then at least cruelty/pain. But unlike poetic convention there is a qualification. But let not your kindness do down so much that your torture does not give any pleasure. Thus, mulla seems to concede the poetic convention that the beloved’s torture gives pleasure, but he maintains a tangential diversion that there should be some level of compensatory kindness for the lover to be able to enjoy the torture.
6
mere dil ki Khud ye majaal1 thi keh vo shaam2-e Gham ko sahar3 kare
teri yaad aa ke ghaRi-ghaRi4 agar5 aaNsuoN ko haNsa na de
1.courage, daring, gall 2.night 3.dawn 4.frequently 5.if
The lover’s heart had the gall to think that it could pass the night of sorrow/separation through dawn, but only if memories of her do not frequently cause his tears to stop and him to smile. This implies that it became more difficult to pass the night of sorrow/separation because his tears were frequently interrupted with memories bringing smiles to his lips. Why this would be, I am not sure. Perhaps each interruption increases the intensity of pain.
7
tere dil pe haq1 hai jahaaN2 ka bhi ye faraar3-e ishq rava4 nahiN
Gham-e dost5 Khuub hai jab talak6 Gham-e zindagi ko bhula na de
1.rights, claims 2.world 3.escape from 4.allowed 5.friend, beloved 6.until
This she’r reflects the call of the Progressive Writers’ Association. They called upon poets to write about the suffering/pain of the people and not about classical romance and love. The poets asserts … the world too has claims/rights over your heart. The escape into the world of love is not allowed-not acceptable. The sorrow of the love of the beloved is fine, as long you don’t forget the pain/sorrow of life (of the people).
8
voh Khuda-e husn1 hi kyuN na ho koi shai2 hai Ghairat3-e ishq bhi
jo teri sada4 pe khule na dar5 vo khule bhi jab to sada na de
1.beauty 2.thing 3.dignity 4.sound, call 5.door
The beloved may be the godess of beauty, but the dignity of love/lover is something too. The door which is not opened on your call, do not call on that door even it is later opened. This reminds me of Ghalib …
bandagii meN bhii vo aazaadah-o-Khud-biiN haiN ke hum
ulTe phir aae dar-e-kaabah agar vaa na huaa
9
mere dushmanoN1 ke laboN2 pe thi jo haNsi vo mulla3 ab uR4 chali
unheN Dar5 hai ab yahi Gham mera meri zindagi ko bana na de
1.enemies, critics 2.lips 3.pen-name of the poet 4.fly away, gone 5.fear
Like I observed in the background notes above, this is a very unusual Ghazal for mulla. He usually composes cerebral and resistance poetry. There is seldom any romance in them. I am guessing that he was challenged by his critics to show his ability to write romantic Ghazal and he produced this one. This she’r gives a clue. The smile on the lips of my critics, O mulla, has been wiped out. Now they are afraid that this sorrow (conventional romance Ghazal) of mine, will make my life i.e., establish me as an all-round poet.
