For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
جوش ملیح آبادی۔زندگی اور موت
موت
بند ٢٩
موت، اندھیاری، گھٹا ٹوپ، آبنوسی، تیرہ فام
بے رکوع و بے سجود و بے قعودو بے قیام
مضمحل، سن، منجمد، یخ بستہ، شل، افسردہ، خام
بے حرارت بے حکایت بے بصارت بے خرام
اسکے پتھریلے کلیجے میں کسک ہوتی نہیں
اسکے دیدے میں مروّت کی چمک ہوتی نہیں
بند ٣٠
موت، صحرا، دشت، ریگستان، بن، بیہڑ، سراب
بیخودی، وحشت، شقاوت، قاہری، دہشت، عذاب
خوف، ازخود رفتگی، بیگانگی، غیبت، حجاب
ایک حسرت خیز غفلت، ایک عبرت ناک خواب
ایک ڈائین، زندگی کی سمت منہ کھولے ہوئے
آستیں اْلٹے ہوئے، تیغِ دو دم تولے ہوئے
بند ٣١
موت، خاموشی، اُداسی، بے نوائی، بے حسی
موت، سنّاٹا، اندھیرا، بے شعوری، برہمی
موت، تاریکی، تباہی، تیرگی، ترسندگی
موت، آہوں کی خطابت، آنسوؤں کی شاعری
شیر افگن بازوؤں کو بے سکت کرتی ہے موت
ماتمی ہاتھوں کی ضربت پر نرت کرتی ہے موت
بند ٣٢
نامِ زِشتِ موت سے اُٹھتا ہے سینوں سے دھواں
فرقِ ہستی پر کڑک اُٹھتی ہے دہشت کی کماں
دَل پہ رکھ دیتاہے خوفِ مرگ وہ بارِ گراں
بولنے لگتی ہیں سہمی زندگی کی ہڈیاں
کوئی نرم آواز کوئی داستاں بھاتی نہیں
موت یاد آ جائے تو راتوں کو نیند آ تی نہیں
بند ٣٣
ہادمِ قصرِ ادا و عشوہٰ و افسوں گری
ناظمِ تابوت و گور و تختہ و پژمردگی
جازبِ آواز و احساس و حواس و زیرکی
سالبِ افعال وافکار و اُمید و آ گہی
حجرہِ سر بند میں اِس کے ہوا آتی نہیں
اِس کی رو میں دِل دھڑکنے کی صدا آتی نہیں
بند ٣٤
یہ سیہ روُ آن میں دن کو بنا د یتی ہے رات
اسکے اک جھونکے سے بجھ جاتی ہےقندیلِ حیات
آہ اِسکا شامیانہ سِسکیاں اِسکی قنات
اِسکے ناہموار کاندھوں پر نکلتی ہے برات
مسکرا کر آنسوئوں کے تار پر گاتی ہے موت
ہچکیوں کی گونج میں پازیب جھنکاتی ہے موت
بند ٣٥
کتنی تمکینیوں میں بھرتی ہے یہ کربِ اِرتعاش
سونپتی رہتی ہے یہ کتنے کلیجوں کی خراش
روز آئینے کیا کرتی ہے کتنے پاش پاش
کتنے بوڑھوں سے جواں بیٹوں کی اُٹھواتی ہے لاش
کیا بتا ئیں روز کتنے پھول مرجھاتی ہے موت
ماؤ ں سے کتنے چہیتے چھین لے جاتی ہے موت
بند ٣٦
موت، کیڑوں کی غذائے خستہ قبروں کا فشار
اِستخوانِ سوز و نفس گیر و تو ا نا ئی شکار
جاں فگار و نطق دُزد و روح کوب و جسم خوار
اِسکی شامیں نالہِ جاں کاہ ، صبحیں سوگوار
اِسکے دامِ سخت میں آ کر اکڑ جاتے ہیں لوگ
دفن جلدی سے نہ ہو جائیں تو سڑ جاتے ہیں لوگ
بند ٣٧
سر جھکاکر پائوں جس حجلہ میں رکھتی ہے دُلہن
جس جگہ مانجھے کے اُبٹن سے چٹکتے ہیں بدن
عود کی لپٹوں میں کِھلتے ہیں جہاں لاکھوں چمن
موت اِن گوشوں میں بھی لاتی ہے کافور وکفن
روز کتنی چوڑئیوں کو چرمرا دیتی ہے موت
کتنی اُمیدّوں کے خیموں کو جلا دیتی ہے موت
بند ٣٨
نو عروسوں کے شبستانوں میں در آتی ہے موت
شر بتی آ نکھوں کو اندھی گور جھنکواتی ہے موت
گھونگٹوں کے ادھ کھلے مکھڑوں کو جھلساتی ہے موت
چودھویں راتوں کے چاند کو نگل جاتی ہے موت
ہر نفس، ہر آن پیغامِ اجل دیتی ہے موت
پھول سے پنڈوں کولاشوں میں بدل دیتی ہےموت
بند ٣٩
پتھروں پر کس قدر شیشے گرا دیتی ہے موت
کنجِ شب میں کتنی صبحوں کو سلا دیتی ہے موت
کتنی کوکھوں، کتنی گودوں کو جلا دیتی ہے موت
کتنے سہروں کتنے سیجوں کو دغا دیتی ہےموت
کتنی چاہوں کس قدر بانہوں کو مُرجھاتی ہے موت
کتنی دکھتی کروٹوں پر رقص فرماتی ہے موت
२९
मौत अन्धयारी, घटाटोप, आबनूसी, तीरा फ़ाम
बे रुकू ओ बे सुजूद ओ बे क़’ऊद ओ बे क़याम
मुज़्महिल, सुन्न, मुन्जमिद, यख़ बस्ता, शल, अफ़्सुर्दा, ख़ाम
बे हरारत, बे हिकायत, बे बसारत, बे ख़राम
इसके पथरीले कलेजे में कसक होती नहीं
इसके दीदौं में मुरव्वत की चमक होती नहीं
३०
मौत सेहरा, दश्त, रेगिस्तान, बन, बीहड़, सराब
बेख़ुदी, वहशत, शक़ावत, क़ाहिरी, दहशत, अज़ाब
ख़ौफ़, अज़ख़ुदरफ़्तगी, बेगानगी, ग़ैबत, हिजाब
एक हसरत-ख़ेज़ ग़फ़लत, एक इब्रतनाक, ख़्वाब
एक डाएन, ज़िन्दगी की सिम्त मुंह खोले हुए
आस्तीं, उल्टे हुए, तेग़ ए दो दम खोले हुए
३१
मौत ख़ामोशी, उदासी, बे नवाई, बे हिसी
मौत सन्नाटा, अंधेरा, बे श’ऊरी, बरहमी
मौत तारीकी, तबाही, तीरगी, तरसन्दगी
मौत आहों कि ख़िताबत, आंसुओं कि शाएरी
शेर अफ़गन बाज़ुऔं को बे सकत करती है मौत
मातमी हाथौं की ज़रबत पर नरत करती है मौत
३२
नाम ए ज़श्त ए मौत से उठता है सीनों से धुआं
फ़र्क़ ए हस्ती पर कड़क उठती है दहशत की कमां
दिल पे रख देता है ख़ौफ़ ए मर्ग वो बार ए गिरां
बोलने लगती हैं सहमी ज़िन्दगी की हड्डियाँ
कोई नर्म आवाज़ कोई दास्ताँ भाती नहीं
मौत याद आ जाए तो रातों को नींद आती नहीं
३३
हादिम ए क़स्र ए अदा ओ इशवा ओ अफ़्सूं गरी
नाज़िम ए ताबूत ओ गोर ओ तख़्त ओ पज़शमर्दगी
जाज़िब ए आवाज़ ओ एहसास ओ हवस ओ ज़ेरकी
सालिब ए अफ़’आल ओ अफ़कार ओ उम्मीद ओ आगही
हुजरा ए सरबंद में इसके हवा आती नहीं
इस की रौ में दिल धड़कने की सदा आती नहीं
३४
ये सियह रू आन में दिन को बना देती है रात
इसके एक झोंके से बुझ जाती है क़िंदील ए हयात
आह इसका शामियाना, सिस्कियां इसकी क़िनात
इसके नाहम्वार कांधों पर निकलती है बरात
मुस्कुरा कर आंसुओं के तार पर गाती है मौत
हिचकियोंं की गूँज में पाज़ेब झांकती है मौत
३५
कितनी तम्कीनियों में भरती है ये करब ए इरतेाष
सौंपती रहती है ये कितने कलेजों को ख़राश
रोज़ आईने किया करती है कितने पाश पाश
कितने बूढ़ों से जवां बेटों की उठवाती है लाश
क्या बताएं रोज़ कितने फूल मुरझाती है मौत
माओं से कितने चहीते छीन ले जाती है मौत
३६
मौत कीड़ों की ग़िज़ा-ए-ख़स्ता, क़ब्रों का फ़िशार
इस्तेख़्वान-ए-सोज़ ओ नफ़स गीर ओ तवानाई शिकार
जां फ़िगार ओ नुत्क़ दुज़्द ओ रूह कोब ओ जिस्म ख़्वार
इसकी शामें नाला-ए-जां काह, सुबहें सोगवार
इसके दाम ए सख़्त में आकर अकड़ जाते हैं लोग
दफ़्न जल्दी से न हो जाएं तो सड़ जाते हैं लोग
३७
सर झुका कर पाऊं जिस हुजले में रखती है दुल्हन
जिस जगह मांझे के उबटन से चिटकते हैं बदन
ऊद की लपटों में खिलते हैं जहां लाखों चमन
मौत इन गोशों में भी लाती है काफ़ूर ओ कफ़न
रोज़ कितनी चूड़ियों को चुरमुरा देती है मौत
कितनी उम्मीदों के ख़ैमों को जला देती है मौत
३८
नौ उरूसों के शबिस्तानौं में दर आती है मौत
शरबती आँखों को अंधी गोर झंकवाती है मौत
घूंगटौं के अध खुले मुखड़ों को झुलसाती है मौत
चौधवीं रातों के चाँदौं को निगल जाती है मौत
हर नफ़स हर आन पैग़ाम ए अजल देती है मौत
फूल से पिंडों को लाशों में बदल देती है मौत
३९
पत्थरों पर किस क़दर शीशे गिरा देती है मौत
कुन्ज-ए-शब में कितनी सुबहौं को सुला देती है मौत
कितनी कोखों कितनी गोदौं को जला देती है मौत
कितने सेहरौं कितनी सेजों को दग़ा देती है मौत
कितनी चाहौं किस क़दर बाहों को मुरझाती है मौत
कितनी दुखती करवटों पर रक़्स फ़र्माती है मौत
Click here for overall comments and on any stanza for meanings and discussion. Josh takes up the theme of the destruction and sorrow that death causes. The power and beauty of his lyrical language continues and the ugliness of death parallels the beauty of life.
29
maut andhyari, ghaTaTop1, aabnusi2, teera-faam3
be ruku o be sujud3 o be quaud4 o be qiyam5
muzmahil6, sunn7, munjamid8, yaKh basta9, shal10, afsurda11, Khaam11
be hararat13, be hikayat14, be basarat15, be Kharam16
iske pathrile kaleje meN kasak17 hoti nahiN
iske dide meN muravvat18 ki chamak hoti nahiN1. pitch dark 2. made of ebony (dark) 3. made of darkness 4. postures in namaaz 4. rules 5. place, dependability 6. weak, exhausted 7. without the feeling of touch 7. solidified, frozen 9. made of ice 10. motionless, still 11. wilted 12. defective, weak 13. warmth 14. story 15. sight 16. ugly gait, not graceful 17. sharp pain 18. courtesy
Pitch dark like ebony, darkness embodied is Death. It follows no rules, respects none, bows to none (be ruku and be sujud … ruku and sijda, from namaz used to convey that death does not bow to anyone). Death is cold, frozen, does not sense anything, does not feel. Death has no warmth, no sight, no story to tell, and no grace. Its stony bosom feels no pain. Its eyes do not have the light of courtesy.
30
maut sehra1, dasht2, registan3, ban4, beehaR5, saraab6
beKhudi7, vahshat8, shaqaavat9, qaahiri10, dahshat11, azaab12
Khauf13, azKhudraftagi14, begaanagi15, Ghaibat16, hijaab17
ek hasrat-Khez18 Ghaflat19, ek ibrat-naak20 Khwaab
ek Daa’en21 zindagi ki simt22 muNh khole hue
aastiN ulTe23 hue, teGh-e-do-dam24 tole25 hue1. desert 2. wilderness 3. sandy desert 4. forest 5. wasteland 6. mirage 7. unconsious 8. terror 9. cruelty 10. oppressive 11. ferocious 12. calamity 13. fear 14. senseless, distracted 15. strangeness, “otherness” 16. absence, non-existence 17. covered, hidden, mysterious 18. grief causing 19. negligence, thoughtlessness 20. giving fearful lesson 21. witch 22. towards 23. sleeves rolled up (ready to fight) 24. sword with two edges (fearsome) 25. weighing (keeping ready at hand) Josh is warming up to his description of how awful death is. Consider the wide range of metaphors describing death. In stanza 29 he described its darkness, lack of feeling and not following any rules. Stanza 30 is another range of metaphors and emotions. Even as you admire the vocabulary and the range of metaphors, take time to admire the musicality and the compliment that Josh pays to the oral tradition of Urdu. A barren desert, wilderness, desolation, a deceptive mirage. Unfeeling, striking terror, cruel, oppressive and ferocious. Fear, awareness-stealing, memory-snatching, secretive (hijab – pouncing from the dark). A careless moment resulting in despair, a vindictive apparition. Death is a ghoul waiting with open mouth to gobble Life up. Ready with rolled up sleeves, a fearsome sword in hand.
31
maut, Khaamoshi, udaasi, be-navaaii1, be-hisi2
maut sannaaTa3, andhera, be-sha’uri4, barhami5
maut taareeki6, tabaahi7, teeragi8, tarsandagi9
maut aahoN ki Khitaabat10, aaNsuoN ki shaa’eri11
sher-afgan12 baazuoN ko be-sakat13 karti hai maut
maatami haathoN ki zarbat14 par narat15 karti hai maut1. no sound 2. no sensation 3. absolute quiet 4. no understanding 5. anger, confusion 6. darkness 7. destruction 8. darkness 9. nimble, quick (to kill) 10. conversation of sighs 11. poetics of tears 12. lion felling, strong 13. still 14. blows 15. nrtya, dance
Death, silence, sorrow, voice-less, numb. Absolute quiet, darkness, unaware, confusing. Death is darkness, destruction, eager to kill. Death is like a conversation of sighs, poetry of tears. Strong, lion-felling arms are rendered powerless by it. It dances with joy as it strikes with hands that bring sorrow.
32
nam e zasht1 e maut se sinoN se uThta hai dhuaN
farq2 e hasti3 par kaRak4 uThti hai dahshat5 ki kamaN
dil pe rakh deta hai Khauf-e-marg6 vo baar-e-giraaN7
bolne lagti haiN sahmi zindagi ki haDDiyaN8
koi narm aavaz koi dastaN9 bhati nahiN
maut yad aa jaye to ratoN ko neend aati nahiN1. ugliness 2. head, brow 3. life 4. twang (as of a bow) 5. terror 6. fear of death 7. heavy weight 8. bones cracking under heavy burden 9. story
Smoke rises from bosoms at the mere mention of the ugly name of death (smoke rising from the bosom … is the heart set on fire with fear a metaphor generally employed in Urdu). Terror twangs its bow at the head of life (scaring it with death). The fear of death puts such a heavy burden on the chest that the bones of poor terrified life crack under this weight. No sweet lullaby (narm aavaz) or bed time story offers solace (singing of lullabies or story telling are old comfort providing practices/traditions). Once you think of death, you cannot sleep at night.
33
haadim1 e qasr2 e ada3 o ishwa4 o afsuN-gari5
nazim6 e tabut7 o gor8 o taKht9 o pazhmardagi10
jazib11 e avaz12 o ehsas13 o havas14 o zeraki15
salib16 e afa’al17 o afkar18 o ummid19 o agahi20
hujra e sarband21 meN iske hava aati nahiN
is ki rau22 meN dil dhaRakne ki sada aati nahiN1. one who demolishes 2. house 3. style 4. playful flirting 5. enchanting 6. administrator, arranger 7. bier 8. grave 9. wooden funeral platform 10. wilting 11. one who sucks up 12. voice 13. feeling, sensing 14. awareness, senses 15. intelligence 16. one who eradicates 17. actions 18. reasoning 19. hope 20. intelligence, knowledge 21. dead-end (no escape) chamber 22. wake, flow
Life is metaphorically described as a house in which a damsel lives in style with playfulness flirtatiousness and enchantment. Death is a destroyer of this house. Death arranges funeral biers, graves, and the wilting of living things. It sucks up all sound, feeling, awareness and intelligence. Death eradicates all action, reasoning, hope and knowledge. No wind blows through the closed chambers of death. In its wake and flow there is no sound of beating hearts.
34
ye siyah-ru1 aan2 meN din ko bana deti hai raat
iske ek jhonke3 se bujh jaati hai qindil-e-hayaat4
aah5 iska shamiana6, siskiyaN7 iski qinaat8
iske nahamvar9 kaandhoN10 par nikalti hai baraat
muskura kar aansuauN ke taar11 par gati hai maut
hichkiyauN ki gooNj meN pazeb jhankati hai maut1. black-faced 2. in an instant 3. wave, blow, breath 4. lamp of life 5. sighs 6. tent cover 7. sobbing 8. tent-pole 9. uneven 10. shoulders 11. string (of tears)
This black faced evil turns day into night in a moment. One gust and it puts out the lamp of life. Its tent is made of sighs and drapes are made of sobs and laments. Death carries even the bridal palanquin on uneven shoulders (being carried on uneven shoulders is either a bad omen or a harbinger of a fall. In the “barat” – the wedding procession the bride may be carried in a palanquin. If the shoulders on which the palanquin is carried are uneven … ). It dances on streams/strings of tears. The echoing of sobs is the tinkling of its ankle bells.
35
kitni tamkiniauN1 meN bharti hai ye karb2 e irteash3
sauNpti4 rahti hai ye kitne kalejauN5 ki Kharash6
roz aaiine kiyya karti hai kitne pash pash7
kitne booRhauN se javaN betoN ki uThvati hai lash8
kya bataa’eN roz kitne phool murjhaati9 hai maut
maaoN se kitne hi chaheete chheen lejaati hai maut1. grandeur 2. sorrow, pain 3. trembling 4. safe-keeping, keeping alive 5. liver (heart) 6. pain 7. shatter 8. corpse 9. wilt
Even grandeur is made to shake with sorrow/sobbing. Death keeps on giving pain to one and all. Every day it shatters innumerable mirrors (delicate objects/images – shattering mirrors is also a bad omen). Even old men are made to carry the funeral bier of their sons. How can I tell you how many flowers death withers every day. How many loved ones it snatches from mothers every day.
36
maut kiRaun1 ki Ghiza-e-Khasta2, qabraun3 ka fishar4
istekhwan-e-soz5 o nafas-gir6 o tavanai-shikar7
jaan-figaar8 o nutq-duzd9 o rooh-kob10 o jism Khwar12
iski shameN naala-e-jaaN-kaah13, subheN sogvar14
iske daam-e-saKht15 meN aakar jakaR16 jaate haiN log
dafn17 jaldi se na ho jaeN to saR18 jaate haiN log1. insects 2. crunchy meal 3. graves 4. confinement, weight, pressure 5. skeleton or structure of grief 6. take a grip of (take away) life 7. hunter of vigour/youth 8. wounding life 9. stealing voice 10. spirit killing 12. body insulting 13. life-sapping lament 14. sorrowful 15. hard/tight net/trap 16. caught, confined 17. buried 18. rot
Death supplies a crunchy diet to worms. It is the confinement in graves. It is the framework of sorrow, taker of life, hunter of the strong. It wounds life, steals voice, beats up the spirit, insults the body. Its evenings are life sapping laments, its mornings mournful. In its hard (difficult to escape) trap people get caught and stiffen up. If they are not buried soon, they rot.
37
sar jhuka kar paaoN jis hujle1 meN rakhti hai dulhan
jis jagah maanjhe ke ubTan2 se chiTakte3 haiN badan
ood4 ki lapToN5 meN khilte haiN jahaN laakhoN chaman
maut in goshoN6 meN bhi laati hai kafoor7 o kafan8
roz kitni chuRioN ko churmura9 deti hai maut
kitni ummidauN ke KhaimauN10 ko jala deti hai maut1. chamber (bridal) 2. paste (fragrant, herbal) 3. blossom 4. incense 5. folds 6. corners 7. camphor (used as insect repellant in burial shrouds) 8. burial shroud 9. crush 10. tents
Death intrudes into the bridal chamber even as the bride steps shyly into it. As the bride is adorned with fragrant paste for her wedding and folds of burning incense make a thousand gardens bloom, even in those corners death brings the smell of camphor and folds of the burial shroud. O! how many bangles does death crumble up every day. How many stations of hope does it burn up.
38
nau urusauN1 ke shabistanoN2 meN dar aati3 hai maut
sharbati aankhoN ko andhi-gor4 jhankwaati5 hai maut
ghungaTon6 ke adh khule7 mukhRon ko jhulsaati8 hai maut
chaudhwiN raatoN ke chaandoN ko nigal9 jaati hai maut
har nafas10, har aan11, paiGham-e-ajal12 deti hai maut
phool se pinDoN13 ko laashoN14 meN badal deti hai maut1. new brides 2. bed chambers 3. intrudes into 4. blind/dark grave 5. peep/look into 6. (bridal) veil 7. half open 8. scorch/burn 9. swallow 10. every breath 11. every moment 12. message of death 13. bodies 14. corpses
Death forces itself into the bed chamber of brides. It opens up dark graves before the intoxicating eyes of brides. Death scorches even the tastefully half-veiled faces of brides. It gobbles up the moon-like beauty of brides. Every moment it delivers the message of doom. It makes corpses out of delicate, flower-like bodies. Josh brings out the beautiful imagery of bridal veils, shyness of the bride, tantalizingly half showing-half hidden face of the bride … and the ugliness of all this being consumed by the fire of death – playing on sentimentality of the death of the groom or of the bride herself … but rich vocabulary. One metaphor worth noting … “gobbles up the beauty of the full moon” – is gobbling up the bride who is referred to as “beautiful as the full moon”.
39
pattharoN par kis qadar1 shishe2 gira deti hai maut
kunj e shab3 meN kitni subhoN ko sula deti hai maut
kitni kokhoN4, kitni godoN5 ko jala deti hai maut
kitne sehroN6, kitne sejoN7 ko daGha8 deti hai maut
kitni chaahoN9, kis qadar baahoN10 ko murjhati11 hai maut
kitni dukhti karvaTauN12 par raqs-farmati13 hai maut1. how many 2. glass, crystal 3. corner of the night 4. wombs 5. laps 6. wedding garlands 7. wedding bed 8. deceive 9. loves 10. arms 11. wilt 12. turning, changing sides (in discomfort/pain) 13. dancing (with joy)
O, how many crystals does death shatter on the rocks. O, how many dawns does it put to sleep in the dark forest of night. O, how many wombs, how many laps does death burn up. How many garlands, how many bridal beds does death deceive. O, how many loves, how many arms does death wilt away. O, how many aching sides does death dance on.
29
maut andhyari, ghaTaTop1, aabnusi2, teera-faam3
be ruku o be sujud3 o be quaud4 o be qiyam5
muzmahil6, sunn7, munjamid8, yaKh basta9, shal10, afsurda11, Khaam11
be hararat13, be hikayat14, be basarat15, be Kharam16
iske pathrile kaleje meN kasak17 hoti nahiN
iske dide meN muravvat18 ki chamak hoti nahiN
1. pitch dark 2. made of ebony (dark) 3. made of darkness 4. postures in namaaz 4. rules 5. place, dependability 6. weak, exhausted 7. without the feeling of touch 7. solidified, frozen 9. made of ice 10. motionless, still 11. wilted 12. defective, weak 13. warmth 14. story 15. sight 16. ugly gait, not graceful 17. sharp pain 18. courtesy
Pitch dark like ebony, darkness embodied is Death. It follows no rules, respects none, bows to none (be ruku and be sujud … ruku and sijda, from namaz used to convey that death does not bow to anyone). Death is cold, frozen, does not sense anything, does not feel. Death has no warmth, no sight, no story to tell, and no grace. Its stony bosom feels no pain. Its eyes do not have the light of courtesy.
30
maut sehra1, dasht2, registan3, ban4, beehaR5, saraab6
beKhudi7, vahshat8, shaqaavat9, qaahiri10, dahshat11, azaab12
Khauf13, azKhudraftagi14, begaanagi15, Ghaibat16, hijaab17
ek hasrat-Khez18 Ghaflat19, ek ibrat-naak20 Khwaab
ek Daa’en21 zindagi ki simt22 muNh khole hue
aastiN ulTe23 hue, teGh-e-do-dam24 tole25 hue
1. desert 2. wilderness 3. sandy desert 4. forest 5. wasteland 6. mirage 7. unconsious 8. terror 9. cruelty 10. oppressive 11. ferocious 12. calamity 13. fear 14. senseless, distracted 15. strangeness, “otherness” 16. absence, non-existence 17. covered, hidden, mysterious 18. grief causing 19. negligence, thoughtlessness 20. giving fearful lesson 21. witch 22. towards 23. sleeves rolled up (ready to fight) 24. sword with two edges (fearsome) 25. weighing (keeping ready at hand)
Josh is warming up to his description of how awful death is. Consider the wide range of metaphors describing death. In stanza 29 he described its darkness, lack of feeling and not following any rules. Stanza 30 is another range of metaphors and emotions. Even as you admire the vocabulary and the range of metaphors, take time to admire the musicality and the compliment that Josh pays to the oral tradition of Urdu. A barren desert, wilderness, desolation, a deceptive mirage. Unfeeling, striking terror, cruel, oppressive and ferocious. Fear, awareness-stealing, memory-snatching, secretive (hijab – pouncing from the dark). A careless moment resulting in despair, a vindictive apparition. Death is a ghoul waiting with open mouth to gobble Life up. Ready with rolled up sleeves, a fearsome sword in hand.
31
maut, Khaamoshi, udaasi, be-navaaii1, be-hisi2
maut sannaaTa3, andhera, be-sha’uri4, barhami5
maut taareeki6, tabaahi7, teeragi8, tarsandagi9
maut aahoN ki Khitaabat10, aaNsuoN ki shaa’eri11
sher-afgan12 baazuoN ko be-sakat13 karti hai maut
maatami haathoN ki zarbat14 par narat15 karti hai maut
1. no sound 2. no sensation 3. absolute quiet 4. no understanding 5. anger, confusion 6. darkness 7. destruction 8. darkness 9. nimble, quick (to kill) 10. conversation of sighs 11. poetics of tears 12. lion felling, strong 13. still 14. blows 15. nrtya, dance
Death, silence, sorrow, voice-less, numb. Absolute quiet, darkness, unaware, confusing. Death is darkness, destruction, eager to kill. Death is like a conversation of sighs, poetry of tears. Strong, lion-felling arms are rendered powerless by it. It dances with joy as it strikes with hands that bring sorrow.
32
nam e zasht1 e maut se sinoN se uThta hai dhuaN
farq2 e hasti3 par kaRak4 uThti hai dahshat5 ki kamaN
dil pe rakh deta hai Khauf-e-marg6 vo baar-e-giraaN7
bolne lagti haiN sahmi zindagi ki haDDiyaN8
koi narm aavaz koi dastaN9 bhati nahiN
maut yad aa jaye to ratoN ko neend aati nahiN
1. ugliness 2. head, brow 3. life 4. twang (as of a bow) 5. terror 6. fear of death 7. heavy weight 8. bones cracking under heavy burden 9. story
Smoke rises from bosoms at the mere mention of the ugly name of death (smoke rising from the bosom … is the heart set on fire with fear a metaphor generally employed in Urdu). Terror twangs its bow at the head of life (scaring it with death). The fear of death puts such a heavy burden on the chest that the bones of poor terrified life crack under this weight. No sweet lullaby (narm aavaz) or bed time story offers solace (singing of lullabies or story telling are old comfort providing practices/traditions). Once you think of death, you cannot sleep at night.
33
haadim1 e qasr2 e ada3 o ishwa4 o afsuN-gari5
nazim6 e tabut7 o gor8 o taKht9 o pazhmardagi10
jazib11 e avaz12 o ehsas13 o havas14 o zeraki15
salib16 e afa’al17 o afkar18 o ummid19 o agahi20
hujra e sarband21 meN iske hava aati nahiN
is ki rau22 meN dil dhaRakne ki sada aati nahiN
1. one who demolishes 2. house 3. style 4. playful flirting 5. enchanting 6. administrator, arranger 7. bier 8. grave 9. wooden funeral platform 10. wilting 11. one who sucks up 12. voice 13. feeling, sensing 14. awareness, senses 15. intelligence 16. one who eradicates 17. actions 18. reasoning 19. hope 20. intelligence, knowledge 21. dead-end (no escape) chamber 22. wake, flow
Life is metaphorically described as a house in which a damsel lives in style with playfulness flirtatiousness and enchantment. Death is a destroyer of this house. Death arranges funeral biers, graves, and the wilting of living things. It sucks up all sound, feeling, awareness and intelligence. Death eradicates all action, reasoning, hope and knowledge. No wind blows through the closed chambers of death. In its wake and flow there is no sound of beating hearts.
34
ye siyah-ru1 aan2 meN din ko bana deti hai raat
iske ek jhonke3 se bujh jaati hai qindil-e-hayaat4
aah5 iska shamiana6, siskiyaN7 iski qinaat8
iske nahamvar9 kaandhoN10 par nikalti hai baraat
muskura kar aansuauN ke taar11 par gati hai maut
hichkiyauN ki gooNj meN pazeb jhankati hai maut
1. black-faced 2. in an instant 3. wave, blow, breath 4. lamp of life 5. sighs 6. tent cover 7. sobbing 8. tent-pole 9. uneven 10. shoulders 11. string (of tears)
This black faced evil turns day into night in a moment. One gust and it puts out the lamp of life. Its tent is made of sighs and drapes are made of sobs and laments. Death carries even the bridal palanquin on uneven shoulders (being carried on uneven shoulders is either a bad omen or a harbinger of a fall. In the “barat” – the wedding procession the bride may be carried in a palanquin. If the shoulders on which the palanquin is carried are uneven … ). It dances on streams/strings of tears. The echoing of sobs is the tinkling of its ankle bells.
35
kitni tamkiniauN1 meN bharti hai ye karb2 e irteash3
sauNpti4 rahti hai ye kitne kalejauN5 ki Kharash6
roz aaiine kiyya karti hai kitne pash pash7
kitne booRhauN se javaN betoN ki uThvati hai lash8
kya bataa’eN roz kitne phool murjhaati9 hai maut
maaoN se kitne hi chaheete chheen lejaati hai maut
1. grandeur 2. sorrow, pain 3. trembling 4. safe-keeping, keeping alive 5. liver (heart) 6. pain 7. shatter 8. corpse 9. wilt
Even grandeur is made to shake with sorrow/sobbing. Death keeps on giving pain to one and all. Every day it shatters innumerable mirrors (delicate objects/images – shattering mirrors is also a bad omen). Even old men are made to carry the funeral bier of their sons. How can I tell you how many flowers death withers every day. How many loved ones it snatches from mothers every day.
36
maut kiRaun1 ki Ghiza-e-Khasta2, qabraun3 ka fishar4
istekhwan-e-soz5 o nafas-gir6 o tavanai-shikar7
jaan-figaar8 o nutq-duzd9 o rooh-kob10 o jism Khwar12
iski shameN naala-e-jaaN-kaah13, subheN sogvar14
iske daam-e-saKht15 meN aakar jakaR16 jaate haiN log
dafn17 jaldi se na ho jaeN to saR18 jaate haiN log
1. insects 2. crunchy meal 3. graves 4. confinement, weight, pressure 5. skeleton or structure of grief 6. take a grip of (take away) life 7. hunter of vigour/youth 8. wounding life 9. stealing voice 10. spirit killing 12. body insulting 13. life-sapping lament 14. sorrowful 15. hard/tight net/trap 16. caught, confined 17. buried 18. rot
Death supplies a crunchy diet to worms. It is the confinement in graves. It is the framework of sorrow, taker of life, hunter of the strong. It wounds life, steals voice, beats up the spirit, insults the body. Its evenings are life sapping laments, its mornings mournful. In its hard (difficult to escape) trap people get caught and stiffen up. If they are not buried soon, they rot.
37
sar jhuka kar paaoN jis hujle1 meN rakhti hai dulhan
jis jagah maanjhe ke ubTan2 se chiTakte3 haiN badan
ood4 ki lapToN5 meN khilte haiN jahaN laakhoN chaman
maut in goshoN6 meN bhi laati hai kafoor7 o kafan8
roz kitni chuRioN ko churmura9 deti hai maut
kitni ummidauN ke KhaimauN10 ko jala deti hai maut
1. chamber (bridal) 2. paste (fragrant, herbal) 3. blossom 4. incense 5. folds 6. corners 7. camphor (used as insect repellant in burial shrouds) 8. burial shroud 9. crush 10. tents
Death intrudes into the bridal chamber even as the bride steps shyly into it. As the bride is adorned with fragrant paste for her wedding and folds of burning incense make a thousand gardens bloom, even in those corners death brings the smell of camphor and folds of the burial shroud. O! how many bangles does death crumble up every day. How many stations of hope does it burn up.
38
nau urusauN1 ke shabistanoN2 meN dar aati3 hai maut
sharbati aankhoN ko andhi-gor4 jhankwaati5 hai maut
ghungaTon6 ke adh khule7 mukhRon ko jhulsaati8 hai maut
chaudhwiN raatoN ke chaandoN ko nigal9 jaati hai maut
har nafas10, har aan11, paiGham-e-ajal12 deti hai maut
phool se pinDoN13 ko laashoN14 meN badal deti hai maut
1. new brides 2. bed chambers 3. intrudes into 4. blind/dark grave 5. peep/look into 6. (bridal) veil 7. half open 8. scorch/burn 9. swallow 10. every breath 11. every moment 12. message of death 13. bodies 14. corpses
Death forces itself into the bed chamber of brides. It opens up dark graves before the intoxicating eyes of brides. Death scorches even the tastefully half-veiled faces of brides. It gobbles up the moon-like beauty of brides. Every moment it delivers the message of doom. It makes corpses out of delicate, flower-like bodies. Josh brings out the beautiful imagery of bridal veils, shyness of the bride, tantalizingly half showing-half hidden face of the bride … and the ugliness of all this being consumed by the fire of death – playing on sentimentality of the death of the groom or of the bride herself … but rich vocabulary. One metaphor worth noting … “gobbles up the beauty of the full moon” – is gobbling up the bride who is referred to as “beautiful as the full moon”.
39
pattharoN par kis qadar1 shishe2 gira deti hai maut
kunj e shab3 meN kitni subhoN ko sula deti hai maut
kitni kokhoN4, kitni godoN5 ko jala deti hai maut
kitne sehroN6, kitne sejoN7 ko daGha8 deti hai maut
kitni chaahoN9, kis qadar baahoN10 ko murjhati11 hai maut
kitni dukhti karvaTauN12 par raqs-farmati13 hai maut
1. how many 2. glass, crystal 3. corner of the night 4. wombs 5. laps 6. wedding garlands 7. wedding bed 8. deceive 9. loves 10. arms 11. wilt 12. turning, changing sides (in discomfort/pain) 13. dancing (with joy)
O, how many crystals does death shatter on the rocks. O, how many dawns does it put to sleep in the dark forest of night. O, how many wombs, how many laps does death burn up. How many garlands, how many bridal beds does death deceive. O, how many loves, how many arms does death wilt away. O, how many aching sides does death dance on.
