For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
زور کتنا بازوئے قاتل میں ہے ۔ محمد حسن بسملؔ عظیم آبادی
۱
سرفروشی کی تمنا اب ہمارے دل میں ہے
دیکھنا ہے زور کتنا بازوئے قاتل میں ہے
۲
اے شہیدِ ملک و مِلّت میں ترے اوپر نثار
لے تری ہمت کا چرچا غیر کی محفل میں ہے
۳
وائے قسمت پاؤں کی اے ضعف کچھ چلتی نہیں
کارواں اپنا ابھی تک پہلی ہی منزل میں ہے
۴
رہروِ راہِ محبت رہ نہ جانا راہ میں
لذّتِ صحرا نوردی دُورئ منزل میں ہے
۵
شوق سے راہِ محبت کی مصیبت جھیل لے
اک خوشی کا راز پنہاں جادۂ منزل میں ہے
۶
آج پھر مقتل میں قاتل کہہ رہا ہے بار بار
آئیں وہ شوقِ شہادت جن کے جن کے دل میں ہے
۷
مرنے والو آؤ اب گردن کٹاؤ شوق سے
یہ غنیمت وقت ہے خنجر کفِ قاتل میں ہے
۸
مانع اظہار تم کو ہے حیا، ہم کو ادب
کچھ تمہارے دل کے اندر کچھ ہمارے دل میں ہے
۹
مے کدہ سنسان خم الٹے پڑے ہیں جام چُور
سر نِگوں بیٹھا ہے ساقی جو تری محفل میں ہے
۱۰
وقت آنے دے دکھا دیں گے تجھے اے آسماں
ہم ابھی سے کیوں بتائیں کیا ہمارے دل میں ہے
۱۱
اب نہ اگلے ولولے ہیں اور نہ وہ ارماں کی بھیڑ
صرف مٹ جانے کی اک حسرت دلِ بسملؔ میں ہے
ज़ोर कितना बाज़ू-ए क़ातिल में है – मोहम्मद हसन बिस्मिल अज़ीमाबादी
१
सरफ़रोशी की तमन्ना अब हमारे दिल में है
देखना है ज़ोर कितना बाज़ू-ए क़ातिल में है
२
अए शहीद-ए मुल्क-ओ-मिल्लत मैं तेरे ऊपर निसार
ले तेरी हिम्मत का चर्चा ग़ैर की महफ़िल में है
३
वाए क़िस्मत पाँव की अए ज़ोफ़ कुछ चलती नहीं
कारवाँ अपना अभी तक पहली ही मंज़िल में है
४
रहरव-ए राह-ए मोहब्बत रह न जाना राह में
लज़्ज़त-ए सहरा-नवर्दी दूरी-ए मंज़िल में है
५
शौक़ से राह-ए मोहब्बत की मुसीबत झेल ले
एक ख़ुशी का राज़ पिन्हाँ जादा-ए मंज़िल में है
६
आज फिर मक़्तल में क़ातिल कह रहा है बार बार
आएँ वो शौक़-ए शहादत जिन के जिन के दिल में है
७
मरने वालो आओ अब गर्दन कटाओ शौक़ से
ये ग़नीमत वक़्त है ख़ंजर कफ़-ए क़ातिल में है
८
मान’अ-ए इज़्हार तुम को है हया, हम को अदब
कुछ तुम्हारे दिल के अंदर कुछ हमारे दिल में है
९
मय-कदा सुनसान ख़ुम उल्टे पढे हैं जाम चूर
सर-निगूँ बैठा है साक़ी जो तेरी महफ़िल में है
१०
वक़्त आने दे दिखा देंगे तुझे अए आसमाँ
हम अभी से क्यूँ बताएँ क्या हमारे दिल में है
११
अब न अगले वलवले हैं और न वो अरमाँ की भीड़
सिर्फ़ मिट जाने की इक हसरत दिल-ए ‘बिस्मिल’ में है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. syed shah mohammed hasan bismil aziimabadi (1901-1978), paTna. This Ghazal was for a long time wrongly attributed to ramprasad bismil. This mistake was corrected much later, when bismil aziimabadi’s papers were collected and his work published posthumously. This was written as a statement of resistance against British colonial rule, but with careful ambiguity.
1
sarfaroshi1 ki tamanna2 ab hamaare dil meN hai
dekhna hai zor kitna baazu3-e qaatil4 meN hai 1.offering head, prepared to die, defiant 2.desire 3.arm 4.killer
We are prepared to die and offer our head. We shall see how much power the killer has in their arm.
2
aye shahiid1-e mulk-o-millat2 maiN tere oopar nisaar3
le teri himmat4 ka charcha5 Ghair6 ki mahfil7 meN hai 1.martyr 2.homeland and community 3.pay homage 4.courage 5.conversation, talk 6.other, foreigner 7.gathering
O martyr for the homeland and community, I offer homage to you. Now even in the gatherings of foreigners, the conversation is about your courage.
3
vaa’ey1 qismat paauN ki aye zo’f2 kuchh chalti3 nahiN
kaarvaaN apna abhi tak pahli hi manzil4 meN hai 1.alas 2.weakness 3.‘kuchh nahiN chalti’ is an expression meaning-nothing is effective 4.stage of the journey towards the destination
The caravan (of freedom) is stuck in the first stage of the journey towards its destination. Alas, the weakness of our legs/feet is such that out walk is not effective.
4
rahrav1-e raah2-e mohabbat rah3 na jaana raah2 meN
lazzat4-e sahra-navardi5 duuri6-e manzil7 meN hai 1.traveler 2.path 3.remain stuck 4.pleasure 5.wandering the desert, walking the difficult path 6.distance 7.destination
O traveler on the path of love, do not remain stuck on the way. The pleasure of walking the difficult path is in the long distance to the destination.
5
shauq1 se raah2-e mohabbat ki musiibat3 jhel4 le
ek Khushi ka raaz5 pinhaaN6 jaada7-e manzil8 meN hai 1.eagerly, happily 2.path 3.difficulties 4.bear, accept 5.secret 6.hidden 7.path 8.destination
Accept the difficulties of the path of love, happily. The secret of happiness is hidden in the path towards the destination.
6
aaj phir maqtal1 meN qaatil2 kah raha hai baar-baar3
aa’eN vo shauq4-e shahaadat5 jin ke jin ke dil meN hai 1.field of slaughter 2.killer 3.again and again 4.wish, desire 5.martyrdom
Today too, the killer shouts again and again, from the field of slaughter, ‘let whoever wishes martyrdom, come forward’.
7
marne vaalo aao ab gardan kaTaao shauq1 se
ye Ghanimat2 vaqt hai Khanjar3 kaf4-e qaatil5 meN hai 1.happily 2.opportune 3.knife 4.palm, hand 5.killer
O those willing to die, come forward happily, get your throat slit. This is an opportune time, the killer has a knife in their hand.
8
maan’a1-e izhaar2 tum ko hai haya3, ham ko adab4
kuchh tumhaare dil ke andar kuchh hamaare dil meN hai 1.prohibiting 2.expression, speech 3.shame 4.courtesy, respect
Shame prevents you from speaking, courtesy stops us. But you certainly something in your heart (that you are hiding) and we have something we cannot say.
9
mai-kada1 sunsaan2 Khum3 ulTe paRe haiN jaam4 chuur5
sar-niguN6 baiTha hai saaqi jo teri mahfil7 meN hai 1.tavern 2.desolate, deserted 3.barrells, flasks 4.cups 5.shattered 6.head bowed 7.gathering
The tavern is deserted, barrels of wine turned over and goblets shattered. Everyone in your gathering O saaqi sits heart-broken with head bowed.
10
vaqt aane de dikha deNge tujhe aye aasmaaN1
ham abhi se kyuN bataa’eN2 kya hamaare dil meN hai 1.sky-used to mean the powerful/tyrannical 2.speak, reveal
Let the time come and we will show you O tyrant. Why should we reveal just now what is in our hearts.
11
ab na agle1 valvale2 haiN aur na vo armaaN3 ki bhiiR4
sirf5 miT6 jaane ki ek hasrat7 dil-e bismil8 meN hai 1.past 2.fervour, passion 3.desire 4.crowd 5.only 6.erase 7.longing 8.pen-name of the poet, sacrificial animal
O bismil, neither do I have the old fervour nor that host of desires. Only the longing to erase (sacrifice) myself remains in my heart.
syed shah mohammed hasan bismil aziimabadi (1901-1978), paTna. This Ghazal was for a long time wrongly attributed to ramprasad bismil. This mistake was corrected much later, when bismil aziimabadi’s papers were collected and his work published posthumously. This was written as a statement of resistance against British colonial rule, but with careful ambiguity.
1
sarfaroshi1 ki tamanna2 ab hamaare dil meN hai
dekhna hai zor kitna baazu3-e qaatil4 meN hai
1.offering head, prepared to die, defiant 2.desire 3.arm 4.killer
We are prepared to die and offer our head. We shall see how much power the killer has in their arm.
2
aye shahiid1-e mulk-o-millat2 maiN tere oopar nisaar3
le teri himmat4 ka charcha5 Ghair6 ki mahfil7 meN hai
1.martyr 2.homeland and community 3.pay homage 4.courage 5.conversation, talk 6.other, foreigner 7.gathering
O martyr for the homeland and community, I offer homage to you. Now even in the gatherings of foreigners, the conversation is about your courage.
3
vaa’ey1 qismat paauN ki aye zo’f2 kuchh chalti3 nahiN
kaarvaaN apna abhi tak pahli hi manzil4 meN hai
1.alas 2.weakness 3.‘kuchh nahiN chalti’ is an expression meaning-nothing is effective 4.stage of the journey towards the destination
The caravan (of freedom) is stuck in the first stage of the journey towards its destination. Alas, the weakness of our legs/feet is such that out walk is not effective.
4
rahrav1-e raah2-e mohabbat rah3 na jaana raah2 meN
lazzat4-e sahra-navardi5 duuri6-e manzil7 meN hai
1.traveler 2.path 3.remain stuck 4.pleasure 5.wandering the desert, walking the difficult path 6.distance 7.destination
O traveler on the path of love, do not remain stuck on the way. The pleasure of walking the difficult path is in the long distance to the destination.
5
shauq1 se raah2-e mohabbat ki musiibat3 jhel4 le
ek Khushi ka raaz5 pinhaaN6 jaada7-e manzil8 meN hai
1.eagerly, happily 2.path 3.difficulties 4.bear, accept 5.secret 6.hidden 7.path 8.destination
Accept the difficulties of the path of love, happily. The secret of happiness is hidden in the path towards the destination.
6
aaj phir maqtal1 meN qaatil2 kah raha hai baar-baar3
aa’eN vo shauq4-e shahaadat5 jin ke jin ke dil meN hai
1.field of slaughter 2.killer 3.again and again 4.wish, desire 5.martyrdom
Today too, the killer shouts again and again, from the field of slaughter, ‘let whoever wishes martyrdom, come forward’.
7
marne vaalo aao ab gardan kaTaao shauq1 se
ye Ghanimat2 vaqt hai Khanjar3 kaf4-e qaatil5 meN hai
1.happily 2.opportune 3.knife 4.palm, hand 5.killer
O those willing to die, come forward happily, get your throat slit. This is an opportune time, the killer has a knife in their hand.
8
maan’a1-e izhaar2 tum ko hai haya3, ham ko adab4
kuchh tumhaare dil ke andar kuchh hamaare dil meN hai
1.prohibiting 2.expression, speech 3.shame 4.courtesy, respect
Shame prevents you from speaking, courtesy stops us. But you certainly something in your heart (that you are hiding) and we have something we cannot say.
9
mai-kada1 sunsaan2 Khum3 ulTe paRe haiN jaam4 chuur5
sar-niguN6 baiTha hai saaqi jo teri mahfil7 meN hai
1.tavern 2.desolate, deserted 3.barrells, flasks 4.cups 5.shattered 6.head bowed 7.gathering
The tavern is deserted, barrels of wine turned over and goblets shattered. Everyone in your gathering O saaqi sits heart-broken with head bowed.
10
vaqt aane de dikha deNge tujhe aye aasmaaN1
ham abhi se kyuN bataa’eN2 kya hamaare dil meN hai
1.sky-used to mean the powerful/tyrannical 2.speak, reveal
Let the time come and we will show you O tyrant. Why should we reveal just now what is in our hearts.
11
ab na agle1 valvale2 haiN aur na vo armaaN3 ki bhiiR4
sirf5 miT6 jaane ki ek hasrat7 dil-e bismil8 meN hai
1.past 2.fervour, passion 3.desire 4.crowd 5.only 6.erase 7.longing 8.pen-name of the poet, sacrificial animal
O bismil, neither do I have the old fervour nor that host of desires. Only the longing to erase (sacrifice) myself remains in my heart.
