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For those who have joined
now, let me say few words about this Ghalib series.
Ghalib, his Ghazals, his poems, his
genius, and his wits have always fascinated millions of Urdu lovers
including myself. Those who want to read my previous work please Ctrl +
click or copy and paste in internet address window, the following link:
http://www.mirza-ghalib.org or, if you choose, you may send
me an email request; I will email back my previous explanations just for
asking.
This is my
25th installment. I have received excellent response from lot of
friends; both Urdu and non-Urdu speakers. Please know that this is my
own, Asghar Vasanwala’s, work and not a forwarding of someone else’s
work as some you thought. Please forward this to your friends. Also
please send me your comments/complements. I will
appreciate if you forward me emails of your Urdu/non-Urdu friends.
Here is today’s verse (she'r) & its explanation in
Urdu, Gujarati, and English
To listen to
this Ghazal sung by Lata, please click here:
http://lists.elistx.com/archives/blank/200507/mp3EITZJjRNcv.mp3
Dehar meiN,
naqsh-e-vafa, vajah-e-tasalli na hua
In this world trail of faithfulness is no reason
for comfort
Hai yeh woh lafz ke, sharminda-e-ma’ni na hua
This word, faithfulness, is the word that
never was ashamed of its '
meaning
Dehar= this world
Naqsh=mark, trail
vafa=faithfulness, affection vajah=reason
tasalli=comfort
Lafz= word
sharminda-e-ma’ni= guilty of its meaning
This
is the 1st verse of Ghalib’s 9th ghazal.
This ghazal is a popular ghazal. It has 7 verses and all of them are
beautiful and are bursting with great thoughts. It has been sung by many
artists including Lata. For audio, please click here
http://lists.elistx.com/archives/blank/200507/mp3EITZJjRNcv.mp3
Meaning:
In this world, many lovers aspire to leave trail of their faithfulness
for others to take page and emulate. Why? Because, they were impressed
by the stories of faithfulness (wafa) of great lovers; and now want to
emulate them. Ghalib says that these people’s hopes and aspirations have
no foundation. In this world faithfulness is only a rosy word; it has no
truth. When faithfulness it self is imaginary, how can one emulate or
leave its trail? Then, how can our heart get comfort from the
(imaginary) mark of faithfulness? It is bogus! True lovers like Ghalib
know this fact and this truth is also understood by the word
“faithfulness” it self. In this verse, Ghalib has personified the word
“faithfulness” or “Wafa”. Ghalib says it is this reason that word
“faithfulness” is not ashamed that its meaning is so lofty and its truth
is so fake.
Ghalibologists’ opinions:
Be-khud:
Those who try to establish the mark of
faithfulness’ are wasting their time. For this reason, imprint of
faithfulness is never a comfort for true lovers.
In
every period, it is a tradition of this world, that faithful and true
people are always persecuted. The poet calms his heart in the second
line of the verse.
Taba Tabai:
People remain faithful and expect to
leave a trail (of true love) behind; and, comfort their hearts. But even
after remaining true and faithful if there is no comfort, then the word
faithfulness is meaningless, a fake. In conclusion, talk of faithfulness
of lovers is a humbug talk. |
