Need help on Ghalib

Khawaja Ahmed Hussain

unread,

Jun 4, 1997, 3:00:00 AM6/4/97

to

Can somebody explain the meaning of the MuQta of this gazal:

Zulmat kaday main meray shab-e-ghum ka josh hay
Aik shamma hay daleel-e-seher, so wo bhi khamosh hay

Aatay hain ghaib say yeh mazaameen khayal main
Ghalib sareer-e-khama nawa-e-sarosh hay

Here are some sher from one his another beautiful ghazal

Kub say hoon kya bataoon jahan-e-kharab main
Shab haa-ay hijr ko bhi rakhoon gar hisaab main

Hum tak kub un ki bazm main aata tha daur-e-jaam
Saaqi nay kuch mila na dya ho sharab main

Ghalib ch(h)utee sharab pur ab bhi kabhi kabhi
Peeta hoon roz-e-abr shab-e-mahtaab main

Hussain

Khursheed Ahmed

unread,

Jun 6, 1997, 3:00:00 AM6/6/97

to

On 4 Jun 1997, Khawaja Ahmed Hussain wrote:

> Can somebody explain the meaning of the MuQta of this gazal:

Khwaja Saheb:

Ghalib is always difficult to interpret, however, with the help of my
helpful dictionary, I can translate the words and, hopefully, the meaning
will emerge:

> Zulmat qaday main meray shab-e-ghum ka josh hay

> Aik shamma hay daleel-e-seher, so wo bhi khamosh hay

zulmat = darkness, qada=goblet, daleel=proof/reason

> Aatay hain ghaib say yeh mazaameen khayal main
> Ghalib sareer-e-khama nawa-e-sarosh hay

ghaib=concealed/mystery, mazameen=subjects,
sareer=throne, khama=pen, nawa=voice/song,
sarosh=an angel/a voice from heaven

Now, let's see who can put these words in an ordely flow of thoughts.

Khursheed

Khursheed Ahmed

unread,

Jun 6, 1997, 3:00:00 AM6/6/97

to

On 4 Jun 1997, Khawaja Ahmed Hussain wrote:

> Can somebody explain the meaning of the MuQta of this gazal:

Khwaja Saheb:

Ghalib is always difficult to interpret. So much of his poetry relied on
words from Farsi or Urdu words that have never been in common use.
However, with the help of my helpful dictionary, I can translate the words

and, hopefully, the meaning will emerge:

> Zulmat qaday main meray shab-e-ghum ka josh hay
> Aik shamma hay daleel-e-seher, so wo bhi khamosh hay

zulmat = darkness, qada=goblet, daleel=proof/reason

> Aatay hain ghaib say yeh mazaameen khayal main
> Ghalib sareer-e-khama nawa-e-sarosh hay

ghaib=concealed/mystery, mazameen=subjects,
sareer=throne, khama=pen, nawa=voice/song,
sarosh=an angel/a voice from heaven

Now, let's see who can put these words in an ordely flow of thoughts.

I KNOW there are many Ghalib lovers out there - I am not one of them ;-)

Khursheed

Samir

unread,

Jun 7, 1997, 3:00:00 AM6/7/97

to

I was wondering where the translation for this comes from.

Thanks
Samir

> 199.01 ( ) :
> Zulmatakade me~ mere, shab-e-gxam kaa josh hee;
> Ik sham-a hee daliil-e-sahar, so khxamosh hee.
>
> My house of darkness is filled
> With the agitation of the night of grief;
> There is but one candle to acclaim
> The morning, but that is silent.
>
> 199.13 ( ) :
> Aate hee~ geeb se, ye mazaamii~ khxayaal me~;
> `Gxaalib', sariir-e-khxaam: nawaa-e-sarosh hee.
>
> >From the unknown these thoughts
> Come to me; O Ghalib to me
> The scratching sound from the tip of my pen
> Is the musical tone of an angel.
>
> Yogesh
>
>

Yogesh Sethi

unread,

Jun 11, 1997, 3:00:00 AM6/11/97

to

It isa nice coincidence that we both know Mr.Zero and had the benefit of
his incising intellect and interpretations.

But I would very much like see other responses to your earlier call. How
about it? Could we have another 'orderly flow' preferably in urdu and if
possible in poetic form.

Thanks

Yogesh

Shan Salman Dar

unread,

Jun 13, 1997, 3:00:00 AM6/13/97

to

wa'salaam o duaa

I have personally been very find of Ghalib, and I have studied his poetry
for more than five years now. I must say that it has been quite a work.
Yet, I cannot say that I understand Ghalib's poetry. One really have to
study at least twice as much as me to enjoy the ghazals totally.
The shers, of which you require an interpretation, are one of the earlier
ghazals of Ghalib. I have tried to look for any interpretational work done
upon them, but I couldn't find more than one sher presentable from that
ghazal. The source is a book written by Riaz Ahmad, titled "Ghalib -
Interpretations". It is the last sher of the ghazal, and it is more of
a "re-poeted" piece. Allthopugh interpretational enough:

> > > Aatay hain ghaib say yeh mazaameen khayal main
> > > Ghalib sareer-e-khama nawa-e-sarosh hay

> > ghaib=concealed/mystery, mazameen=subjects,
> > sareer=throne, khama=pen, nawa=voice/song,
> > sarosh=an angel/a voice from heaven

> > Now, let's see who can put these words in an ordely flow of thoughts.
> > I KNOW there are many Ghalib lovers out there - I am not one of them
;-)

-These devine verses,
-As I write
-Are
-The hallowed revelations
-Descending
-From on high
-The sound of the scribe's pen
-In the stillness of the night is indeed
-The heavenly muse
-Uttering her immortal words

(by Riaz Ahmad)

This is the Muqta of the ghazal, by the way. The sher written below
is the Mutla. I can try to explain this one two, allthough not as good
as the one above:

> > Zulmat qaday main meray shab-e-ghum ka josh hay
> > Aik shamma hay daleel-e-seher, so wo bhi khamosh hay

"A longing
- a forsaken soul,
dwells within my deepest chambers of darkness
A sparking torture is the candle to me
yet a hope with nothing but a silent exclaim"

This is how I interpreted the sher. I hope it explained something.. :)

my best regards,
khudaa haafiz,
Shan Salman

JAVAID KHWAJA

unread,

Jun 17, 1997, 3:00:00 AM6/17/97

to

There is another book I am familiar with that was published some time
ago by Columbia University Press <Ghazals of Ghalib> edited by Aijaz
Ahmad with poetic versions from a number of well-known American poets,
though Ghalib is so prolific that its hard to get his rang-e-ta-ghazal.
Indeed more his work is reflected upon the greater appears to be the
deph.