Diwan-e-Ghalib (1) ~ Naqsh Faryadi. . .

{1.1}

नक़्श फ़रयादी है किस की शोख़ी-ए तहरीर का

काग़ज़ी है पैरहन हर पैकर-ए तस्वीर का

{1.2}

काव-काव-ए सख़्त-जानीहा-ए तंहाई न पूछ

सुबह करना शाम का लाना है जू-ए शीर का

{1.3}

जज़बा-ए बे-इख़्तियार-ए शौक़ देखा चाहिये

सीना-ए शमशीर से बाहर है दम शमशीर का

{1.4}

आगही दाम-ए शनीदन जिस क़दर चाहे बिछाए

मुद्दा अंक़ा है अपने आलम-ए तक़रीर का 

{1.5}

बसकि हूँ ग़ालिब असीरी में भी आतिश ज़ेर-ए पा

मू-ए आतिश-दीदा है हलक़ा मिरी ज़ंजीर का

Translation, Interpretation & Analysis of the Ghazal

{1.1}

नक़्श फ़रयादी है किस की शोख़ी-ए तहरीर का

काग़ज़ी है पैरहन हर पैकर-ए तस्वीर का
naqsh faryādī hai kis kī shoḳhī-e taḥrīr kā

kāġhazī hai pairahan har paikar-e taṣvīr kā

Against whose mischievous writing is the impression of complainant?

Made of paper is the attire of the countenance of every image.

Notes on the Couplet

Naqsh: Print, Impression, Expression

Faryādī: Pleader, Requester, Complainant

Shoḳhī: Playful, Mischievous

Taḥrīr: Writing

Kāġhazī: Made of Paper

Pairahan: Attire, Clothes

Paikar: Face, Appearance, Portrait

Taṣvīr: Image, Picture

This is the matla (first sher / couplet) of first gazal in Ghalib’s diwan, though it’s not the first one created or written by him. Ghalib’s had this knack for creating complex couplets difficult for the people to comprehend. He assumed a great pride in composing the incomprehensible couplets and basis his profound knowledge of Urdu and Persian language and it would not wrong to say that, more often than not, he succeeded in his endeavor of doing so (the instant couplet is a classic example of the same; infact I read somewhere that some of the affluent urdu poets termed this first couplet of Ghalib’s diwan as meaningless as they couldn’t understand the meaning thereof while there were others who hailed it as one of the wonderfully composed verse!!).

Diwan-e-Ghalib ~ The Curtain Raiser. . .

The Curtain Raiser - Diwan-e-Ghalib

Ghalib, the man and his time were unique in the sense that none could endure the supremacy of the other and there always exist a silent but stiff competition amongst them to outpace each other. While the time surely succeeded in keeping its domination during the major part of his life when the success and recognition elude him, Ghalib managed to stay afloat thereafter as he still remains alive from the versatile verses he left for generations to come. I have written a detailed six-part series on the life of the Ghalib, which attempts to explore his life and enduring.