Sher on Kashmakash
It is difficult sometimes
to arrive at a desired point as there are forces that pull us apart and deter us from arriving. This state of dilemma is a state of test for us. It calls for a resolution. This is spread over all preoccupations of our lives—personal, social, political, even religious which tear us apart between the states of belief and disbelief. These verses would help you appreciate the various conditions of dilemma that life is filled with.
irāde bāñdhtā huuñ sochtā huuñ toḌ detā huuñ
kahīñ aisā na ho jaa.e kahīñ aisā na ho jaa.e
irade bandhta hun sochta hun toD deta hun
kahin aisa na ho jae kahin aisa na ho jae
īmāñ mujhe roke hai jo khīñche hai mujhe kufr
ka.aba mire pīchhe hai kalīsā mire aage
faith restrains me while I am tugged at by heresy
behind me stands the mosque, the church in front of me
Faith holds me back, while the allure of disbelief pulls me forward.
The holy Kaaba is behind my back, and the Church is right in front of me.
Ghalib describes a profound spiritual crisis where he is torn between religious duty and the seduction of the forbidden. Standing between the Kaaba (symbolizing established tradition) and the Church (symbolizing the exotic or iconoclastic object of desire), he feels the tension of leaving his faith behind while being irresistibly drawn toward a new, perhaps sacrilegious, path.
iman mujhe roke hai jo khinche hai mujhe kufr
kaba mere pichhe hai kalisa mere aage
faith restrains me while I am tugged at by heresy
behind me stands the mosque, the church in front of me
Faith holds me back, while the allure of disbelief pulls me forward.
The holy Kaaba is behind my back, and the Church is right in front of me.
Ghalib describes a profound spiritual crisis where he is torn between religious duty and the seduction of the forbidden. Standing between the Kaaba (symbolizing established tradition) and the Church (symbolizing the exotic or iconoclastic object of desire), he feels the tension of leaving his faith behind while being irresistibly drawn toward a new, perhaps sacrilegious, path.
ishq bhī ho hijāb meñ husn bhī ho hijāb meñ
yā to ḳhud āshkār ho yā mujhe āshkār kar
Love is hidden behind a veil, and beauty is also hidden behind a veil.
Either reveal Yourself, or make me revealed to myself.
Allama Iqbal portrays a world where both the seeker’s love and the sought-after beauty remain veiled, so true encounter cannot happen. The speaker pleads for clarity: either the Beloved/Truth should manifest openly, or the speaker’s inner self should be unveiled. The ‘hijab’ symbolizes barriers of perception, ego, and confusion. The emotional core is restless yearning for direct vision and self-recognition.
ishq bhi ho hijab mein husn bhi ho hijab mein
ya to KHud aashkar ho ya mujhe aashkar kar
Love is hidden behind a veil, and beauty is also hidden behind a veil.
Either reveal Yourself, or make me revealed to myself.
Allama Iqbal portrays a world where both the seeker’s love and the sought-after beauty remain veiled, so true encounter cannot happen. The speaker pleads for clarity: either the Beloved/Truth should manifest openly, or the speaker’s inner self should be unveiled. The ‘hijab’ symbolizes barriers of perception, ego, and confusion. The emotional core is restless yearning for direct vision and self-recognition.
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Tags : Husnand 2 more
mujhe bhī lamha-e-hijrat ne kar diyā taqsīm
nigāh ghar kī taraf hai qadam safar kī taraf
mujhe bhi lamha-e-hijrat ne kar diya taqsim
nigah ghar ki taraf hai qadam safar ki taraf
zabt kartā huuñ to ghuTtā hai qafas meñ mirā dam
aah kartā huuñ to sayyād ḳhafā hotā hai
zabt karta hun to ghuTta hai qafas mein mera dam
aah karta hun to sayyaad KHafa hota hai
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Tag : Aah
savāl kartī ka.ī āñkheñ muntazir haiñ yahāñ
javāb aaj bhī ham soch kar nahīñ aa.e
sawal karti kai aankhen muntazir hain yahan
jawab aaj bhi hum soch kar nahin aae
sar meñ saudā bhī nahīñ dil meñ tamannā bhī nahīñ
lekin is tark-e-mohabbat kā bharosā bhī nahīñ
There is no madness in my head, and no longing left in my heart.
Yet I still cannot trust this claim that I have given up love.
The speaker insists he feels neither obsession nor desire, as if love has ended. But he doubts his own “renunciation,” sensing that feelings can return or are merely hidden. The couplet captures the tension between outward calm and inner uncertainty. It exposes how hard it is to be sure that love has truly been left behind.
sar mein sauda bhi nahin dil mein tamanna bhi nahin
lekin is tark-e-mohabbat ka bharosa bhi nahin
There is no madness in my head, and no longing left in my heart.
Yet I still cannot trust this claim that I have given up love.
The speaker insists he feels neither obsession nor desire, as if love has ended. But he doubts his own “renunciation,” sensing that feelings can return or are merely hidden. The couplet captures the tension between outward calm and inner uncertainty. It exposes how hard it is to be sure that love has truly been left behind.
ye kis azaab meñ chhoḌā hai tū ne is dil ko
sukūn yaad meñ terī na bhūlne meñ qarār
ye kis azab mein chhoDa hai tu ne is dil ko
sukun yaad mein teri na bhulne mein qarar
shauq kahtā hai pahuñch jā.ūñ maiñ ab kaabe meñ jald
raah meñ but-ḳhāna paḌtā hai ilāhī kyā karūñ
shauq kahta hai pahunch jaun main ab kabe mein jald
rah mein but-KHana paDta hai ilahi kya karun
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Tag : Dair-o-Haram
hai ajab sī kashmakash dil meñ 'asar'
kis ko bhūleñ kis ko rakkheñ yaad ham
hai ajab si kashmakash dil mein 'asar'
kis ko bhulen kis ko rakkhen yaad hum
idhar se taqāzā udhar se taġhāful
ajab khīñchā-tānī meñ paiġhām-bar hai
idhar se taqaza udhar se taghaful
ajab khincha-tani mein paigham-bar hai
phaḌkūñ to sar phaTe hai na phaḌkūñ to jī ghaTe
tañg is qadar diyā mujhe sayyād ne qafas
phaDkun to sar phaTe hai na phaDkun to ji ghaTe
tang is qadar diya mujhe sayyaad ne qafas
tum se milnā bhī hai milnā bhī nahīñ hai tum se
aao tum se sar-e-bāzār kahīñ milte haiñ
tum se milna bhi hai milna bhi nahin hai tum se
aao tum se sar-e-bazar kahin milte hain
bol kis moḌ pe huuñ kashmakash-e-marg-o-hayāt
aise aalam meñ kahāñ chhoḌ diyā hai mujh ko
bol kis moD pe hun kashmakash-e-marg-o-hayat
aise aalam mein kahan chhoD diya hai mujh ko
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Tag : Maut
kashmakash dil meñ hai ye barsoñ se
aas kis kī hai yaas kis kī hai
kashmakash dil mein hai ye barson se
aas kis ki hai yas kis ki hai
