For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

Recitation

وہ کانٹوں میں پلی ہے ۔ جے کرشن چودھری حبیبؔ

گلشن میں ترے حسن کی جب بات چلی ہے

ٹھہری ہے نظر گل پہ نہ غنچے پہ رکی ہے

رکھتی ہے جگر گرچہ وہ نازک سی کلی ہے

طوفانوں سے کھیلی ہے وہ کانٹوں میں پلی ہے

جو لب پہ نہ آ پائی وہ آنکھوں نے کہی ہے

آنکھیں بھی نہ کہہ پائیں جو وہ دل نے سنی ہے

آ کر ترے در پر مجھے احساس ہوا یہ

بھٹکی ہوئی کشتی مری ساحل سے لگی ہے

کتنے ہی چمن اجڑے ہوئے خاک نشیمن

کیا وقت کی آنکھوں میں کبھی آئی نمی ہے

اک بوند کو ترسا کوئی ہے پی کے کوئی مست

میخانے کا ساقی ابھی انداز وہی ہے

دیکھا ہے حبیبؔ اس نے جو اک بار کرم سے

ہر شے مجھے اب پیار سے ہی دیکھ رہی ہے

वो काँटों में पली है – जय क्रिष्ण चौधरी हबीब

१

गुलशन में तेरे हुस्न की जब बात चली है

ठहरी है नज़र गुल पे न ग़ुंचे पे रुकी है

२

रखती है जिगर गरचे वो नाज़ुक सी कली है

तूफ़ानों से खेली है वो काँटों में पली है

३

जो लब पे न आ पाई वो आँखों ने कही है

आँखें भी न कह पाईं जो वो दिल ने सुनी है

४

आ कर तेरे दर पर मुझे एहसास हुआ ये

भटकी हुई कश्ती मेरी साहिल से लगी है

५

कितने ही चमन उजढे, हुए ख़ाक नशेमन

क्या वक़्त की आँखों में कभी आई नमी है

६

एक बूँद को तरसा कोई है पी के कोई मस्त

मयख़ाने का साक़ी अभी अंदाज़ वही है

७

देखा है हबीब उस ने जो एक बार करम से

हर शय मुझे अब प्यार से ही देख रही है

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. jaikishan chaudhry habiib (1904-xxxx), born in Dera ismail KhaaN, in pakistan. Lived in jabalpur. He was a scholar of sanskrit, English, faarsi and urdu, and was an active participant in the independence struggle, most notably with Khaan abdul Ghaffaar KhaaN. MA from aligaRh and later LLB, law practice 1929. He migrated to India after partition in 1947. IAS – Collector and later Education Secretary. Early retirement in 1960, but recalled later to serve three more years in jabalpur and retired there. In 1969 he served on Ghalib shataabdhi naagarik samiti which organized four ‘tarahi’ mushaa’era over that year and published a book. He composed several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib. Compared to many other shu’ara, he started composing rather late in life, 1947, affected by having to leave home and the death of his mother. He composed until 1972.
1
gulshan¹ meN tere husn² ki jab baat chali hai
Thahri hai nazar³ gul⁴ pe na Ghunche⁵ pe ruki hai     1.garden 2.beauty 3.eyes 4.rose 5.bud
Ever since there has been a talk about your beauty, no one has even glanced at the rose or the bud i.e., their beauty is nothing compared to yours, and everyone is eager to see you.
2
rakhti hai jigar¹ garche² vo naazuk³ si kali⁴ hai
toofaanoN se kheli hai vo kaaNToN meN pali hai     1.liver-considered to be a seat of courage, fortitude 2.even though 3.delicate 4.bud
Even though it is a small/delicate bud, it has great courage and fortitude. After all it has faced down storms and has been raised among thorns.
3
jo lab¹ pe na aa paaii vo aaNkhoN ne kahi hai
aaNkheN bhi na kah paaiiN jo vo dil ne suni hai    1.lips
That which could not be said with the lips/tongue, the eyes have conveyed. That which even eyes could not say, that heart has heard. ‘that heart’ is the beloved’s heart. There is a direct connection between the poet/lover’s heart and hers.
4
aa kar tere dar¹ par mujhe ehsaas² hua ye
bhaTki³ hui kashti meri saahil⁴ se lagi hai     1.door 2.feeling 3.lost, wandering 4.shore, refuge
Coming to your door, I get the feeling that my aimlessly wandering boat has at last found a shore/refuge. This could well have been addressed to the divine spirit.
5
kitne hi chaman ujRe¹, hue Khaak² nasheman³
kya vaqt⁴ ki aaNkhoN meN kabhi aaii nami⁵ hai    1.destroyed 2.ashes 3.nests 4.times 5.moist
In poetic convention calamities are visited upon the world by the ‘times’ – fate or the powerful system. ‘nasheman/nest’ is the home/refuge of the poet/nightingale. Thus, how many gardens have been destroyed, how many nests burnt to ashes (by lightning), but have you ever seen tears in the eyes of fate i.e., fate is cruel.
6
ek buuNd¹ ko tarsa² koi, hai pii ke koi mast³
maiKhaane⁴ ka saaqi abhi andaaz⁵ vahi hai    1.drop 2.thirsting, yearning 3.intoxicated 4.tavern 5.system of working
Someone thirsts even for one drop while someone else drinks to excess. O saaqi, the tavern still works the same way as before. This could well be a reflection of continued poverty even after independence which was supposed to usher in prosperity.
7
dekha hai habib¹ us ne jo ek baar karam² se
har shai³ mujhe ab pyaar se hi dekh rahi hai    1.pen-name of the poet 2.kindness 3.thing
The luck of the poet/lover has changed. The beloved has looked at him with kindness. Even though this was only once, but ever since, everyone looks at him with love. This could simply reflect the change in outlook of the poet/lover himself.

jaikishan chaudhry habiib (1904-xxxx), born in Dera ismail KhaaN, in pakistan. Lived in jabalpur. He was a scholar of sanskrit, English, faarsi and urdu, and was an active participant in the independence struggle, most notably with Khaan abdul Ghaffaar KhaaN. MA from aligaRh and later LLB, law practice 1929. He migrated to India after partition in 1947. IAS – Collector and later Education Secretary. Early retirement in 1960, but recalled later to serve three more years in jabalpur and retired there. In 1969 he served on Ghalib shataabdhi naagarik samiti which organized four ‘tarahi’ mushaa’era over that year and published a book. He composed several Ghazal in the style of Ghalib. Compared to many other shu’ara, he started composing rather late in life, 1947, affected by having to leave home and the death of his mother. He composed until 1972.
1
gulshan¹ meN tere husn² ki jab baat chali hai
Thahri hai nazar³ gul⁴ pe na Ghunche⁵ pe ruki hai

1.garden 2.beauty 3.eyes 4.rose 5.bud

Ever since there has been a talk about your beauty, no one has even glanced at the rose or the bud i.e., their beauty is nothing compared to yours, and everyone is eager to see you.
2
rakhti hai jigar¹ garche²