is sadgi pe kaun na mar jaae ai khuda ladte hain aur haath men talvar bhi nahin

the poet marvels at the beloved's paradoxical nature, where they engage in a conflict or claim to be a slayer without wielding any physical weapon. ghalib implies that the beloved's beauty and glances are far more lethal than any sword, yet the beloved innocently believes they are 'fighting' unarmed. it highlights the deadly charm of such naivety, where the lover is defeated not by force, but by the beloved's simple, unarmed presence.

andaz apna dekhte hain aaine men vo aur ye bhi dekhte hain koi dekhta na ho

looking in the mirror she sees her savoir-faire and also looks to see no one is peeping there

haya se sar jhuka lena ada se muskura dena hasinon ko bhi kitna sahl hai bijli gira dena

how easy is for these maidens to make the lightening fall

pahle is men ik ada thi naaz tha andaz tha ruthna ab to tiri aadat men shamil ho gaya

ada se dekh lo jaata rahe gila dil ka bas ik nigah pe thahra hai faisla dil ka

jaan leni thi saaf kah dete kya zarurat thi muskurane ki

gul ho mahtab ho aina ho khurshid ho miir apna mahbub vahi hai jo ada rakhta ho

the poet says that mere outward beauty—like a rose, moonlight, a shining mirror, or the sun’s radiance—is not enough to be truly lovable. what makes someone his “beloved” is ‘ada’: an inner grace expressed through manner, poise, and a captivating way of being. the images list different kinds of brightness and beauty, then the couplet crowns ‘ada’ as the real criterion of attraction.

ada aai jafa aai ghhurur aaya hijab aaya hazaron afaten le kar hasinon par shabab aaya

zamana husn nazakat bala jafa shokhi simat ke aa gae sab aap ki adaon men

is ada se mujhe salam kiya ek hi aan men ghhulam kiya

andaz apna dekhte hain aaine men vo aur ye bhi dekhte hain koi dekhta na ho

looking in the mirror she sees her savoir-faire and also looks to see no one is peeping there

puchha jo un se chand nikalta hai kis tarah zulfon ko rukh pe daal ke jhatka diya ki yuun

pahle is men ik ada thi naaz tha andaz tha ruthna ab to tiri aadat men shamil ho gaya

ye jo sar niche kiye baithe hain jaan kitnon ki liye baithe hain

nigahen is qadar qatil ki uff uff adaen is qadar pyari ki tauba

ada se dekh lo jaata rahe gila dil ka bas ik nigah pe thahra hai faisla dil ka

aafat to hai vo naaz bhi andaz bhi lekin marta huun main jis par vo ada aur hi kuchh hai

aap ne tasvir bheji main ne dekhi ghhaur se har ada achchhi khamoshi ki ada achchhi nahin

angdai bhi vo lene na paae utha ke haath dekha jo mujh ko chhod diye muskura ke haath

she couldn't even stretch out with her arms upraised seeing me she smiled and composed herself all fazed

zamana husn nazakat bala jafa shokhi simat ke aa gae sab aap ki adaon men

is sadgi pe kaun na mar jaae ai khuda ladte hain aur haath men talvar bhi nahin

the poet marvels at the beloved's paradoxical nature, where they engage in a conflict or claim to be a slayer without wielding any physical weapon. ghalib implies that the beloved's beauty and glances are far more lethal than any sword, yet the beloved innocently believes they are 'fighting' unarmed. it highlights the deadly charm of such naivety, where the lover is defeated not by force, but by the beloved's simple, unarmed presence.

is sadgi pe kaun na mar jaae ai khuda ladte hain aur haath men talvar bhi nahin

the poet marvels at the beloved's paradoxical nature, where they engage in a conflict or claim to be a slayer without wielding any physical weapon. ghalib implies that the beloved's beauty and glances are far more lethal than any sword, yet the beloved innocently believes they are 'fighting' unarmed. it highlights the deadly charm of such naivety, where the lover is defeated not by force, but by the beloved's simple, unarmed presence.

andaz apna dekhte hain aaine men vo aur ye bhi dekhte hain koi dekhta na ho

looking in the mirror she sees her savoir-faire and also looks to see no one is peeping there

puchha jo un se chand nikalta hai kis tarah zulfon ko rukh pe daal ke jhatka diya ki yuun

haya se sar jhuka lena ada se muskura dena hasinon ko bhi kitna sahl hai bijli gira dena

how easy is for these maidens to make the lightening fall

haya se sar jhuka lena ada se muskura dena hasinon ko bhi kitna sahl hai bijli gira dena

how easy is for these maidens to make the lightening fall

pahle is men ik ada thi naaz tha andaz tha ruthna ab to tiri aadat men shamil ho gaya

ye jo sar niche kiye baithe hain jaan kitnon ki liye baithe hain

nigahen is qadar qatil ki uff uff adaen is qadar pyari ki tauba

nigahen is qadar qatil ki uff uff adaen is qadar pyari ki tauba

jaan leni thi saaf kah dete kya zarurat thi muskurane ki

aafat to hai vo naaz bhi andaz bhi lekin marta huun main jis par vo ada aur hi kuchh hai

aap ne tasvir bheji main ne dekhi ghhaur se har ada achchhi khamoshi ki ada achchhi nahin

aafat to hai vo naaz bhi andaz bhi lekin marta huun main jis par vo ada aur hi kuchh hai

aap ne tasvir bheji main ne dekhi ghhaur se har ada achchhi khamoshi ki ada achchhi nahin

ada aai jafa aai ghhurur aaya hijab aaya hazaron afaten le kar hasinon par shabab aaya

adaen dekhne baithe ho kya aine men apni diya hai jis ne tum jaise ko dil us ka jigar dekho

angdai bhi vo lene na paae utha ke haath dekha jo mujh ko chhod diye muskura ke haath

she couldn't even stretch out with her arms upraised seeing me she smiled and composed herself all fazed

zamana husn nazakat bala jafa shokhi simat ke aa gae sab aap ki adaon men

is ada se mujhe salam kiya ek hi aan men ghhulam kiya