achchha khasa baithe baithe gum ho jaata huun ab main aksar main nahin rahta tum ho jaata huun

hosh valon ko khabar kya be-khudi kya chiiz hai ishq kiije phir samajhiye zindagi kya chiiz hai

ye kaisa nashsha hai main kis ajab khumar men huun tu aa ke ja bhi chuka hai main intizar men huun

chale to paanv ke niche kuchal gai koi shai nashe ki jhonk men dekha nahin ki duniya hai

itni pi jaae ki mit jaae main aur tu ki tamiz yaani ye hosh ki divar gira di jaae

the formality of you and i should in wine be drowned meaning that these barriers of sobriety be downed

ab in hudud men laaya hai intizar mujhe vo aa bhi jaaen to aae na e'tibar mujhe

jis men ho yaad bhi tiri shamil haae us be-khudi ko kya kahiye

the couplet marvels at a trance-like condition where even losing oneself is not free of the beloved’s remembrance. the speaker feels overwhelmed: the very “unconsciousness” is colored by memory and love. this fusion of absence (self-forgetfulness) and presence (memory) creates a sweet, astonished pain that words fail to name.

kamal-e-ishq to dekho vo aa gae lekin vahi hai shauq vahi intizar baaqi hai

tira vasl hai mujhe be-khudi tira hijr hai mujhe agahi tira vasl mujh ko firaq hai tira hijr mujh ko visal hai

din raat mai-kade men guzarti thi zindagi 'akhtar' vo be-khudi ke zamane kidhar gae

ibtida se aaj tak 'natiq' ki ye hai sarguzisht pahle chup tha phir hua divana ab behosh hai

umr jo be-khudi men guzri hai bas vahi agahi men guzri hai

yahan koi na ji saka na ji sakega hosh men mita de naam hosh ka sharab la sharab la

mai-e-hayat men shamil hai talkhi-e-dauran jabhi to pi ke taraste hain be-khudi ke liye

mere dil o dimaghh pe chhae hue ho tum zarre ko aftab banae hue ho tum

kitna mushkil hai khud-bakhud rona be-khudi se riha kare koi

shah-e-be-khudi ne ata kiya mujhe ab libas-e-barahnagi na khirad ki bakhiya-gari rahi na junun ki parda-dari rahi

ab main hudud-e-hosh-o-khirad se guzar gaya thukrao chahe pyaar karo main nashe men huun

khvab men naam tira le ke pukar uthta huun be-khudi men bhi mujhe yaad tiri yaad ki hai

mai se ghharaz nashat hai kis ru-siyah ko ik-guna be-khudi mujhe din raat chahiye

ghalib rejects the common hedonistic view that people drink alcohol for joy or celebration. he argues that consciousness itself is a burden due to life's sorrows. therefore, he seeks wine not for delight, but as an anesthetic to attain a continuous state of oblivion and escape the pain of awareness.

achchha khasa baithe baithe gum ho jaata huun ab main aksar main nahin rahta tum ho jaata huun

hosh valon ko khabar kya be-khudi kya chiiz hai ishq kiije phir samajhiye zindagi kya chiiz hai

ye kaisa nashsha hai main kis ajab khumar men huun tu aa ke ja bhi chuka hai main intizar men huun

chale to paanv ke niche kuchal gai koi shai nashe ki jhonk men dekha nahin ki duniya hai

itni pi jaae ki mit jaae main aur tu ki tamiz yaani ye hosh ki divar gira di jaae

the formality of you and i should in wine be drowned meaning that these barriers of sobriety be downed

ab in hudud men laaya hai intizar mujhe vo aa bhi jaaen to aae na e'tibar mujhe

be-khudi men le liya bosa khata kiije muaaf ye dil-e-betab ki saari khata thi main na tha

jis men ho yaad bhi tiri shamil haae us be-khudi ko kya kahiye

the couplet marvels at a trance-like condition where even losing oneself is not free of the beloved’s remembrance. the speaker feels overwhelmed: the very “unconsciousness” is colored by memory and love. this fusion of absence (self-forgetfulness) and presence (memory) creates a sweet, astonished pain that words fail to name.

allah re be-khudi ki tire paas baith kar tera hi intizar kiya hai kabhi kabhi

o lord! there are times when such is my raptured state even though i am with you, and yet for you i wait

tira vasl hai mujhe be-khudi tira hijr hai mujhe agahi tira vasl mujh ko firaq hai tira hijr mujh ko visal hai

aalam se be-khabar bhi huun aalam men bhi huun main saaqi ne is maqam ko asan bana diya

ibtida se aaj tak 'natiq' ki ye hai sarguzisht pahle chup tha phir hua divana ab behosh hai

na to hosh se taaruf na junun se ashnai ye kahan pahunch gae hain tiri bazm se nikal ke

what is this place that i have reached, having left your company

mohabbat nek-o-bad ko sochne de ghhair-mumkin hai badhi jab be-khudi phir kaun darta hai gunahon se

mai-e-hayat men shamil hai talkhi-e-dauran jabhi to pi ke taraste hain be-khudi ke liye

itni pi hai ki baad-e-tauba bhi be-piye be-khudi si rahti hai

kitna mushkil hai khud-bakhud rona be-khudi se riha kare koi

be-khudi men ham to tera dar samajh kar jhuk gae ab khuda maalum kaaba tha ki vo but-khana tha

ab main hudud-e-hosh-o-khirad se guzar gaya thukrao chahe pyaar karo main nashe men huun

be-khudi ne kar diya jazbat-e-dil se be-niyaz ab tira milna na milna sab barabar ho gaya