Meer Taqi Meer

rekhte ke tumhin ustad nahin ho 'ghaalib' kahte hain agle zamane mein koi 'mir' bhi tha in this famous closing couplet, ghalib displays a mix of modesty and reverence for literary history. he acknowledges that while he is a master of his craft, he is not the sole authority, paying homage to his legendary predecessor, mir taqi mir. it suggests that true artistic greatness is a continuum, and ghalib bows to the mastery of the past.

shagird hain hum 'mir' se ustad ke 'rasikh' ustadon ka ustad hai ustad hamara

'ghaalib' apna ye aqida hai ba-qaul-e-'nasikh' aap be-bahra hai jo mo'taqid-e-'mir' nahin the couplet declares an aesthetic creed: real poetic taste is measured by devotion to mir. by invoking nasikh as a supporting authority, ghalib turns a personal opinion into a ‘shared verdict.’ the sting lies in calling mir’s non-admirers “deprived,” mixing literary rivalry with playful, cutting wit.

hamare pir 'taqi-mir' ne kaha tha kabhi miyan ye 'ashiqi 'izzat bigad deti hai

'sauda' tu is ghazal ko ghazal-dar-ghazal hi kah hona hai tujh ko 'mir' se ustad ki taraf

ishq bin jine ke aadab nahin aate hain 'mir' sahab ne kaha hai ki miyan ishq karo

kah do 'mir'-o-'ghaalib' se hum bhi sher kahte hain wo sadi tumhaari thi ye sadi hamari hai

sher mere bhi hain pur-dard wa-lekin 'hasrat' 'mir' ka shewa-e-guftar kahan se laun

'mir' ka rang baratna nahin aasan ai 'dagh' apne diwan se mila dekhiye diwan un ka the couplet is a frank admission that mir’s poetic “color” (tone, diction, emotional texture) is difficult to reproduce. addressing himself, dagh urges a direct comparison of collections to recognize mir’s higher mastery. the metaphor of “rang” points to an inner artistic temperament, not just technique. emotionally, it blends reverence with humility and self-critique.

'haali' sukhan mein 'shefta' se mustafid hai 'ghaalib' ka mo'taqid hai muqallid hai 'mir' ka

'dagh' ke sher jawani mein bhale lagte hain 'mir' ki koi ghazal gao ki kuchh chain pade

tum pe kya khak asar hoga mere sheron ka tum ko to mir-taqi-'mir' nahin khinch saka

hamara 'mir'-ji se muttafiq hona hai na-mumkin uthana hai jo patthar ishq ka to halka bhaari kya

jab ghazal 'mir' ki padhta hai padosi mera ek nami si meri diwar mein aa jati hai

guzre bahut ustad magar rang-e-asar mein be-misl hai 'hasrat' sukhan-e-'mir' abhi tak

shaeri mein 'mir'-o-'ghaalib' ke zamana ab kahan shohraten jab itni sasti hon adab dekhega kaun

ab khuda maghfirat kare us ki 'mir' marhum tha ajab koi

shubh 'nasikh' nahin kuchh 'mir' ki ustadi mein aap be-bahra hai jo mo'taqid-e-'mir' nahin

aashiqi mein 'mir' jaise khwab mat dekha karo bawle ho jaoge mahtab mat dekha karo

main hun kya chiz jo us tarz pe jaun 'akbar' 'nasikh' o 'zauq' bhi jab chal na sake 'mir' ke sath

go ki tu 'mir' se hua behtar 'mushafi' phir bhi 'mir' 'mir' hi hai

sakht mushkil tha imtihan-e-ghazal 'mir' ki naql kar ke pas hue

kal sham chhat pe mir-taqi-'mir' ki ghazal main gunguna rahi thi ki tum yaad aa gae

'iqbaal' ki nawa se musharraf hai go 'naim' urdu ke sar pe 'mir' ki ghazlon ka taj hai

jab bhi tuta mere khwabon ka hasin taj-mahal main ne ghabra ke kahi 'mir' ke lahje mein ghazal

ek 'mir' tha so aaj bhi kaghaz mein qaid hai hindi ghazal ka dusra autar main hi hun

suno main 'mir' ka diwan samajhta hun use jo namazi hain wo quran samajhte honge

aaj ghaalib hai mere sar par ishq aaj main 'mir' hua chahta hun

tumhaari yaad bhi chupke se aa ke baith gai ghazal jo 'mir' ki ek gunguna raha tha main

'mir' ji ishq mana ki neamat nahin par main is ko bala bhi nahin manta manta hun khuda-e-sukhan bhi tumhein aur hukm-e-khuda bhi nahin manta