tar-damani pe shaikh hamari na jaiyo daman nichod den to farishte vazu karen

do not be deceived by it damp disposition if i wring my cloak, angels will do ablution

bas jaan gaya main tiri pahchan yahi hai tu dil men to aata hai samajh men nahin aata

ze-hal-e-miskin makun taghhaful durae nainan banae batiyan ki tab-e-hijran nadaram ai jaan na lehu kaahe lagae chhatiyan

khabar-e-tahayyur-e-ishq sun na junun raha na pari rahi na to tu raha na to main raha jo rahi so be-khabari rahi

har tamanna dil se rukhsat ho gai ab to aa ja ab to khalvat ho gai

dil-e-har-qatra hai saz-e-anal-bahar ham us ke hain hamara puchhna kya

ghalib portrays each individual soul as a tiny “drop” that still resonates with the grandeur of the ocean, suggesting unity between part and whole. the phrase “i am the sea” becomes a metaphor for inner vastness and oneness with the infinite. in the second line, the speaker dissolves personal ownership: once you are of the beloved/absolute, claims of “mine” lose meaning. the emotional core is awe, self-effacement, and serene surrender.

dariya se mauj mauj se dariya juda nahin ham se juda nahin hai khuda aur khuda se ham

tu hi zahir hai tu hi batin hai tu hi tu hai to main kahan tak huun

karen ham kis ki puuja aur chadhaen kis ko chandan ham sanam ham dair ham but-khana ham but ham barahman ham

hain vo suufi jo kabhi nala-e-naqus suna vajd karne lage ham dil ka ajab haal hua

donon aalam se vo begana nazar aata hai jo tire ishq men divana nazar aata hai

karkhana hai usi husn ka aalam saara bas jidhar us ne lagaya hai udhar lag gae hain

mira sar kat ke maqtal men gire qatil ke qadmon par dam-e-akhir ada yuun sajda-e-shukrana ho jaae

hai ghhalat gar guman men kuchh hai tujh siva bhi jahan men kuchh hai

arz-o-sama kahan tiri vusat ko pa sake mera hi dil hai vo ki jahan tu sama sake

shaban-e-hijran daraz chuun zulf roz-e-vaslat chu umr kotah sakhi piya ko jo main na dekhun to kaise katun andheri ratiyan

kah sake kaun ki ye jalvagari kis ki hai parda chhoda hai vo us ne ki uthae na bane

ghalib explores the mystical paradox of the divine being both revealed and concealed simultaneously. the universe is a manifestation of god's beauty, yet this physical world serves as an impenetrable veil that hides his true essence. the poet suggests that the mystery of existence is designed so profoundly that human intellect is incapable of uncovering the ultimate reality.

tha mustaar husn se us ke jo nuur tha khurshid men bhi us hi ka zarra zuhur tha

the couplet exalts the beloved’s beauty as the original fountain of light, making all other brightness seem secondary. “borrowed” suggests that whatever radiance the speaker (or the world) possesses is not its own, but taken from the beloved. by saying the sun itself contains only a “particle” of her manifestation, the poet intensifies the metaphor: earthly and cosmic light are mere traces of the beloved’s splendor. the emotional core is awe and surrender before an overpowering beauty.

itna to jante hain ki ashiq fana hua aur us se aage badh ke khuda jaane kya hua

bijli tire jalvon ki gir jaae kabhi mujh par ai jaan miri hasti is aag men jal jaae

tar-damani pe shaikh hamari na jaiyo daman nichod den to farishte vazu karen

do not be deceived by it damp disposition if i wring my cloak, angels will do ablution

bas jaan gaya main tiri pahchan yahi hai tu dil men to aata hai samajh men nahin aata

zahir ki aankh se na tamasha kare koi ho dekhna to dida-e-dil va kare koi

allama iqbal contrasts physical sight with inner insight. the “outward eye” catches appearances and distractions, while the “eye of the heart” symbolizes awakened conscience and spiritual perception. the couplet urges a shift from surface-level looking to deeper seeing, where truth becomes visible. its emotional core is a call to inner awakening and meaningful understanding.

ze-hal-e-miskin makun taghhaful durae nainan banae batiyan ki tab-e-hijran nadaram ai jaan na lehu kaahe lagae chhatiyan

khabar-e-tahayyur-e-ishq sun na junun raha na pari rahi na to tu raha na to main raha jo rahi so be-khabari rahi

arz-o-sama kahan tiri vusat ko pa sake mera hi dil hai vo ki jahan tu sama sake

jaan se ho gae badan khali jis taraf tu ne aankh bhar dekha

tamasha-e-dair-o-haram dekhte hain tujhe har bahane se ham dekhte hain

the lover claims to be roaming between “dair” (temple) and “haram” (the sacred sanctuary), as if on a religious or cultural outing. but this is only a veil: every journey and every ‘spectacle’ is a pretext to catch a glimpse of the beloved. the couplet fuses sacred spaces with romantic desire, showing how obsession turns the whole world into a route toward one face.

dil-e-har-qatra hai saz-e-anal-bahar ham us ke hain hamara puchhna kya

ghalib portrays each individual soul as a tiny “drop” that still resonates with the grandeur of the ocean, suggesting unity between part and whole. the phrase “i am the sea” becomes a metaphor for inner vastness and oneness with the infinite. in the second line, the speaker dissolves personal ownership: once you are of the beloved/absolute, claims of “mine” lose meaning. the emotional core is awe, self-effacement, and serene surrender.

kah sake kaun ki ye jalvagari kis ki hai parda chhoda hai vo us ne ki uthae na bane

ghalib explores the mystical paradox of the divine being both revealed and concealed simultaneously. the universe is a manifestation of god's beauty, yet this physical world serves as an impenetrable veil that hides his true essence. the poet suggests that the mystery of existence is designed so profoundly that human intellect is incapable of uncovering the ultimate reality.

tha mustaar husn se us ke jo nuur tha khurshid men bhi us hi ka zarra zuhur tha

the couplet exalts the beloved’s beauty as the original fountain of light, making all other brightness seem secondary. “borrowed” suggests that whatever radiance the speaker (or the world) possesses is not its own, but taken from the beloved. by saying the sun itself contains only a “particle” of her manifestation, the poet intensifies the metaphor: earthly and cosmic light are mere traces of the beloved’s splendor. the emotional core is awe and surrender before an overpowering beauty.

dariya se mauj mauj se dariya juda nahin ham se juda nahin hai khuda aur khuda se ham

fareb-e-jalva kahan tak ba-ru-e-kar rahe naqab uthao ki kuchh din zara bahar rahe

karen ham kis ki puuja aur chadhaen kis ko chandan ham sanam ham dair ham but-khana ham but ham barahman ham

in ankhon ko jab se basarat mili hai siva tere kuchh main ne dekha nahin hai

donon aalam se vo begana nazar aata hai jo tire ishq men divana nazar aata hai

tamam hosh ki duniya nisar hai us par tiri gali men jise niind aa gai hogi

na dair men na haram men jabin jhuki hogi tumhare dar pe ada meri bandagi hogi

itna to jante hain ki ashiq fana hua aur us se aage badh ke khuda jaane kya hua

bijli tire jalvon ki gir jaae kabhi mujh par ai jaan miri hasti is aag men jal jaae