Meri Bandagi: My Prayer

NS Rajan : नि सु राजन

Ibteda–e-ishq mein, dard-e-furqat ho to kyaa

Jaari hai bandgee meri, khuda bhool jaye to kyaa

Kis kaa khayaal hoon main, kis ka hoon hum-safar

Dushmanon ke shahr mein, hum kuch bhi na ho to kyaa

Phir milenge kitaabon mein sukhe phool ki tarah

Ummeed tere aane ki, guzar bhi jaye to kyaa

Hazaaron shammein, jalaayeen hamne, teri yaad mein

Baaraat roshni ki hai, shab-e-hijraan ho to kyaa

Jise choomne ke waste apne hont jo hain betaab

Bosaa diye gul ko, hazz-e-wasl na ho to kyaa

Zulmaat ke seene mein, ik umar kat gayi hai

Haal-e-gham samajhne ko, tum ho na ho to kyaa

Be-chain dil mein, Nisura, kasak si uthti hai aaj

Maut ki ganoodgi mein, jaan alvidaa bhi kahe to kyaa

इब्तेदा –ए -इश्क  में , दर्द -ए -फुरक़त  हो  तो  क्या 

जारी  है  बंदगी  मेरी , खुदा  भूल  जाये  तो  क्या 

किस  का  ख़याल  हूँ  मैं , किस  का  हूँ  हम -सफ़र 

दुश्मनों  के  शहर  में , हम  कुछ  भी  न  हो  तो  क्या 

फिर  मिलेंगे  किताबों  में  सूखे  फूल  की  तरह 

उम्मीद  तेरे  आने  की , गुज़र  भी  जाये  तो  क्या 

हज़ारों  शम्में , जलाईं  हमने , तेरी  याद  में 

बरात  रौशनी  की  है , शब् -ए-हिज्राँ  हो  तो  क्या 

जिसे  चूमने  के  वास्ते  अपने  होंट  जो  हैं  बेताब 

बोसा  दिए  गुल  को , हज्ज -ए -वस्ल  न  हो  तो  क्या 

ज़ुल्मात  के  सीने  में , इक  उम्र  कट  गयी  है 

हाल -ए -ग़म  समझने  को , तुम  हो  न  हो  तो  क्या 

बे -चैन  दिल  में , निसुरा , कसक  सी  उठती  है  आज 

मौत  की  गनूदगी  में , जान  अलविदा  भी  कहे  तो  क्या 

In the early days of love, does hurt of separation matter?

I continue to pray, even if God has deigned to forget me

In whose thoughts do I linger, whose fellow traveller am I?

In the land of enemies, what  if you are nothing to anyone?

Shall we then meet again amidst books as dried flowers?

So what if the hopes of your visit have wilted away

I have lit a thousand candles in your memory

Procession is lit aglow, so what if it is the parting night?

Restless my lips were, hoping to plant a kiss

Kissed the rose instead, what if there was no joy of meeting

I have spent a lifetime in the heart of darkness

Does it matter that you are not around to know my plight

My restless heart feels an acute pain of hurt, Nisura

In the stupor of death, who cares if life decides to part?

(Lesbia and the Sparrow_Edward John Poynter: This lovely painting by the renowned artist Sir Edward John Poynter(1836-1919) is his soulful depiction of  an imagery from the Roman poet Gaius Valerius Catullus’ poem “Death of Lesbia’s Sparrow”. Lesbia is the pseudonym of Catullus’ beloved and this tragic thought has found many admirers and has been captured by many painters too. Catullus portrays Lesbia’s grief for the sparrow- “Now he goes down the shadowy road from which they say no one returns,”  perhaps, referring to his own state.)