uncha makan

be-shumār āñkhoñ ko chehre meñ lagā.e hue istāda hai ta.amīr kā ik naqsh-e-ajīb

ai tamaddun ke naqīb!

terī sūrat hai muhīb!

zehn-e-insānī kā tūfān khaḌā hai goyā

Dhal ke lahroñ meñ ka.ī giit sunā.ī mujhe dete haiñ magar

un meñ ik josh hai bedād kā fariyād kā ik aks-e-darāz

aur alfāz meñ afsāne haiñ be-ḳhvābī ke

kyā koī rūh-e-hazīñ

tire siine meñ bhī betāb hai tahzīb ke raḳhshanda nagīñ

ghuT ke lahreñ tire gītoñ kī suneñ mujh ko nazar aane lagā

ek talḳhāba kisī bāda-e-bad-rañg kā ik TuuTe hue sāġhar meñ

nashsha-e-mai se nazar dhundlī huī jaatī hai

raat kī tiira fazā kyuuñ mujhe ghabrātī hai?

raat kī tiira fazā meñ tirī āñkhoñ kī chamak mujh ko Darā saktī nahīñ hai maiñ to

is se bhī baḌh ke añdhere meñ rahā kartā thā

aur is tīrgi-e-rūh meñ daraḳhshāñ the sitāre dukh ke

aur kabhī bhuul meñ har najm-e-daraḳhshāñ se lapak uThte the sho.ale sukh ke

jaise rauzan se tire taan lapaktī huī phailātī hai baazū apne

jazb kar letā hai phir us ko ḳhalā kā dāman

yaad aane lage tanhā.ī meñ bahte hue aañsū apne

vahī aañsū vahī sho.ale sukh ke

lekin ik ḳhvāb thā ik ḳhvāb kī mānind lapak shāloñ kī thī

mirī taḳh.īl ke par tā.ir-e-zaḳhmī ke paroñ ke mānind

phaḌ.phaḌāte hue bekār laraz uThte haiñ

mire a.azā kā tanāo mujhe jiine hī na detā thā taḌap kar ek baar

justujū mujh ko rihā.ī kī huā kartī thī

magar afsos ki jab dard davā banñe lagā mujh se vo pābandī haTī

apne a.asāb ko āsūda banāne ke liye

bhuul kar tīrgi-e-rūh ko maiñ aa pahuñchā

is bulandī ke qadam maiñ ne liye

jis pe tū saikaḌoñ āñkhoñ ko jhapakte hue istāda hai

tire baare meñ sunā rakkhī thiiñ logoñ ne mujhe

kuchh hikāyāt-e-ajīb

maiñ ye suntā thā tire jism-e-girāñ-bār meñ bistar hai bichhā

aur ik nāznīñ leTī hai vahāñ tanhā.ī

ek phīkī sī thakan ban ke ghusī jaatī hai

zehn meñ us ke magar vo betāb

muntazir us kī hai parda larze

pairahan ek Dhalaktā huā bādal ban jaa.e

aur dar aa.e ik an-dekhī anokhī sūrat

kuchh ġharaz us ko nahīñ hai is se

dil ko bhātī hai nahīñ bhātī hai

aane vaale kī adā

us kā hai ek hī maqsūd vo istāda kare

bahr-e-a.asāb kī ta.amīr kā ik naqsh-e-ajīb

jis kī sūrat se karāhat aa.e

aur vo ban jaa.e tirā madd-e-muqābil pal meñ

zehn-e-insānī kā tūfān khaḌā ho jaa.e

aur vo nāznīñ be-sāḳhta be-lāg irāde ke baġhair

ek girtī huī dīvār nazar aane lage

shab ke be-rūh tamāshā.ī ko

bhuul kar apnī thakan kā naġhma

muḳhtasar larzish-e-chashm-e-dar se

reg ke qasr ke mānind subuksār kare

bahr-e-a.asāb kī ta.amīr kā ik naqsh-e-ajīb

ek girtī huī dīvār kī mānind lachak khā jaa.e

ye hikāyāt mire zehn meñ ik bu-e-ḳhirāmāñ ban kar

jab kabhī chāhtī thiiñ raqs kiyā kartī thiiñ

aur ab dekhtā huuñ saikaḌoñ āñkhoñ meñ tirī

ek hī chashm-e-daraḳhshāñ mujhe aatī hai nazar

kyā isī chashm-e-daraḳhshāñ meñ hai sho.ala sukh kaa?

haath se apne ab is aañkh ko maiñ band kiyā chāhtā huuñ

be-shumar aankhon ko chehre mein lagae hue istada hai tamir ka ek naqsh-e-ajib

ai tamaddun ke naqib!

teri surat hai muhib!

zehn-e-insani ka tufan khaDa hai goya

Dhal ke lahron mein kai git sunai mujhe dete hain magar

un mein ek josh hai bedad ka fariyaad ka ek aks-e-daraaz

aur alfaz mein afsane hain be-KHwabi ke

kya koi ruh-e-hazin

tere sine mein bhi betab hai tahzib ke raKHshanda nagin

ghuT ke lahren tere giton ki sunen mujh ko nazar aane laga

ek talKHaba kisi baada-e-bad-rang ka ek TuTe hue saghar mein

nashsha-e-mai se nazar dhundli hui jati hai

raat ki tera faza kyun mujhe ghabraati hai?

raat ki tera faza mein teri aankhon ki chamak mujh ko Dara sakti nahin hai main to

is se bhi baDh ke andhere mein raha karta tha

aur is tirgi-e-ruh mein daraKHshan the sitare dukh ke

aur kabhi bhul mein har najm-e-daraKHshan se lapak uThte the shoale sukh ke

jaise rauzan se tere tan lapakti hui phailati hai bazu apne

jazb kar leta hai phir us ko KHala ka daman

yaad aane lage tanhai mein bahte hue aansu apne

wahi aansu wahi shoale sukh ke

lekin ek KHwab tha ek KHwab ki manind lapak shaalon ki thi

meri taKHil ke par tair-e-zaKHmi ke paron ke manind

phaDphaDate hue bekar laraz uThte hain

mere aaza ka tanao mujhe jine hi na deta tha taDap kar ek bar

justuju mujh ko rihai ki hua karti thi

magar afsos ki jab dard dawa banne laga mujh se wo pabandi haTi

apne aasab ko aasuda banane ke liye

bhul kar tirgi-e-ruh ko main aa pahuncha

is bulandi ke qadam main ne liye

jis pe tu saikaDon aankhon ko jhapakte hue istada hai

tere bare mein suna rakkhi thin logon ne mujhe

kuchh hikayat-e-ajib

main ye sunta tha tere jism-e-giran-bar mein bistar hai bichha

aur ek naznin leTi hai wahan tanhai

ek phiki si thakan ban ke ghusi jati hai

zehn mein us ke magar wo betab

muntazir us ki hai parda larze

pairahan ek Dhalakta hua baadal ban jae

aur dar aae ek an-dekhi anokhi surat

kuchh gharaz us ko nahin hai is se

dil ko bhati hai nahin bhati hai

aane wale ki ada

us ka hai ek hi maqsud wo istada kare

bahr-e-asab ki tamir ka ek naqsh-e-ajib

jis ki surat se karahat aae

aur wo ban jae tera madd-e-muqabil pal mein

zehn-e-insani ka tufan khaDa ho jae

aur wo naznin be-saKHta be-lag irade ke baghair

ek girti hui diwar nazar aane lage

shab ke be-ruh tamashai ko

bhul kar apni thakan ka naghma

muKHtasar larzish-e-chashm-e-dar se

reg ke qasr ke manind subuksar kare

bahr-e-asab ki tamir ka ek naqsh-e-ajib

ek girti hui diwar ki manind lachak kha jae

ye hikayat mere zehn mein ek bu-e-KHiraman ban kar

jab kabhi chahti thin raqs kiya karti thin

aur ab dekhta hun saikaDon aankhon mein teri

ek hi chashm-e-daraKHshan mujhe aati hai nazar

kya isi chashm-e-daraKHshan mein hai shoala sukh ka?

hath se apne ab is aankh ko main band kiya chahta hun