Tujh Ko Dariyadili Ki Qasam Saaqiya

 On one of my daily walks, I happened to listen to Jatin-Lalit’s composition from Yes Boss – Ek Din Aap Hum Ko Yoon Mil Jaayenge – penned by Javed Akhtar and sung by Kumar Sanu and Alka Yagnik. Here’s the link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHgVlMrkloQ

The tune of the first line sounded similar to an old Jagjit-Chitra Singh ghazal - Tujhko Dariyadili Ki Kasam Saaqiya. If I am not mistaken, this ghazal was from the early eighties. Then I was in my teens and had dismissed it as yet another “philosophical song” by Jagjit. But the song (ghazal) stayed with me. Decades later when I “listened” to it once again, it was revelation for me.

Also remember this is a Ghazal, not a Nazm. A Ghazal is made up of a number of independent couplets (Sher’s), while a Nazm is on a specific topic or mood. This ghazal written by Sabaa Afghani has several layers and facets – love for the beloved, for self and for the Almighty.

For a heart that’s deep in love, this ghazal can sound like a request made to the beloved. For a person deep in devotion, it’s an supplication to the Almighty. And if you look at it from a Sufi point of view, then it’s the beloved that’s the Almighty, for without a devotee there would be no God.

Another highlight of this ghazal is the use of the connecter“ -ए- “ called as Izafat. This -ए- in Urdu acts like a preposition “of” in English or का or चा in Marathi. Like in the song “कहने को जश्न-ए-बहारा है”, it means Celebration of Spring ( जश्न = celebration, बहार = Spring). Here, शान-ए-गुलिस्ताँ  means Pride of the Garden in English or बगिच्याचा मान in Marathi.

So I’ll delve in and share what I understood. Thanks to Rekhta.org for helping with the meaning of several Urdu words. Listen to the ghazal here and continue to read-
Link to song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXfbsfRVgq8

 

तुझको दरियादिली की क़सम साक़िया
मुस्तक़िल दौर पर दौर चलता रहे
रौनक़-ए-मैक़दा यूँ ही बढ़ती रहे
एक गिरता रहे इक सम्भलता रहे

दरियादिली - Magnanimity
मुस्तक़िल = चिरस्थाई, निरंतर, लगातार

रौनक़-ए-मैक़दा - मयकदे की रौनक

To grasp its truly profound philosophical meaning, we must first understand several concepts. For instance, while the literal meaning of Saqi is the "wine-pourer" (the one who serves wine), no actual alcohol or wine is being discussed here. So, who is being addressed as Saqiya in this context? What exactly constitutes an "oath of magnanimity" (Dariya-dili)? And to whom is this oath of magnanimity being administered?

सिर्फ शबनम ही शान-ए-गुलिस्ताँ नहीं
शोला-ओ-गुल का भी दौर चलता रहे
अश्क भी चश्म-ए-पुरनम से बहते रहे
और दिल से धुआँ भी निकलता रहे

शबनम = ओस or दव बिंदु, शान-ए-गुलिस्ताँ = बग़ीचे की शान, अश्क = आँसू or अश्रू, , चश्म-ए-पुरनम = भीगी हुई आँखें or भिजलेले डोळे

It literally means that the splendor of the garden does not stem solely from the dew that falls upon the flowers, but may the cycles of withering, flourishing, and blooming anew (शोला-ओ-गुल का दौर). Autumn is followed by Spring, so if there was no Autumn, there would be no reason to celebrate the arrival of Spring. Then comes the philosophy-

In life, the ups and downs—both joy and sorrow—are essential. It is precisely these contrasts that make the experience of living this life so enjoyable. They enhance its beauty. It shouldn't just be a time of gentle, dew-kissed tranquility; the cycle of fire and flowers—passion and beauty—must also continue. Happiness alone is not the sole prerequisite for savoring the pleasures of life. Sorrow is also to be treasured equally for the human soul. That is why the very next line in this song suggests: "Let tears continue to flow from brimming eyes (अश्क भी चश्म-ए-पुरनम से बहते रहे), and let smoke continue to rise from the heart (और दिल से धुआँ भी निकलता रहे)."

Thus, may this ceaseless succession of rounds continue uninterrupted. May the vibrancy of the मयकदा (the tavern) continue to flourish just so. With him high on love, his world is akin to a मयकदा. Ditto for the devotee. (रौनक़-ए-मैक़दा यूँ ही बढ़ती रहे)

Let some stumble and fall, while others regain their footing; let some return to sobriety, while others continue to lose themselves- एक गिरता रहे इक सम्भलता रहे.

तेरे कब्ज़े में हैं ये निज़ाम-ए-जहाँ
तू जो चाहे तो सहरा बने गुलसिताँ
हर नज़र पर तेरी फूल खिलते रहे
हर इशारे पे मौसम बदलता रहे

सहरा = रेगिस्तान or desert, निज़ाम-ए-जहाँ = दुनिया का प्रबंध or one who controls the world , गुलसिताँ = बग़ीचा

This is interesting. To whom is he addressing – to self or his beloved or the Almighty? He says, “You” possess the power to convert a barren desert into a lush garden, and just as easily, transform that garden back into a desert. All this world rests in “Your” hands. If it’s a beloved, it will be “My world rests in Your hands”. If its self, it means you control your destiny. If it’s addressed to the Almighty, then the meaning is plain. What if he is referring to his beloved as the Almighty? This the beauty of ghazals, you interpret it the way you have experienced life.

 

Disclaimer : I do not own the copyright for pictures on this blog.

This takes us back to the opening lines - तुझको दरियादिली की क़सम साक़िया – here it’s not wine, but love that the साक़िया is pouring and the poet is high on it. He equates the beloved to the Almighty saying दरियादिली as a reference to the vastness of the Almighty’s heart. And wishes that मुस्तक़िल दौर पर दौर चलता रहे etc. etc. For a Bhakt (devotee) he is asking the Almighty to pour the Divine Light within our hearts and let things continue…   Do not let this this draught you are pouring ever cease. Let the rounds continue, one after another; let them flow without interruption.

इस में ख़ून-ए-तमन्ना की तासीर हैं
ये वफ़ा-ए-मोहब्बत की तस्वीर हैं
ऐसी तस्वीर बदले ये मुमकीन नहीं
रंग चाहे ज़माना बदलता रहे

ख़ून-ए-तमन्ना = literally blood of desires, metaphorically influence or effect of desires.
तासीर = प्रभाव, असर

The words ख़ून-ए-तमन्ना make it sound violent 😊, but here the reference is to the effect of one-self’s desires. It is a portrait of the fidelity of love. For in every romance, in every act of loving we are compelled to sacrifice our own desires. The times may change, the means of expressing love may also change, but this fidelity and purity of love should remain the way it is. A glimpse of the desires that were sacrificed or suppressed can be seen in every single image of love.

तेरे चेहरे पे ये जुल्फ बिखरी हुई,

नींद की गोद में सुबह निखरी हुई,

और इस पर सितम ये अदाएं तेरी—

दिल है आख़िर, कहाँ तक संभलता रहे!

These lines are pretty straight forward 😊

वो हो शम्म-ए-फ़रोज़ाँ के गुलहा-ए-तर
दोनों से ज़ीनत-ए-अंजुमन है मगर
ए 'सबा' अपनी अपनी ये तक़दीर है
कोई हो सेज पर कोई जलता रहे

-सबा अफ़गानी

शम्म-ए-फ़रोज़ाँ = प्रकाशमान चिराग़ or a radiant lamp, गुलहा-ए-तर  = fresh flower, ज़ीनत-ए-अंजुमन = महफ़िल की शोभा or pride of the gathering.

So very dryly, I ask, what has a fresh flower and radiant lamp to do with a pride of a gathering? This in my view, is the best couplet of this ghazal. It’s a maqta, the poets name "सबा", appears here. The discussion here revolves around two elements: the burning candle and the fresh flowers … and what ultimately becomes of both of them. One serves to enhance the splendour of a gathering, rests upon the bridal bed, the other continues to burn away in a corner. The flower adorns the gathering while the candle just burns away. The flowers beauty is seen because of the light emitted by the candle, yet the flowers are appreciated while the candle just melts into oblivion.

To take the thought further, both the flower and the candle have their roles, they get appreciated for their work, but have to wither away and end.
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXfbsfRVgq8