Mir Taqi Mir was often compared with the later day Urdu poet, Mirza Ghalib (Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan , pen-name Ghalib and Asad also known as Dabeer-ul-Mulk and Najm-ud-daulah) who was a great classical Urdu and Persian language poet of India.
Lovers of Urdu poetry often debate Meer's supremacy over Ghalib or vice versa. It may be noted that Ghalib himself acknowledged, through some of his couplets, that Meer was indeed a genius that deserved respect.
Here are two couplets by Mirza Ghalib on this matter.
Reekhta kay tumhi ustaad nahi ho Ghalib
Kehtay hain aglay zamanay may koi Meer bhi thaa.
(You are not the only master of Urdu,
GhalibThey say there used to be a Meer in the past)
Ghalib apna yeh aqeeda hai baqaul e Nasikh
Aap bey bahrah hai jo muataqid e Meer nahi.
(Ghalib! Its my belief in the words of Nasikh*,
"He that vows not on Meer, is himself unlearned!")
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Mir Taqi Mir
Mir Taqi Mir was born at Agra in 1723. He spent his early childhood under the care and companionship of his father, whose constant emphasis on the importance of love and the value of continence and compassion in life went a long way in moulding the character of the poet, and this became the chief thematic strand of his poetry.
Mir is one of the immortals among Urdu poets. He is a perfect artist of Ghazal, which makes its peculiar appeal through compression, suggestion, imagery and musicality. He used to build his poetry on the foundations of his personal experience. His favourite theme is love - love unfulfilled - and his favourite manner is conversational. Mir lived at a time when Urdu poetry was yet at a formative stage - its language was getting reformed and purged of native crudities, and its texture was being enriched with borrowings from Persian imagery and idiom. Aided by his aesthetic instincts, Mir struck a fine balance between the old and the new, the indigenous and the imported elements. Knowing that Urdu is essentially an Indian language, he retained the best in native Hindi speech and leavened it with a sprinkling of Persian diction and phraseology, so as to create a poetic language at once simple, natural and elegant, acceptable alike to the elite and the common folk. Consequently he has developed a style which has been the envy of all succeeding poets...
It is a commonplace of criticism that Mir is a poet of pathos and melancholy moods. His pathos, it should be remembered, is compounded of personal and public causes. His life was a long struggle against unfavourable circumstances...
Mir was a prolific writier. His complete works, Kulliaat, consist of 6 dewans, containing 13,585 couplets comprising all kinds of poetic forms: ghazal, masnavi, qasida, rubai, mustezaad, satire, etc.
... He died in Lucknow on 20 September 1810.
Mir is one of the immortals among Urdu poets. He is a perfect artist of Ghazal, which makes its peculiar appeal through compression, suggestion, imagery and musicality. He used to build his poetry on the foundations of his personal experience. His favourite theme is love - love unfulfilled - and his favourite manner is conversational. Mir lived at a time when Urdu poetry was yet at a formative stage - its language was getting reformed and purged of native crudities, and its texture was being enriched with borrowings from Persian imagery and idiom. Aided by his aesthetic instincts, Mir struck a fine balance between the old and the new, the indigenous and the imported elements. Knowing that Urdu is essentially an Indian language, he retained the best in native Hindi speech and leavened it with a sprinkling of Persian diction and phraseology, so as to create a poetic language at once simple, natural and elegant, acceptable alike to the elite and the common folk. Consequently he has developed a style which has been the envy of all succeeding poets...
It is a commonplace of criticism that Mir is a poet of pathos and melancholy moods. His pathos, it should be remembered, is compounded of personal and public causes. His life was a long struggle against unfavourable circumstances...
Mir was a prolific writier. His complete works, Kulliaat, consist of 6 dewans, containing 13,585 couplets comprising all kinds of poetic forms: ghazal, masnavi, qasida, rubai, mustezaad, satire, etc.
... He died in Lucknow on 20 September 1810.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Dhobi Ka Kutta, Na Ghar Ka Na Ghaat Ka
We all have heard this proverb "Dhobi ka kutta, na ghar ka na ghaat ka". There is a very interesting story behind the origination of this proverb.
This proverb was used by Mirza Saud who was a renowned Urdu poet, for Mirza Mazhar Jaan-e-Janaan's poetry as a scorn. Mirza Mazhar was a renowned poet of Persian. He later on did some stupendous and chromatic poetry in Urdu as well, however, initially he was not very comfortable in Urdu poetry.
His instructor advised him to start poetry in Urdu instead of Persian as the days of Persian poetry in India were numbered in his view. Mirza Mazhar's initial experiment in Urdu poetry was a disaster. The Urdu poets of his time did not take his arrival in their domain with joy. He was barraged by insult and one such poetic insult became proverbial:
"Mirza ka sher Faarasi aur Reekhta ke beech,
Sauda yakin jaaniye ke rora hai baat ka.
Al Garz iska haal yahi hai jo sach kahoon,
Kutta hai dhobi ka, ke na ghar ka hai na ghaat ka"
Reekhta=Urdu, Rora=Pebal, Stone.
Baat=Piece of iron used in weighing, Al Garz=In Short, It means.
This proverb was used by Mirza Saud who was a renowned Urdu poet, for Mirza Mazhar Jaan-e-Janaan's poetry as a scorn. Mirza Mazhar was a renowned poet of Persian. He later on did some stupendous and chromatic poetry in Urdu as well, however, initially he was not very comfortable in Urdu poetry.
His instructor advised him to start poetry in Urdu instead of Persian as the days of Persian poetry in India were numbered in his view. Mirza Mazhar's initial experiment in Urdu poetry was a disaster. The Urdu poets of his time did not take his arrival in their domain with joy. He was barraged by insult and one such poetic insult became proverbial:
"Mirza ka sher Faarasi aur Reekhta ke beech,
Sauda yakin jaaniye ke rora hai baat ka.
Al Garz iska haal yahi hai jo sach kahoon,
Kutta hai dhobi ka, ke na ghar ka hai na ghaat ka"
Reekhta=Urdu, Rora=Pebal, Stone.
Baat=Piece of iron used in weighing, Al Garz=In Short, It means.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Two frogs
A group of frogs was travelling through the woods, when two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, and stay there as it was not going to help them in anyway. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop taking the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
This story teaches two lessons:
1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.
2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words... it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Love thyself
Anger is just an expression like all other expressions of our mind. As you know, this mind has a tendency to react and behave in a certain manner on any situation or occasion. Anger is one of those. But do we really don't have a control over this reaction? I ask this question to myself very often.
Guys, we may not have control over our mind or the way it reacts, but what we certainly "do" have is control on our expressions and emotions.
Think of the situation when you are really mad at somebody and want to confront that person. You walk up to that person with a millions of thoughts in your mind that are freaking you out. You are about to explode, but you never know what is going to happen next, and the very next moment you see or hear something unexpected that changes your entire thought of yelling at that person and all of a sudden life looks so easy. How does it happen? Who does it? Have you ever thought about it? I do a lot. Well, It could be anything, but at the end of the day its us who make this choice to either swallow our anger or throw it in someone's face.
Always remember one thing. "Life is too short" and this world is evidently a very small place to handle this hatred, antagonism and venom. So, next time you are angry, make the right choice about your expression.
Love thyself.
Arun...
Guys, we may not have control over our mind or the way it reacts, but what we certainly "do" have is control on our expressions and emotions.
Think of the situation when you are really mad at somebody and want to confront that person. You walk up to that person with a millions of thoughts in your mind that are freaking you out. You are about to explode, but you never know what is going to happen next, and the very next moment you see or hear something unexpected that changes your entire thought of yelling at that person and all of a sudden life looks so easy. How does it happen? Who does it? Have you ever thought about it? I do a lot. Well, It could be anything, but at the end of the day its us who make this choice to either swallow our anger or throw it in someone's face.
Always remember one thing. "Life is too short" and this world is evidently a very small place to handle this hatred, antagonism and venom. So, next time you are angry, make the right choice about your expression.
Love thyself.
Arun...
Friday, September 11, 2009
Pehli Paudi
Since this is my first blog I would like to start with God's name. I am writing "Pehli Paudi" with its interpretation.
PEHLI PAUDI
Ik Onkar
Sat Naam
Karta Purakh
Nirbhau Nirvair
Akal Murat
Ajuni Saibhang
Gurprasad
There is only one God
Truth is his name
He is the creator
He is without fear
He is without hate
He is timeless and without form
He is beyond death, the enlightned one
He can be known by the Guru’s grace.
This is the prologue of the Japuji Sahib. Viewed minutely, Ik Onkar by itself is the underlying principle being projected in the prologue. It is interesting to note as to why Guru Nanak categorically uses the integer “1″ when writing ik Onkar. It establishes an undisputed and complete oneness of the Almighty.
Subsequent words in the prologue further expand this concept.
Japu
Aad Sach
Jugad Sach
Hai Bhi Sach
Nanak Hosi Bhi Sach
True before creation
True through all ages
True also today
says Nanak,
True He shall eternally be.
This Japu (sloka) further reaffirms the Supremacy of God. Briefly the Japu reiterates the prologue by simply stating that GOD IS.
It is a very simple yet dynamic statement. The dynamics of this Japu is revealed when one realizes that “Truth” is always used as a singular, never a plural. Guru Nanak, in a very simple yet scientific way affirms that only ‘that’ what is constant can be “Truth”. No wonder then, in all known knowledge through various schools of psychology, sciences and philosophy, only God is that permanent and constant entity, hence the only Truth.
Soche Soch Na Hovai Je Sochi Lakh Var
Chupe Chup Na Hovai Je Lai Raha Liv Tar
Bhukhia Bhukh Na Utari Je Banna Puria Bhar
Sahas Sianpa Lakh Hohi Ta Ik Na Chale Nal
Kiv Sachiara Hoiai Kiv Kurai Tute Pal
Hukam Razai Chalna Nanak Likhiya Nal
Thinking does not reach belief, if one thinks a million times
Prolonged silence and meditation does not quieten the mind
Hunger (Greed) cannot be satisfied even with loads of food (wealth)
At the time of death intellectual smartness also stays behind
How can then we realize the Truth and destroy falsehood
Says Nanak live with His Divine Will.
Guru Nanak lays emphasis on living a life based on Truth. Guru Nanak’s Hukam Razai Chalna is placed in the Japuji Sahib as the First Commandment. This commandment implies total surrender of oneself to the Supreme.
PEHLI PAUDI
Ik Onkar
Sat Naam
Karta Purakh
Nirbhau Nirvair
Akal Murat
Ajuni Saibhang
Gurprasad
There is only one God
Truth is his name
He is the creator
He is without fear
He is without hate
He is timeless and without form
He is beyond death, the enlightned one
He can be known by the Guru’s grace.
This is the prologue of the Japuji Sahib. Viewed minutely, Ik Onkar by itself is the underlying principle being projected in the prologue. It is interesting to note as to why Guru Nanak categorically uses the integer “1″ when writing ik Onkar. It establishes an undisputed and complete oneness of the Almighty.
Subsequent words in the prologue further expand this concept.
Japu
Aad Sach
Jugad Sach
Hai Bhi Sach
Nanak Hosi Bhi Sach
True before creation
True through all ages
True also today
says Nanak,
True He shall eternally be.
This Japu (sloka) further reaffirms the Supremacy of God. Briefly the Japu reiterates the prologue by simply stating that GOD IS.
It is a very simple yet dynamic statement. The dynamics of this Japu is revealed when one realizes that “Truth” is always used as a singular, never a plural. Guru Nanak, in a very simple yet scientific way affirms that only ‘that’ what is constant can be “Truth”. No wonder then, in all known knowledge through various schools of psychology, sciences and philosophy, only God is that permanent and constant entity, hence the only Truth.
Soche Soch Na Hovai Je Sochi Lakh Var
Chupe Chup Na Hovai Je Lai Raha Liv Tar
Bhukhia Bhukh Na Utari Je Banna Puria Bhar
Sahas Sianpa Lakh Hohi Ta Ik Na Chale Nal
Kiv Sachiara Hoiai Kiv Kurai Tute Pal
Hukam Razai Chalna Nanak Likhiya Nal
Thinking does not reach belief, if one thinks a million times
Prolonged silence and meditation does not quieten the mind
Hunger (Greed) cannot be satisfied even with loads of food (wealth)
At the time of death intellectual smartness also stays behind
How can then we realize the Truth and destroy falsehood
Says Nanak live with His Divine Will.
Guru Nanak lays emphasis on living a life based on Truth. Guru Nanak’s Hukam Razai Chalna is placed in the Japuji Sahib as the First Commandment. This commandment implies total surrender of oneself to the Supreme.
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