1498_04

S. R. Faruqi:

jāmah-gużārī = to die

Here too [as in {1498,1}], because of the 'mood' the aspects of meaning-- including even the verse's ironic tension-- become hidden from the eye. A very deep/serious wound is called a zaḳhm-e dāman-dār . Thus for a wound in the liverdāman-dār is very appropriate, because a wound in the liver will be in the far depths of the body and will not be visible. With jāmah-gużārī meaning 'death', to bring in the image and metaphor of a dāman-dār wound is a masterful wordplay.

In addition, after the failure of the dāman-dār wound, to invite the invention of z̤ulm-e numāyāñ too is a point-- for both a dāman-dār zaḳhm and a zaḳhm-e numāyāñ refer to a deep/serious wound. With a wound that is deep, its inside cannot be seen; thus such a wound will also be to a large extent concealed. In this respect z̤ulm-e numāyāñ is fine, because the task that could not be done by a hidden wound might/would be done by an open/public cruelty. For more on z̤ulm-e numāyāñ , see

{517,9}.

Now let's consider the aspect of sarcasm. Using the excuse of his own 'tough-lifedness' [saḳht-jānī], the speaker is taunting the beloved over her failure-- that 'You caused a mortal wound to the liver, but I still couldn't die. All right, now try practicing an open cruelty, since no one even saw the wound in the liver. Perhaps a conspicuous/manifest wound would accomplish your purpose.' A second aspect is that, 'If you want to establish your fame as a murderer, then you'll have to make a further attempt; as yet you have failed'.

A third aspect is that perhaps the speaker too longed for death, and by bihtar hai he means 'it's best/better for me'. But the speaker has adopted a tone as though he's speaking for the beloved's welfare: 'If you want to kill me, then think of some other method'. Then, he's also used the word z̤ulm , as if the beloved too will agree that she is z̤ālim .

One additional point is that jāmah-gużārī has the dictionary meaning of 'to remove the clothing'. In this regard dāman-dār of course has an affinity; so does numāyāñ , since from removing the clothing the body becomes 'conspicuous, manifest'. By means of z̤ulm-e numāyāñ , a kind of jāmah-gużārī will definitely occur, since the speaker's condition will become apparent to everyone.

{1498,4}

Notes:

S. R. Faruqi:

FWP: