===
1836,
1
===
 

{1836,1}

t̤arīq-e ʿishq meñ hai rah-numā dil
payambar dil hai qiblah dil ḳhudā dil

1) in the path/sect/rite of passion, the guide is the heart
2) the prophet is the heart; the direction-of-prayer, the heart; the Lord, the heart

 

Notes:

t̤arīqah (of which t̤arīq is a variant): 'A road, path, way, course, rule, mode of acting, &c., manner of conduct, &c., custom, fashion, established rule or usage; system; —religious ordinance, religion; sect; rite, observance'. (Platts p.752)

*Platts Dictionary Online*

S. R. Faruqi:

He has expressed this theme in the third divan too, and the second line is entirely the same [{1164,5}]:

hamārā ḳhāṣ mashrab ʿishq us meñ
payambar dil hai qiblah dil ḳhudā dil

[our special pursuit/'beverage' is passion; in it
the prophet is the heart; the direction-of-prayer, the heart; the Lord, the heart]

The first line of the present verse is somewhat better than that of {1164,5}. The wordplay between t̤arīq meaning 'road', and 'guide', is also fine. But the present verse obviously seems to be disconnected [do-laḳht], because in the first line he has called the heart only a rah-numā , and in the next line he has labeled it a payambar , qiblah , ḳhudā .

The truth is that the verse is not disconnected; rather, between the two lines there are two kinds of connection. One connection is that of style of expression: first he called the heart a 'guide'; then, moving onward (because of faith or enthusiasm), he has called it a 'prophet'; then making even more progress, he has called it a 'direction of prayer'; then, making further progress, he has called it 'the Lord'.

The second connection is one of meaning: that in reality the heart itself is everything. First the heart offers guidance, then a prophetic glory develops in it. Then it becomes a 'direction of prayer'-- that is, it becomes a home for Divine radiance and favors. And then at length it reaches the stage of a skilful judge of the Divine, such that its existence becomes merged into the Divine Being.

FWP:

SETS == REPETITION
MOTIFS == ISLAMIC
NAMES == LORD
TERMS == CONNECTION; DISCONNECTED; METER

The incantatory echo of all the repetitions of dil has its own effect too. It's enhanced by the way the occurrences are made to fall at metrical foot boundaries:

- = = = / - = = = / - = dil

- = = dil / - = = dil / - = dil

Note for grammar fans: The grammatical rule of symmetry means that equally with 'the guide is the heart' we could also say 'the heart is the guide', and so on for the equally symmetrical constructions in the second line. But in this particular verse, it's hard to see that it would make much difference.

 

 
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