Ghazal 19, Verse 3

{19,3}

;ha.zrat-e naa.si;h gar aave;N diidah-o-dil farsh-e raah
ko))ii mujh ko yih to samjhaa do kih samjhaave;Nge kyaa

1) if his Lordship the Advisor would come, my eyes and heart [would be] a carpet for his path
2) let somebody then explain this to me-- how/what will he explain/persuade?

Notes:

samjhaanaa : 'To cause to know, or understand, or comprehend; to give to understand, to inform, to explain (to), to describe, to account for; to give or render (an account); to impress (on the mind of), to remind; to convince, satisfy; to undeceive; to apologize; to instruct, to advise, to reason with, to remonstrate or expostulate with, to admonish, to warn; to correct, punish, chastise'. (Platts p.675)

*Platts Dictionary Online*

Nazm:

The excellence of it is that he has expressed it in such a way that it becomes a picture of madness. (20)

== Nazm page 20

Vajid:

Urdu text: Vajid 1902 {19}

Bekhud Dihlavi:

In one line he has made clear the honor and respect paid to his Lordship the Advisor... and in the second line he has conveyed so much contempt for his understanding: What can he explain to me? Who is he anyway? (40-41)

Bekhud Mohani:

I will never in any way be ready to renounce passion. So then, what will he explain to me? He'll come, and beat his head [in frustration], and go away again. (47)

FWP:

SETS == KYA; REPETITION
SPEAKING: {14,4}

One manuscript source has jo aave;N instead of gar aave;N in the first line; Arshi discusses this variant in his introduction, pp. 105-106.

The idea of a farsh-e raah is that a particularly honored guest is provided with a special, temporary walkway of valuable carpets, so that upon arrival his or her precious feet won't even be allowed to touch the dirty, common, rough street or entry-way. Mir offers a less sarcastic example of such 'red-carpet' hospitality: M{268,1}.

What a wonderful verb is samjhaanaa , with the full range of meanings set forth by Platts (see the definition above). It can be used for almost any form of hortatory or persuasive rhetorical performance, from the rational to the emotional, from the reproachful to the apologetic.

Is the lover asking an insane question, as Nazm supposes-- since everybody knows what the Advisor is bound to say to the mad lover? Or is it a sarcastic question, as Bekhud Dihlavi believes-- since the wretched Advisor's efforts are known to be futile even before they are made? Or is it a sincere question, as Bekhud Mohani implies-- since undoubtedly the Advisor will face great difficulties?

And of course, why is 'somebody' enjoined to explain beforehand what the Advisor will then come and explain? Again, is it madness, sarcasm, or straightforward inquiry? Similarly, when the lover speaks of the Advisor as his Lordshop and promises, through a stylized phrase of reverent salutation, an elaborately respectful welcome-- is that madness, sarcasm, or courteous respect?

One more verse, one more set of inshaa))iyah-generated questions.

 

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