Ghazal 109, Verse 5x

Asi:

Having made servitude into an idol, the Ascetics become arrogant; so to speak, the string of the sacred-thread has for them become the neck-vein (pride). Thus from fear that we might become proud, we keep a head that we never place on the feet of any idol.

Or else this: that the Ascetics are proud of the sacred-thread; the reason is that they don't place their head on the feet of any idol.

== Asi, pp. 170-171

Zamin:

That is, the Ascetics' neck-vein, by which is meant their arrogance, is like the string of the sacred-thread. For the sacred-thread remains lying on the neck, but doesn't come down to the feet. Similarly, the Ascetics' arrogant heads have never bowed at the feet of any idol. Thus their arrogance of asceticism is not less than the wearing of the sacred-thread; that is, their asceticism really means infidelity [kufr]. sar-e bah paa-e but-e naa-nihaadah = 'that head that would never have bowed at the feet of any idol'.

== Zamin, p. 251

Gyan Chand:

rag-e gardan = pride and arrogance [sar-kashii]. The Ascetics' neck-vein always remains stiffly extended, as if this sign of haughtiness has bound them in infidelity [kufr] like a sacred-thread. For humans, the admirable thing is that the head would be placed on the foot of some idol. But the Ascetics have the kind of head that was not placed on the foot of an idol. From this let there be no misunderstanding that they are free from bondage to the sacred-thread. This pride and haughtiness is itself a sacred-thread.

== Gyan Chand, p. 274

FWP:

SETS
IDOL: {8,1}
RELIGIONS: {60,2}

For background see S. R. Faruqi's choices. For more on Ghalib's unpublished verses, see the discussion in {4,8x}.

Having a stiffly extended 'neck-vein' is a sign of pride because it suggests that one holds his head high. Thus also pride as sar-kashii , the 'pulling [up] of the head', which Gyan Chand uses in his commentary. The long thin neck-vein is thought of as string-like, so it can evoke the Brahminical sacred thread (which is worn over the shoulder and hanging down across the chest); on the zunnaar see {60,8}. Thus the Ascetics are stiff-neckedly and high-headedly proud of their (Islamic) religious attainments; and this very arrogance perhaps becomes a sign of culpable idolatry, like a sacred-thread. (Or, from the lover's point of view, a sign of terrible folly, since submission to the beautiful 'idol' is so self-evidently desirable.)

Note for grammar fans: Ghalib here attaches a Persian indefinite-article enclitic to an Urdu noun, turning but into bute . He very rarely does this. (Though he also does it with nigaare , in {109,6x}.) I can't see that it contributes anything at all to the present verse. Perhaps it just conveniently rebalances the meter.

The second line of the following verse, {109,6x}, has a structure quite similar to that of the second line in this verse.

Compare {195,1}, which uses a similar pattern of imagery.