vuh nahii;N ham jo chale jaa))e;N ;haram ko ai shai;x
saath ;hujjaaj ke ak;sar ka))ii manzil aa))e
1) we are not one who would go along to the Ka'bah, oh Shaikh
2) along with the pilgrims/'Haj-doers', we usually came for some stages
Notes:
;hujjaaj : 'Pilgrims (to Mecca)'. (Platts p.474)
manzil : 'A place for alighting ... — a day's journey; — a stage (in travelling, or in the divine life); — place of destination, goal; boundary, end, limit'. (Platts p.1076)
For more
on Ghalib's unpublished verses, see the discussion in {4,8x}. See also the overview index.
This ghazal is exceptionally late (1865), and has received almost no commentary.
The speaker has no intention of doing the Haj himself. Still, he made a practice of going along for some days' journey with the pilgrims-- but why? Just in a companionable way, to stretch his legs? Because he admires their intention, but does not believe in the efficacy of their goal (as in {93,3x})? Because he hasn't yet found his own true spiritual path (as in {99,6})? As so often, we're left to decide for ourselves.
Whatever the motivation, the grammar makes it clear that this practice is located in the past. Apparently the speaker no longer continues it. Why might that be? The question lingers, unanswered and unanswerable.
FWP:
SETS
ISLAMIC: {10,2}
For more on Ghalib's unpublished verses, see the discussion in {4,8x}. See also the overview index.
This ghazal is exceptionally late (1865), and has received almost no commentary.
The speaker has no intention of doing the Haj himself. Still, he made a practice of going along for some days' journey with the pilgrims-- but why? Just in a companionable way, to stretch his legs? Because he admires their intention, but does not believe in the efficacy of their goal (as in {93,3x})? Because he hasn't yet found his own true spiritual path (as in {99,6})? As so often, we're left to decide for ourselves.
Whatever the motivation, the grammar makes it clear that this practice is located in the past. Apparently the speaker no longer continues it. Why might that be? The question lingers, unanswered and unanswerable.