:zaahiraa : 'Outwardly, openly, publicly, manifestly, evidently, plainly, apparently, to all appearance, seemingly, ostensibly'. (Platts p.755)
baa:tin : 'Unapparent, hidden, concealed, covert, inward, inner, interior, internal, intrinsic, esoteric (opp. of z̤āhir); — the internal or intrinsic state, character or circumstances (of a man or a thing); the inward part; the secret thoughts; mind, heart; disposition of the mind; recesses of the mind'. (Platts p.123)
;Gairat : 'Jealousy, source or cause of jealousy; care of what is sacred or inviolable; a nice sense of honour; honour; courage, spirit; modesty, bashfulness, shame; — envy, emulation; disdain, indignation; enmity'. (Platts p.774)
SETS
EYES: {3,1}
SUN: {10,5}
ZARRAH: {15,12}
For more on Ghalib's unpublished verses, see the discussion in {4,8x}. See also the overview index.
The inward/outward wordplay is obvious, but there's the sticking-point that :zaahiraa (see the definition above) can be an affirmation ('manifestly, evidently, plainly') or else a sign of doubt ('seemingly, ostensibly'). This is the way 'apparently' works in English ('Apparently he's guilty, the evidence is very strong' versus 'Apparently he's guilty, but actually he's being framed'). Either the 'eye of inwardness' sees clearly what is manifestly there, or else it 'sees' (in some special mystical sense) something that is 'seemingly' there but may not be visible to ordinary observers. As so often, we're left to decide for ourselves.
Then, since the sand-grain has no radiance of its own, but glitters only through reflected sunlight, what does it mean to call it the 'pride', or 'envy' (see the definition above), of a hundred suns? Are the suns proud of how brightly they've made it shine? Do the suns envy its fine bright glitter? Do the suns feel that the sand-grain has some (mystical?) quality that they themselves do not? Never let it be said that Ghalib lets us just coast along!
This and the previous verse, {364x,6}, have a close affinity; each seems to paraphrase the other's thought.
Gyan Chand:
Oh Asad, if you would look through the interior eye, then every sand-grain of the world is plainly so radiant that it would do honor to even a hundred suns. It's clear that this light is a part of the Divine Radiance.
== Gyan Chand, p. 551