Ghazal 413x, Verse 3

{413x,3}

tum ho but phir tumhe;N pindaar-e ;xudaa))ii kyuu;N hai
tum ;xudaavand hii kahlaa))o ;xudaa aur sahii

1) you are an idol-- then, why do you have the notion/arrogance of lordship/divinity?
2) call yourself only/emphatically 'your lordship'-- the Lord is different, indeed!

Notes:

pindaar : 'Thought, imagination, notion, opinion; self-conceit, pride, arrogance'. (Platts p.272)

 

;xudaa-vand : 'Owner, possessor, master, lord; husband; — my lord! your lordship! Sir!' (Platts p.487)

 

aur : 'And, also, for the rest, besides, again, moreover; but, yet, still; over, else; and lo!; — another, other, different; more, additional'. (Platts p.104)

FWP:

SETS
IDOL: {8,1}

For more on Ghalib's unpublished verses, see the discussion in {4,8x}. See also the overview index.

This ghazal is extremely late (1865) and has received very little commentarial attention.

On the idiomatic range of sahii expressions, see {9,4}.

This verse rests very explicitly on what might be called 'word exploration'. The possible uses and senses of ;xudaa and its derivatives are spelled out for the 'idol', and she's told to limit her claims to an ordinary social range, since ;xudaavand (see the definition above) is much less potent than ;xudaa .

The present verse is also a classic member of the group of verses in which the beloved is not God; for others, see {20,3}.