Još Malīḥābādī: Excerpts From Ḥusain Aur Inqilāb (Husain and Revolution)

Još Malīḥābādī: Excerpts From Ḥusain Aur Inqilāb (Husain and Revolution)

Thanks to an acquaintance I was introduced to this incredible marsiya and the entire script is mesmerising to say the least. It is of course very long (as it is endearing) but I thought I’d share some excerpts with reliable and quality translation.

What a privilege to live through times that have access to an expression of grief so poignant.

Oh Josh Sb. What a fantastic legacy.

kyā sirf musalmān ke pyāre haiṅ ḥusain

carḳh-i nouʿ-i bašar ke tāre haiṅ ḥusain

Is Husain only the beloved of the Muslims? Husain is the star of the firmament of humankind

insān ko paidār to ho lene do

har qaum pukāregī hamāre haiṅ ḥusain

Just allow man to awaken, then

Every nation will cry out, Husain is ours

[31]

jo kārvān-i ʿazm kā rahbar thā, vŏh ḥusain

ḳhwud apne ḳhūn kā jo šanāvar thā vŏh ḥusain

He who was the guide of the aim of the caravan was Husain He who was the swimmer in his own blood was Husain

ik dīn-i tāzah kā jo payambar thā vŏh ḥusain

jo kabalā kā dāvar-i muḥaššar thā vŏh ḥusain

He who was the prophet of a fresh faith was Husain

He who was the arbiter of the doomsday of Karbalā was Husain

jis kī nażr pĕh ševah-i ḥaqq kā madār thā

jo rūḥ-i inqilāb kā parvardigār thā

On whose glance rested the basis of just manner He who was the cherisher of the soul of revolution

[33]

hāṅ vŏh ḥusain, jis kā abad-i āšnā ṡabāt

kahtā hai gāh gāh ḥakīmoṅ se bhī yĕh bāt

Yes, he is Husain whose eternity of acquaintance is permanence He tells the doctors, too, from time to time to this point

yaʿnī darūn-i pardah-i ṣad rang-i kāʾināt

ik kār-sāz ẕihn hai, ik ẕī-šuʿūr ẕāt

That is, in the veil of the hundred colors of the universe He is a producing mind, a sensible-minded personality

sajdoṅ se khīnctā hai jo ‘masjūd’ kī ṯaraf

tanhā jo ik išārah hai ‘maʿbūd’ kī ṯaraf

The one who pulls towards the worshiped through prostrations Who by himself is an indication of the direction of God

[36]

ʿālam meṅ ho cukā hai musalsal yĕh tajrubā

quvvat hī zindagī kī rahī hai girah-kušā

In the world it has already been continuously experienced The very power of life has remained problem-solving

sar żaʿif kā hamešah rahā hai jhukā hūʾā

nā-ṯāqatī kī maut hai, ṯāqat kā sāmnā

The head of the weak has always remained bent

The death of powerlessness is [in] encountering power

ṯāqat sī še magar ḳhajil o bad-naṣīb thī

nā-ṯāqatī ḥusain kī kitnī ʿajīb thī

It was a thing like power but ashamed and unfortunate How amazing was the powerlessness of Husain

[37]

ṯāqat sī še ko ḳhak meṅ jis ne milā diyā

taḳhtah ulaṭ ke, qaṣr-i ḥukūmat ko ḍhā diyā

Who thrust [lit. mixed] the thing like power into the dust

Having overthrown the government, he razed the palace of the government

jis ne havā peh, ruʿb-i amārat uṛā diyā

ṭhokar se jis ne afsar-i šāhī girā diyā

Who blew up (into the air) the pompousness of the authorities Who, with a blow, struck down the royal officers

is ṯaraḥ jis se żulm, siyah-fām ho gayā

lafż-i yazīd, dāḳhil-i duš-nām ho gayā

In this way, by whom tyranny was turned black The word ‘Yazid’ was included among the curses

[50]

tujh sā šahīd kaun hai ʿālam meṅ aʾe ḥusain

tū hai har ek dīdah-i pur-nam meṅ aʾe ḥusain

Who is a martyr like you in the world, oh Husain

You are in every single eye filled with moisture, oh Husain

zuhhād hī nahīṅ haiṅ tire ġam meṅ aʾe ḥusain

ham rind bhī haiṅ ḥalqah-i mātam meṅ aʾe ḥusain

The very ascetics are not in your pain, oh Husain We, too, are libertines in the gathering of mātam

āzād jo ḳhayāl meṅ haiṅ aur kalām meṅ

vŏh bhī asīr haiṅ tirī zulfoṅ ke dām meṅ

Those that are free in thinking and speech Those, too, are prisoners in the trap of your locks

translated by Jillian Ingold and Till Luge