And to bring the discussion back to Urdu poetry:

"Faiz" thii raah sar ba sar manzil
Ham jahaaN pahuNche kaamyaab aaye

Enjoy the act, and not the fruit. Enjoy the road and not the destination.

Nagesh

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 7:20:37 AM UTC-7, Naseer wrote:
> On Tuesday, 1 June 2021 at 03:43:42 UTC+1, Dinesh Shenoy wrote:
> >
> >>
> > कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |
> > मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि
> >
> > You have the right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions.
> > Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, nor be attached to inaction.
> >
> > Dinesh
>
> Dinesh SaaHib, aadaab.
>
> Thank you for these words of profound wisdom.
>
> What do you think of this rendition?
>
> You have the right to action alone, and not to the results of your action.. Neither should you be attached to the results of your action, nor should you have attachment to inaction.
>
> You did n't know ALUP members also have access to knowledge of Sanskrit, did you?:-)
>
> Naseer

On Monday, May 31, 2021 at 9:19:33 PM UTC-6, Zoya wrote:

<snip>

> > Dinesh
> Wow! Times two.
>
> Thank you so much Dinesh sahib, such amazing pieces. Brilliant. Classic. Life altering.
>
> I have read this sloka previously. If we could follow the true essence of Geeta, life would be so much better.
>
> It is been a while since I've read Kipling, and could only recall bits and pieces of 'If'. The best advice ever. Again, if only we could follow even some of it!
>
> I will be revisiting this poem more than once, need to dwell on it, and try to absorb it.
>
> Really appreciate you sharing these two gems.
>
> G N,
>
> _________Zoya

Zoya sahiba,

I have a "American friend/colleague" who is a project manager. Once I casually quoted this sloka to him. He was totally blown away! He goes ... "this approach could help me so much in project management. Just do your best and don't worry about the results". He even circled back to me after a few other projects and said how much it helped him reduce his stress ...

In a similar vein ... these lines from Kaifi Azmi's nazm "nazraana"

yuuN tO jO kuchh thaa mire paas maiN sab bech aayaa
kahiiN inaam milaa, aur kahiiN qiimat bhii nahiiN

Dinesh

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021 at 10:47:25 AM UTC-5, Dinesh Shenoy wrote:

> Zoya sahiba,
>
> I have a "American friend/colleague" who is a project manager. Once I casually quoted this sloka to him. He was totally blown away! He goes ... "this approach could help me so much in project management. Just do your best and don't worry about the results". He even circled back to me after a few other projects and said how much it helped him reduce his stress ...

Dinesh sahib,

This is perfect advice for life management, not just project management. If only I could be more like your friend and learn to implement it easily! I try. :)

> In a similar vein ... these lines from Kaifi Azmi's nazm "nazraana"
>
> yuuN tO jO kuchh thaa mire paas maiN sab bech aayaa
> kahiiN inaam milaa, aur kahiiN qiimat bhii nahiiN
>
> Dinesh

Ahhhh, now this one is familiar turf, I have always loved Kaifi Azmi's 'nazraana'. The she'r you quoted is just perfect in the context you quoted it.

kehte haiN husn ki nazreN bhi hasiiN hoti haiN
maiN bhi kuchh laaya huN, kya laaya huN ma'alum nahiiN!

_______Zoya

aaj kaa she'r:

ham kisii ko bhi apnaa banaa na sake
aap jis se mile, aap kaa ho gayaa! :-)

RK Qais

yahaN kisi ko bhi kuchh hasb-e-aarzuu na mila,
kisi ko hum na mile, aur hum ko tu na mila... - Zafar Iqbal

On Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 7:47:01 PM UTC+5:30, Zoya wrote:
> aaj kaa she'r:
>
> ham kisii ko bhi apnaa banaa na sake
> aap jis se mile, aap kaa ho gayaa! :-)
>
> RK Qais

On Thursday, June 3, 2021 at 11:54:04 PM UTC-5, Mohit wrote:

> yahaN kisi ko bhi kuchh hasb-e-aarzuu na mila,
> kisi ko hum na mile, aur hum ko tu na mila... - Zafar Iqbal

dayaar-e-ghair meN kaise tujhe sadaa dete
tu mil bhi jaata to aaKhir tujhe gaNvaa dete :(

rishtoN ko baar baar samajhne ki aarzoo,
kehti hai phir mile to koi bewafa mile - Waseem Barelvi

> > yahaN kisi ko bhi kuchh hasb-e-aarzuu na mila,
> > kisi ko hum na mile, aur hum ko tu na mila... - Zafar Iqbal
> dayaar-e-ghair meN kaise tujhe sadaa dete
> tu mil bhi jaata to aaKhir tujhe gaNvaa dete :(

On Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 11:15:35 PM UTC-5, Mohit wrote:

> rishtoN ko baar baar samajhne ki aarzoo,
> kehti hai phir mile to koi bewafa mile - Waseem Barelvi

Also Waseem Barelvi, a follow up maybe:

maiN chaahtaa bhi yahii thaa voh bevafaa nikle
use samajhne ka koii to silsilaa nikle

On Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 8:30:43 AM UTC-7, Zoya wrote:
> On Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at 11:15:35 PM UTC-5, Mohit wrote:
>
> > rishtoN ko baar baar samajhne ki aarzoo,
> > kehti hai phir mile to koi bewafa mile - Waseem Barelvi

> Also Waseem Barelvi, a follow up maybe:
>
> maiN chaahtaa bhi yahii thaa voh bevafaa nikle
> use samajhne ka koii to silsilaa nikle

***On the other hand,

zamaana kis liye kahtaa hai be-vafaa tujh ko?
hameN to yaad nahiiN be-vafaa'iyaaN terii
[RK Qais]***

On Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 12:01:48 PM UTC-5, Raj Kumar wrote:

> ***On the other hand,
>
> zamaana kis liye kahtaa hai be-vafaa tujh ko?
> hameN to yaad nahiiN be-vafaa'iyaaN terii
> [RK Qais]***

yeh bhii sahiiH hai. :-)

Raj uncle, aap ko yaad hai ek baar maiN ne Faraz ke ek misre par girah lagaai thi, us muqaabale meN aap judge the aur aap ne mujhe first prize diya thaa? is she'r kii baat ho rahi hai:

use ne ghair ki mehfil meN bevafaa kahiye
vafaa kare na kare, phir bhi yaar apnaa hai!

Loyality. :-)

_______Zoya

On Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 10:42:41 AM UTC-7, Zoya wrote:
> On Wednesday, June 9, 2021 at 12:01:48 PM UTC-5, Raj Kumar wrote:
>
> > ***On the other hand,
> >
> > zamaana kis liye kahtaa hai be-vafaa tujh ko?
> > hameN to yaad nahiiN be-vafaa'iyaaN terii
> > [RK Qais]***
> yeh bhii sahiiH hai. :-)
>
> Raj uncle, aap ko yaad hai ek baar maiN ne Faraz ke ek misre par girah lagaai thi, us muqaabale meN aap judge the aur aap ne mujhe first prize diya thaa? is she'r kii baat ho rahi hai:
>
> use ne ghair ki mehfil meN bevafaa kahiye
> vafaa kare na kare, phir bhi yaar apnaa hai!
>
***haaN, yaad hai voh avsar jab aap ne Faraaz ke aek misr'e par yeh girah lagaa'ii thi, magar yeh yaad nahiiN k maiN ne aap ko is girah par first prize diyaa tha. diyaa hoga --- magar is amal meN meri "parsonal feelings" ko bhi to kuchh daKhl hoga, varna girah is qaabil to nahiiN thi! ;-)

R.K.***

On Friday, June 11, 2021 at 9:27:34 PM UTC-5, Raj Kumar wrote:

> >
> ***haaN, yaad hai voh avsar jab aap ne Faraaz ke aek misr'e par yeh girah lagaa'ii thi, magar yeh yaad nahiiN k maiN ne aap ko is girah par first prize diyaa tha. diyaa hoga --- magar is amal meN meri "parsonal feelings" ko bhi to kuchh daKhl hoga, varna girah is qaabil to nahiiN thi! ;-)
>
> R.K.***

Prof RK:

aap ne taariif bhi kii thi, aur first prize bhi diyaa tha! Yes, sir.

"mujhe sab hai yaad zaraa zaraa, tumheN yaad ho k na yaad ho!" :)

It is possible that 'favoritism' might have played some part in your judgement, but I would be the last person to contest that. :-)

Your self-proclaimed-all-time-favorite student,
_______Zoya

chand roz qabl, hamaare ek puraane dost Mohammed Ahmed ne mujhe Karachi se apnii do ghazaleN bhejiiN, jo ek hii zamiin meN haiN. 'do ghazala'.

ghazaleN alag aalg 'mood' meN haiN, aur mujhe doNoN hii pasand aayiiN haiN. kuch asha'ar dekhiye:

us ne "kaahil" kahaa muhabbat se
haNs diye ham paRe paRe saahib

garm chaaye, kitaab, tanhaaii
aur hote haiN kyaa maze sahib?!

ab yeh jaane kii zid! qayaamat hai
aap aaye hi kis liye saahib?
----------------------------------------------------

saaNs letaa huN, tan salaamat hai
dil ka aHvaal chhoRiye saahib

kash-m-kash, raNj, be_yaqiinii, Khauf
Khwaab kyaa Khaak dekhiye saahib

maiN ne jaa kar kahaa k Ahmad huuN
us ne puuChhaa k "kaun se?" saahib!

Mohammed Ahmad

______Zoya

gali ke moR pe bachchoN ke ek jamghat meiN,
kisi ne dard bhare lay meiN mahiya gaaya,
mujhe kisi ne muhabbat nahi magar aye dil
ye kya hua ki tu be-ikhtiyaar bhar aaya - Ahmed Nadeem Qazmi

Sahib lafz se mujhe ek sher yaad aa gaya, ye sher mujhe purani dilli par documentary ki research ke waqt mila tha...

sharbat peeene se jo inkaar karoge saahib,
khoon ho jaayega nahak mere armaanoN ka... - unknown

On Sunday, June 13, 2021 at 10:18:17 PM UTC+5:30, Zoya wrote:
> chand roz qabl, hamaare ek puraane dost Mohammed Ahmed ne mujhe Karachi se apnii do ghazaleN bhejiiN, jo ek hii zamiin meN haiN. 'do ghazala'.
>
> ghazaleN alag aalg 'mood' meN haiN, aur mujhe doNoN hii pasand aayiiN haiN. kuch asha'ar dekhiye:
>
> us ne "kaahil" kahaa muhabbat se
> haNs diye ham paRe paRe saahib
>
> garm chaaye, kitaab, tanhaaii
> aur hote haiN kyaa maze sahib?!
>
> ab yeh jaane kii zid! qayaamat hai
> aap aaye hi kis liye saahib?
> ----------------------------------------------------
>
> saaNs letaa huN, tan salaamat hai
> dil ka aHvaal chhoRiye saahib
>
> kash-m-kash, raNj, be_yaqiinii, Khauf
> Khwaab kyaa Khaak dekhiye saahib
>
> maiN ne jaa kar kahaa k Ahmad huuN
> us ne puuChhaa k "kaun se?" saahib!
>
> Mohammed Ahmad
>
> ______Zoya

On Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 7:58:10 PM UTC-7, Mohit wrote:
> gali ke moR pe bachchoN ke ek jamghat meiN,
> kisi ne dard bhare lay meiN mahiya gaaya,
> mujhe kisi ne muhabbat nahi magar aye dil
> ye kya hua ki tu be-ikhtiyaar bhar aaya - Ahmed Nadeem Qazmi

***bahut achchha qit'a hai, Mohit sahib. ise ham sab tak pahuNchaane ke liye, aap ka bahut bahut shukriya!

aage baat Teeka-Tipni ki nahiiN hai, maHz tasHiiH ki hai, jis ka maqsad kisii ki taHriir ka naqs nikaalna hargiz nahiiN hai, bal-k deegar dostoN ko kisii Ghalat she'r ke dohraane se bachaana hai --- and that includes both you and me!

line 2 ---- "dard bhare lay" should be "dard bharii lai", because the word "lai" is feminine --- as in Ghalib's she'r

faryaad *ki* ko'ii *lai* nahiiN hai
naala(h) paabaNd-e-nai nahiiN hai

line 3 ---- I have no doubt that here "kisi ne" should be "kisii se". Please double-check!

R.K.***

Hello sir
after hearing it on youtube, and double checking on Rekhta ( though not always the correct source ) it is written in the same way... could be wrong as there are errors while changing script... following is written in Urdu which sadly I can not read...

گلی کے موڑ پہ بچوں کے ایک جمگھٹ میں

کسی نے درد بھرے لے میں ماہیا گایا

مجھے کسی سے محبت نہیں مگر اے دل

یہ کیا ہوا کہ تو بے اختیار بھر آیا

Line 3 - sir I should have written kisii... that's the mistake on my part....

and I feel honored when I get to learn from luminaries like you...

> aage baat Teeka-Tipni ki nahiiN hai, maHz tasHiiH ki hai, jis ka maqsad kisii ki taHriir ka naqs nikaalna hargiz nahiiN hai, bal-k deegar dostoN ko kisii Ghalat she'r ke dohraane se bachaana hai --- and that includes both you and me!
>
> line 2 ---- "dard bhare lay" should be "dard bharii lai", because the word "lai" is feminine --- as in Ghalib's she'r
>
> faryaad *ki* ko'ii *lai* nahiiN hai
> naala(h) paabaNd-e-nai nahiiN hai
>
> line 3 ---- I have no doubt that here "kisi ne" should be "kisii se". Please double-check!
>
> R.K.***

On Thursday, 17 June 2021 at 03:38:47 UTC+1, Raj Kumar wrote:
> On Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at 7:58:10 PM UTC-7, Mohit wrote:
> > gali ke moR pe bachchoN ke ek jamghat meiN,
> > kisi ne dard bhare lay meiN mahiya gaaya,
> > mujhe kisi ne muhabbat nahi magar aye dil
> > ye kya hua ki tu be-ikhtiyaar bhar aaya - Ahmed Nadeem Qazmi
> ***bahut achchha qit'a hai, Mohit sahib. ise ham sab tak pahuNchaane ke liye, aap ka bahut bahut shukriya!
>
> aage baat Teeka-Tipni ki nahiiN hai, maHz tasHiiH ki hai, jis ka maqsad kisii ki taHriir ka naqs nikaalna hargiz nahiiN hai, bal-k deegar dostoN ko kisii Ghalat she'r ke dohraane se bachaana hai --- and that includes both you and me!
>
> R.K.***

lekin Raj Kumar SaaHib aap ne Mohit SaaHib ko yih nahiiN bataayaa kih shi3r ke durust hone ke saath saath shaa3ir ke naam se bhii insaaf karnaa zaruurii hai!:-)

Naseer

sir apologies...
Shaa3ir ka naam Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi...

>
> lekin Raj Kumar SaaHib aap ne Mohit SaaHib ko yih nahiiN bataayaa kih shi3r ke durust hone ke saath saath shaa3ir ke naam se bhii insaaf karnaa zaruurii hai!:-)
>
> Naseer

On Wednesday, June 16, 2021 at 11:14:16 PM UTC-5, Mohit wrote:
> Hello sir
> after hearing it on youtube, and double checking on Rekhta ( though not always the correct source ) it is written in the same way... could be wrong as there are errors while changing script... following is written in Urdu which sadly I can not read...
>
> گلی کے موڑ پہ بچوں کے ایک جمگھٹ میں
>
> کسی نے درد بھرے لے میں ماہیا گایا
>
> مجھے کسی سے محبت نہیں مگر اے دل
>
> یہ کیا ہوا کہ تو بے اختیار بھر آیا

Mohit, What a beutiful qi'ta! I have read this previously, but had not thought about it in a long time, thanks for posting.

The Urdu version you posted indeed says 'dard bhare lai', which does not make sense as Prof RK mentioned. Another reminder that Rekhta, though a very valuable resource, is not 100% fool proof.

What really matters is your passion for Urdu poetry and participation here, which is all the more commendable since you can not read the Urdu script. As you said, we are fortunate to have ustaads like RK sahib in this group always willing to guide us in gentle, generous ways, never in a condescending manner.

>
> and I feel honored when I get to learn from luminaries like you...

I second that sentiment. :)

More on 'maahiya' in my next post.

______Zoya

Since Mohit posted Ahmed Nadem Qasmi sahib's qi'ta about some one singing 'maahiya', I am trying to think if I can recall any other Urdu she'r containing this word which BTW is an integral part of Punjabi folk songs. Right now, I can't, RK sahib, can you?

The 'Balo Maahiya' folklore. Such a beautiful word 'maahiya', it immediately reminds me of is all the 'Tappas' Punjabi women sing on dholak at every sangeet ceremony, generally split into two groups taking turns. Just like asha'ar, I have always loved 'Tappas' and have countless of these memorized since childhood. Oh, how I love singing them!

And now a sample for the uninitiated:

The first one I always sing is:

TappeaN di lay vaarii
maiN kuRi Ludhiane shehr di, TappeaN toN na haarii :)

koThe toN uDD kaavaaN
sadd patvaari nuuN, jind maahiye de naaN laavaaN

gaddi chaldi e taaraaN te
agge maahiya nit mildaa, hun mildaa qaraaraN te

gaddi chaldi e liikaaN te
agge maahiya nit mildaa, hun mildaa tarikaaN te! ([Have to plan dates now! :-) ]

gaddi aaii hoii teshan te
pichhaN ho khalo baapu, saanuuN maahiya vekhaN de! :-)) [Dad in the way!]

I can go on and on and on.......
Now I need a dholak, a 'chamchaa' and some girlfriends with me. :-)

Thanks again Mohit, for mentioning 'maahiya' in this thread, one of my absolute favorite words. Such fun! :-))

________Zoya

On Thursday, 17 June 2021 at 15:58:34 UTC+1, Zoya wrote:
> Since Mohit posted Ahmed Nadem Qasmi sahib's qi'ta about some one singing 'maahiya', I am trying to think if I can recall any other Urdu she'r containing this word which BTW is an integral part of Punjabi folk songs. Right now, I can't, RK sahib, can you?

> ________Zoya

maahiyaa gaa'eN gii kuuNjeN lab-i-daryaa lekin
in kii saNgiit meN vuh baat kahaaN tere ba3d

Shabbiir Afzal Ja3farii

.......................................................................

Naseer

On Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 9:23:02 AM UTC-7, Naseer wrote:
> On Thursday, 17 June 2021 at 15:58:34 UTC+1, Zoya wrote:
> > Since Mohit posted Ahmed Nadem Qasmi sahib's qi'ta about some one singing 'maahiya', I am trying to think if I can recall any other Urdu she'r containing this word which BTW is an integral part of Punjabi folk songs. Right now, I can't, RK sahib, can you?
> > ________Zoya
>
> maahiyaa gaa'eN gii kuuNjeN lab-i-daryaa lekin
> in kii saNgiit meN vuh baat kahaaN tere ba3d
>
> Shabbiir Afzal Ja3farii
>
> ......................................................................
>
> Naseer

*** she'r achchha hai, Naseer sahib, magar "in kii saNgiit meN"?
I think it should be "in ke saNgiit meN" because the word "saNgiit" is a masculine word.

ab aap yeh bataaiye k yeh Ghalatii shaa'ir ki hai yaa kisii aur ki? :-)

agar kisii aur ki hai to, ho na ho, aaN-Hazrat ne lafz "saNgiit" ko "saNgat" samjhaa hogaa jo k vaaqe'ii feminine hai!

R.K.***

On Thursday, 17 June 2021 at 18:47:01 UTC+1, Raj Kumar wrote:
> On Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 9:23:02 AM UTC-7, Naseer wrote:
> > On Thursday, 17 June 2021 at 15:58:34 UTC+1, Zoya wrote:
> > > Since Mohit posted Ahmed Nadem Qasmi sahib's qi'ta about some one singing 'maahiya', I am trying to think if I can recall any other Urdu she'r containing this word which BTW is an integral part of Punjabi folk songs. Right now, I can't, RK sahib, can you?
> > > ________Zoya
> >
> > maahiyaa gaa'eN gii kuuNjeN lab-i-daryaa lekin
> > in kii saNgiit meN vuh baat kahaaN tere ba3d
> >
> > Shabbiir Afzal Ja3farii
> >
> > ......................................................................
> >
> > Naseer
> *** she'r achchha hai, Naseer sahib, magar "in kii saNgiit meN"?
> I think it should be "in ke saNgiit meN" because the word "saNgiit" is a masculine word.
>
> ab aap yeh bataaiye k yeh Ghalatii shaa'ir ki hai yaa kisii aur ki? :-)
>
> agar kisii aur ki hai to, ho na ho, aaN-Hazrat ne lafz "saNgiit" ko "saNgat" samjhaa hogaa jo k vaaqe'ii feminine hai!
>
> R.K.***

RK SaaHib, aadaab.

You know that I don't lay blame on anyone else when I know it is not their fault. On this occasion the poet is not to be blamed at all. The two persons worthy of blame are the person who posted it incorrectly and me who copied it "as it was", both parties having put their brains in neutral rather than in gear!:-(

Naseer

On Thursday, June 17, 2021 at 11:23:02 AM UTC-5, Naseer wrote:
>
> maahiyaa gaa'eN gii kuuNjeN lab-i-daryaa lekin
> in ke saNgiit meN vuh baat kahaaN tere ba3d
>
> Shabbiir Afzal Ja3farii
>
> Naseer

Nice! Thanks. :)