Couplets › Love
From Bal-e-Jibril, 1935 · originally composed in Urdu
Gesu-e-tabdar ko aur bhi tabdar kar
Hosh-o-khirad shikar kar qalb-o-nazar shikar kar
Hosh-o-khirad shikar kar qalb-o-nazar shikar kar
“Make the radiant tresses more radiant still — capture sense and reason, hunt down the heart and the eye.”
Romanहिन्दी
गेसू-ए-ताबदार को और भी ताबदार कर
होश-ओ-ख़िरद शिकार कर क़ल्ब-ओ-नज़र शिकार कर
होश-ओ-ख़िरद शिकार कर क़ल्ब-ओ-नज़र शिकार कर
The couplet in Devanagari — it carries the authenticity of the original, and every Hindi reader can read it.
♪ Hear the coupletA recitation in a synthesized voice.
The Interpretation
Iqbal asks the Beloved to intensify the beauty that ensnares — to overpower mere intellect, hosh-o-khirad, and seize the heart and vision entirely. It is a prayer to be conquered by something higher than reason, to let love hunt down the calculating mind.
For You, Today
Iqbal wants to be overwhelmed by something greater than his own cleverness. There are moments to let reason be hunted by a larger pull — beauty, love, a calling. Don't let the calculating mind win every time.
In the same spirit
Sitaron se aage jahan aur bhi hain
Abhi ishq ke imtihan aur bhi hain
Abhi ishq ke imtihan aur bhi hain
Beyond the stars there are worlds yet — there are still more trials of love to come.
Aspiration · Love · Restlessness
Mohabbat mujhe un jawanon se hai
Sitaron pe jo dalte hain kamand
Sitaron pe jo dalte hain kamand
My love is for those young ones who cast their lasso upon the stars.
Youth · Aspiration
Lab pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri
Zindagi shama ki surat ho khudaya meri
Zindagi shama ki surat ho khudaya meri
My longing rises to my lips as a prayer: O God, may my life be like a candle's flame.
Hope · Aspiration