Meaning
Costly, expensive, of high price.
Literally: heavy of price
See it in the verse
Garaan-baha in Iqbal’s couplets
Ye ek sajda jise tu garaan samajhta hai
Hazaar sajdon se deta hai aadmi ko nijaat
Hazaar sajdon se deta hai aadmi ko nijaat
This one act of devotion, which you find so heavy to make — it frees a person from a thousand servile bowings.
Freedom · Selfhood
Utha na sheesha-garaan-e-firang ke ehsaan
Safaal-e-Hind se mina-o-jaam paida kar
Safaal-e-Hind se mina-o-jaam paida kar
Do not be indebted to the glassmakers of the foreign land — fashion your goblet and cup from the clay of your own soil.
Selfhood · Freedom · Action
Faqir-e-rah ko bakhshe gae asrar-e-sultani
Baha meri nava ki daulat-e-parvez hai saqi
Baha meri nava ki daulat-e-parvez hai saqi
To the wayfaring beggar were granted the secrets of kingship; the price of my song is the whole treasure of Parvez.
Self-Knowledge · Humility · Selfhood
Mata-e-be-baha hai dard-o-soz-e-arzumandi
Maqam-e-bandagi de kar na lun shan-e-khudawandi
Maqam-e-bandagi de kar na lun shan-e-khudawandi
The ache and fire of longing is a priceless treasure; I would not trade the striving of a seeker even for the splendour of a master.
Aspiration · Restlessness · Self-Knowledge
Giran-baha hai to hifz-e-khudi se hai warna
Guhar mein aab-e-guhar ke siwa kuchh aur nahin
Guhar mein aab-e-guhar ke siwa kuchh aur nahin
If you are precious, it is from guarding your selfhood; otherwise a pearl is nothing but the lustre of a pearl.
Selfhood · Self-Knowledge · Humility