Meaning
The intoxicating delight of wine.
Literally: ecstasy of wine
See it in the verse
Surur-e-Mai in Iqbal’s couplets
Main shakh-e-taak hun meri ghazal hai mera samar
Mire samar se mai-e-laala-faam paida kar
Mire samar se mai-e-laala-faam paida kar
I am the vine-branch; my ghazal is my fruit — from my fruit, press out the rose-red wine.
Aspiration · Action · Youth
Tera imam be-huzoor teri namaz be-suroor
Aisi namaz se guzar aise imam se guzar
Aisi namaz se guzar aise imam se guzar
Your prayer-leader is without presence, your prayer without rapture — move past such a prayer, move past such a leader.
Awakening · Courage · Freedom
Ilm mein bhi suroor hai lekin
Ye wo jannat hai jis mein hoor nahin
Ye wo jannat hai jis mein hoor nahin
There is a certain delight in knowledge too — but it is a paradise without companions.
Self-Knowledge · Love · Humility
Kya dabdaba-e-nadir kya shaukat-e-taimuri
Ho jaate hain sab daftar gharq-e-mai-e-naab aakhir
Ho jaate hain sab daftar gharq-e-mai-e-naab aakhir
What of Nadir's dread power, what of Timur's splendour? In the end every such record is drowned in the pure wine of time.
Humility · Self-Knowledge · Adversity
Main shakh-e-tak hun meri ghazal hai mera samar
Mere samar se mai-e-lala-fam paida kar
Mere samar se mai-e-lala-fam paida kar
I am a branch of the vine, my song is my fruit; from that fruit press out the tulip-red wine.
Action · Aspiration · Youth