By Syed Sadiq Husain
Tundi-e-baad-e-mukhalif se na ghabra ai uqab
Ye to chalti hai tujhe uncha udane ke liye
Ye to chalti hai tujhe uncha udane ke liye
“Do not fear the fury of the headwind, O eagle — it blows only to lift you higher.”
Romanहिन्दीSyed Sadiq Husain
तुंदी-ए-बाद-ए-मुख़ालिफ़ से न घबरा ऐ उक़ाब
ये तो चलती है तुझे ऊँचा उड़ाने के लिए
ये तो चलती है तुझे ऊँचा उड़ाने के लिए
The verse 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
The headwind looks like the enemy of flight. This couplet flips it: the very resistance that seems to push the eagle back is what gives its wings their lift. Opposition is not the obstacle to rising — it is the mechanism of it.
For You, Today
The resistance you are fighting may be the exact thing carrying you up. A bird cannot gain height in still air. Stop resenting the wind — start using it.
Almost universally quoted as Iqbal's — but the attribution is not sound. Rekhta and other sources credit Syed Sadiq Husain. We keep the verse, correctly credited, because it is a fine one, and because getting attribution right is the whole point of a place like this.
Themes:CourageAdversity
The heart of this site stays with Iqbal: explore his couplets → Or browse the whole Other Voices shelf →