By Syed Sadiq Husain
Tundi-e-baad-e-mukhalif se na ai
Ye to chalti hai tujhe udane ke liye
Ye to chalti hai tujhe 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 ऐ
ये तो चलती है तुझे उड़ाने के लिए
ये तो चलती है तुझे 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 →