आँखोंमे उसकी मैंने जो (Aankhonme Uski Maine Jo) -- Ghulam Hamdani 'Musahfi'

[Urdu Couplet #24]

आँखोंमे उसकी मैंने जो तसवीर खींच ली 

सुरमेने उसकी चश्मके शमशीर खींच ली 

Aankhon me uski maine jo tasveer khich li

Surmene uski chashm ke shamsheer khich li

Ghulam Hamdani 'Musahfi'
(1751 - 1824)

तसवीर (tasveer) = picture; सुरमा (surma) = kohl; चश्म (chashm) = eyes; शमशीर (shamsheer) = sword

[English Meaning]

As I clicked her picture in my eyes

The kohl in her eyes was like a drawn sword

Note: The couplet means 'As I saw her, I felt the kohl in her eyes were like an open sword'. The poet uses the analogy between his beloved's kohl-smeared eyes and a sword to depict that the kohl added to the beauty of the eyes such that they were capable to kill like a sword.

About the Poet

गुलाम हमदानी 'मुसहफ़ी Ghulam Hamdani 'Musahfi' is considered as one of the classic poets of Urdu ghazal. Read more...

दिल थामता कि चश्मपर करता (Dil Thaamta Ki Chashmpar Karta) -- Hakim Sana Ullah 'Firaq'

[Urdu Couplet #23]

दिल थामता कि चश्मपर करता तेरी निगाह 

सागरको देखता कि मैं शीशा सम्हालता 

Dil thaamta ki chashmpar karta teri nigah 

Sagar ko dekhta ki mein shisha samhalta

थामना (thaamna) = to hold, (here, take care); चश्म (chasm) = the eye;  निगाह (nigah) = look, glance सागर (sagar) = ocean; शीशा (shisha) = glass; सम्हालता (samhalta) or संभालता (sambhalta) = would have balanced

[English Meaning]

Should I take care of my heart or look at your eyes

Should I look at the ocean or balance the glass

Note: In the couplet, the poet makes an analogy of his heart with a fragile glass and his lover's eyes with the depth of the ocean. The poet talks about the condition of his heart when he meets his lover. 

About the Poet

हकीम सना उल्लाह 'फ़िराक़' Hakim Sana Ullah 'Firaq' was an 18th-century poet. He was a disciple of the renowned poet Dard.