نشۂ عشق کا گر ظرف دیا تھا مجھ کو
عمر کا تنگ نہ پیمانہ بنایا ہوتا
– بہادر شاہ ظفر
Nasha-e-ishq ka gar zarf diya tha mujhko
umr ka tang na paimana banaya hota
– Bahadur Shah Zafar
नशा-ए-इश्क का गर ज़र्फ दिया था मुझको
उम्र का तंग न पैमाना बनाया होता
– बहादुर शाह ज़फ़र
Meaning of:
Zarf, ज़र्फ , ظرف: योग्यता, Capability
Tang, तंग, تنگ: छोटा, Narrow
Paimana, पैमाना, پیمانا: नाप, Measure, measure of wine (of life)
Nasha-e-ishq ka gar zarf diya tha mujhko
umr ka tang na paimana banaya hota
– Bahadur Shah Zafar
नशा-ए-इश्क का गर ज़र्फ दिया था मुझको
उम्र का तंग न पैमाना बनाया होता
– बहादुर शाह ज़फ़र
The last known photograph of Bahadur Shah, taken while he was a captive in the Red Fort, awaiting trial; photo by Tytler and Shepherd, 1858* (BL)
Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal king was also a poet. Though his literary standing was not as high as as his Ustad (Mohd. Ibhrahim Zauk) and contemporaries Ghalib and Momin; his writings are much respected and appreciated. Zafar was a king (though in british raaj his kingdom did not extend beyond the red fort) and a freedom fighter.
This ghazal is one of his finest works specially when you read it in context to India’s freedom struggle and a helpless (and impotent when it came to doing anything for his country and men) king’s sentiments.