kitna dilkash fareb-e-hasti hai
zindagi maut ko tarasti hai

ye nasheb-o-faraaz hasti hai
har bulandi ko ek pasti hai

dekh kar kya karoge dil ki taraf
ek ujdi hui si basti hai

maut aa kar jise uthaegi
zindagi wo hijab-e-hasti hai

jaan de kar mile jo us ki raza
phir bhi mahngi nahin hai sasti hai

rukh ghata ka hai su-e-mai-khana
dekhiye ab kahan barasti hai

us ke naghmon se mast hai duniya
kitna pur-kaif saz-e-hasti hai

hai ye sauda yaqin ka 'shankar'
but-parasti bhi haq-parasti hai