kaun gustakh hai kya nam hai kyun aaya hai
pahre walo use khanjar ki ani se roko

apni banduqon ki nali se darao us ko
aur us par jo na mane use topon ki salami de do

jashn ka din hai meri salgirah ka din hai
aaj mahlon mein jalenge mah-o-anjum ke charagh

aaj bujhte hue chehron ki zarurat kya hai
aaj mayus nigahon ki zarurat kya hai

kaun bebak hai badhta hi chala aata hai
pahre walo use khanjar ki ani se roko

aadmi hai ki mera wahm hai aaseb hai ye
us ke chehre pe to zakhmon ke nishan tak bhi nahin

goliyan us ke siyah sine se takra ke chali aati hain
us ke honton pe tabassum hai ki munh khole hue

azhdaha takht nigalne ko chala aata hai
maut kis bhes mein aai hai mujhe lene ko

aaj kyun aai hai kyun aai hai kyun aai hai
main tujhe gauhar-o-almas diye deta hun

tere thithure hue hathon ko hararat dunga
jashn ka din hai meri salgirah ka din hai

kaun ho kaun ho tum
ai gharibon ke khudawand amiron ke rafiq

main samajhta tha mujhe aap na pahchanenge
main ne angrez ki jailon mein jawani kati

main ne thithure hue hathon se jalae hain diye
jin ki lau aaj bhi tufanon se takraati hai

jin ko angrez ki phunkon ne bujhana chaha
aur khud un ki zaban jal ke siyah-fam hui

wo diye aaj bhi bar-laun ki chikhon se lade jate hain
aap ko yaad na hoga shayad

kaun ho kaun ho tum
main ne tarikh ki lahron mein rawani de di

main ne budhon ki rag-o-pai mein jawani de di
main ne jhukte hue shanon ko tawanai di

kar-khane meri aawaz se bedar hue
aur ek meri hi aawaz nahin gunji thi

saikdon waqt se haare hue insan uthe
kuhra-e-waqt pe chhane ke liye

kaun ho kaun ho tum
auraq mein hi nahin aaya hun

saikdon waqt ke mare hue insan bhi hain
saikdon waqt pe chhae hue insan bhi hain

kaun ho kaun ho tum
aaj bhi ketiyon mein bhuk uga karti hai

kar-khanon mein dhuen ke baadal
tauq aur aahani zanjiron mein dhal jate hain

kaun ho kaun ho tum
aap insan ki azmat pe yaqin rakhte hain

aap ke hukm ne kitnon ki zabanen si din
aap ki mumlikat adl mein kitne bimar

qaid-e-tanhai mein dam tod chuke
kaun ho kaun ho tum

aap ki bediyan afrad ko paband bana sakti hain
aap ki bediyan insan ko paband nahin kar saktin

kal yahi shama jo sine mein farozan hai aaj
aap ke sare tilismat jala dalegi

kal unhin kheton mein ujde hue khaliyanon mein
sal-ha-sal ki pamal zamin

apne sine ke khazanon ko lutati hogi
kar-khane bhi siyahkar khudaon se rihai pa kar

lakhon insanon ki taskin ka saman honge
ek nae ahd nai zist ka unwan honge

aur phir waqt ka bebak moarrikh aa kar
surkh parcham ko salami dega

kaun ho kaun ho tum
bhaardwaj