dard-o-gham-e-hayat ka darman chala gaya
wo khizr-e-asr-o-isa-e-dauran chala gaya
hindu chala gaya na musalman chala gaya
insan ki justuju mein ek insan chala gaya
raqsan chala gaya na ghazal-khwan chala gaya
soz-o-gudaz o dard mein ghaltan chala gaya
barham hai zulf-e-kufr to iman sar-nigun
wo fakhr-e-kufr o nazish-e-iman chala gaya
bimar zindagi ki kare kaun dil-dahi
nabbaz o chaarasaz-e-marizan chala gaya
kis ki nazar padegi ab isyan pe lutf ki
wo mahram-e-nazakat-e-isyan chala gaya
wo raaz-dar-er-mahfil-e-yaran nahin raha
wo gham-gusar-e-bazm-e-arifan chala gaya
ab kafiri mein rasm-o-rah-e-dilbari nahin
iman ki baat ye hai ki iman chala gaya
ek be-khud-e-surur-e-dil-o-jaan nahin raha
ek aashiq-e-sadaqat-e-pinhan chala gaya
ba-chashm-e-nam hai aaj zulekha-e-kaenat
zindan-shikan wo yusuf-e-zindan chala gaya
ai aarzu wo chashma-e-haiwan na kar talash
zulmat se wo chashma-e-haiwan chala gaya
ab sang-o-khisht o khak o khazaf sar-buland hain
taj-e-watan ka lal-e-darakhshan chala gaya
ab ahrman ke hath mein hai tegh-e-khun-chakan
khush hai ki dast-o-bazu-e-yazdan chala gaya
dew-e-badi se mark-e-sakht hi sahi
ye to nahin ki zor-e-jawanan chala gaya
kya ahl-e-dil mein jazba-e-ghairat nahin raha
kya azm-e-sar-faroshi-e-mardan chala gaya
kya baghiyon ki aatish-e-dil sard ho gai
kya sarkashon ka jazba-e-pinhan chala gaya
kya wo junun-o-jazba-e-bedar mar gaya
kya wo shabab-e-hashr-badaman chala gaya
khush hai badi jo dam ye neki pe dal ke
rakh denge hum badi ka kaleja nikal ke

mar jaenge zalim ki himayat na karenge
ahrar kabhi tark-e-riwayat na karenge
kya kuchh na mila hai jo kabhi tujh se milega
ab tere na milne ki shikayat na karenge
shab bit gai hai to guzar jaega din bhi
har lahza jo guzri wo hikayat na karenge
ye faqr dil-e-zar ka iwazana bahut hai
shahi nahin mangenge wilayat na karenge
hum shaikh na leader na musahib na sahafi
jo khud nahin karte wo hidayat na karenge

main ne us ko dekha hai
ujli ujli sadkon par ek gard bhari hairani mein
phailti bhid ke aundhe aundhe katoron ki tughyani mein
jab wo khali botal phenk ke kahta hai
duniya! tera husn, yahi bad-surati hai
duniya us ko ghurti hai
shor-e-salasil ban kar gunjne lagta hai
angaron bhari aankhon mein ye tund sawal
kaun hai ye jis ne apni bahki bahki sanson ka jal
baam-e-zaman par phenka hai
kaun hai jo bal khate zamiron ke pur-pech dhundalkon mein
ruhon ke ifrit-kadon ke zahr-andoz mahlakon mein
le aaya hai yun bin puchhe apne aap
ainak ke barfile shishon se chhanti nazron ki chap
kaun hai ye gustakh
takh tadakh!

london mein jashn-e-hazrat-e-'ghaalib' ki raat thi
tarikh-e-shaeri mein ye ek wardat thi
is jashn mein sharik the har mulk ke wafud
hal ho gaya tha masala-e-wahdat-ul-wajud
jannat se mirza ko jo kankard le chala
pur ho gaya safar se jo tha rah mein khala
mirza ke pas box mein tambaku thi faqat
custam ke afsaron ne use samjha hi ghalat
afsar ne passport jo un se talab kiya
kahne lage ki aap ne ye kya ghazab kiya
sach baat to yahi hai wo ab nek ho ki bad
mulkon ki sarhadon ko nahin mante 'asad'
tarikh ki hai fikr na jughrafie ki hai
shaer hun main talash mujhe qafiye ki hai
aam aadmi ki tarah mera passport kyun
main andalib-e-gulshan-e-na-afrida hun
main kab yahan makan banane ko aaya hun
london mein apna jashn manane ko aaya hun
angrez ke qaside jo likkhe the yaad hain
nazmen kuchh aur bhi hain jo muhtaj-e-dad hain
mujh ko numud-o-nam ki parwa nahin magar
bulwaya bbc ne to pahunchunga waqt par
'ghaalib' jo restoran mein pahunche ba-waqt-e-sham
baire se ye kaha ki karo mera intizam
mangwao wo jo aatish-e-sayyal pas hai
is balghami mizaj ko garmi hi ras hai
stage par jo ho gae ab jalwa-gar asad
ustad 'zauq' jalne lage az-rah-e-hasad
nazim mushaere ka ye bola ki hazirin
'ghaalib' ko dekhne ko na aaen tamash-bin
'ghaalib' ki shakhsiyyat mein mahasin hain be-shumar
ye aadmi wali tha na hota jo baada-khwar
ye shakhs jis ko waqt ne budha banaya hai
hum ne ise baraat ka dulha banaya hai
biwi se baat kije na sali se puchhiye
'ghaalib' ka kya maqam hai haali se puchhiye
sehhat se kam nahin hai use bahra-pan ka rog
bahra jo is ko kahte hain be-bahra hain wo log
be-tegh kyun ladega ye shaer jo hai jari
sau pusht se hai pesha-e-aba sipah-gari
ye chahta hai ghar mein teri jalwa-gah ho
dekho ise jo dida-e-ibrat nigah ho
tahzib o fan ko rang-e-mughal is ne de diya
urdu ko ek taj mahal is ne de diya
is ne zaban-e-'mir' ko hindi ka ras diya
urdu ghazal ko is ne naya canwas diya
'ghaalib' jo apne jashn mein baithe hain shan se
in ka kalam suniye ab in ki zaban se
'ghaalib' ne tis ghazlen sunain jo subh tak
har sher note karta raha munshi-e-falak
taqrib jab ye khatm hui subh ke qarib
stage ko jo dekha to ghaeb the sab adib
jalsa mein muhtamim ka bhi koi pata na tha
dariyan thin gao takiye the aur shamiyana tha
kya puchhte ho haal jo 'ghaalib' ka aaj tha
pocket mein ek paisa na tha sar pe taj tha

ai dekhne walo
is husn ko dekho
is raaz ko samjho
ye naqsh-e-khayali
ye fikrat-e-ali
ye paikar-e-tanwir
ye krishn ki taswir
mani hai ki surat
sanat hai ki fitrat
zahir hai ki mastur
nazdik hai ya dur
ye nar hai ya nur
duniya se nirala
ye bansuri wala
gokul ka gwala
hai sehr ki eajaz
khulta hi nahin raaz
kya shan hai wallah
kya aan hai wallah
hairan hun kya hai
ek shan-e-khuda hai
but-khane ke andar
khud husn ka but-gar
but ban gaya aa kar
wo turfa nazzare
yaad aa gae sare
jamuna ke kinare
sabze ka lahakna
phulon ka mahakna
ghanghor ghataen
sarmast hawaen
masum umangen
ulfat ki tarangen
wo gopiyon ke sath
hathon mein diye hath
raqsan hua brijnath
bansi mein jo lai hai
nashsha hai na mai hai
kuchh aur hi shai hai
ek ruh hai raqsan
ek kaif hai larzan
ek aql hai mai-nosh
ek hosh hai madhosh
ek khanda hai sayyal
ek girya hai khush-haal
ek ishq hai maghrur
ek husn hai majbur
ek sehr hai mashur
darbar mein tanha
lachaar hai kirishna
aa shyam idhar aa
sab ahl-e-khusumat
hain dar pae izzat
ye raj dulare
buzdil hue sare
parda na ho taraj
bekas ki rahe laj
aa ja mere kale
bhaarat ke ujale
daman mein chhupa le
wo ho gai an-ban
wo garm hua ran
ghaalib hai duryodhan
wo aa gae jagdish
wo mit gai tashwish
arjun ko bulaya
updesh sunaya
gham-zad ka gham kya
ustad ka gham kya
lo ho gai tadbir
lo ban gai taqdir
lo chal gai shamshir
sirat hai adu-soz
surat nazar-afroz
dil kaifiyat-andoz
ghusse mein jo aa jae
bijli hi gira jae
aur lutf par aae
to ghar bhi luta jae
pariyon mein hai gulfam
radha ke liye shyam
balram ka bhayya
mathura ka basayya
bindra mein kanhayya
ban ho gae viran
barbaad gulistan
sakhiyan hain pareshan
jamuna ka kinara
sunsan hai sara
tufan hain khamosh
maujon mein nahin josh
lau tujh se lagi hai
hasrat hi yahi hai
ai hind ke raja
ek bar phir aa ja
dukh dard mita ja
abr aur hawa se
bulbul ki sada se
phulon ki ziya se
jadu-asari gum
shorida-sari gum
han teri judai
mathura ko na bhai
tu aae to shan aae
tu aae to jaan aae
aana na akele
hon sath wo mele
sakhiyon ke jhamele

khatib-e-azam arab ka naghma ajam ki lai mein suna raha hai
sar-e-chaman chahchaha raha hai sar-e-wigha muskura raha hai
hadis-e-sarw-o-saman nichhawar zaban-e-shamshir is pe qurban
musailama aise jal-sazon ki bekh o buniyaad dha raha hai
qurun-e-ula ki razm-gahon se murtaza ka jalal le kar
dabiz ninden jhinjhodta hai mujahidon ko jaga raha hai
hain us ki lalkar se hirasan mohammad-e-mustafa ke baghi
wafa ke jhande gade hue hain ghanim par dandana raha hai
main us ke chehre ki muskurahat se aisa mahsus kar raha hun
ki jaise kausar pe sham hote koi diya jhilmila raha hai
wo mard darwesh jis ko haq ne diye hain andaz-e-khusrawana
usi ki surat ko tak raha hai safar se lauta hua zamana