Badal – a call for change

July 18th, 2010 admin Posted in Poetry | 2 Comments »

बदल

भीडों के धक्कों में खुश रहने वाले,
तमाशों के रंगों को सच कहने वाले,
औरों की बातों को अपना बता कर,
चुराये खयालात अकड से जता कर,
जो डरते हैं पर डर जताते नहीं हैं,
शर्मिन्दा हैं, सर झुकाते नहीं हैं ।
न जाने के उनमे वो खुद ही कहां हैं ।
ढूंढें तो औरों कि परछाइयां हैं ।
जो खुद से, खुदी से, खुदा से ख़फा हैं,
बेखबर, बेहुनर, बेकस, बेवफा हैं ।
बदल दो ये मक्सद, ये मंज़र, ये मंज़िल ।
कफस से कदम पर कफन ही कज़ा है ।

Transliterated to English:
bheedon ke dhakkon mein khush rehne waale,
tamaashon ke rangon ko sach kehne waale,
auron ki baaton ko apna bataa kar,
churaaye khayaalaat akad se jataa kar,
jo darte hian par dar jataate nahin hain,
sharminda hian, sar jhukaate nahin hain,
na jaane ke unme vo khud hi kahaan hain.
dhoonde to auron ki parchchaaiyaan hain.
jo khud se, khudi se, khuda se khafaa hain,
bekhabar, behunar, bekas, bewafaa hain.
badal do ye maksad, ye manzar, ye manzil,
kafas se kadam par kafan hi kazaa hai.

Meaning in English:
(Note: I present the intended meaning. If the actual meaning of my words turns out different, especially if it changes the intention, please let me know.)
Badal = Change (as a command)

Those who are happy jostling amidst crowds,
Those who say that the colors of worldly parades are true,
Those who claim others’ words as their own,
Those who show off stolen ideas,
Those who are afraid, but do not show their fear,
Those who are ashamed, but don’t let their heads hang,
They do not know who they really are within,
Upon looking, they find that they are only the shadows of others.
Those who are unhappy with themselves, their sense of self-respect, and God,
They are unware, unskilled, friendless and unfaithful.
Change such ambition, such scenery, such a goal.
By destiny, one step from this cage is death.