Verse 2after 1821aave;Ngekyaa


G1

1
inattention/independence passed beyond the limit-- Protector of Servants, for how long
2 a
will we say the state of our heart and you will command, 'What [did you say]?'
2 b
will we say the state of our heart, and you will command, 'What [-- how dare you]!'
2 c
will we say the state of our heart-- and what will you command?
2 d
will we say the state of our heart, and you will command-- what?!

'Freedom from want, ability to dispense (with), independence'.
is an archaic form of ; GRAMMAR .
'To order, command; (in polite or respectful speech with reference to superiors, &c.) to say, affirm, declare'.

References
Arshi, Imtiyaz Ali Ghazal# 35
Raza, Kalidas Gupta 354-355
Hamid Ali Khan Open Image

In the second line, the verse offers another remarkable example of the versatility of . The lover makes his plaint to the beloved, who is (with either irony or naive hope) addressed as 'Protector of Servants,' a title fit for saints or virtuous kings. Her reply, fittingly, takes the form of a 'command'. Perhaps her reply takes the form of a languid 'What?' of total negligence (2a), since she hasn't been listening; or perhaps she responds with a 'What!' of indignation and anger at his presumptuousness (2b). Or else the lover simply wonders what she will in fact finally say (2c). Or else she says something so outrageous that the lover himself exclaims in disbelief at it (2d), as Bekhud Dihlavi suggests. graphics/saywhat.jpg