Verse 2after 1826aakyaa


G7

1 a
what is the purpose of a practice of ignorance/indifference?
1 b
what a purpose the practice of ignorance/indifference has!
1 c
as if the practice of ignorance/indifference had any point!
2 a
{how long / to what extent}, oh entirely coquettish one, [this] 'What? What?'
2 b
{how long / to what extent}, oh entirely coquettish one, what-all [kinds of behavior]?!

'Feigning ignorance; pretended ignorance (of), connivance; apathy, indifference'.
'Vocation, profession, craft, trade, business; custom, habit, practice; art, skill'.

References
Arshi, Imtiyaz Ali Ghazal# 38
Raza, Kalidas Gupta 369-370
Hamid Ali Khan Open Image

This verse is a second, supererogatory opening-verse . A flirtatious verse; it uses the same kinds of multivalence as 21,1 , but deploys them in a more limited setting. The may be a direct quotation from the beloved, as the commentators maintain, and in that case it perfectly captures her (show of?) disdain and indifference. But it might also be a general characterization of the beloved's negligent, indifferent behavior, her self-presentation or 'custom, practice, art' [] and other mischievous airs and graces, since after all her coquetry is 'head-to-foot' []. I couldn't resist using the excellent Arkansan 'what-all', since it so well captures the range of . graphics/disdain.jpg .