Dahakta phuul bhi hai tu mahakta shola bhi

Zara zamin ko mehvar pe ghuum leney de

Yeh duniya tujh se tira soz-o-saaz maangegi

Jamaal sikhega ḳhud-eitimadiyan tujh se

Hayaat-e-nau tire dil ka gudaaz maangegi

Sarojini Naidu

Dear mother, my cheerful, brave mother

You lit up all the jewels of nature

You loved your garden, its flowers and its thorns

You gave away vast treasures of love

Some of your activities were erased

But no picture could ever be complete without you

Your constant struggle illuminates the same dream

That had jolted the Rani of Jhansi awake

The wrinkles on your forehead and the tika

Augment the make-up and artistry of life

The fervour of belief in your gaze, the passion for freedom in your heart

You are both blazing flower and fragrant ember

Let the earth rotate on its axis

The world will ask for your fire and music

Beauty will learn self-confidence from you

New life will seek kindness from your heart

Behroopni

Ek gardan pe saikdon chehrey

Aur har chehrey par hazaaron daaġh

Aur har daaġh band darvaza

Raushni inn se aa nahin sakti

Raushni inn se ja nahin sakti

Tang siina hai hauz masjid ka

Dil woh dauna pujariyon ke baad

Chat-tey rahte hain jise kutte

Kutte dauna jo chaat lete hain

Devtaon ko kaat lete hain

Jaane kis kokh ne jana iss ko

Jaane kis sehn men javan hui

Jaane kis des se chali kam-baḳht

Vaise ye har zaban bolti hai

Zaḳhm khidki ki tarah kholti hai

Aur kahti hai jhank kar dil mein

Tera mazhab, tira aziim ḳhuda

Teri tahzib ke hasin sanam

Sab ko ḳhatre ne aaj ghera hai

Baad un ke jahan andhera hai

Sard ho jaata hai lahu mera

Band ho jaati hain khuli ankhein

Aisa lagta hai jaise duniya mein

Sabhi dushman hain koi dost nahin

Mujh ko zinda nigal rahi hai zamin

Aisa lagta hai raakshas koi

Ek gaagar kamar men latka kar

Aasman par chadhega aḳhir-e-shab

Nuur saara nichod laega

Mere taare bhi tod laega

Yeh jo dharti ka phat gaya siina

Aur bahar nikal padey hain julus

Mujh se kahte hain tum hamare ho

Main agar inn ka huun to main kya huun

Main kisi ka nahin huun apna huun

Mujh ko tanhai ne diya hai janam

Mera sab kuchh akele-pan se hai

Kaun puchhega mujh ko mele mein

Saath jis din qadam badhaunga

Chaal main apni bhuul jaunga

Yeh aur aise hi chand aur saval

Dhundne par bhi aaj tak mujh ko

Jin ke ma baap ka mila na suraġh

Zehn mein yeh undeil deti hai

Mujh ko mutthi mein bhench leti hai

Chahta huun ki qatl kar duun ise

Vaar lekin jab is pe karta huun

Mere siine pe zaḳhm ubharte hain

Mere maathe se ḳhuun tapakta hai

Jaane kya mera iss ka rishta hai

Andhiyon mein azaan di maine

Sankh phunka andheri raaton men

Ghar ke bahar saliib latkai

Ek ek dar se uss ko thukraya