Not just flowers and buds but the stars and the moon

All my rivals begin to bow down at my feet

My mind wakes up and my spirit awakens too

Imprints of humanity begin to shine brightly

Incandescent desires arise from the bosom of temples

Gods begin to smile around me

The statues of Ajanta begin to dance

Their lips sealed for centuries, caves begin to sing

Flowers begin to bloom in desolate gardens

Clouds begin to gather over the thirsting earth

For a moment the earth forsakes its cruelties

For a moment all the rocks begin to smile

Ek Lamha!

Zindagi naam hai kuchh lamhon ka

Aur un mein bhi vahii ik lamha

Jis mein do boltii aankhein

Chaai ki pyaalii se jab utthiin

To dil mein dubiin

Duub ke dil mein kahiin

Aaj tum kuchh na kaho

Aaj main kuchh na kahuun

Bas yunhii baithe raho

Haath mein haath liye

Gham ki sauġhaat liye

Garmi-e-jazbaat liye

Kaun jaane ki usii lamhe mein

Duur parbat pe kahiin

Barf pighalne hii lagey

A Moment!

Life is nothing but a few moments

And among those, that one moment

When two eloquent eyes

Rise from the cup of tea

And drown in my heart

And doing so, they say:

Don’t say anything today

And I won’t either

Let’s just sit here like this

Holding each other’s hand

Cradling the gift of sadness

Nurturing the heat of passions

Who knows in this very moment

In some faraway mountain

The ice might just begin to thaw

Ehtiyat

Ab tum aaġhosh-e-tasawur mein bhi aayaa na karo

Mujh se bikhre hue gesu nahiin dekhe jaate

Surḳh aankhon ki qasam kaanpti palkon ki qasam

Thartharaate hue aansu nahiin dekhe jaate

Ab tum aaġhosh-e-tasawur mein bhi aayaa na karo

Chhut jaane do jo daamaan-e-vafaa chhut gayaa

Kyuun ye laġhziida-ḳhiraamii pe pashiimaan-nazarii

Tum ne todaa to nahiin rishta-e-dil tuut gayaa

Ab tum aaġhosh-e-tasawur mein bhi aayaa na karo

Merii aahon se ye ruḳhsaar na kumhlaa jaaen

Dhundtii hogii tumhein ras mein nahaaii huii raat

Jaao kaliyaan na kahiin sej ki murjhaa jaaen

Ab tum aaġhosh-e-tasawur mein bhi aayaa na karo

Main iss ujdey huwe pehlu mein bitha loon na kahiin

Lab-e shiriin ka namak aariz-e namkiin ki mithas

Apne tarsey huwe honton mein chura loon na kahiin

Ab tum aaġhosh-e-tasawur mein bhi aayaa na karo

Tum ko yeh rasm bhi duniya na nibhaane degii

Badh ke daaman se lipat jaayegi yuun taaza bahaar

Meri aaghosh-e tasawur mein na aane degii

Caution

Don’t come now, not even in the embrace of my imagination

I cannot bear to see your hair in such disarray

I swear by your red eyes and your quivering lashes

I cannot bear to see these trembling tears

Don’t come now, not even in the embrace of my imagination

Let go of the hem of fidelity that remains

Why these regretful glances at that trembling walk