Ghazal 164, Verse 13

{164,13}

dil-o-mizhgaa;N kaa jo muqaddamah thaa
aaj phir us kii ruubakaarii hai

1) the lawsuit/preliminary that there was between heart and eyelashes
2) today again is its proceeding/warrant/order

Notes:

muqaddamah : 'Prelude; introduction; premisses (of an argument); preliminary; --affair, matter, case, business... --law-suit, suit, cause, case, proceedings; prosecution'. (Platts p.1055)

 

ruubakaarii : 'Proceeding (of a cause [=case]), a record (in a cause); a warrant, an order; a communication (in Urdu or Persian) addressed by an official to an equal'. (Platts p.602)

 

ruubakaarii honaa : 'Orders or warrants to be issued for the trial of a case; to be tried or heard (a case)'. (Platts p.602)

Nazm:

[See his comments about {164,9}.]

== Nazm page 178; Nazm page 179

Bekhud Dihlavi:

He says, the court case that there was between the beloved's eyelashes and the lover's heart, today has been called in the court of coquetry. That is, both parties are presenting their respective proofs and evidence, and rebuttals. Mirza Sahib's inventive temperament couldn't bear not to keep creating new constructions in his verses. Thus this verse-set too is an extreme example of the height of expression. (238)

Bekhud Mohani:

The court case of the heart and the eyelashes, in which the heart is the plaintiff and the eyelashes the accused, is today called again.

Arshi:

Compare {228,4}. (280)

FWP:

SETS
COMMERCE: {3,3}

This is the last of five verses of a verse-set full of legal terminology; for further discussion of the whole set, see {164,9}.

In addition to the obvious legal wordplay, there's one more nice touch: the literal meaning of ruu bah kaar is setting one's 'face toward action', which is of course perfect for describing a part of the face (the eyelashes) and their cruel or criminal behavior (in lacerating the lover's heart).

Arshi is right to suggest a comparison with {228,4}: it concerns a similar court case, and it culminates in a rhyme-word of ruubakaar .