aa))iinah kyuu;N nah duu;N kih tamaashaa kahe;N
jise
aisaa kahaa;N se laa))uu;N kih tujh saa kahe;N jise
1) why would I not offer/give a mirror, so/such that
they would call it [=the mirror] a spectacle?
2) from where would I bring such a one, such that they would call [that
one] 'like you'?
He says, why wouldn't I present a mirror face to face with you, so that having looked at it, you would become astonished, and your astonishment would become a spectacle for the people? From where would I produce another such beautiful one, such that people, seeing her, would call her like you? (314)
What is to be said is that there's no equal to you in the world. In order to say this, the poet has created a new style of expression.... On this occasion, what a pleasurable mischievousness he has created! (470-71)
SETS == A,B; KIH;
PARALLELISM
MIRROR: {8,3}
TAMASHA: {8,1}
Here's a classic 'A,B' verse, in which we have to decide for ourselves what relationship exists between the two basically parallel-looking lines. The first line, thanks to the versatility of that little kih , has two possible readings:
=why would I not give a particular kind of mirror-- the kind
of mirror that they would call a 'spectacle' (with the kih
clause taken as describing the kind of mirror)
=why would I not give a mirror, so that they would call the mirror a 'spectacle'
(with the kih clause taken as stating a desired effect)
In order to resolve the possible readings of the first line, we turn to the second line-- and as so often, it starts over in terms of grammar and vocabulary. For once, the second line is a little more straightforward than the first; but it's still not exactly clear what connection exists between the two. Both lines are questions, and thus the verse is as inshaa))iyah as it can possibly be.
Above all we must decide, to what does the 'such a one' [aisaa] refer? If we interpret it in the light of the first line, it might very well be the mirror-- which, depending on our reading, is either a mirror in general, or a particular kind of mirror. Or, in the light of the second line, 'such a one' could be any (masculine) entity that some 'they' (unspecified) would declare to be 'like you'.
If both lines are taken as describing the same basic situation, then the reason I wouldn't give a mirror is that I can't find one: the 'mirror' would then be a 'mirror-image' of you, such that people would consider it a great 'spectacle' to see the two of you face to face-- except that such a spectacle is impossible to arrange. On this reading, I don't have the 'mirror-image' of you.
If the two lines are taken as describing different situations, then the first line might be a counsel of despair-- I might as well go ahead and give them a mirror, and let them have their frivolous enjoyment of such trivial kinds of 'spectacle' as it can offer. For the realest kind of beauty-- a peer of you-- is quite impossible to provide. On this reading, I do have a mirror, but I don't have an equal of you.
Who are the 'they' who do the spectacle-viewing and the judging of likeness? Since no antecedents are at hand, presumably they're people in general, as invoked in English in structures like 'they say the winter will be mild this year'. In this verse, the masculine plural verbs cannot refer either to the speaker (who identifies himself as 'I') or to the beloved (who is addressed in the intimate tuu form).
Nazm:
For comparison with you, where would one as beautiful as you be available? Perhaps/but [magar] I will give you a mirror, so that having looked at it, your astonishment would become a spectacle for people. (258)