== SETS
==
The best initial context for understanding any of Ghalib's verses is usually the set of his own similar verses. The GRAMMAR PAGE includes many unusual, idiomatic, and archaic forms; and of course there are the indices of NAMES and TERMS as well. The sets below are informal ones that I have put together partly logically and partly idiosyncratically, for the kinds of future study that I might like to do myself. There's also a SETS PAGE FOR MIR that provides comparative material. And finally, there's also the SITEMAP -- from which everything is accessible at once.
The first group on the present page consists mostly of sets based on Urdu grammar and structural words and literary devices. I consider these to be fundamental and obvious choices. But it also includes a few tentative categories of my own, like 'humor', 'mushairah', and 'grotesquerie', that I want to think about further as I work on the divan. More instances and examples of such sets will be found in the Index of Terms, especially under ;husn-e ta((liil , iihaam , inshaa))iyah , kinaayah .
The second group consists of a few illustrative examples drawn from the hundreds of imagery sets (the liver, the mirror, etc.) and thematic notions (the beloved's having no mouth, etc.). I chose them partly for importance, partly for distinctiveness, partly for level of occurrence (neither inconveniently frequent nor extremely rare), sometimes just because they intrigued me. In order to keep this page from getting too long, the full lists of examples are given in the verses to which links are provided.
The third group consists of a small number of 'translatables', verses that seem to lend themselves especially well to translation into English.
An asterisk shows that some special explanation or comment is included, or something else of particular interest.
If you want to use the SEARCH box in the top left corner of this page, remember to spell Urdu words the way I do (you can check them with the 'Plain Roman' option on the script bar); for a complete set, keep in mind that there may be plural and oblique forms too, and/or variant spellings for the sake of meter (as in these cases).
A,B == Some examples of sequences of
nouns or phrases, or most often the two separate lines, with various
ways to connect them, such that the reader must work to figure out the
relationships and must make choices among possible readings
{2,1}; {4,4}*,
on 'list' verses; {6,1}; {6,8x}; {7,3};
{8,1}; {10,6};
{14,5}; {15,17x};
{21,1}*; {21,8};
{21,13}; {22,5};
{26,2}; {26,8};
{24,6}*; {27,1}*;
{29,3}; {33,3};
{33,7}; {35},
most verses; {37}; {41,4}; {42,2};
{44,4x}; {44,5x};
{51,7x}; {53,5};
{57,3}; {57,6};
{57,7}*; {68,6x};
{71,3}*; {72,2};
{75,6}; {77,3}*;
{77,5}; {78,1};
{79,2}; {79,4x};
{80,3}; {81,2};
{81,3}; {81,13x};
{82,2x}; {84,5x},
{88,1}; {94,2};
{95,2}*; {96,1};
{96,5}; {97,9};
{97,10}*; {100,8};
{101,1}; {103,2x};
{103,3x}*; {106,1}; {108,12x};
{109,2x}; {114,1}; {114,5};
{115,1}; {125,3};
{129,4x}; {133,1}; {138,6};
{142,2}; {145,4};
{145,9x}; {146,5x}; {147,2};
{147,3}; {147,7x};
{149,8x}; {151,3}; {152,2}**; {152,4};
{155,1}; {155,4x};
{158,3}; {162,1};
{163,2}; {163,3};
{163,4}*; {163,5};
{166,5}; {170,2};
{170,5}; {172,2};
{172,5x}; {175,7}; {182,2};
{187,1}; {188,1};
{190,1}; {194,3};
{194,4}; {206,3};
{206,4}; {209,6};
{209,7}; {212,7x};
{213,1}; {214,2};
{214,6}; {214,9};
{214,10}; {215,1}*;
{215,7}; {217,7x};
{219,6}*; {221,2};
{223,2}; {226,1};
{226,4}*; {226,5};
{227,3}; {228,2};
{228,10}; {229,1};
{229,6}*; {230,1}; {230.5};
{230,7}*; {232,6}
AUR == Some verses that exploit the
possibilities of aur, including both 'more' and
'other' as well as 'and'.
many verses in {62}, of which it's
the refrain; compare the limited uses in {66}; {86,4};
{111,11}; {160,1}*;
{160,4}*; {160,6}
BAH == Some verses that exploit the
meanings of bah as 'with', 'like', 'toward',
'in', etc. and/or its special sense as 'by' (in an oath).
{37,6x}; {67,4x};
{75,3}; {75,5}*;
{77,4}; {84,4x};
{92,5}; {109,1}*;
{109,3x}*; {109,4x}; {221,1}*
BASKIH == The meanings of baskih as
'although', and 'to such an extent', and 'since'; compare {59,7}, har-chand
{1,5}; {12,3x}
( z-bas ); {13,5}*;
{17,1}; {17,4}
( az baskih ); {49,7}*;
{49,9}*; {53,11}
( z-bas ); {62,1}*;
{68,7x} ( z-baskih
); {79,4x}*; {81,6x}; {81,7x};
{111,11}; {145,7x}; {149,4};
{150,1}; {154,6x}*;
{172,1}; {185,1}
( az baskih ); {185,3}
( az baskih ); {206,1}
( z-baskih ); {212,5x}
BHI == A few of the many verses that
exploit the complexities of bhii -- both 'even'
and 'also', etc.:
{15,13}; {36,5};
{36,9}*; {77,1}*;
{78,5}; {90,4};
{99,5}; {108,7};
{112} (in refrain); {116,5}*; {123,4};
{124,7}*; {129,2};
{131,2}; {132}* (in refrain); {134,1}; {136,1};
{142,2}*; {143,5};
{147,1}; {148,4}; {148,9}*;
{151,4}; {153,3};
{153,9}; {154,4}*;
{157,2}; {158,5}
(exclamatory); {162,3}; {175,1}; {177,1};
{179,3}; {202,6};
{221,2}*; {224,1};
{230,9}; {232,9}, on its idiomatic
complexities; {231,6}
CATCH-22 == You're damned if you do,
and damned if you don't. (You can only escape from flying bombing
missions if you're insane; but if you want to escape from flying
bombing missions, you're sane...)
{15,2}; {24,5};
{41,3}; {78,3};
{78,4}; {97,3};
{112,2}; {121,4};
{145,3}; {151,7};
{153,1}; {161,6};
{174,5}; {177,1};
{184,2}; {202,5};
{203,4}; {205,1};
{209,8}; {215,5};
{231,9}; {233,11}
DEFINITION == verses that challenge,
question, or discuss the meaning of words
{6,9x}; {9,1};
{22,4}; {33,3};
{60,2}; {68,9x};
{75,2}; {86,1};
{86,5}; {86,6};
{86,7}; {88,7x};
{99,7}; {101,1};
[116,1}; {125,2};
{126,9}; {145,1};
{147,1}; {162,8};
{162,10}; {163,3};
{174,8}; {181,2};
{203,4}; {209,3};
{214,13x}; {229}, most verses
DIALOGUE == Examples of verses in
which someone else's speech is quoted, other than the lover's.
{4,1}; {7,7};
{15,15}; {19,2};
{20,11}; {21,2};
{21,8}; {22,9};
{25,9}; {32,3};
{42,1}; {46,1};
{46,7}; {59,2}*;
{66;3}; {66,4};
{71,10}; {72,7};
{77,8}; {91,10}*;
{99,5}; {100,6};
{104,1}; {107,4};
{107,7}; {116,6};
{116,7}; {116,10};
{123,6}; {123,12x};
{126,6}; {126,10}*;
{129,7x}; {134,2}; {143,5};
{151,4}; {151,9};
{174,2}; {178,9};
{178,10}; {191,4};
{193,5}; {193,6x};
{201,9}; {209,1};
{209,2}; {231,4}
DISRUPTION == Examples of the trick of
setting up a metaphor, and then disrupting its development
{24,7};
{91,13x}; {93,1};
{116,9}*; {138,3}
EK == Verses in which the multivalence
of ek (or ik )-- 'a, an',
'single', 'mere', 'singular', 'particular', 'unique', 'excellent'-- is
exploited (on yak , see {78,6}; on expressions compounded with
yak , see {11,1})
{4,8x}; {6,6};
{10,1}; {10,4};
{10,6}; {10,9};
{14,5}; {15,14}; {16,10x};
{18,5}; {24,6};
{25,5}; {25,7};
{26,2}; {29,1};
{36,5}; {40,3x}*;
{42,4}; {43,3};
{49,10}; {54,2};
{61,7}; {62,8}*;
{68,5}; {72,4};
{78,1}; {78,5};
{78,6}*, vs. yak
; {85,4}; {86,7};
{87,7}; {87,8};
{88,1}; {91,1};
{92,1}; {97,9};
{97,10}; {98,8};
{119,6}; {123,11};
{124,4}; {127,2};
{131,5}; {132,1};
{132,2}; {135,1};
{138,1}; {157,4};
{158,1}; {159,6};
{160,6}; {164,1};
{164,11}; {169,1};
{169,12}; {173,6};
{173,9}; {174,6}*;
{175,5}; {176,6};
{185,3}; {186,2};
{186,4}*; {190,10};
{197,2}; {208,2}*;
{208,12}; {229,4}; {231,2};
{231,5}; {234,4}
EXCLAMATION == The sheer expression of
strong emotion that can cover a range of tones and shades; these are,
of course, mostly left for the reader to supply
{1,3}; {5,8x};
{7,5}; {17,3};
{17,8}*; {17,9};
{19,6}; {20,5};
{20,8}; {20,9};
{21,11}*; {21,12};
{26,3}; {27,2};
{35,8}; {39,4};
{40,2}; {46,4};
{46,5}; {48,4}*;
{49,11}; {51}, most verses; {57,8}; {64,4};
{66,1}; {71,7};
{71,8};{71,10};
{72,3}; {72,7};
{77,6}; {80,3};
{88,4}; {97,8};
{99,4}; {100,2};
{100,5}; {100,8};
{101,5}; {108,7};
{110,2}; {112,5};
{112,7}; {112,9};
{114,4}; {119,9};
{120,4}; {121,5}; {124,4};
{124,6}; {125,9};
{126,3}; {126,4};
{126,10}; {129}; {132,3};
{132,4}; {133,3}; {138,5};
{141,4}*; {148,4};
{148,7}; {148,8};
{149,9x}; {151,1}; {151,2};
{153,1}; {153,5};
{155,2}; {158,2};
{158,5}; {159,2};
{159,7}; {162}; {163,2};
{166,1}; {166,5};
{167,7}; {170,3};
{170,6}; {172,5x};
{173,10}; {178,8};
{179,1}; {179,2};
{179,3}; {189,8};
{193,2}; {193,4};
{199,4}; {201,4};
{201,8}; {201,9};
{202,2}; {202,5};
{202,6}; {202,7};
{202,8}; {203,3};
{206,4}; {208,12};
{208,14}; {214,2};
{214,6}; {215,1};
{215,5}; {216,1};
{228,8}; {230,3};
{230,6}; {230,7};
{231,3}; {232,7};
{234,2}; {234,10}
FILL-IN == Some verses so general and
unspecified that each reader is invited/compelled to invent his/her own
content.
{3,3}; {11,1};
{22,6}; {35,3};
{46,2}; {50,2};
{54,1}; {63,1};
{64,7x}; {68,2};
{70,3}; {71,2};
{78,2}; {80,3};
{81,4}; {115,9};
{131,3}; {160,1};
{160,3}; {160,4};
{161,5}; {163,5};
{179,1}; {180,4};
{182,1}; {191,8};
{208,9}; {208,12};
{230,9}
GENERATORS == Some examples of the many verses framed
as radically indeterminate, closure-refusing 'meaning generators'.
{3,12x}, {4,4}*,
on 'list' verses; {4,5}; {5,4}; {15,10}*;
{15,11}; {15,17x};
{18,2}; {21},
most verses; {22,1};{24,1}; {25,6};
{26,8}; {27,1};
{32,1}*; {35,4};
{36,7}; {38,5};
{40,3x}; {41,4};
{42,2}; {45,3}*;
{49,9}; {57,6};
{57,8}; {64,1};
{68,6x}; {71,3}*;
{75,6}; {79,1};
{92,5}; {95,2};
{96,1}*; {97,10};
{98,5}; {98,10};
{99,7}; {100,8};
{101,5}*; {103,2x}; {106,1};
{107,5}; {108,2};
{110,1}; {111,1};
{111,14}; {119,6};
{125,5}; {126,3};
{131,8}; {136,1};
{138,1}; {141,3};
{145,14x}; {147,3}; {152,1};
{152,4}; {155,1};
{158,3}; {167,1};
{169,3}; {172,5x};
{177,1}; {183,4};
{190,1}; {190,4};
{196,7}; {202,3};
{202,4}; {203,2};
{206,2}; {206,3};
{208,5}; {208,8};
{213,2}; {214,2};
{214,3}; {214,10};
{219,1}; {220,2};
{223,2}; {228,10};
{230,1}; {230,7}*;
{232,4}
GROTESQUERIE == A category of my own
that I am working through and discussing in the verses that I think
display it. It seems to be based on excessive physical literalness of
an off-putting kind.
{6,4}; {8,4x};
{25,7}, perhaps; {39,3}*; {39,4}*;
{42,8x}; {44,3x}*;
{45,6x}; {48,6};
{53,5}; {57,4},
perhaps; {60,9}; {62,6}; {67,3};
{69,1}; {72,2};
{87,6}(?); {87,8}*;
{108,7}; {129,6x};
{140,3}; {145,5x};
{161,7}(?); {173,3}; {173,6}*;
{177,4}; {178,4}*;
{187,4x}; {190,5}; {190,7};
{196,6}; {200,2}(?);
{222,2x}; {223,1}; {233,2}
HANUZ == Verses in which the double meaning of hanuuz as both 'still' and 'now' is exploited.
{3,4}*; {13,6};
{10,9}; {27,5};
{35,2}; {38,2};
ghazals {67} and {69}, with the refrain of hanuuz ; {98,9}; {98,10}; {99,6},
abhii ; {130,2}
HERE/THERE == Verses that juxtapose things 'here' [yaa;N] with those 'there' [vaa;N].
{15,2}; {15,3};
{15,4}; {15,5};
{15,6}; {15,7};
{24,6}; {25,8};
{43,3}; {115,7};
{122,1}; {149,6x};
{167,9}; {185,2};
{205,4}
HI == A few of the many verses that
make significant use of the various possibilities of hii
(restrictive, intensive, etc.).
{13,1}*; {14,8};
{17,3}; {26,3}*;
{33,5}; {35,5};
{36,8}; {43,2};
{45,1}*; {46,5};
{48,2}; {90,5};
{98,5}; {115,1};
{115,4}; {119,4}*;
{125,3}; {175,3}*;
{175,7}; {224,1};
{234,5}*
HUMOR == Some of the many verses that
are witty, light, and actually rather funny.
{19,4}; {20,11}*;
{40,2}; {50,3};
{55,1}; {62,4};
{62,7}; {62,8};
{65,1}; {68,1};
{68,5}; {70,1};
{77,6}; {78,4};
{90,1}; {90,3};
{90,5}; {91,11};
{95,1}; {96,6};
{97,1}; {97,5};
{98,8}; {99,1};
{99,4}; {100,6};
{101,3}; {101,8};
{101,9}; {104,1};
{108,6}; {110,2};
{111,7}; {111,12};
{112,10}; {116,1}*;
{116,3}; {116,6};
{119,10}; {121,7};
{122,1}; {123,6};
{131,4}; {133,2};
{137,1}; {138,4};
{138,5}; {140,4};
{140,5}; {143,1};
{151,8}; {152,3};
{159,2}; {159,6};
{162,9}; {163,4};
{163,7}; {169,2};
{170,7}; {174,6};
{178,3}; {178,8};
{189,3}; {208,1-4};
{208,10}; {209,2};
{210,1}; {210,6};
{219,3}; {231,2};
{231,3}; {231,4};
{233,5}; {234,2}
I AND == Ambiguously emotive 'I, and' [mai;N
aur] or 'I am, and...' [mai;N huu;N aur]
constructions.
{5,6}*; {16,2};
{30,1}; {42,4};
{64,4}; {71,2}
(with list of 'you and I' verses); {71,3}*;
{84,5x}, with abstract nouns instead
of 'I'; [{85,7}, as a
prose example]; {97,8}; {145,2}; {151,2};
{190,12x}; {217,9x}
IDIOMS == Some of the many verses that
rely on idiomatic expressions, often in unexpected and 'revitalized'
ways.
{1,4}; {1,5};
{11,2}; {15,1};
{21,7}; {21,8};
{21,11}; {24,4};
{25,2}; {30,3};
{35,8}; {35,10};
{38,6}; {39,4};
{40,1}; {44,1};
{46,7}; {48,2};
{50,3}; {51,1};
{53,1}; {53,5};
{54,1}; {55,1};
{65,1}; {67,3};
{68,3}; {70,3};
{71,9}; {75,3};
{85,3}; {85,7};
{87,1}; {88,3};
{91,2}; {97,1};
{99,4}; {108,4};
{111,16}; {114,1};
{114,4}; {121,2};
{123,6}; {124,1};
{124,4}; {130,2};
{132,1}; {132,2};
{132,6}; {133,4};
{137,1}; {141,4}*;
{145,9x}; {148} (whole ghazal); {151,1}; {151,6};
{163,9}; {167,2};
{167,3}; {170,7};
{175} (whole ghazal); {176,5}; {179,4};
{189,1}; {189,3};
{191,1}*; {191,2};
{191,8}; {201}; {205,3};
{205,6}; {207,3};
{208,10}; {210,1};
{212,3}; {214,14x}*;
{215,2}; {217,6x};
{219,9}; {226,4};
{226,7x}; {229,4}; {231,5}
INEXPRESSIBILITY == Verses that affirm
the impossibility of describing something.
{1,2}; {5,4};
{9,8x}; {10,2};
{15,11}, with a list of kyaa kahuu;N verses; {16,4};
{16,8x}; {17,5};
{18,4}; {20,8};
{29,5x}; {34,3};
{39,4}; {49,2};
{56,2}; {58,9};
{68,5}; {75,6};
{81,13x}; {86,8};
{87,4}; {88,3};
{91,2}; {92,5};
{92,8x}; {97,2};
{108,6}; {113,4};
{129}*; {136,7}; {147,6x};
{167,4}; {172,3};
{183,2}; {194,6};
{197,1}; {201};
{208,5}; {210,5};
{227,3}
IZAFAT == A few of the very many
verses that take exceptional advantage of the i.zaafat
construction
{3,11x}; {4,9x};
{15,11}; {16,1}*;
{16,2}; {18,1};
{18,5}*; {24,1}*; {24,5};
{25,9}; {33,2}*;
{38,5}; {39,2};
{39,3}; {40,4x}; {41,2};
{49,6}; {49,10};
{53,4}; {56,2};
{57,6}; {61,7};
{64,8x}; {67,4x};
{68,6x}; {71,3}*;
{75,6}*; {75,7};
{77,2}; {80,2};
{81,8x}; {81,10x};
{81,13x}; {90,4};
{91,14x}; {93,1};
{96,5}; {98,5}*;
{100,5}; {101,5}*;
{112,8}; {119,3};
{123,1}; {135,1};
{141,3}; {145,8x};
{145,9x}; {151,3}; {152,1};
{152,4}; {158,3};
{164,12}; {169,3};
{172,5x}; {183,4}; {196,4};
{206,2}; {211,2};
{220,2}; {223,1}*;
{228,3}; {228,6};
{230,2}
KA/KE/KI == A few of the verses that
use the possessive kaa / ke / kii as flexibly as
any i.zaafat construction
{24,1}*; {24,5};
{27,6}*; {33,7};
{39,4}; {41,6}*
(with discussion of the ambiguities of possession); {100,1}; {118,2};
{141,7}; {189,6};
{208,6}
KAHAN == Some examples of the use of kahaa;N
as both an interrogative marker and a scornful rhetorical question
{4,1}; {5,4};
{5,08x}; {20,5};
{21,2}; {26,3};
{27,6}; {35,6};
{43,8}; {77,1};
{77,2}, kis qadar;
ghazal {85}, with the refrain of kahaa;N ; {85,7}, kahaa;N ... kahaa;N ; {98,4}*;
{111,1}*; {115,7};
{123,3}; {158,3};
{214,15x}
KIH == Some
verses that take special advantage of the remarkable complexities of kih -- as a quote marker, or 'since', or 'in that',
or 'which', or 'so that' or 'such that', or 'while', or 'and', or 'or'
(on jab kih see
{53,8}; on jo kih
see {39,4}; and on jo
see {12,2}; on taa-kih
see {122,2}.)
{13,6}*; {15,1};
{15,8}* ('which'); {20,7}; {22,1};
{39,1}; {45,4};
{46,7}; {53,5}*;
{58,6}*; {64,7x};
{68,8x}*; {84,2x};
{84,4x}; {99,2};
{110,1}; {112,3};
{116}; {120,11};
{141,3}; {145,12x}*
(a full range); {145,13x}; {145,16x}; {147,1};
{158,8}* ('or'?); {166,4}; {176,1};
{177,1}; {191,7};
{201,4}*; {201,5}*
('so that'); {214,10}*; {219,9}* ('while'); {226,3}; {229,1};
{234,3};
KYA == A few of the many verses that exploit the
sensational multivalence of kyaa .
{10,2}; {14,4};
{15,10}*; ghazals {19}, {21}*,
and {46}, with the refrain of kyaa; {22,1}; {31,2};
{32,1}; {32,3};
{36,10}, an unusual case; {45,3}; {45,7x};
{64,3}*; {77,1};
{78,3}; {87,10}*;
{91,9} (by implication); {99,7}; {107,7};
{111,1}; {118,1};
{120,1}; {120,11};
{123,2}; {126,8};
{138,1}*; {148,3}*;
{150,1}; {151,9};
{162} (most verses); {163,9};
{167,5}; {178,5};
{178,6}; {180,5};
{183,3}; {202,7};
{205,5}; {209,11};
{228,10}; {231,3};
{231,7}; {232,4}