SECTION 2j-3 *back to section 2j-2*
(we're now on page *nuun , continued*)   

[Agha Sahib:] Please listen to a [verse of] 'subtlety of thought'.

17) In the matter/account of your delicate waist, we'll put a 'chahlak'
How would he understand this subtlety, he whose temperament would be lumpy/coagulated?

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==On 'subtlety of thought' see also *verse 6*.
==On chahlak see below.

aa;Gaa .saa;hib :: naazuk-;xiyaalii suniye _

tirii naazuk kamar ke baab me;N chahlak banaa de;Nge
vuh kyaa samjhe yih baariikii :tabii((at jis kii ga;T;Thal ho
Khan Sahib: I acknowledge that my temperament is such as you are pleased to describe. But for the Lord's sake please explain the meaning of that 'chahlak'.
Agha Sahib: For your sake, I will; please listen. Accountants, in order to fill in a space, instead of leaving it blank always make a '+'. Thus from this the meaning emerges that the waist is nonexistent; and also that one mark has cut through the other right in the middle; from this it is clear that the beloved's waist has been cut, and then also joined together again.
;xaa;N .saa;hib :: mai;N tasliim kiye letaa huu;N kih merii :tabii((at aisii hai jaisaa aap irshaad farmaate hai;N _ magar baraa))e ;xudaa us chahlak ke ma((nii samjhaa diijiye _
aa;Gaa .saa;hib :: ;xair-e ;xaa:tir hai _ sun liijiye _ mu;haasib log ;xaanah-purii ke liye bajaa))e nadaarad ke yih nishaan " +" banaa diyaa karte hai;N _ is liye is se yih ma:tlab niklaa kih kamar ma((duum hai _ duusre ek ;xa:t ne biicho;N biich se duusre ko kaa;T diyaa hai _ is se yih :zaahir hu))aa kih ma((shuuq kii kamar ka;Tii hu))ii aur phir ju;Rii hu))ii bhii hai _
Khan Sahib: How is this?
Agha Sahib: Now don't ask about this subtlety! Oh well. Sir, let it be clear that 'chahlak' in the science of mathematics is a symbol of addition. The enjoyable thing is that a symbol has no magnitude. The meaning emerges that the waist, despite being nonexistent, has joined together both parts of the body. 
;xaa;N .saa;hib :: yih kyuu;Nkar ?
aa;Gaa .saa;hib :: ab is baariikii ko nah puuchhiye ! ;xair _ ;ha.zrat vaa.za;h ho kih chahlak ((ilm-e riyaa.zii me;N ((alaamat jam((a kii hai _ lu:tf yih hai kih ((alaamat kii ko))ii miqdaar nahii;N hotii _ ma:tlab yih niklaa kih kamar baavajuud ma((duum hone ke jism ke dono;N ;hi.s.so;N ko jo;Re hu))e hai _

The friends: Sir, enough-- it's the limit of 'delicacy of thought'. He who knows so much science would understand your verses.
Agha Sahib: Just for this reason I don't recite in front of ordinary people. Alas, that my late Ustad is no longer alive-- otherwise, I'd receive some praise/justice for these verses. Now among those who understand, who any longer remains? Well, now please listen to the closing-verse. I'm feeling melancholy. There's no connoisseur anywhere. 

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==I'm adding the ko after :tabii((at based on later editions, and because it's needed.
a;hbaab :: ;ha.zrat _ bas naauzk-;xiyaalii kii ;had ho ga))ii _ jo ko))ii itne ((ilm jaantaa ho vuh aap ke shi((r samjhe _
aa;Gaa .saa;hib :: isii se to mai;N aise vaiso;N ke saamne pa;Rhtaa nahii;N _ afsos ustaad mar;huum zindah nah hu))e nahii;N to un shi((ro;N kii kuchh daad miltii _ ab samajhne vaalo;N me;N kaun rah gayaa hai _ ;xair _ ab maq:ta(( sun liijiye _ :tabii((at ko kulfat ho ga))ii _ ko))ii qadar-daan nahii;N hai _

18) Enough, oh Qazzaq, enough-- rein in the doomsday-producing temperament
There will be a furor in the army of themes if there would be turmoil

The friends: May the closing-verse be bestowed again.
Agha Sahib recited it again.
Navab Sahib: What an excellent pen-name you've chosen, 'Qazzaq'!

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=='Qazzak' is literally 'Cossack', and thus metaphorically 'Robber' or 'Brigand'.

bas ay qazzaaq bas :tab((a-e qiyaamat-;xez ko roko
;Ga.zab ho jaa))egaa fauj-e ma.zaamii;N me;N jo halchal ho

a;hbaab :: maq:ta(( phir ((inaayat ho _
aa;Gaa .saa;hib ne dobaarah pa;Rhaa _
navaab .saa;hib :: kyaa zabardast ta;xallu.s rakhaa hai _ qazzaaq !

Agha Sahib: Please excuse me-- it's just so-so. But it's not so unbecoming. First with respect to family, because your humble servant's ancestors used to fight and loot in the Qipchak desert. Second, because my late Ustad used to use the pen-name Sariq ('Thief'), and this was not so inappropriate either. Because (may his spirit not be embarrassed!) his whole life he kept stealing and versifying earlier poets' themes. Take a look at his whole divan: perhaps there may be one single new verse. When the reins of the steed of the pen came into the hand of my judgment, then I considered 'theft' to be a reminder of my glory, and adopted the pen-name Qazzaq. If nothing else, there's at least a kind of rakishness in it. Your servant has made, and will continue to make, a practice of seizing by violence the themes of poets past, present, and future, and bringing them into control and usage.
Navab: That's very fine.

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==I'm making it sharmindah nah ho on the strength of later editions, and also because it seems more probable.

aa;Gaa .saa;hib :: mu((aaf farmaa))iyegaa _ hai to kuchh aisaa hii _ magar kuchh aisaa naa-zebaa;N nahii;N hai _ ek to ;xaandaanii i((tibaar se _ isliye kih fidvii ke aaba-o-ajdaad dasht-e qifchaaq me luu;T-maar kiyaa karte the _ duusre is sabab se kih ustaad mar;huum saariq ta;xallu.s farmaate the aur yih kuchh aisaa naa-munaasib bhii nah thaa _ isliye kih ( un kii ruu;h sharmindah nah ho ) ((umr bhar agle shaa((iro;N [*siin*] ke ma.zmuun churaa churaa ke shi((r-e mauzuu;N farmaayaa kiye _ saaraa diivaan mulaa;hi.zah kar liijiye _ shaayad hii ko))ii shi((r nayaa ho _ jab ashhab-e ;xaamah kii lagaam mere dast-e iqtidaar me;N aa))ii to mai;N ne sarqah ko apnii shaan ke manaanii samajh ke qazzaaq ta;xallus rakh liyaa _ kuchh nah sahii _ us me;N ek :tara;h kaa baa;Nkapan to hai _ bandah kaa yih dastuur rahaa hai aur rahegaa kih shu((araa-e maa.zii-o-;haal-o-istiqbaal ke ma.zaamiin zabardastii chhiin chiin ke apne qab.zah-e ta.sarruf me;N kar luu;Ngaa _
navaab :: bahut mubaarak !
 
 

 
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