ज़ुल्म-पेशा ज़ु़ल्म-शेवा ज़ु़ल्म-रान ओ ज़ुल्म-दोस्त दुश्मन-ए-दिल दुश्मन-ए-जाँ दुश्मन-ए-तन आप हैं
— Bahadur Shah Zafar
Meaning

Your habit and profession is tyranny, you rule with cruelty and love oppression; you are the enemy of my heart, my life, and my body.

Explanation

In this couplet, the lover unleashes an intense, dramatic torrent of complaints against the beloved, calling them a master of tyranny and an enemy of their heart, soul, and body. Yet beneath this layered accusation lies the quintessential paradox of Urdu poetry: the more ruthless the beloved seems, the more hopelessly captivated the lover remains. It is less of an actual accusation and more of an intimate surrender disguised as a passionate lament.

Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.

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