Tirchhi Nigah Se Tair-e-dil Ho Chuka Shikar — Khwaja Haidar Ali Aatish
Meaning
The bird of the heart was already hunted by a single sidelong glance; when the arrow falls so crooked, what will the aim achieve?
Explanation
Here the poet plays with the image of love as a hunt. The beloved's sidelong, flirtatious glance has already struck the heart like an arrow, capturing it the way a hunter catches a bird. And the poet says, since that very first slanting look found its mark so perfectly, there is nothing left for a straight aim to achieve. The heart is already taken. In other words, the beloved's crooked, careless glance did all the damage. A direct gaze would be unnecessary. It is a gentle, admiring way of saying that even the beloved's smallest, most casual attention is powerful enough to conquer completely.
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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