Word Meaning
अफ़्लाकी
aflaaqii
Meaning
Heavenly, celestial, transcendent, or pertaining to the skies.
Detailed Meaning
Derived from the Arabic plural 'aflāk' (the heavens or celestial spheres), it denotes that which belongs to the cosmos, the divine, or higher spiritual realms. In the couplet, it serves as an antithesis to 'khākī' (earthly or clay-born), highlighting that despite mortal, terrestrial origins, the human spirit exhibits a sublime and heavenly grandeur.
Etymology
Arabic, from 'falak' (celestial sphere), plural 'aflāk', plus the relative adjective suffix '-ī'.
Usage
In classical and philosophical Urdu verse, it is routinely paired with 'khākī' to create a juxtaposition between worldly mortality and spiritual transcendence.
Examples
a celestial flight of imagination
earthly clay endowed with heavenly manners