Word Meaning
अलम
alam
hinoun
Meaning
Pain, grief, sorrow, or anguish.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'alam' denotes profound emotional or physical suffering, sorrow, and melancholy. In this couplet, it specifically describes the intense heartache and distress felt upon separation from beloved friends and one's homeland. It is an Arabic loanword distinct in spelling and meaning from 'alam' (عَلَم, banner or standard).
Etymology
Arabic (أَلَم, 'alam: pain, suffering, sorrow).
Usage
Commonly invoked in ghazals to express the agony of love, exile, or the trials of fate.
Examples
troubled by the sorrows of everyday life
the heart that endured endless grief
Synonyms
ग़मरंजदुःखशोक
Related Words
रंज-ओ-अलमहिज्रदर्द