Word Meaning
आतिश-ज़न
aatish-zan
Meaning
Setting on fire, igniting, or an incendiary force that burns and destroys.
Detailed Meaning
Literally signifying an incendiary or one who strikes fire, 'aatish-zan' portrays an agent causing devastating combustion. In the cited couplet, it functions as an epithet for the corrupting heat of wealth, which consumes and destroys a person's good reputation. The poet contrasts the destructive fire of worldly vanity with the radiant yet ruined status of a noble name.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from 'aatish' (fire) and 'zan' (from 'zadan', to strike/ignite).
Usage
In classical ghazal diction, it is commonly invoked as an active agent describing a destructive passion, cruel fate, or pride consuming the spiritual harvest ('khirman') of the self.
Examples
The spark of sorrow became an incendiary to my heart's harvest.
His fiery glance was a flame-striker to the composure of the gathering.