Word Meaning
आबगीना
aabgeena
Meaning
Glass, crystal, or a delicate glass vessel.
Detailed Meaning
In Persian and Urdu poetics, 'aabgeena' denotes transparent glass, crystal, or a fragile drinking goblet. It frequently serves as a metaphor for the ultra-sensitive and brittle human heart. In Ghalib's verse, it illustrates the paradox of an inherently fragile heart enduring prolonged torment against the unrelenting hardness of a mountain.
Etymology
Persian (آبگینہ / ābgīna), formed from 'āb' (water, luster) and the suffix '-gīna', evoking water-like transparency and sheen.
Usage
Commonly contrasted with stone ('sang') or mountain ('koh') to emphasize the extreme vulnerability of the lover's heart amid harsh reality.
Examples
The brittle heart was as fragile as an aabgeena.
Preserving an aabgeena in an assembly of stone-throwers.