Word Meaning
आरज़ू-हा
ārzū-hā
Meaning
Desires, wishes, longings, or unfulfilled cravings (Persian plural of desire).
Detailed Meaning
'Ārzū-hā' is the Persian plural of 'ārzū', meaning multiple desires or longings. In this couplet, it represents the endless multitude of human wishes whose dissolution paradoxically nourishes and sustains fresh desires. Ghalib suggests that despair cannot grant freedom from longing, as the melting of desires only feeds the perpetual cycle of wanting.
Etymology
Persian: 'ārzū' (desire, longing) combined with the Persian plural suffix '-hā' (ـہا).
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, the Persian plural suffix '-hā' is used to evoke poetic grandeur, intensity, and an overwhelming accumulation of emotional states.
Examples
The multitude of desires turns the heart into a burning flame.
From the ashes of despair rose a hundred new longings.