Word Meaning
इब्तिदा
ibtida
Meaning
Beginning, commencement, start, or origin.
Detailed Meaning
'Ibtida' refers to the inception, onset, or earliest stage of a state or experience. In the given couplet, it marks the modest beginnings of love that first arose gently like a wave before escalating into a destructive whirlpool. Classical poets regularly employ the term to chart the contrast between the innocence of early affection and the devastation of its later stages.
Etymology
Arabic, derived from the root b-d-’ (ب-د-أ), form VIII verbal noun 'ibtidā'' (ابتداء), meaning commencement or starting.
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, 'ibtida' is most famously contrasted with 'intiha' to capture the harrowing progression of the lover's suffering.
Examples
This was only the beginning of love; the trial was yet to come.
Every journey bears longing at its very beginning.