Word Meaning
इश्क़-जी
ishq-jī
Meaning
Love personified with affectionate respect; 'Master Love' or esteemed passion.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, appending the Hindustani honorific suffix '-jī' to the concept of 'ishq' personifies passion as an esteemed companion or guide. In this couplet, the poet departs life alongside 'Ishq-ji' and a crowd of sorrows, turning an abstract sentiment into a living, loyal comrade entering the next world. It blends formal Persianate romance with colloquial North Indian warmth.
Etymology
Compound of the Arabic 'ishq' (عشق, intense love) and the Indo-Aryan/Hindustani honorific suffix 'jī' (जी, derived from Sanskrit 'jīva', life/soul).
Usage
Used by poets to personify passion with endearing intimacy and classical deference.
Examples
An entire lifetime spent wandering alongside Master Love.
Whenever sorrow struck, Master Love offered solace.