Word Meaning
इसी
isī
Meaning
This very one; precisely this; this alone.
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu and Hindi, 'isī' is the emphatic oblique form of the proximate demonstrative pronoun 'yah' merged with the particle 'hī'. In this couplet by Iqbal, it highlights 'khudī' (selfhood or ego) as the sole foundation of existence and honorable dignity. It asserts that true sovereignty depends entirely on this singular internal virtue.
Etymology
Derived from Old Indo-Aryan / Apabhramsha demonstrative bases, formed by compounding the oblique pronoun 'इस' (is) with the emphatic enclitic 'ही' (hī).
Usage
In classical poetry, it is strategically deployed to establish strict causality or exclusive focus on a singular subject.
Examples
All my survival depends on this very spark.
From this alone arose the dawn of hope.