Word Meaning
क़दह-ख़्वार
qadah-khwār
Meaning
Wine-drinker; one who imbibes from a goblet or cup.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'qadah-khwār' refers to a drinker of wine, often symbolizing a seeker or lover partaking in mystical love. In Ghalib's couplet, it represents the recipient of divine grace or divine revelation, pointing out that spiritual wine is bestowed according to the capacity of the drinker. The poet argues that their own spiritual capacity far exceeded that of Mount Sinai or Moses.
Etymology
Arabic 'qadah' (قدح, cup/goblet) + Persian 'khwār' (خوار, agent noun from khwardan, to drink/consume).
Usage
In ghazal tradition, the 'qadah-khwār' often represents the mystic seeker whose spiritual capacity determines how much divine illumination they can endure.
Examples
Dete hain bāda zarf-e-qadah-khwār dekh kar
Mahfil mein har ek qadah-khwār be-ḳhud thā