Word Meaning
काविश
kāvish
Meaning
Persistent effort, deep inquiry, mental struggle, or physical scratching.
Detailed Meaning
Originating from Persian, 'kāvish' literally denotes digging, excavating, or scratching. In Urdu poetry, it signifies relentless striving, painful agitation, or the intense mental and physical exertion involved in solving a dilemma. In this couplet, it represents the persistent impulse of the fingernails to continually scratch, work on, and untie the half-opened knot of difficulty.
Etymology
Persian, from the verb kāvīdan (کاویدن, to dig, scratch, examine).
Usage
In classical ghazal, 'kāvish' often evokes the dual sense of painful mental striving and the physical act of scratching open old wounds or unravelling knots.
Examples
kavish-e-gham ne jine na diya
dil ki kavish abhi baqi hai