Word Meaning
कुश्तन
kushtan
Meaning
To kill; slaughter, slaying, the act of killing.
Detailed Meaning
In Persian and classical Urdu poetry, 'kushtan' is an infinitive (verbal noun) meaning 'to slay' or 'slaughter'. In this couplet, it appears in the izafat compound 'zauq-e-kushtan' (the pleasure or passion for slaying), referring to the killer's relish for murder. It evokes the traditional ghazal trope wherein the lover's friends inadvertently incite the beloved or executioner to shed blood with greater fervor.
Etymology
Persian infinitive کشتن (kushtan), from Middle Persian kushtan / kwštn' (to kill, strike down).
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, it is primarily used in Persian izafat constructions to heighten the aesthetic drama of martyrdom at the hands of the beloved.
Examples
zauq-e-kushtan (delight in slaughter)
hirs-e-kushtan (greed to slay)