Word Meaning
क़ासिद
qaasid
Meaning
A messenger, courier, or envoy carrying a message between lovers.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'qaasid' refers to the courier who carries letters or tidings between the lover and the beloved. In this couplet, the lover's overwhelming story and restless manner are so daunting that even the messenger becomes flustered and alarmed despite the brevity of the written text. It portrays the messenger as an anxious intermediary caught in the lover's intense predicament.
Etymology
Arabic root q-s-d (ق-ص-د), meaning to intend or set out on a journey; qāṣid is the active participle meaning one who travels on an errand or bears a message.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, the qaasid is a conventional figure often treated with suspicion, envy, or pity by the lover.
Examples
Go swiftly, O messenger, and bring news of my beloved.
The messenger returned empty-handed, deepening the lover's despair.