Word Meaning
कबाब
kabāb
Meaning
Roasted meat; metaphorically, a tormented, burning heart.
Detailed Meaning
Literally refers to roasted or grilled meat. In classical Urdu poetry, it metaphorically represents a heart or liver scorched and burning in the agonizing fire of love and sorrow. In the given couplet, the compound 'ashk-e-kabāb' (tears/drippings of roasted meat) evokes the sizzling drops of fat that fall as it burns, mirroring pain disguised as bait.
Etymology
From Arabic 'kabāb' (roasted/grilled meat), adopted through Persian into Urdu and Hindustani.
Usage
Commonly deployed in classical ghazals to dramatize the physical agony and scorched state of the lover's internal organs under extreme passion.
Examples
The heart turned to roasted meat in the fire of separation.
Tears fell burning like the drops from roasting meat.