Word Meaning
ख़ुदावंद
khudāvand
Meaning
Lord, master, ruler, sovereign, or God.
Detailed Meaning
Literally meaning master, possessor, or lord, the word is traditionally applied to God or an earthly ruler. In this couplet, it is used satirically for the colonial European master whom the dominated populace subserviently reveres as an absolute sovereign. It contrasts genuine divinity with the worldly power dynamics of empire and capital.
Etymology
Persian (خداوند), composed of 'khudā' (lord, sovereign) + suffix '-vand' (possessing).
Usage
Frequently used in classical verse in respectful address to God or patrons (e.g., 'khudāvand-e-ne'mat'), but also employed critically to expose tyrannical rulers.
Examples
The petitioner bowed low before the earthly lord.
O supreme Lord, grant relief to this desolate heart.