Word Meaning
खाना
khana
hinoun, masculine
Meaning
Food, sustenance, meal, or the act of eating.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'khana' denotes food, bodily nourishment, or daily subsistence. In this couplet, it refers to ordinary sustenance, which the poet deems unlawful or forbidden (haram) unless tempered by grief, wounds, and sorrow. It underscores the lover's poetic doctrine that physical survival without emotional agony is meaningless.
Etymology
From Sanskrit खादति (khādati, 'to eat') / खादन (khādana) via Prakrit into Hindustani.
Usage
In poetry, it frequently appears in idioms like 'gham khana' (to endure sorrow) or contrasts bodily sustenance with emotional suffering.
Examples
Gham khana aur khoon-e-jigar peena
Daana-o-aab aur khana-e-darvesh
Synonyms
भोजनआहारग़िज़ातआम
Related Words
पीनाख़ुराकभूखनिवाला