Word Meaning
खेलूँ
khelūñ
hiverb
Meaning
To play; in this context, to risk or stake one's life.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu, 'khelūñ hūñ' represents an archaic present habitual formation equivalent to modern 'kheltā hūñ'. Within the idiom 'jān pe khelnā', it signifies risking or sacrificing one's very existence in desperate defiance. In this couplet, the speaker threatens to stake his life if his grief is not acknowledged.
Etymology
Sanskrit खेलति (khelati, 'to play, move') through Prakrit into Hindustani खेलना (khelnā).
Usage
The archaic construction 'खेलूँ हूँ' reflects the classical 18th-century Delhi idiom (used by Mir and his contemporaries) for the present tense.
Examples
Jān pe khel gayā vafā kī rāh meñ
Khelūñ kyuñkar maiñ zindagī kī bāzī
Synonyms
बाज़ी लगानादाँव पर लगानाजोखिम उठाना
Related Words
खेलखेलनाखिलाड़ी