Word Meaning
ख़ुल्द
khuld
Meaning
Paradise, heaven, or the celestial Garden of Eden.
Detailed Meaning
In Arabic and classical Urdu literature, 'khuld' denotes eternity and is a standard name for Paradise or Eden. In this couplet, it refers to the celestial realm from which Adam was expelled following his fall. The poet evokes this monumental mythological expulsion only to suggest that his own exile from the beloved's street was far more humiliating.
Etymology
Arabic root خ-ل-د (kh-l-d), meaning eternity, perpetuity, or everlasting duration; used in the Quran as 'Jannat al-Khuld' (Garden of Eternity).
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, 'khuld' is commonly invoked in contrast with the beloved's street, often to claim that earthly love surpasses celestial paradise.
Examples
Even the bower of paradise pales beside the beloved's dwelling.
Driven from eternity into the realm of grief.