Word Meaning
ख़लिश
khalish
Meaning
A prick, lingering ache, thorn-like irritation, or persistent internal torment.
Detailed Meaning
Literally denoting the physical pricking sensation of a thorn or splinter, khalish is widely used in classical poetry for a persistent ache, remorse, or unsettled longing inside the heart. In this couplet, it appears in the construct 'khalish-e-khaar' (the prick of a thorn), contrasting the speaker's frail inability to bear even a thorn's sting with their lofty urge to withstand the beloved's piercing row of eyelashes.
Etymology
Persian, derived from the infinitive 'khalīdan' (to prick, pierce, or rankle).
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, khalish often evokes the pleasurable torment of unfulfilled love, where a painful ache is cherished as a sign of true passion.
Examples
a lingering prick in the heart
the thorn's sharp sting