खावे

Meaning

Eats, consumes, or corrodes; an archaic grammatical form of 'khana'.

Detailed Meaning

An archaic grammatical inflection equivalent to standard modern Urdu/Hindi 'khaaye' (eats or may eat). In this couplet, it describes the corrosive action of rust (zangaar) eating into the metal of a mirror. Metaphorically, it evokes the corrosive grief that ruins the lover before the vision of the beloved can be attained.

Etymology

Sanskrit खादति (khādati) via Prakrit to early Hindustani verbal inflection.

Usage

A frequent feature of 18th-century classical Urdu ghazal influenced by Braj Bhasha verbal conjugations.

Examples

Synonyms

Related Words