Word Meaning
ख़ुश-बाशी
Khush-bāshī
Meaning
A carefree, joyous lifestyle or lighthearted living.
Detailed Meaning
Khush-bashi denotes a state of living in pleasure, good spirits, and carefree contentment. In this couplet, Mir reflects on his former existence marked by cheerfulness, spiritual purity, and sanctified detachment before worldly circumstances compelled him into his present predicament. It presents a stark contrast between past tranquility and current entrapment.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from 'khush' (happy, pleasant) and 'bāshī' (dwelling, being; from the verbal root bāshīdan/būdan).
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, it usually portrays an idealized condition of carefree ease and epicurean freedom away from worldly strife.
Examples
Those days of carefree living have now turned into a dream.
A life of cheerful ease was all that once suited us.