Word Meaning
गदायाँ
gadaayaan
Meaning
Beggars, mendicants, or humble seekers.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu and Persian verse, 'gadaayaan' refers to mendicants, dervishes, or lovers humbled before the beloved or the Divine. In this couplet, it designates destitute or lowly individuals whose flaws ought not to be pointed out, as even the lowliest possess innate nobility. The term often intersects with Sufi ideas of voluntary poverty ('faqr') and humility.
Etymology
Persian 'gadāyān' (گدایان), the animate plural form of 'gadā' (beggar, mendicant).
Usage
In the ghazal, 'gadaayaan' is frequently contrasted with monarchs ('shah' or 'sultan') to elevate spiritual destitution above worldly dominion.
Examples
The gathering of humble mendicants at the tavern door.
Beggars elevated above kings in the court of love.