Word Meaning
जौहर-तिलिस्म
jauhar-tilism
Meaning
A talismanic pattern; the magical essence or enchanted grain of a mirror.
Detailed Meaning
A poetic compound denoting the magical grain, luster, or talismanic labyrinth formed by the grain of a mirror or polished blade. In Ghalib's verse, it describes the intricate texture of the mirror as an unsolvable magical knot that defies all human contrivance. It blends the metallurgical imagery of 'jauhar' with the fantastical concept of 'tilism'.
Etymology
Compound formed from Arabic-Persian 'jauhar' (originally Persian 'gauhar', meaning jewel, essence, or mirror's grain) and Arabic 'tilism' (borrowed via Greek 'telesma', meaning talisman or enchantment).
Usage
Common in the imaginative Indian style (Sabk-e-Hindi) of the ghazal, where the visible lines of a mirror are imagined as an intricate, enchanted puzzle.
Examples
the talismanic grain of the mirror
lost in an enchanted maze of essence