Word Meaning
ताख़तन
tāḳhtan
Meaning
Galloping, running swiftly, charging, or rushing forward.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Persian and Urdu poetry, 'tākhtan' is an infinitive used as a verbal noun denoting galloping or unrestrained swift movement. In Ghalib's verse, it signifies the boundless ambition and momentum of the spiritual or existential seeker, for whom the entire universe is merely a single running arena. It serves as an antithesis to 'vāmāndagī' (weariness or exhaustion), which alone halts the march.
Etymology
Persian infinitive 'tākhtan' (تاختن), meaning to gallop, run swiftly, attack, or raid.
Usage
Used in highly Persianized ghazals as an elevated metaphor for boundless exertion, spiritual quest, or aggressive movement.
Examples
tākhtan-e-shauq ne har had ko miṭā diyā
maidān-e-hastī meñ tāḳhtan hī tāḳhtan thā