Word Meaning
ताना
ta'na
Meaning
Taunt, reproach, sarcasm, or mockery.
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu poetics, 'taana' refers to a cutting rebuke, reproach, or derisive remark, frequently delivered by society, moralists, or rivals. In this verse, it appears in the compound 'taana-e-na-yaaft' (the taunt of failure or unfulfillment), representing the mocking judgment of observers. The poet dismisses this worldly mockery by choosing absolute self-effacement over societal concern.
Etymology
Arabic root ط-ع-ن (ṭa'n), originally meaning to pierce or stab with a spear, metaphorically extended to striking with wounding words or slandering.
Usage
A staple trope in the ghazal, often combined via izafat with the reproach of moral censors (taana-e-waiz) or rivals (taana-e-aghyar) to signify the public humiliation borne by the lover.
Examples
taana-e-aghyar (the taunts of strangers/rivals)
taana-e-kam-aamezi (reproach of being aloof)