Word Meaning
तुनुक-ज़र्फ़ी
tunuk-zarfī
Meaning
Shallow capacity, narrowness of endurance, or inability to keep secrets.
Detailed Meaning
In classical poetry, 'tunuk-zarfi' describes a shallow vessel or someone lacking the capacity to bear divine secrets and ecstasy in silence. In Ghalib's couplet, it serves as a subtle critique of Mansur al-Hallaj, who lacked the forbearance to hold the secret of divine unity within himself and instead publicly proclaimed 'Ana al-Haqq'.
Etymology
Persian 'tunuk' (delicate, thin, frail) + Arabic 'zarf' (vessel, capacity) + suffix '-ī'.
Usage
Frequently contrasted with high spiritual forbearance in Sufi and ghazal poetry to denote a drinker who cannot hold his wine or a mystic who cannot keep divine mysteries concealed.
Examples
The divine wine overflowed because of his shallow capacity.
A lover must conceal the pain, avoiding such petty intolerance.