Word Meaning
तिर्याकी
tiryākī
Meaning
An addict, especially an opium eater; one chronically habituated to something.
Detailed Meaning
Literally denoting an opium addict, the term stems from tiryaaq, originally an antidote and colloquially an opiate. In this couplet, it is used metaphorically for someone utterly habituated to late-night contemplation and writing poetry by candlelight. It portrays the poet's intellectual absorption not as a sudden whim, but as a lifelong dependence.
Etymology
Derived from Arabic and Persian 'tiryāq' (antidote or opium, ultimately from Greek 'thēriakē') with the adjectival/agent suffix '-ī'.
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, it is frequently employed metaphorically to describe incurable enslavement to art, sorrow, or love.
Examples
an addict of deep grief
the old addict of the night lamp