Word Meaning
थमा
thama
Meaning
Stopped, ceased, halted, or subsided.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'thama' denotes the cessation, pausing, or halting of continuous movement or flow. In this couplet by Ghalib, it specifically describes bleeding that refuses to halt even when the physical wound is pressed down, representing grief and torment that cannot be contained. The word highlights the contrast between external suppression and the unyielding inner flow of pain.
Etymology
Sanskrit स्तम्भ् (stambh, meaning to stop or support) > Prakrit थंभइ (thambhai) > Hindi/Urdu थमना (thamnā).
Usage
Frequently deployed in ghazal poetry with negative particles ('na thama') to portray the uncontrollable, unending flow of tears, blood, or sorrow.
Examples
The storm did not cease all night.
The unyielding flow of tears never stopped.