Word Meaning
दो-जहाँ
do-jahaan
Meaning
Both worlds; this temporal world and the hereafter, or the entire universe.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'do-jahan' signifies the totality of existence, comprising both the mortal world (dunya) and the afterlife (aakhirat). In Ghalib's verse, it appears within the genitive phrase 'aaina-e-do-jahan' (the mirror of both worlds), depicting the entire cosmos as an arena reflecting formal pretense and illusory flattery. It underscores how artificial social restraint spans across the full spectrum of existence.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from 'do' (two) and 'jahān' (world, cosmos).
Usage
Commonly invoked in the ghazal to denote the lover's total detachment from both worldly desires and the promises of the afterlife.
Examples
The longing for both worlds dissolved in the ocean of love.
Indifferent to both worlds, the mystic sat in solitary silence.