Word Meaning
दाना
dāna
hinoun, masculine
Meaning
A grain, seed, or lure; a single particle.
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu and Persian poetry, 'dāna' signifies a seed, grain of corn, or the bait laid inside a hunter's snare. In this couplet, it represents the sown grain that perishes in the dust without ever sprouting, serving as an emblem of hopeless labor and unfulfilled potential. It is frequently contrasted with flourishing crops or paired with 'dām' (trap) to denote worldly enticements.
Etymology
Persian 'dāna' (دانه), meaning grain or seed; related to Sanskrit 'dhānā' (धाना).
Usage
Commonly paired with 'dām' (snare) in ghazals to reflect fatal attraction, or used with tears (dāna-e-ashk) and tasbīḥ beads.
Examples
trapped by the greed of a single grain
a burnt seed mixed into the dust
Synonyms
बीजतुख़्मग़ल्लाकण
Related Words
दामतुख़्मदहक़ाँख़ाक