Word Meaning
दिल-गीर
dil-gīr
Meaning
Sorrowful, dejected, heavy-hearted, or melancholic.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'dil-gir' refers to someone whose heart is seized by sorrow, despondency, or deep gloom. In this couplet, it evokes an unexplained, existential grief—a state of profound sadness endured across a whole lifetime without even knowing its origin. The speaker compares this quiet, perplexed melancholy to an unopened painted bud.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from 'dil' (heart) and 'gīr' (root of 'giriftan', meaning to seize or catch); literally 'heart-gripped' or stricken with grief.
Usage
Commonly used in ghazals to depict the lover's unshakeable melancholy, quiet heartache, or estrangement from the world.
Examples
Why does the heart remain so dejected even among friends?
A dejected wanderer sits silently beneath the evening sky.