Word Meaning
दराज़-दस्ती
daraaz-dastii
Meaning
Tyranny, oppression, overreach, or stretching one's hand to cause harm.
Detailed Meaning
Literally denoting 'length of hand' or 'overreach', daraaz-dasti figuratively signifies tyranny, violence, or aggression. In this couplet, it represents the reach of the killer's oppressive hand, which the poet humbly claims he is too insignificant even to serve as a target for. It conveys both the overweening power of the beloved/fate and the supreme humility of the lover.
Etymology
Persian compound formed from 'darāz' (long, extended) and 'dastī' (hand-related action, from 'dast' + noun suffix '-ī').
Usage
Commonly invoked in classical ghazals to personify the overreaching cruelty of the beloved or the oppression of fate.
Examples
None remained safe from the overreaching cruelty of fate.
The tyrant's reach left the helpless without refuge.