Word Meaning
दर्दमंदी
dardmandī
Meaning
Sympathy, compassion, empathy, or sharing in another's sorrow.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'dardmandi' conveys deep compassion, heartfelt empathy, and sharing the suffering of others. In this couplet, it represents the absent human tenderness in a callous world where thousands perish into dust completely ignored. It embodies an ethical ideal of empathy set in stark contrast to universal indifference.
Etymology
Persian: dard (pain) + -mand (possessing) + -ī (abstract noun suffix).
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, 'dardmandi' is frequently used to lament the heartlessness of the beloved or the cruel indifference of society toward the suffering lover.
Examples
In this cruel world, none practice the custom of compassion.
Without sympathy, a heart remains mere stone.