Word Meaning
दस्त
dast
Meaning
Hand; palm, grasp, or possession.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Persian and Urdu poetry, 'dast' refers to the hand, symbolizing human agency, power, or physical touch. In this verse, it appears in the compound 'dast-e-hina-alooda' (henna-stained hand), where the lover's bleeding heart is ironically visible upon the beloved's decorated hand. It heightens the poetic trope of the beloved innocently or carelessly flaunting the evidence of the lover's murder.
Etymology
Persian (دست, dast), from Middle Persian dast, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰesto- ('hand'); cognate with Sanskrit हस्त (hasta).
Usage
Commonly employed in izafat constructions to invoke destiny (dast-e-qaza), prayer (dast-e-dua), or the beloved's delicate touch.
Examples
dast-e-hina-alooda (henna-stained hand)
dast-e-qaza (the hand of destiny)