Word Meaning
ना-तवानों
nā-tawānoñ
Meaning
Weak, feeble, or helpless people (plural oblique form).
Detailed Meaning
It denotes individuals who are frail, powerless, or physically exhausted by the trials of separation and longing. In this verse, the poet uses it collectively for helpless lovers who lack even the vital energy to record the intense desires of their hearts. It embodies the classical trope of the lover rendered completely feeble by love's burdens.
Etymology
Persian compound of the negative prefix 'nā-' (not/without) and 'tawān' (strength/power), with the Hindustani plural oblique marker '-oñ'.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, it frequently emphasizes the lover's extreme physical wasting and existential helplessness.
Examples
Have mercy on the plight of the helpless.
Who heeds the cries of the frail in love's wasteland?