Word Meaning
नावक
nāvak
Meaning
A small arrow shot through a tube; a piercing arrow or dart.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu and Persian poetry, 'nāvak' refers to a deadly small arrow shot through a pipe or guide, often used metaphorically for the beloved's piercing glance or eyelashes. In this couplet, it appears as part of 'nāvak-e-be-khatā' (the unerring arrow), capturing how the mere lifting of the beloved's eyelid deals an infallible, fatal blow straight through the liver and heart.
Etymology
Persian 'nāvak' (diminutive of 'nāv' or 'nāy', meaning reed/flute/tube).
Usage
A quintessential ghazal trope usually paired with 'mizhgan' (eyelashes) or 'nigaah' (glance) to symbolize the fatal attraction of the beloved.
Examples
His heart fell victim to the unerring arrow of her glance.
The arrow shot from the eyelashes pierced straight through.