नवा

Meaning

Voice, sound, melody, tune, or plaintive song.

Detailed Meaning

In Persian and Urdu poetics, 'nawa' denotes a voice, musical note, or lyrical melody, frequently associated with heartfelt lamentation. In this couplet, it specifically refers to the faint cry or helpless wailing of a captive bird ('murgh-e-giriftaar'). The poet contrasts the devastating power of his own grief with the comparatively harmless song of such an entrapped creature.

Etymology

Persian (نوا - nawā), meaning sound, voice, melody, or sustenance.

Usage

Commonly invoked in the ghazal tradition to evoke the poetic voice or the melancholic song of the lover metaphorically depicted as a nightingale.

Examples

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Related Words