Word Meaning
पूछ
poochh
Meaning
To ask, inquire, or question.
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu and Hindi poetry, 'पूछ' is the imperative or root form of the verb 'पूछना' (to ask or inquire). In this couplet, it appears in the idiomatic negative construction 'मत पूछ' (do not ask), signifying that a condition or situation is beyond description or too painful to recount. The speaker cautions against probing into the paradoxical nature of those trapped in indifference.
Etymology
Derived from Sanskrit 'पृच्छति' (pṛcchati), passing through Prakrit 'पुच्छइ' (pucchai) into Old Hindi and Urdu.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, phrases like 'मत पूछ' or 'न पूछ' serve as a classic rhetorical device expressing the ineffable depth of suffering or wonder.
Examples
Do not ask of my heart's condition, O physician.
Ask not what befell the garden when spring departed.