Word Meaning
परीशां
parīshāñ
Meaning
Scattered, disheveled, distressed, or troubled.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Persian and Urdu poetry, 'parīshāñ' signifies both physical scattering (such as untamed, unbraided hair) and psychological distress or anxiety. In this couplet, it specifically describes the beloved's disheveled tresses ('zulf-e-parīshāñ'), evoking both fragrant beauty and melancholy. The imagery binds the scattered state of hair to the unsettled state of the lover's heart.
Etymology
Persian (پریشان - parīshān), from prefix pari- (around) and the root shāndan (to scatter, shake).
Usage
It is most famously collocated with 'zulf' (hair) to depict intoxicating dishevelment and with 'dil' (heart) to indicate existential or romantic anguish.
Examples
The fragrant touch of her scattered tresses.
A heart left troubled in the quiet night.