Word Meaning
फ़र्सूद
farsūd
Meaning
Worn out, consumed, decayed, rubbed away, or exhausted by use.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Persian and Urdu poetry, 'farsūd' denotes something that has been worn away, exhausted, or consumed over time or through intense action. In Ghalib's verse, it appears as part of the compound 'sho'la-farsūd', describing the burnt scar (dāġ) of a snuffed-out lamp as being worn down or consumed by the flame itself. It evokes an image of ultimate exhaustion where even the trace of burning is faded and worn.
Etymology
Persian (فرسودن farsūdan, to wear out, rub, decay; past stem farsūd).
Usage
In ghazal aesthetics, it is frequently compounded with nouns like 'sho'la' or 'gham' to depict the slow, exhausting destruction of the lover or the self.
Examples
sho'la-farsūd-e-dil (consumed by the heart's flame)
gardish-e-ayyām se farsūd (worn out by the turning of days)