Word Meaning
बूते
bote
Meaning
Sowing or planting seeds; cultivating continually or repeatedly.
Detailed Meaning
In this couplet, the word appears in the repetitive verbal form 'बूते बूते' (बोते-बोते), meaning the continual act of sowing seeds. The speaker laments tiring of endlessly planting the seeds of longing ('तुख़्म-ए-तमन्ना') in the soil of the heart, only for scars of hopelessness to sprout instead. It represents persistent yet futile emotional endeavor.
Etymology
From Sanskrit 'वपति' (vapati, sows/plants), through Prakrit, evolving into Hindustani 'बोना' (bonā).
Usage
In classical ghazal, the act of sowing ('बोना') is frequently paired with metaphors of planting desire, love, or sorrow in the soil of the heart.
Examples
Dard ke beej bote bote umr guzar gayi
Fasl-e-ummeed bote bote haath thak gaye