बक़ा

Meaning

Eternity, permanence, immortality, or everlasting existence.

Detailed Meaning

'Baqā' denotes eternal existence, continuity, and permanence, serving as the philosophical antithesis to 'fanā' (mortality or annihilation). In this couplet, it appears as part of the genitive phrase 'āb-e-baqā' (the water of eternal life), where the intoxicating wave of wine is likened to the legendary elixir that grants revival. In Sufi philosophy, it refers to the state of eternal subsistence in the Divine after the self has undergone total annihilation.

Etymology

Arabic root ب-ق-ي (b-q-y), meaning to remain, endure, or persist.

Usage

In ghazal poetry, 'baqā' is most often paired with 'fanā' to contemplate the illusion of the mortal world versus the permanence of divine love.

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Related Words