Word Meaning
बद-शराब
bad-sharāb
Meaning
Quarrelsome, belligerent, or violent when intoxicated; an ill-tempered drinker.
Detailed Meaning
In classical poetry, 'bad-sharāb' describes someone whose intoxication incites aggression, malice, or sudden violence rather than joy. In this couplet, it underscores the saqi's dangerously erratic temperament, drawing a dagger simply because the speaker pulled back his hand from taking more wine. It emphasizes the perilous and tyrannical nature of the beloved or cupbearer.
Etymology
Compound of Persian 'bad' (evil, ill) and Arabic-derived Persian 'sharāb' (wine, drink).
Usage
Employed in ghazal verse to portray the beloved or cupbearer as violently capricious and dangerous under the influence of intoxication.
Examples
A bad-sharāb companion easily turns the gathering into a battlefield.
Beware of the bad-sharāb cupbearer whose anger is stirred by refusal.