Word Meaning
बस्ता
basta
Meaning
Bound, tied, closed, or congealed (often of blood).
Detailed Meaning
In classical Persian and Urdu poetry, 'basta' refers to something tied, closed, or congealed. In this couplet, it combines with 'khūn' (blood) in 'khūn-basta' to describe eyelashes that are clotted and matted with blood from weeping tears of blood. It emphasizes intense agony and the lingering visual imprint of the beloved's deep red lips.
Etymology
Persian past participle of bastan (بستن), meaning 'to bind, close, tie, or congeal'.
Usage
In ghazal poetry, 'basta' frequently appears in compounds like 'khūn-basta' (blood-congealed) or 'dil-e-basta' (heart-constricted) to depict paralysis or deep physical and emotional affliction.
Examples
khūn-basta palken (clotted, blood-soaked eyelashes)
dil-e-basta (a constricted or bound heart)