Word Meaning
भेस
bhes
Meaning
Guise, disguise, external appearance, attire, or form.
Usage
In Sufi and mystical ghazal poetry, it frequently denotes the various worldly appearances or masks under which the singular Divine reality reveals itself to the seeker, or the mendicant garb of the lover (e.g., faqiri bhes). In this couplet, it represents the myriad worldly forms—whether the strict religious preacher or the fearsome executioner—under which the enlightened speaker still recognizes the singular ultimate reality. Thus, neither figure incites fear or argument, as their diverse guises fail to disguise the single source behind them all. (Origin: Sanskrit 'वेष' (veṣa), meaning dress or appearance, through Prakrit into Hindustani). [Examples: 'फ़क़ीरी का भेस बदल कर देखना' / 'فقیری کا بھیس بدل کر دیکھنا' / 'Changing into the guise of a wandering ascetic', and 'जिस भेस में आए वो पहचान लिया हमने' / 'جس بھیس میں آئے وہ پہچان لیا ہم نے' / 'In whatever guise he arrived, we recognized him.']