मात

Meaning

Defeat, checkmate, or being rendered helpless in a contest.

Detailed Meaning

In classical poetry, 'maat' primarily denotes checkmate in the game of chess, signifying inescapable defeat. In this couplet, it metaphorically represents fate's relentless triumph over human skill and calculation. It underscores the tragic helplessness of humans facing the unpredictable moves of time and destiny.

Etymology

Arabic root 'māt' (meaning 'he died', famously occurring in 'shāh māt') via Persian.

Usage

Frequently deployed within chess-related metaphors (shatranj, baazi, rukh) to evoke the lover's surrender or man's inevitable defeat by fate.

Examples

Synonyms

Related Words