Word Meaning
मिसाल
misāl
Meaning
Example, likeness, simile, or comparison.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetics, 'misāl' means an example, likeness, or simile, often functioning in izafat compounds to mean 'in the manner of' or 'like'. In this couplet, it appears in 'misāl-e-tegh-e-asīl' to compare the profound truths of selfhood (khudī) directly to a genuine, razor-sharp sword. It highlights the sharp, penetrating, and unyielding nature of spiritual and intellectual self-realization.
Etymology
Arabic root m-th-l (م-ث-ل), denoting likeness, model, or similitude.
Usage
Widely used in classical ghazals both as a standalone noun for 'model' or 'precedent', and with the izafat construct ('misāl-e-...') to establish vivid poetic similes.
Examples
misāl-e-sham' jalnā (to burn like a candle)
husn mein be-misāl honā (to be peerless in beauty)