मुहताज

Meaning

Needy, dependent, destitute, or in want of something.

Detailed Meaning

Literally signifies someone who is needy, lacking, or dependent on external support. In the given couplet, it appears in the izafat compound 'muhtaaj-e-hina', denoting that the beloved's fingernails now lack the lover's heart-blood and must depend on henna to be dyed red. It highlights both the lover's past utility in suffering and the beloved's subsequent deprivation after his demise.

Etymology

Arabic participle (ism al-maf'ul / ism al-fa'il) from the root ح-و-ج (ḥ-w-j), denoting state of being in need or lacking.

Usage

In classical ghazal, it commonly conveys extreme emotional helplessness or a lover's proud refusal to be dependent on worldly favors.

Examples

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