Word Meaning
मेहर
mehr
Meaning
Love, affection, kindness, benevolence, or favor.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'mehr' denotes love, compassion, and kindness, frequently combined with 'wafa' (fidelity). In this couplet, it represents the supreme virtues of unconditional devotion whose loss will go unmourned after the poet's demise. While the same Persian word also signifies the sun, in this context it strictly refers to affection and grace.
Etymology
Persian (مہر - mihr/mehr), derived from Proto-Iranian *miθra- (contract, bond, friendship).
Usage
Commonly deployed in the hendiadys 'mehr-o-wafa' to represent the quintessential ideals of emotional warmth and steadfast loyalty in the ghazal tradition.
Examples
Where is that former affection and kindness now?
Neither fidelity remains in the world, nor does affection.