Word Meaning
मय-परस्ती
mai-parastī
Meaning
Devotion to wine; habitual drinking or pursuit of intoxication.
Detailed Meaning
Literally meaning wine-worship, it denotes the habit of drinking wine or the lifestyle of revelry. In classical Urdu and Sufi poetic tradition, it often symbolizes spiritual abandonment, inner ecstacy, and open rebellion against superficial piety. In the given couplet, it describes the tavern assembly of carefree drinkers where ordinary social troubles are out of place.
Etymology
Persian compound from mai (wine) and parastī (worship, devotion, from parastīdan).
Usage
In the ghazal, it commonly contrasts the authentic ecstasy of the tavern with the dry orthodoxy of the ascetic.
Examples
In the circle of wine-worship, all earthly pride is cast aside.
He traded ascetic robes for the reckless joy of wine-worship.