Word Meaning
मरे
mare
Meaning
Dies, should die; if one dies (conditional form of to die).
Detailed Meaning
In this couplet, 'mare' is the third-person conditional or subjunctive form of the verb 'marna' (to die), carrying the sense of 'if [he] dies'. Ghalib asserts that if a Brahmin remains absolutely steadfast to his belief unto death inside the temple, his loyalty transcends dogma, making him worthy of burial in the Kaaba. The word thus anchors the poetic condition that tests fidelity through ultimate mortality.
Etymology
Sanskrit 'म्रियते' (mriyate) via Prakrit 'मरइ' (maraï), evolving into Hindustani 'मरना' (marnā).
Usage
In ghazal prosody, subjunctive verbal forms like 'mare' often introduce dramatic hypothetical conditions linking passion or steadfastness directly with mortality.
Examples
Mare to sab gham chhoot jaayen
Agar wo mare but-kade mein
