Word Meaning
मरजाँ
marjāñ
Meaning
Red coral, a marine gem often used for rosary beads.
Detailed Meaning
'Marjāñ' refers to red coral, prized in classical imagery for its vivid crimson hue and smooth texture. In this couplet, each droplet of blood shed due to the piercing glance of eyelashes is likened to a bead in a coral rosary (tasbīh-e-marjāñ). It encapsulates the poet's devotion through continuous, rhythmic suffering.
Etymology
Arabic 'marjān' (مرجان), meaning coral or small pearls, ultimately related to ancient Mediterranean and Semitic trade vocabularies.
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, 'marjān' is frequently employed to evoke deep red imagery, particularly drops of heart's blood, tears of sorrow, or the beloved's crimson lips.
Examples
a rosary crafted from bright coral
lips that gleam like polished coral beads