Word Meaning
राह
rāh
hinoun, feminine
Meaning
A way, road, path, or journey.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetics, 'rāh' denotes a road, pathway, or the allegorical journey of existence and devotion. In this couplet, it represents the mortal path of earthly life, along which every living traveler is inexorably stripped of their worldly goods. The word evokes both the physical hardship of travel and the existential inevitability of loss.
Etymology
Persian 'rāh' (راه), tracing back to Middle Persian 'rāh' and Old Iranian 'rāθa-' (path, way).
Usage
Widely employed in the ghazal to evoke long anticipation ('rāh dekhnā') or the trials of spiritual and romantic pursuit.
Examples
waiting on the lonely path of longing
the perilous path of love
Synonyms
रास्ताडगरमार्गपथ
Related Words
राहगीरसफ़रमंज़िलहमराह