Word Meaning
वाए-तमन्ना
vāe-tamannā
Meaning
Alas for desire; lamentation or pity over a vain longing.
Detailed Meaning
A composite exclamatory phrase combining the Persian particle of grief 'vāe' (alas, woe) with the Arabic-derived 'tamannā' (longing or desire). In this couplet, it serves as a mournful critique of an unattainable, naive aspiration—specifically the pursuit of perpetual worldly pleasure by Western materialism. It dramatizes the pathetic futility of chasing an illusion that is destined to end.
Etymology
Persian 'vāy' (alas, woe) + Arabic 'tamannā' (wish, longing).
Usage
Frequently deployed in classical Urdu verse to evoke tragic irony and deep regret over unfulfilled or ill-conceived longings.
Examples
Alas for desire, which consumed my youth in empty hope.
The broken heart could only utter, 'Alas for desire!'