Word Meaning
वीरानी
vīrānī
Meaning
Desolation, ruin, wilderness, or a state of emptiness and abandonment.
Detailed Meaning
Refers to a state of desolation, emptiness, or ruin, often contrasting with habitation and prosperity (aabaadi). In this couplet, it represents the barren void perceived by the gaze of unfulfilled desire, turning even potential flourishing into an arid desert. It reflects both the external barrenness of ruins and the inward emotional ruin of the lover.
Etymology
Persian (ویرانی), formed from 'vīrān' (desolate, ruined) and the abstract noun suffix '-ī'.
Usage
Frequently juxtaposed with 'aabaadi' in classical ghazal to ponder the transience of life and the desolate interior world of the lover.
Examples
The desolation spread across the heart
Where once stood a city, now lies desolation