Word Meaning
वज़ीफ़ा-ख़्वार
wazifa-khwar
Meaning
A pensioner or one who subsists on a royal grant or stipend.
Detailed Meaning
A compound of 'wazifa' (stipend/pension) and 'khwar' (consumer/receiver), referring to someone subsisting on a royal or patronal allowance. In this couplet, Ghalib ironically acknowledges his dependence on the Mughal emperor's purse, noting that having accepted the pension, his sole obligation now is to pray for his benefactor rather than boast of independence.
Etymology
Arabic 'wazifah' (daily portion, pension, allowance) + Persian 'khwar' (agentive suffix from 'khurdan', to eat/consume).
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazal, the term is frequently employed with a layer of wit or self-deprecating irony regarding a poet's reliance on royal patrons.
Examples
The royal pensioner prayed dutifully for the ruler's long reign.
Having become a mere wazifa-khwar, he could no longer speak freely.