Word Meaning
वबाल
wabāl
Meaning
A burden, calamity, affliction, or heavy curse.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'wabāl' denotes an unbearable burden, affliction, or catastrophic consequence that torments the soul. In this couplet, it expresses profound existential weariness, where the speaker feels that their very presence and life have become an intolerable burden to themselves ('wabāl apnā hūñ'). It highlights intense self-alienation and the agonizing weight of living.
Etymology
Arabic (وَبَال - wabāl), from the root w-b-l denoting a heavy downpour, unwholesomeness, or ruinous consequence.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, it frequently occurs in the construct 'wabāl-e jān' (a curse or burden to life) to describe unbearable love or existence.
Examples
My very breath has become an affliction unto my soul.
Living without purpose is a heavy burden.