Word Meaning
शम-रवी
sham-ravi
Meaning
Burning or weeping through the night like a candle; a candle's course.
Detailed Meaning
A poetic compound of 'sham' (candle) and 'ravi' (course, walking, conduct), referring to the characteristic endurance of a candle. In Urdu verse, it symbolizes keeping a tearful vigil, melting away gradually through the dark hours. In this couplet, it represents the sustained, burning companionship shared from twilight until daybreak.
Etymology
Arabic 'sham' (candle, light) combined with Persian 'ravi' (course, conduct, from 'raftan', to go).
Usage
Employed in classical ghazal to evoke the lover's nocturnal vigil, burning grief, and tearful endurance until morning.
Examples
The entire night passed in the slow vigil of the candle.
The heart learned the patient suffering of the burning candle.