Word Meaning
सुख़न-रस
sukhan-ras
Meaning
A connoisseur of poetry; one who grasps and appreciates literary nuance.
Detailed Meaning
A Persian compound formed from 'sukhan' (speech/poetry) and the present stem of 'rasidan' (to arrive/reach), denoting someone whose intellect reaches the depths of poetry. In Iqbal's couplet, it describes the Ottoman Turk as someone endowed with the discernment and refined taste needed to appreciate verse. The term represents an ideal, appreciative listener in literary culture.
Etymology
Persian: 'sukhan' (speech, word, poetry) + 'ras' (agent noun from 'rasīdan', to reach/attain).
Usage
Commonly used in classical ghazal to praise an astute patron, listener, or beloved capable of understanding subtle poetic metaphors.
Examples
Not a single connoisseur of verse was present in the gathering.
A single subtle word suffices for a true connoisseur of poetry.