Word Meaning
सिपाहें
sipaahein
Meaning
Armies; troops; military forces.
Detailed Meaning
'सिपाहें' is the feminine plural of the Persian loanword 'सिपाह', meaning armies or military forces. In this couplet, it metaphorically describes the ranks of the beloved's eyelashes advancing like attacking armies through the reflection of a mirror onto the lover's heart. The imagery invokes the classical trope of beauty's armed conquest of helpless lovers.
Etymology
Derived from Persian 'سپاہ' (sipāh, meaning army or troops) combined with the Urdu feminine plural inflection '-یں' (-eñ).
Usage
In classical Urdu ghazals, 'सिपाह' and its plural 'सिपाहें' are commonly employed metaphorically for the beloved's eyelashes, curls, or the onslaught of sorrows.
Examples
The armies of grief descended upon the ruins of my heart.
Armies lined up on the battlefield.