Word Meaning
सियह-मार
siyah-mār
Meaning
A venomous black serpent; metaphorically, dark and dangerous locks of hair.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu and Persian poetry, 'siyah-mār' literally denotes a lethal black cobra or serpent. In the given couplet, it metaphorically represents a fallen strand of the beloved's dark, undulating hair, warning that it possesses the venomous power to fatally captivate. Poets frequently draw this connection between the curves of dark tresses and the coils of dangerous snakes.
Etymology
Persian: compound of 'siyah' (black) and 'mār' (snake, serpent).
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, 'siyah-mār' is a conventional metaphor comparing the beloved's curled, dark tresses to deadly serpents guarding beauty.
Examples
The coiled lock resting on her cheek is like a slumbering black snake.
Beware the fatal bite of the black serpent lying among her tresses.