Word Meaning
सुल्ताँ
Sultāñ
Meaning
A monarch, sovereign ruler, king, or emperor.
Detailed Meaning
In Urdu classical verse, 'sultāñ' denotes temporal authority, sovereign power, and worldly grandeur, frequently contrasted against the inner majesty of the mystic or dervish. In this couplet by Iqbal, it exemplifies elite worldly rulers who lack the soaring spiritual insight and purity granted to modest mendicants. It represents the poetic truncation with nun ghunna of the canonical noun 'sultan'.
Etymology
Arabic 'sulṭān' (سلطان), originally signifying authority, power, or dominion, later developing into the title for an Islamic ruler or sovereign.
Usage
In the ghazal tradition, 'sultāñ' is conventionally juxtaposed against 'गदा' (beggar) or 'फ़क़ीर' (ascetic) to emphasize that spiritual sovereignty surpasses temporal royalty.
Examples
Even the crown of a sultan turns to dust before time.
A true dervish ignores the riches of a sultan.