Word Meaning
सख़्त
sakht
Meaning
Hard, severe, difficult; exceedingly or very as an intensifier.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu, 'sakht' fundamentally denotes hardness, rigor, or severity, but it also frequently functions as an intensifier meaning 'exceedingly' or 'grievously'. In this couplet, paired with 'girān' (heavy, burdensome, or precious), it magnifies the painful gravity and moral weight of Prophet Yusuf being sold so cheaply. The word deepens the emotional paradox between an immense worth and an absurdly low price.
Etymology
Persian 'sakht' (سخت), from Middle Persian 'saxt' (firm, rigid, severe).
Usage
In ghazal poetry, 'sakht' frequently intensifies conditions of distress, the lover's endurance, or the unbearable cruelty of separation.
Examples
sakht mushkil hai tire hijr meñ jiinā (it is exceedingly difficult to live in your separation)
dil pe guzrī hai koī sakht qayāmat (some severe catastrophe has befallen the heart)