Word Meaning
सर्फ़ा
sarfa
Meaning
Economy, saving, advantage, or profit.
Detailed Meaning
In classical poetry, 'sarfa' denotes economy, saving, or an advantage gained by restraint. In this verse, Ghalib suggests that suppressing a sigh is an act of economical saving for his life, which otherwise would be consumed by a single soul-melting breath. It conveys the idea that withholding one's destructive passion serves as a preservation of being.
Etymology
Arabic, derived from the root ṣ-r-f (ص-ر-ف), associated with expending, diverting, or economizing.
Usage
In classical ghazal, it is often employed ironically or philosophically to contrast material economy with the economizing of emotional breath or grief.
Examples
sarfa-e-umr (saving or preserving life)
zabt-e-alam mein hai sarfa (there is an economy in withholding pain)