Word Meaning
सलाम
salaam
Meaning
Salutation, greeting, peace; also bidding farewell or respectful renunciation.
Detailed Meaning
'Salaam' denotes peace, greeting, or salutation. In this couplet, the idiom 'salaam karna' signifies bidding farewell to or renouncing conventional religious symbols (Kaaba, Qibla, Ihram) in favor of the beloved's street. It conveys a total surrender to the lover's sanctuary, rendering external rites redundant.
Etymology
Arabic (سَلَام, salām), derived from the triconsonantal root s-l-m, signifying peace, wholeness, or safety.
Usage
In classical ghazal, while 'salaam' is an offering of reverence, the idiom 'salaam karna' often metaphorically denotes bidding a decisive farewell or giving up on something entirely.
Examples
I offered a salaam to your threshold before turning away.
A final salaam to all worldly attachments and strife.