Word Meaning
हवस
hawas
hinoun, feminine
Meaning
Greed, avarice, lust, or excessive worldly desire.
Detailed Meaning
In classical Urdu poetry, 'hawas' denotes an ignoble longing, greed, or sensual lust, frequently contrasted with selfless spiritual love ('ishq'). In this couplet, it appears in 'hawas-e-zar' (greed for wealth), which corrupts and commodifies beauty. It represents a destructive, profane craving that compromises honor and dignity.
Etymology
Arabic (هوس - hawas), originally signifying delusion, uncontrolled desire, or passion.
Usage
Frequently juxtaposed against 'ishq' in ghazals to contrast base worldly desires with pure, transcendent love.
Examples
Hawas has made human dignity a commodity.
True devotion remains forever untainted by hawas.
Synonyms
लालचलोभलिप्सावासना
Related Words
इश्क़हवस-नाकहवस-परस्तज़र