Word Meaning
हश्त-बहिश्त
hasht-bahisht
Meaning
The eight heavens or paradises in Islamic cosmology; supreme paradise.
Detailed Meaning
In Islamic cosmology and Persianate tradition, 'hasht-bahisht' signifies the eight realms or levels of paradise. In the context of the couplet, the poet warns the hypocritical or rigid ascetic (Shaikh) against intruding into paradise, which the pious religious authority assumed belonged exclusively to him. It satirically juxtaposes the intoxicated lover (rind) with the sanctimonious preacher.
Etymology
Persian: 'hasht' (eight) + 'bahisht' (paradise/heaven).
Usage
In classical Urdu poetry, it frequently appears as an architectural metaphor or to satirize the ascetic's fixation on heavenly rewards.
Examples
May your abode be in the hasht-bahisht.
He traded the allure of hasht-bahisht for the beloved's street.