Madhushala - Rubaiya 14

लाल सुरा की धार लपट-सी
laal suraa kee dhaar lapat-see
कह न इसे देना ज्वाला,
keh na ise denaa jwaalaa
फेनिल मदिरा है, मत इसको
feynil madiraa hai, mat isko
कह देना उर का छाला,
keh dena ur kaa chhaalaa
दर्द नशा है इस मदिरा का
dard nasha hai is madiraa kaa
विगत स्मृतियाँ साकी है;
vigat smritiyaan saakee hai
पीड़ा में आनन्द जिसे हो,
peeda mein aanand jise ho,
आए मेरी मधुशाला।
aaye meri madshushaalaa.



Bachchan continues his description of life. Gone are the mere play with the words - he continues from the previous stanza by describing life in the same strong terms. Using the wine, the wine-cup and the bar-girls as metaphors, Bachchan points out that life is not easy.


The verse is similar to what Kahlil Gibran said in "The prophet", "that sorrow is the cup in which joy is held". Life is about living, and when we come to this world as humans, sorrow is inevitable. But people who want to live life to the fullest have to deal with their sorrows; they have to experience the grief of living, if they are to realize its joys.


'Peeda mein anand jise ho" means, "those who derive happiness in sorrow". But do not mistake this for cynical masochism! Surely, Bachchan meant to convey the message that the happiness of life is not divorced from its realities - which may at times look like the flame of a raging fire, like an abcess of the heart. The beauty of life lies in these details; in pain, in lost memories. Those who can live these things, are welcomed by life!!


What a verse!