Madhushala - Rubaiya 18

लालायित अधरों से जिसने,
laalaayit adharon se jisne,
हाय, नहीं चूमी हाला,
hai, nahin choomee haalaa,
हर्ष-विकंपित कर से जिसने,
harsh-vikampit kar se jisne,
हा, न छुआ मधु का प्याला,
hah, na chhuaa madhu kaa pyaalaa,
हाथ पकड़ लज्जित साकी का
haath pakad lajjit saaki kaa
पास नहीं जिसने खींचा,
paas nahin jisne kheenchaa,
व्यर्थ सुखा डाली जीवन की
vyart sukha daali jeevan kee
उसने मधुमय मधुशाला
usne madhumay madhushala


Bachchan's disguises a plea - he exhorts people to drop pretenses and convention, and participate in life instead. We can spend our entire lives studying, arguing or philosophising; but we'd have lost the opportunity to live life. Using that opportunity involves living every moment; it requires attention, and it requires love.


Bachchan captures this sentiment beautifully in the verse: you need "eager lips"; "hands trembling with anticipation"; you need to put yourself out there, and risk the slap of the bar-girl. That, and that alone will teach you the meaning of life, Bachchan seems to say!