Music: S.D. Burman
Lyrics: Kaifi Azmi
Philosophical/Didactic Song of Rafi: Apne haatho.n ko pehchaan...
Roman Transliteration/English Translation of the original Urdu-Hindi Lyrics:
Ho o~o~o~~~ho o o o o
apne haatho.n ko pehchaan,
RECOGNISE YOUR HANDS,
apne haatho.n ko pehchaan,
RECOGNISE YOUR HANDS,
moorakh in me.n hai bhagwaan,
FOOL, GOD RESIDES IN THEM!
mujh par tujh par sab hee par
ON ME, ON YOU, AND EVEN ON ALL
in doh haatho.n kaa ehsaan,
THESE TWO HANDS HAVE CONFERRED A FAVOUR!
apne, haatho.n ko pehchaan...
RECOGNISE YOUR HANDS!
haath uThaate hai.n jo kudaal,
THE HANDS THAT PICK UP THE HOE
parbat kaaT giraate hai.n,
CUT THE HILLS DOWN,
ba.Dhte cha.Dhte paanee me.n,
IN THE SWELLING AND RISING WATER
baa.ndh ke bandh dikhaate hai.n,
THEY BUILD THE DAMS,
jangal se kheto.n kee taraf
FROM THE JUNGLES TOWARDS THE FIELDS
mo.d ke dariyaa laate hai.n
THEY DIVERT THE RIVER,
apne, haatho.n ko pehchaan...
RECOGNISE YOUR HANDS!
chuTkee bhar daanaa lekar,
TAKING A PINCH OF GRAINS
yeh jo zamee.n me.n bikhraaye.n,
THEY SCATTER THEM IN THE EARTH,
jitne taare chamakte hai.n,
AS MANY STARS THERE ARE THAT SHINE
utne hee paude ug aaye.n,
THAT MANY PLANTS SPROUT UP,
bhook jahaa.n tak dekh sake
AS FAR AS THE HUNGER CAN SEE,
khet wahaa.n tak lehraaye.n,
THE FIELDS WAVE THAT FAR!
apne, haatho.n ko pehchaan...
RECOGNISE YOUR HANDS!
choone gaa.Dhe eeTo.n se,
WITH SLAKED LIME, KNEADED MUD, AND BRICKS
haatho.n kaa hai yaaraanaa,
THE HANDS ARE FRIENDLY,
rakkhe.n neev yeh dhartee me.n,
THEY LAY FOUNDATION IN THE EARTH,
chhat ko gagan de nazraanaa,
THE SKY BESTOWS GIFT TO THE ROOF,
bastaa jaaye shahar nayaa
NEW TOWNS KEEP ON GROWING,
sajtaa jaaye, veeraanaa,
ADORNING THE DESOLATE PLACE!
apne, haatho.n ko pehchaan...
RECOGNISE YOUR HANDS!
cheenee aur hatho.Dee ka,
OF THE CHIESEL AND HAMMER,
khel agar yeh dikhlaaye.n,
IF THEY EXHIBIT THE GAME,
ubhre chehre patthar me.n,
FACES APPEAR IN THE STONES,
devi-devtaa muskaaye.n,
FEMALE AND MALE DEITIES SMILE,
chamke damke taj mahal,
THE TAJ MAHAL SHINES AND SHIMMERS,
taj mahal,
THE TAJ MAHAL,
taj mahal,
THE TAJ MAHAL,
chaand sitaare sharmaaye.n
THE MOON AND THE STARS BLUSH,
apne haatho.n ko pehchaan...
RECOGNISE YOUR HANDS!
chaak chale in haatho.n se,
IN THESE HANDS, THE WHEEL REVOLVES
pahiyaa jaise jeevan kaa,
LIKE THE CIRCLE OF LIFE,
aa.nkh jhapakte lag jaaye,
IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE, GATHERS
melaa kore bartan kaa,
THE ASSEMBLAGE OF NEW VESSELS,
haatho.n ke choo lene se,
WITH THE TOUCH OF THE HANDS
sonaa bantaa hai zewar,
THE GOLD TURNS INTO AN ORNAMENT,
roop ko chamkaa dete hai.n,
THESE BURNISH THE BEAUTY:
kangan, jhumke aur jhoomar,
BRACELETS, EAR-RINGS AND TASSEL,
been sarangee tablaa Dhol,
THE ‘BEENS’ THE ‘SAARANGIS’ THE ‘TABLAS’, THE ‘DHOLS’
sab kuchh haath banaate hai.n,
ALL ARE MADE BY THE HANDS,
taaro.n me.n aawaaz kahaa.n,
THERE IS NO SOUND IN THE STRINGS,
haath hamaare gaate hai.n,
‘TIS OUR HANDS THAT SING!
oh~o o~o~oh~o~ o~ o~~oh~~o~ o~ o ~o~ o
NASIR
“Where the spirit does not work with the hand there is no art”
Leonardo da Vinci
lyrics
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