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4 Urdu couplets and shers with hayaat

hayaat(f): life

Description of hayaat: Hayaat is an Urdu word meaning "life" or "existence," often evoking the essence of vitality and the human journey. Unlike maut , which signifies finality, hayaat embodies ongoing vitality and purpose. Differs from zindagi, a more colloquial term for daily living, as hayaat carries deeper philosophical weight. In Urdu poetry, it appears in verses like those of Iqbal, symbolizing life's eternal struggle and divine gift.

1 / 4: hayaat

qaid-e-hayaat o band-e-gham asl me dono ek hai

maut se pahle aadmi

gham se najaat paaye kyun

the prison of life and

the chain of sorrow are the same

why should we seek

release from grief before dying?

Mirza Ghalib (63)

qaid (m) (5)

imprisoned, captive

hayaat (f) (4)

life

band (m) (7)

string, hostage, captive

gham (m) (19)

sorrow, sadness

asl (m) (1)

actually, in reality

maut (m) (4)

death

pahle (m) (7)

before

najaat (f) (1)

freedom, deliverance

Theme: Life, Learning, & Living (127)

2 / 4: hayaat

ajeeb bhool-bhulaiyaan hai shaahraah-e-hayaat

bhaTakne waale

yahaan justuju ki baat na kar

it is a weird maze

this life's highway

oh, the one who is lost

talk not of seeking here

Akhtar Ansari Akbarabadi (6)

ajeeb (8)

strange, weird

bhool (f) (15)

forget, mistake

shaahraah (f) (1)

highway

hayaat (f) (4)

life

bhaTakne (1)

straying, lost

justuju (4)

search, quest

Theme: Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

3 / 4: hayaat

ab hayaat-e-insaan ka hashr dekhiye kya ho

mil gaya hai qaatil ko

mansab-e-maseehaayi

behold the condition

of human existence

the killer has been given

the status of a savior

Shahid Siddiqui (3)

hayaat (f) (4)

life

insaan (m) (12)

human

hashr (m) (2)

day of judgment

mil (8)

meet

qaatil (m) (10)

murderer, assassin

mansab (m) (1)

rank, status

maseehaayi (f) (1)

savior-hood, prophet-hood

Theme: Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (61)

4 / 4: hayaat

hayaat ek mustaqqil gham ke siwa kuch bhi naheen

shaayad khushi bhi yaad aati hai toh

aansoon bankar aati hai

life is nothing

but endless sorrow

even joy, when remembered

returns, perhaps, only as tears

Sahir Ludhianvi (18)

1971: Padma Shri

2013: Commemorative Stamp India

hayaat (f) (4)

life

mustaqqil (m) (1)

endless, constant

gham (m) (19)

sorrow, sadness

siwa (m) (2)

butfor, except

shaayad (8)

perhaps, maybe

khushi (f) (8)

happiness

aansoon (m) (1)

tears

Theme: Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

Featured Themes

Voice, Expression, & Language (78)

Love, Passion, and Longing (113)

Hopes, Aspirations, & Dreams (37)

Quest, Journey, & Destination (54)

Nature, World & Universe (50)

Life, Learning, & Living (127)

Miscellany (44)

Grit, Resilience, & Courage (58)

Creativity, Philosophy, & Enlightenment (40)

Oppression, Rebellion, & Freedom (61)

Beauty, Charm, & Union (109)

Loneliness, Separation, & Grief (118)

Heart, Mind, & Memory (66)

Friends, Family, & Community (139)

Home, Country, & Belonging (30)

Religion, Reason, & Tradition (70)

Alfaaz Ki Mehfil is a curated space for timeless poetry celebrating words, emotions, and the enduring beauty of expression. From classic Urdu couplets to modern reflections, it brings together generations of poetic voices that speak of love, longing, hope, and the human soul.

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hayaat(f): life

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