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andaaz-e-bayaan

  • not so simple

    February 4th, 2024

    Human beings are complicated. This sher suggests it may be because of our origins.

    mat sahl hameN jaano phirta hai falak barsoN
    tab Khaak ke parde se insaan nikalte haiN

    Following is a rough translation

    do not think us simple the skies wander for aeons
    then from the veil of dust emerge human beings

    This sher is by Mir Taqi Mir (b. 1723), who was considered the greatest urdu poet of his time, and arguably, the greatest of all time.

    It is thrilling to read this sher today, more than 250 years after it was written. Astrophysicists theorize, with strong evidence, that the early universe was comprised of the lightest elements – hydrogen and helium. Vast clouds of hydrogen and helium, called nebulas, collapsed under gravity and gave birth to stars. In the hot cores of the stars, helium fused to create heavier elements like carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, iron. The stars exploded into supernovas, spewing out the elements into the next generation of nebulas and stars. After many such cycles, the elements formed earth, and ultimately, the organic molecules of life.

    Mir’s sher is a pretty accurate summary of our cosmic origins

    Lonely Galaxy Lost in Space by NASA Goddard Photo and Video is licensed under CC-BY 2.0

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