Again the spring breeze has arrived, Iqbal, be a ghazal singer.
If you are a bud, become a flower; if a flower, become a garden.
You are a handful of dust; from the warmth of your components,
Be restless, be scattered, in vastness become a desert.
You are the commodity of love, your price is high.
Merchants have little capital; in this land, become accessible.
Why should your melody be hidden behind the veil of the instrument?
You are a colorful song, be unveiled to every ear.
O wise traveler! If in your path,
There is a garden, be dew; if a desert, be a storm.
Love of possessions conceals self-indulgence.
If the destination is your goal, be a destroyer of possessions.
This poem, characteristic of Allama Muhammad Iqbal's philosophical and motivational style, urges the individual towards dynamic self-realization and purposeful action. It employs rich natural imagery—from buds becoming gardens and dust transforming into vastness—to metaphorically depict human potential for growth and influence. Iqbal emphasizes the importance of open expression, adaptability in varying circumstances, and detachment from material comforts to achieve spiritual and personal goals, aligning with his broader themes of Khudi (selfhood) and the awakening of the individual.
wonder & existence · spring & renewal · defiance