Ye saans toh chal rahi hai ab tak
Magar meri, zindagi kahaan hai
Yeh saan to chal rahi hai ab tak
Magar meri, zindagi kahaan hai
Na jaanae kesi khata hui hai
Ke ik shikanje main meri jaan hai
Nikal jaayegi, jaan
Aahista aahista, aahista aahista, Aahista aahista.
Zuban kat ti hai is nagar main
Yahan koi jo zuban khole
O. hai kon mera kisse se bolun
Ke mere haq main wo aa ke bolay
O. jahaan bhi jaao jisey bhi dekho
Wo iss sitamgar ka tarjumaan hai
Na jaane kesi khata hui hai
Ke ik shikanje main meri jaan hai
Nikal jaayegi jaan
Aahista aahista aahista aahista
Aahista aahista.
Yeh kaisi qurbat ki aag hai jo
Wajood mera jalaa rahi hai
Jo mere hisse main raat aai
Paraaye sapne dikha rahi hai
Ho na raaste hain na manzilain hain
Na humsafar mujh pe meherban hai
Naa jaane kesi khata hui hai
Ke ik shikanjay main meri jaan hai
Nikal jaayegi jaan
Aahista aahista aahista aahista
Aahista aahista.
Yeh ishq bachacha yeh ishq mamta
Yeh askh hai jo nahi hai thamta
Gaya nahi meri zindagi se
Jo pehle din ik khata ka gham tha
Ho na koi aaghaz na hai anjaam
Yahi to meri dastan hai
Naa janae kesi khata hui hai
Ke ik shikanjay main meri jaan hai
Nikal jaayegi jaan
Aahista aahista, aahista aahista
Aahista aahista.
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Overall Meaning:
The song Ahista Ahista by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is about the pain and struggle of life. The singer begins by saying that his breath is still going on, but he does not know where his life is. He is expressing his confusion and uncertainty about the direction of his life. The line "Na jaanae kesi khata hui hai, Ke ik shikanje main meri jaan hai" translates to "I do not know what mistake I made, that my life is in a prison" meaning that he feels trapped in his life and cannot figure out how to escape it. He then repeats the line "Nikal jaayegi jaan, Aahista aahista, aahista aahista" which means "My soul will depart slowly, slowly". This line expresses the idea that his life is slowly leaving him and he is coming to terms with that fact.
The next stanza talks about the difficulty of communication in the area the singer is in. The line "Zuban kat ti hai is nagar main" means that people cannot speak openly where he is. The singer wonders who he can talk to about his problems as nobody speaks up out of fear. He talks about how he feels alone and nobody is helping him out. He repeats the line "Nikal jaayegi jaan, Aahista aahista, aahista aahista" which further strengthens the idea that he is slowly losing his life.
The final stanza talks about how love can be both beautiful and destructive. The line "Yeh ishq bachacha yeh ishq mamta, Yeh aashk hai jo nahi hai thamta" means "This love is like a child, this love is like a mother, these are the tears that never stop". This line shows the different forms of love that the singer has experienced, representing the positive and negative aspects of his life. He concludes by saying that his life has no beginning or end and he is unsure of what the future holds.
Overall, the song Ahista Ahista portrays the struggle of life, the pain that comes with it, and the uncertainty that we all face.
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