See the script bar at the bottom of the page for viewing choices. I have corrected obvious calligraphic errors, and have adjusted the punctuation for clarity. The original long paragraphs have been numbered (#1# and so on) and then broken into shorter ones. Sectional numbers have been inserted. Qamar Ra'is, ed., pp. 238-239.
[(3) Our literary taste is quickly changing]
#7# magar hamaaraa adabii ma;zaaq ba;Rii tezii se tabdiil ho rahaa hai _ adab ma;ha.z dil-bahlaa))o kii chiiz nahii;N hai , dil-bahlaa))o ke sivaa us kaa kuchh aur bhii maq.sad hai _ vuh ab ma;ha.z ((ishq-o-((aashiqii ke raag nahii;N alaaptaa , balkih ;hayaat ke masaa))il par ;Gor kartaa hai , un kaa mu;haakamah kartaa hai, aur un ko ;hal kartaa hai _ vuh ab ta;hriik yaa iihaam ke li))e ;hairat-angez vaaqi((aat talaash nahii;N kartaa , yaa qaafiyah ke alfaa:z kii :taraf nahii;N jaataa _ balkih us ko un masaa))il se dilchaspii hai jin se sosaa))i;Tii yaa sosaa))i;Tii ke afraad mutaa.sir hote hai;N _ us kii fa.ziilat kaa maujuudah mi((yaar ja;zbaat kii vuh shiddat hai jis se vuh hamaare ja;zbaat aur ;xayaalaat me;N ;harkat paidaa kartaa hai _
a;xlaaqiyaat aur adabiyaat kii manzil-e maq.suud ek hai , .sirf un ke :tarz-e ;xi:taab me;N farq hai _ a;xlaaqiyaat daliilo;N aur na.sii;hato;N se ((aql aur ;zahn ko mutaa;sir karne kii koshish kartaa hai _ adab ne apne li))e kaifiyaat aur ja;zbaat kaa daa))irah chun liyaa hai _ ham zindagii me;N jo kuchh dekhte hai;N yaa ham par jo kuchh guzartii hai , vuhii cho;Te;N ta;xaiyul me;N jaa kar ta;xliiq-e adab kii ta;hriik kartii hai;N _ shaa((ir yaa adiib me;N ja;zbaat kii jitnii hii shiddat-e a;hsaas hotii hai , utnaa hii us kaa kalaam dilkash aur buland hotaa hai _
jis adab se hamaaraa ;zauq-e .sa;hii;h bedaar nah ho , ruu;haanii aur ;zahnii taskiin nah mile , ham me;N quvvat-o-;harkat paidaa nah ho , hamaaraa ja;zbah-e ;husn nah jaage , jo ham me;N sachchaa iraadah aur mushkilaat par fat;h paane ke li))e sachchaa istiqlaal nah paidaa kare , vuh aaj hamaare li))e be-kaar hai _ is par adab kaa i:tlaaq nahii;N ho saktaa _
zamaanah-e qadiim me;N ma;zhab ke haatho;N me;N sosaa))i;Tii kii lagaam thii _ insaan kii ruu;haanii aur a;xlaaqii tah;ziib ma;z'habii a;hkaam par banii thii aur vuh ta;xviif yaa ta;hrii.z se kaam letaa thaa _ ((a;zaab-o-;savaab ke masaa))il us ke aalah-e kaar the _ ab adab ne yih [[239]] ;xidmat apne ;zimme le lii hai , aur us kaa aalah-e kaar ;zauq-e ;husn hai _ vuh insaan me;N is ;zauq-e ;husn ko jagaane kii koshish kartaa hai _ aisaa ko))ii insaan nahii;N jis me;N ;husn kaa a;hsaas nah ho , adiib me;N yih a;hsaas jitnaa hii bedaar aur pur-((amal hotaa hai utnii us ke kalaam me;N taa;siir hotii hai _ fi:trat ke mushaahide aur apnii ;zakaavat-e a;hsaas ke ;zarii((ah us me;N ja;zbah-e ;husn kii itnii tezii ho jaatii hai kih jo kuchh qabii;h hai ;Gair-musta;hsan hai , insaaniyat se ;xaalii hai , vuh us ke li))e naa-qabil-e bardasht ban jaataa hai _ nez vuh bayaan aur ja;zbaat kii saarii quvvat se vaar kartaa hai _
#8# yuu;N kahi))e vuh insaaniyat kaa , ((alviyat kaa , sharaafat kaa ((alam-bardaar hai _ jo paamaal hai;N , ma:zluum hai;N , ma;hruum hai;N , chaahe vuh fard ho;N yaa jamaa((atii , un kii ;himaayat aur vakaalat us kaa far.z hai _ us kii ((adaalat sosaa))i;Tii hai _ isii ((adaalat ke saamne vuh apnaa isti;Gaa;sah pesh kartaa hai aur ((adaalat us ke a;hsaas-e ;haq aur in.saaf aur ja;zbah-e ;husn kii taaliif kar ke apnii koshish ko kaamyaab samajhtaa hai _ magar ((aam vuqalaa kii :tarah vuh apne muvakkil kii jaanib se jaa-o-be-jaa da((v;aa nahii;N pesh kartaa _ mubaali;Gah se kaam nahii;N letaa _ i;xtiraa(( nahii;N kartaa _ vuh jaantaa hai kih un tarkiibo;N se vuh sosaa))i;Tii kii ((adaalat ko mutaa;sir nahii;N kar saktaa _ us ((adaalat kii taaliif tab hii mumkin hai jab aap ;haqiiqat se ;zaraa bhii mun;harif nah ho;N _ varnah ((adaalat aap se bad-:an ho jaa))egii_ aur aap ke ;xilaaf fai.slah sunaa degii _
[(3) Our literary taste is quickly changing]
#7# But our literary taste is very quickly changing. Literature is not only a diversion, it has some additional purpose besides diversion. It doesn't only sing the songs of passion and lover-ship; rather, it reflects on the problems of life, brings indictments against them, and solves them. It now does not search out amazing events for stimulation or suspense, or direct itself toward rhyming words. Rather, it is interested in those problems that affect 'society', or individuals in 'society'. Its present standard of excellence is an intensity of feeling that creates movement in our feelings and thoughts.
Ethics and literature seek the same goal, only their styles of address are different. Ethics tries, by means of proofs and counsels, to influence the intelligence and the mind. Literature has chosen for itself the domain of moods and feelings. What ever we see in our lives, or whatever happens to us, these same shocks enter our imaginations and move us to the creation of literature. According to the intensity of the poet's or author's feelings, is the attraction and loftiness of his speech. That literature through which our true taste would not awaken, through which spiritual and mental peace would not be obtained, which would not create in us strength and energy, which would not awaken our feeling for beauty, which would not create in us a true intention and a true resolve to become victorious over difficulties-- that literature today is useless for us. Literature cannot be dovorced from this.
In ancient times, the reins of 'society' were in the hands of religion. Human spiritual and moral cultivation was based on religious commands, and it used to make use of instigation or threat. Matters of religious punishment and reward were its means of operation. Now, literature has taken the responsibility for this service, and its means of operation is the taste for beauty. It tries to awaken in people this taste for beauty. There is no man who would not have a sense of beauty; in an author, however much this sense would be awake and active, that much effect is in his speech. Through scenes in the world and his own quickness of perception, in him the feeling of beauty becomes so sharp that whatever is polluted, is non-virtuous, is devoid of humanity, for him becomes unendurable. He hurls the spear of expression and feelings with full force.
#8# It can be said that for humaneness, loftiness, nobility, he is the standard-bearer. Those who are downtrodden, oppressed, deprived-- whether they would be individuals or groups, his duty is to support them and advocate for them. His court is 'society'. Before this very court he presents his case for justice; and the court, won over by his sense of right and justice and feeling of beauty, considers his attempt to be successful. But like most attorneys, on behalf of his client he does not present haphazard, inappropriate claims. He does not make use of exaggeration. He does not invent things. He knows that through those methods he cannot influence the court of 'society'. The winning over of that court is possible only when he would not depart even a bit from reality/truth. Otherwise, the court will become suspicious of him. And it will announce a decision against him.
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