The Figurative Language By I. A. Richard

I have studied I. A. Richards essay “The Figurative language”. In which he gave four types of misunderstandings,

(1)Misunderstanding of the sense of poetry                                                                                                                                                                              (2)Over literal reading

(3)Defective scholarship; in a appropriate metaphor

(4) Difference in meaning of words in poetry

With the help of this essay I elaborate my view on this song ‘Kabira’.

Movie: Yeh jawaani hai Deewani

Music: Pritam

Lyrics: Amitabh Bhattacharya

Singers: Rekha Bharadwaj, Tochi Raina

                                 

                                                  

 Kabira Lyrics

Kaisi teri khudgarzi
Na dhoop chune na chhaaon
Kaisi teri khudgarzi
Kisi thaur tike na paanv 

Ban liya apnaa paigambar
Tar liya tu saat samandar
Phir bhi sookha mann ke andar
Kyun reh gaya

Re Kabira maan jaa
Re Faqeera maan jaa
Aaja tujhko pukaare teri parchhaaiyan
Re Kabira maan ja
Re Faqeera maan ja
Kaisa tu hai nirmohi kaisa harjaaiya

Tooti chaarpaai wohi
Thandi purvaai rasta dekhe
Doodhon ki malaai wohi
Mitti ki suraahi rasta dekhe..

Kaisi teri khudgarzi
Lab namak rame na misri
Kaisi teri khudgarzi
Tujhe preet purani bisri..
Mast Maula, mast Kalander
Tu hawa ka ek bavandar
Bujh ke yun andar hi andar
Kyun reh gaya..

Re Kabira maan jaa
Re Faqeera maan jaa
Aaja tujhko pukaare teri parchhaaiyan
Re Kabira maan ja
Re Faqeera maan ja
Kaisa tu hai nirmohi kaisa harjaaiya…

                                            Analysis of song

                                           Kaisi teri khudgarzi

                                           Na dhoop chune na chhaanv
                                           Kaisi teri khudgarzi                                           Kisi thor tike na paanv

In this line we see the selfishness of  Kabira, that he don’t take the sun, nor take the shade. How this selfishness of his, that his feet don’t stay anywhere.

                                                Ban liya apnaa paigambar

                                         Tar liya tu saat samandar                                         Phir bhi sookha mann ke andar                                         Kyun reh gaya

In this line Kabira has own ‘paigamber’ (God). ‘Tar liya tu saat samander’ means he crossed all seven seas of life. ‘Phir bhi sookha mann ke andar’ means even if he crossed all seven seas, there is a draught within his heart. So he regret for this.

                                               Re Kabira maan jaa

                                        Re Faqeera maan jaa                                        Aaja tujhko pukaare teri parchhaaiyan                                        Re Kabira maan ja                                        Re Faqeera maan ja                                        Kaisa tu hai nirmohi kaisa harjaaiya

In this line the speaker wont to say that, o Kabira, listen to me and believe to me.In this song poet use the metaphor “pukaare teri parchhaaiya” is very meaningful metaphor. ‘Pukaare teri parchhaaiya’ means your shadows call you back. Nirmohi means someone who doesn’t have any love nor hatred, for anyone or anything.

.                                      Tooti chaarpaai wohi

                                       Thandi purvaai rasta dekhe                                       Doodhon ki malaai wohi                                       Mitti ki suraahi rasta dekhe..

In this line the speaker wont to say that that broken cot, that cool breeze from the east, wait for you. Speaker also says that milk cream and earthen pot of cold water wait for you.

                                       Kaisi teri khudgarzi

                                       Lab namak rame na misri                                       Kaisi teri khudgarzi                                       Tujhe preet purani bisri..                                       Mast Maula, mast Kalander                                       Tu hawa ka ek bavandar                                       Bujh ke yun andar hi andar                                       Kyun reh gaya..

                                       Re Kabira maan jaa

                                       Re Faqeera maan jaa                                       Aaja tujhko pukaare teri parchhaaiyan                                       Re Kabira maan ja                                       Re Faqeera maan ja                                       Kaisa tu hai nirmohi kaisa harjaaiya…

In this stanza the speaker says that, how is this selfishness of yours, neither salt nor sugar fit on your tongue. How this selfishness of yours that you have is forgot old love. O free man, free spirit, you are a strom of wind. So you have ended within yourself only that’s way you have come back.

Problems in understanding the lyrics

Here in this song the speaker calls back Kabira to his land. In the very first line of the song “Khudgarzee” means selfishness. Selfishness of Kabira is not take sun even if not taken by shade. In the next line he write that ‘Tar liyaa tu saat samandar’ means Kabira has crossed all seven seas, still, there is a draught within his heart. It was problematic metaphor.

In the next line of the song “Aa jaa tujh ko pukaaray teri parchhaaiyaan” means ‘yours shadow call you back’. It is problematic metaphor in this song because of shadow cannot call anyone back. In this song we have see shadow calls Kabira it is a misunderstanding.

In this song use the word “Nirmohee” means someone who doesn’t have any love nor hatred for anyone or anything. The speakers wont to call back to Kabira that’s why he use this words “Nirmohee” like saint.

In the next line “Doodhon ki malaayi” or “Mitti ki suraahee” both metaphor is very meaningful in this song. ‘Doodhon ki malaaya means ‘milk cream’ and ‘Mitti ki suraahee’ means ‘the earth pot of cold water’ both are wait for him.

In the next line “kaisi teri khudgarzi, Lab namak rame naa misree” in this line talks about selfishness of Kabira. Selfishness was not suited for Kabira. For this poet used metaphor ‘Salt’ or ‘Sugar’ both are against to each other.  Both are not goes with each other that’s way it is problematic.

In the next line of the song Kabira also compare with the “strom of the wind” for this, in the song use word “hawa kaa ek bavandar”.