Zehan – memory, mind, understanding

and

Zehan nashin karna means to impress ones mind.

This word Zehan is used in common parlance while speaking Urdu and has a zen like sound to it.

Below is a beautiful poem by Muzzafar Warsi wherein he has used the word Zehan. Muzzafar Warsi was a prominent Urdu poet, critic, essayist, lyricist and scholar of Pakistan.

meri tasveer mein rang aur kisi ka to nahin

gher le muJhko sab aankhen main tamasha to nahin

tasveer- photograph, rang – Colour, gherna- to enclose, tamasha- Amusement

zindagi tujhse se har ik saans pe samjhauta karoon

shauk jeene ka hai mujhko magar itna to nahin

saans – Breath, samjhauta –Agreement, shauk –Desire

rooh ko dard mila dard ko aankhen na mili

tujhko mehsoos kiya hai tujhse dekha to nahin

rooh –soul, mahsoos – felt

sonchte sonchte dil doobne lagta hai mera

zehan kee tay mein ‘muzaffar’ koi dariya to nahin

Doobna- to drown/ sink, Zehan – Mind, Tay – to fold, to roll, to conclude, Dariya – river

Our Loose Translation:

Does my photograph reflect somebody’s colour

I am surrounded by the gaze of people, am I an amusement

Oh life, at every breath I make an agreement with you

My desire to live is not that intense

The soul received pain, but pain could find its vent in the eyes

I have felt you, but haven’t seen you.

My heart starts sinking, thinking about you,

Muzzaffar, at the depths of my mind is there a river

This poem is sung in the lyrical voice of Lata Mangeshkar http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL67jeUV8H8