رسائل الأدباء رسالتان بين كارل ماركس و الشاعر الهندي ميرزا غالب

"Sunday, April 21, 1867

London, England

Dear Ghalib,

Day before yesterday I received a letter from my friend, Angels. It ended with a couplet that impressed me very much. After much effort, I learnt that it was written by some Indian poet named Mirza Asadullah Khan Ghalib. Brother, it’s wonderful! I had never envisaged that revolutionary feelings for independence from slavery would ripen so early in a country like India! Yesterday, I got some more poetic works of yours from a Lord’s personal library. The couplet is highly appreciable!:

Hum ko maloom hai jannat ki haqeeqat lekin,

Dil ko behlane ko Ghalib ye khayal achha hai. (I know paradise does exist, But, Ghalib! It’s good to console your heart.)

In your next edition of poetry do write in detail addressing workers: "Landlords, administrators, and religious leaders sap your toil’s rewards by taking you to the fanciful world of paradise. Rather, it would be nicer if you write some lines on:

"Duniya bhar ke mazdooron, muttahid ho jao (World labourers, get united.)"

I am not well aware of the Indian style and poetic treatment. You are a poet, you write something substantive being under poetic restrictions. Whatever, the sole purpose is to invigorate the masses with its message. Moreover, I would advise you to quit composing leisure writings like ghazal or quatrain and move over to free verses so that in least time you can write more and the more you write the more the wretched people would have to read and mull over.

I am dispatching the Indian version of the Communist Manifesto along with the first volume whose translation is unfortunately not available. If you like it, next time I will send you some more literature. At present, India has been converted into a den of the English imperialists. And only the collective effort of the exploited and downtrodden masses or workers can liberate them from the clutches of the perpetrators.

You should study the modern philosophies of the West than the outmoded and unworkable thoughts of Asian scholars; and do not write the fables and praises of the Mughal kings and nawabs and create the literature that takes up the revolutionary cause of the masses. Revolution is imminent. No force in this world can restrain it. That time is coming soon when the tradition of guru and disciple will fade away.

I wish India a steady path toward revolution,

Yours,

Karl Marx

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في شتنبر/ 9/ 1867

"أفيدكم باستلام الرسالة المرفقة بها نسخة من (البيان الشيوعي). لا أدرى كيف أرد عليك. أولا، إنه من الصعب أن أفهم مقولاتك. ثانيا، إنني تعبان جدا حتى لا أستطيع التحدث، بل حتى الكتابة. اليوم كتبت رسالة إلى أحد أصدقائي، لذا قررت الكتابة إليك، أيضا.
رأيك في (فرهاد) ناتج من سوء فهمك، فهو ليس عاملا كما تعتقد أنت. هو عاشق لامرأة. إنني لا أوافق على تصوره عن الحب. هو جٌنّ بجنون العشق، همه ينصبّ، دائما على الانتحار.
ثم إنك عن أية ثورة تتكلم؟ تلك حكاية قد مضت، قبل عشر سنوات. أليس البريطانيون ،الآن، في أوج العلو والاستكبار؟ الناس جميعا مشغولون في مدحهم. الولاء لملك الهند، إن انضباط النظام، والرفاه.. باتت كلها حكايات زمن انقضى. وأناقة تراث العلائق بين الشيوخ والمريدين قد ذهبت- أيضا- في مهب الريح، وتلاشت. أين ذهب أولئك الكرام؟
إن لم تصدقني فتعال إلى دلهي، لترى مصير الأشياء هذا بأم عينيك.. ليس هذا حكاية دلهي وحدها، بل رونق مدينة (لكهنو) أيضا، قد بات (خبركان)! فأية ثورة تخبر عنها، أيها الصديق، والحال هكذا؟
في معرض الكلام عن الشعر، وجدتك تكتب عن تغيّرات بدأت تظهر في ملامح الشعر. عليك أن تفهم جيدا أن الشعر لا يُصنع إنما هي تتفجر – طوعا – من مصادرها الإبداعية. حين تنطلق الأفكار من ينابيعها، تتخذ أشكالا تتطابق معها؛ إما غزلا أو رباعيات. أعتقد أن (غالب) لا مثيل له في عالم الشعر. هذا إيماني، وقد ذهب الملوك جميعا. أتوصيني بترك صحبة (النوابين) من الطبفة المخملية، الذين يهتمون برعايتي؟ ما المشكلة في مدحهم، في بعض سطور؟
ماذا تعني بالفلسفة؟ وما فائدتها في الحياة؟ يا صديقي العزيز، عن أىّ أفكار حديثة تتحدث؟ إن كان لديك اهتمام بهذه المواضيع فلك أن تقرأ كتب الإلهيات الهندوسية، ونظرية وحدة الوجود. وقم بما في وسعك في هذا الاتجاه ، وانسحب من أفكار مبعثرة لا طائل تحتها، وأنت إنجليزي*، ولذا اعمل لي معروفا؛ اكتب من فضلك رسالة إلى نائب الحكومة البريطانية في الهند، تشفع فيها لإعادة إصدار أمر بمنحي معاشي التقاعدي المتوقف. اسمح لي أن أختتم، لأنني متعب.

مودتي. غالب

From Ghalib to Karl Marx

September 9, 1867

I received your letter along with the Communist Manifesto. How would I reply? First, it’s too difficult to understand what you talk. Second, I have grown too weak to write as well as speak. Today, I wrote a letter to a friend, so, I thought of writing to you too.

Your view about Farhaad (reference in Ghalib’s one poem) is mistaken. He is not any worker as you perceived him. Rather, he was a lover but his perception toward love did not impress me. He was lunatic in love and would think of committing suicide all the time for his beloved’s sake. And you talk of which inquilab (revolution)? That is a past, ended ten years ago! Now the Britishers roam broad-chested and everyone eulogises them here. The discipline of royalty and lavishness has become a thing of the past; and the tradition of guru and disciple is losing its charm.

If you don’t believe, pay a visit to Delhi and see all in flesh and blood..... And that’s not confined to Delhi only, Lucknow’s essence too is disappearing...where have those mannerisms gone...where are those gentlemen! Now, you predict of which revolution?

And in the middle of your letter I also learnt you talk of changing the mode of poetry writing. Mind you, poetry cannot be created but it comes to you naturally. And my case is distinct. When ideas flow in, they just merge into any forms, ghazal or quatrains.

I believe, Ghalib’s style is unmatched in the world of poetry, and because of that, the kings have already gone and you want me to be deprived of the nawabs and patrons who take care of me...!? What goes wrong if I say a few lines in their praise!

What is philosophy and what it has to do with life, who knows better than me? My dear, which modern thinking you talk about? If you are interested in it, you better read Vedanta and Wahdat-ul-Wajood. And stop just harping on thought after thought, if you can, do some work in this direction...you are an Englishman, do me a favour. Please convey a recommendation letter to the viceroy, requesting for reissue of my pension....

Now I am feeling very tired. So, I am putting an end to it,

Humbly yours,

Ghalib

Thank you.