As your eyes behold me worthy… (Aap ki Nazron ne Samjha…)

– Known as an evergreen song, from Hindi Film Anpadh (1962)

Lata Mangeshkar (widely known to the world as great Lata Ji and to the majority of us south-Asians as the Goddess of Singing due to of course her unmatchable melodious voice) passed away today at the age of 92. Starting at the nascent age of 13, she gave almost a century (80 years) as her contribution to the Hindi cinema, singing countless songs, among which the majority are known as timeless and evergreen.

May her soul rest in eternal peace, while her spirit continues to be always alive in our hearts as a soulful voice. Today is a day that we mourn that she’s parted away but also rejoice that she was here, that she not just existed but lived, lived to uplift the art and craft of poignant female-led and duet songs. Rejoice, that we were fortunate enough to be here in the same century as she was… as till her last breath, she tried to do whatever she could as an artist totally dedicated to her craft.

It’s a time to give Queen of Melody (one of her widely known titles) a tribute. It required a choice of song, and it was tough, as there are at least two dozen of my favorite songs from her that are on my to-do list for translation, other than those I, fortunately, have already translated.
The choice of this particular song became only easier when I thought from a shifted perspective. Considering it’s a very common fact that the whole world is in undeniable awe of her and presenting a tribute to her in one way or another, what if we present a tribute to her in a manner that she would’ve liked to say to all of us, her admirers… so here it goes then…

Translation:

Your eyes
have considered me…
worthy
to be your
beloved today.

Oh O racing
heart of mine,
rest now…
I’ve conquered
my yearning today.

Yes, I do
submit to all…
the rulings of my
sentence…
All my gaze does is now,
thank the one
who’s been
considerate.

Stationed you have me
now as part
of your life,
with a lauding
smile today…

Oh O racing
heart of mine,
rest now…
I’ve conquered
my yearning today.

Destination I am
to yours…
Quite how you’re
for me
a safe-heaven.
Why should I fear
then tides of the ocean,
when my shore
happens to be
your doorstep.

Someone should now
narrate
to these storms,
I have found
my coastline today…

Oh O racing
heart of mine,
rest now…
I’ve conquered
my yearning today.

Imprinted
on my heart are
the traces of your
tenderness…
No matter where
I do look now,
I hear the sounds
of compliments.

Earned, I have
it seems now…
the warmth
from earth and
heavens today…

Oh O racing
heart of mine,
rest now…
I’ve conquered
my yearning today.

– Dedicated to all the lovers who are grateful for being loved.

Even just to be in a state of love, to matter for someone, to be recognized as someone’s soul-mate, or to be acknowledged as someone’s missing piece of the puzzle we all call life… is a matter of greater fortune.
We often tend to ignore this in pursuit of a physical union, which albeit if/ when necessary, can never be enough to stop anyone from loving someone, since one whom you love garners a life inside you as well.

Lata Ji, you are indeed one such person who will continue to live inside us.

Lata Mangeshkar, Vintage Lithograph Print

Original:

Aapki nazaron ne samjha, pyaar ke kabil mujhe
Dil ki ai dhadkan thaher ja, mil gayee manzil mujhe
Aapki nazron ne samjha
Ji hamen manzoor hai, aapka ye faisla
Kah rahi hai har nazar, banda paravar shukriya
Hanske apni zindagi mein, kar liya shaamil mujhe
Aapki nazron ne samjha
Aapki manzil hoon main meri manzil aap hain
Kyon main toofaan se darun mere saahil aap hain
Koi tufanon se kah de, mil gaya sahil mujhe
Aapki nazron ne samjha
Pad gai dil par meri, aapki parchhaiyan
Har taraf bajane lagin saikadon shahnaaiyaan
Do jahaan ki aaj khushiyan ho gayee haasil mujhe
Aapki nazron ne samjha
Lyricist: Raja Mehdi Ali Khan

A wonderful tribute to this evergreen song by effortlessly talented: Shreya Goshal

Urdu transcript:

آپ کی نظروں نے سمجھا پیار کے قابل مجھے
دل کی اے دھڑکن ٹھہر جا مل گئی منزل مجھے
آپ کی نظروں نے سمجھا
جی ہمیں منظور ہے آپ کا یہ فیصلہ
جی ہمیں منظور ہے آپ کا یہ فیصلہ
کہہ رہی ہے ہر نظر بندہ پرور شکریہ
ہنس کے اپنی زندگی میں کر لیا شامل مجھے
دل کی اے دھڑکن ٹھہر جا مل گئی منزل مجھے
آپ کی نظروں نے سمجھا
آپ کی منزل ہوں میں میری منزل آپ ہیں
آپ کی منزل ہوں میں، میری منزل آپ ہیں
کیوں میں طوفاں سے ڈروں، میرا ساحل آپ ہیں
کوئی طوفانوں سے کہہ دے مل گیا ساحل مجھے
دل کی ایک دھڑکن ٹھہر جا مل گئی منزل مجھے
آپ کی نظروں نے سمجھا
پڑ گئی دل پر میرے آپ کی پرچھائیاں
پڑ گئی دل پر میرے آپ کی پرچھائیں
ہر طرف بجنے لگیں سینکڑوں شہنائیاں
دو جہاں کی آج خوشیاں ہو گئیں حاصل مجھے
آپ کی نظروں نے سمجھا پیار کے قابل مجھے
دل کی اے دھڑکن ٹھہر جا مل گئی منزل مجھے
آپ کی نظروں نے سمجھا
راجہ مہدی علی خان —