Song lyrics

Pathar

📜 Lyrics

Do not carve idols from sand, O my skillful artisan Pause for a moment, let me bring you stone I could pile up treasures before you, but Which colored stone would serve your purpose? Red stone, which the heart calls heartless world Or that bluestone of the petrified eye In which the bewilderment of centuries lies embedded Would you need the stone of the soul? All the standards of this age are merely stone Poetry too, and dance, and painting and song are stone All the standards of this age are merely stone All the values of this age are merely stone Truth itself falls upon it like a stone There is one stone that is called white civilization In its marble gleams the blood of the oppressed There is a stone of justice too, but It comes into hand only with a golden chisel Grass and flowers too have become air, and space itself is stone My inspiration, your enlightened mind too is stone In this age, every art's mark is stone Your hands are stone, my tongue is stone All the standards of this age are merely stone Poetry too, and dance, and painting and song are stone All the standards of this age are merely stone All the values of this age are merely stone Do not carve idols from sand, O my skillful artisan

💡 Meaning & story

A Detailed Summary of Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi's Renowned Poem "Stone" Central Theme: This poem is a bitter elegy for modern society's callousness, materialism, and the death of human sentiment. Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi addresses an artist, saying there is no need to craft fragile and crude idols from sand, for in this age stones are available everywhere. In this poem, "stone" is a symbol of insensitivity, cruelty, stagnation, and dead-heartedness. Key Aspects and Interpretation: The Decline of Feeling: The poet says the world has become so insensitive that what people call the 'heart' has now become merely a red stone. Similarly, eyes hardened by shock and sorrow have become like a blue stone, holding centuries of bewilderment within them. Now humans no longer possess the tender sentiments of the soul. The Hypocrisy of Civilization: The so-called modern and ostensibly refined civilization (white civilization) is in fact cruel and hollow within, its white marble revealing black and bestial blood. In this society, if someone speaks even a single truth, it falls upon people like a stone. The Death of Justice: Justice too has taken the form of a stone in this society, which only he can break or obtain who holds the axe of wealth in his hand. For the poor, justice has vanished from this world. The Death of Values and Arts: In this age, all values and standards have become stone. Subtle arts like poetry, dance, music, and painting have lost their soul. Even nature itself—flowers and gardens—humanity's inspiration, mind, and tongue have all become hard and insensitive as stone. The Final Word: Through this poem the poet conveys the message that while outwardly we have progressed greatly, inwardly we have become stone, where love, truth, and pure sentiment have lost all worth and meaning.