--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How downhearted was Meer at night!…" description: "\"“How downhearted was Meer at night! Whatever came to his lips became a cry for help. When he started on the path of love, he was like fire; Now it’s en..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/khushwant-singh-9061_love_how-downhearted-was-meer-at-night-whatev_946716.jpg" --- # How downhearted was Meer at night! Whatever came to his… ![“How downhearted was Meer at night! Whatever came to his lips became a cry for help. When he started on the path of love, he was like fire; Now it’s ended he is a heap of ashes on a pyre.” quote by Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/khushwant-singh-9061_love_how-downhearted-was-meer-at-night-whatev_946716.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/khushwant-singh-9061_love_how-downhearted-was-meer-at-night-whatev_946716.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f6f/khushwant-singh-9061_love_how-downhearted-was-meer-at-night-whatev_946716.jpg) > ““How downhearted was Meer at night! Whatever came to his lips became a cry for help. When he started on the path of love, he was like fire; Now it’s ended he is a heap of ashes on a pyre.”” [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A poetic lament about a lover's descent from passionate fire to lifeless ash after love ends. **In simple terms:** Love can turn from passion to emptiness. Key Takeaway Guard your heart after heartbreak. Themes love loss despair transformation Mood melancholic poetic Type literary emotional When to use this quote - failed relationships - grief processing - creative writing Key Concepts emotional decay romantic idealism psychological decline Questions to Reflect On - How do you recover from emotional burnout? - What helps rebuild emotional resilience? A Different Perspective May romanticize suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes/) [Downhearted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/downhearted/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [And yet I have had the weakness, and have still the weakness, to wish you to know with what a sudden mastery you kindled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/and-yet-i-have-had-the-weakness-and-have-still-the-weakness-to-wish/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“I have sat before the dense coal fire and watched it all aglow, full of its tormented flaming life; and I have seen it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/i-have-sat-before-the-dense-coal-fire-and-watched-it-all-aglow-full/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) > [Dread not events unknown, and be not downhearted, for the fountain of the water of life is involved in obscurity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/dread-not-events-unknown-and-be-not-downhearted-for-the-fountain-of/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [“...smile upon those that are downhearted and sad; lift the load from those that find theirs too heavy to bear, in gentleness, in kindness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/smile-upon-those-that-are-downhearted-and-sad-lift-the-load-from/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [“Some of the people we feel sorry for feel sorry for us for thinking that they are the ones who should be felt sorry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-the-people-we-feel-sorry-for-feel-sorry-for-us-for-thinking/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [When a thought oppresses you, do not be downhearted, but put up with it in courage, saying, 'They swarmed around me closer and closer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pachomius-the-great/when-a-thought-oppresses-you-do-not-be-downhearted-but-put-up-with-it/) [Pachomius the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pachomius-the-great/) > [Dogs understand your moods and your thoughts, and if you are thinking unpleasant things about your dog, he will pick it up and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-woodhouse/dogs-understand-your-moods-and-your-thoughts-and-if-you-are-thinking/) [Barbara Woodhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-woodhouse/) > [You will have wonderful surges forward. Then there must be a time of consolidating before the next forward surge. Accept this as part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eileen-caddy/you-will-have-wonderful-surges-forward-then-there-must-be-a-time-of/) [Eileen Caddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eileen-caddy/) > [It is through repentance that the Lord Jesus Christ can work his healing miracle, infusing us with strength when we are weak, health when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/it-is-through-repentance-that-the-lord-jesus-christ-can-work-his/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [“We are sometimes dragged into a pit of unhappiness by someone else’s opinion that we do not look happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/we-are-sometimes-dragged-into-a-pit-of-unhappiness-by-someone-else-s/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [“Strive to be happy rather than downhearted or miserable—hopeful rather than resigned and doubtful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/strive-to-be-happy-rather-than-downhearted-or-miserable-hopeful/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [You will never stop learning new things, no matter how downhearted you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-never-stop-learning-new-things-no-matter-how-downhearted-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We are not downhearted, but we cannot understand what is happening to our neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chamberlain/we-are-not-downhearted-but-we-cannot-understand-what-is-happening-to/) [Joseph Chamberlain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chamberlain/) > [All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-is-gold-does-not-glitter-not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can flush my ashes down the toilet, for all I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-flush-my-ashes-down-the-toilet-for-all-i-care/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Khushwant Singh > [When you have counted eighty years and more, Time and Fate will batter at your door; But if you should survive to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/when-you-have-counted-eighty-years-and-more-time-and-fate-will-batter/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“Freedom is for the educated people who fought for it. We were slaves of the English, now we will be slaves of the educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/freedom-is-for-the-educated-people-who-fought-for-it-we-were-slaves/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“There are many ways of attaining godhood, say teachers of religion. Acharya Rajneesh disagrees and says there is only one way, and sexual intercourse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/there-are-many-ways-of-attaining-godhood-say-teachers-of-religion/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [I don't want to be cremated, I want to be buried. I don't believe in wasting wood and I feel that one should give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/i-don-t-want-to-be-cremated-i-want-to-be-buried-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“I am back in my beloved city. The scene of desolation fills my eyes with tears. At every step my distress and agitation increases.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/i-am-back-in-my-beloved-city-the-scene-of-desolation-fills-my-eyes/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“One Sikh may argue with one Sikh. One Sikh must never argue with two Sikhs–certainly not after dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/one-sikh-may-argue-with-one-sikh-one-sikh-must-never-argue-with-two/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [ I had lots of time to read \[being a lawyer\] what I hadn't read in my school and college days. Being a bad student… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/i-had-lots-of-time-to-read-being-a-lawyer-what-i-hadn-t-read-in-my/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [No one has invented a condom for the pen yet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/no-one-has-invented-a-condom-for-the-pen-yet/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [ I have never, in 50 years, ever missed a deadline \[as a journalist\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/i-have-never-in-50-years-ever-missed-a-deadline-as-a-journalist/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“poverty which had celebrated a hundred thousand silver and golden jubilees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/poverty-which-had-celebrated-a-hundred-thousand-silver-and-golden/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“He told us of an incident from the life of the Prophet Musa. Musa heard a poor shepherd praying: ‘Where art Thou that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/he-told-us-of-an-incident-from-the-life-of-the-prophet-musa-musa/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [The last to learn of gossip are the parties concerned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/the-last-to-learn-of-gossip-are-the-parties-concerned/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [I haven't any close friends. Friendship needs time to interact, sit down, gossip. I don't have that time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/i-haven-t-any-close-friends-friendship-needs-time-to-interact-sit/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [I still think that the point of reference for every Indian when he is in doubt on any political or social issue is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/i-still-think-that-the-point-of-reference-for-every-indian-when-he-is/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [Nature provides that a man who slaves all day should spend the hours of the night in a palace full of houris whereas a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/nature-provides-that-a-man-who-slaves-all-day-should-spend-the-hours/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) [Explore all 75 Khushwant Singh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) ## More Ashes quotes > [You can flush my ashes down the toilet, for all I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-flush-my-ashes-down-the-toilet-for-all-i-care/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-is-gold-does-not-glitter-not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want to have a gravestone. I want to have all my friends burn me and then snort the ashes. I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-don-t-want-to-have-a-gravestone-i-want-to-have-all-my-friends-burn/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [He said that he will never let you cry,he will always be there for you no matter how hard the situation is,that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhra/he-said-that-he-will-never-let-you-cry-he-will-always-be-there-for/) Zhra > [“The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-past-is-to-be-learned-from-but-not-lived-in-we-look-back-to-claim/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Much can they praise the trees so straight and high, The sailing pine,the cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop elm, the poplar never dry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/much-can-they-praise-the-trees-so-straight-and-high-the-sailing-pine/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [When any civilization is dust and ashes," he said, "art is all that's left over. Images, words, music. Imaginative structures. Meaning—human meaning, that is—is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-any-civilization-is-dust-and-ashes-he-said-art-is-all-that-s/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/man-is-a-noble-animal-splendid-in-ashes-and-pompous-in-the-grave/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [There is nothing quite like an Ashes trip Down Under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/there-is-nothing-quite-like-an-ashes-trip-down-under/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [I think momentum is huge in sport, especially in a series like the Ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stokes/i-think-momentum-is-huge-in-sport-especially-in-a-series-like-the/) [Ben Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stokes/) > [Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man-yesterday in embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hairsbreadth of time assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/mark-how-fleeting-and-paltry-is-the-estate-of-man-yesterday-in-embryo/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“When you burn a bridge, you have to be prepared to live with some ashes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coppernoll/when-you-burn-a-bridge-you-have-to-be-prepared-to-live-with-some-ashes/) [Chris Coppernoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coppernoll/) > [I would rather be ashes than dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/i-would-rather-be-ashes-than-dust/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) [Browse all 900 Ashes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“How downhearted was Meer at night! Whatever came to his lips became a cry for help. 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