विरह (virah)

noun A literary/poetic noun for the pain of separation from a lover or loved one -- one core sense, but heavily loaded with emotional and cultural weight.
Sense 1 : the pain of separation from a beloved
noun, masculine
Synonyms: जुदाई (judaaii), बिछोह (bichhoh, literary), वियोग (viyog, literary)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: विरह (virah) is one of the great emotional engines of Hindi and Sanskrit poetry -- think of Radha pining for Krishna, or a season of monsoon rain read as unbearable because the beloved is far away. You will meet it constantly in bhajans, ghazals, and classical poetry (विरह के गीत, virah ke giit, 'songs of separation/longing'), but it rarely shows up in casual chat -- for everyday 'I miss you' feelings, speakers reach for याद आना (yaad aanaa) instead.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for जुदाई (judaaii) as a casual everyday equivalent, but विरह (virah) is reserved almost entirely for poetic, devotional, or highly emotional registers -- using it in ordinary conversation about, say, missing a friend who moved cities can sound overly dramatic or literary. 2) विरह (virah) names the *state* of painful separation itself, not the *act* of parting -- learners sometimes misuse it where बिछड़ना (bichhadnaa, 'to part/get separated') would describe the event.
Sample Sentences:
राधा का विरह कृष्ण के बिना असहनीय था। Radha's longing was unbearable without Krishna.
(raadhaa kaa virah krishn ke binaa asahniiy thaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
विरह की आग में उसका मन जल रहा है। Her heart is burning in the fire of separation.
(virah kii aag men uskaa man jal rahaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Continuous -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
वर्षा ऋतु में विरह और भी गहरा हो जाता है। In the rainy season, the pain of separation grows even deeper.
(varshaa ritu men virah aur bhii gahraa ho jaataa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
कवि ने विरह के गीत में प्रियतम की याद को शब्दों में पिरोया। The poet wove the memory of the beloved into words in a song of longing.
(kavi ne virah ke giit men priytam kii yaad ko shabdon men piroyaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यदि विरह न होता, तो मिलन का सुख भी अधूरा रहता। If there were no separation, even the joy of reunion would remain incomplete.
(yadi virah n hotaa, to milan kaa sukh bhii adhooraa rahtaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
हे सखी, यह विरह मुझसे सहा नहीं जाता। O friend, this separation cannot be endured by me.
(he sakhii, yah virah mujhse sahaa nahiin jaataa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
भजन में गोपियों का विरह बड़े ही करुण स्वर में वर्णित है। In the devotional song, the gopis' longing is described in a most sorrowful tone.
(bhajan men gopiyon kaa virah bade hii karun svar men varnit hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
काश उसका विरह इतना दीर्घ न हुआ होता। If only her separation had not been so prolonged.
(kaash uskaa virah itnaa diirgh n huaa hotaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Aspect: Perfective -- Voice: Active
उसकी आँखों में विरह की छाया साफ़ झलकती थी। The shadow of longing clearly showed in her eyes.
(uskii aankhon men virah kii chhaayaa saaf jhalaktii thii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
मीरा का विरह भगवान कृष्ण के प्रति उनकी अनन्य भक्ति का प्रतीक बन गया। Mira's longing became a symbol of her unwavering devotion to Lord Krishna.
(miiraa kaa virah bhagvaan krishn ke prati unkii anany bhakti kaa pratiik ban gayaa।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.m.direct): विरह (virah)
(sg.m.oblique): विरह (virah)
(pl.m.direct): विरह (virah)
(pl.m.oblique): विरहों (virahon)