Thursday, December 07, 2006

Shakti aur Kshama (Strength and Mercy)

कवि: रामधारी सिंह "दिनकर"

Poet: Ramdhari Singh "Dinkar"Translation: the maVerick
क्षमा, दया, तप, त्याग, मनोबल
सबका लिया सहारा
पर नर व्याघ सुयोधन तुमसे
कहो कहाँ कब हारा?

Kshama, daya, tap, tyaag, manobal
Sabka liya sahara
Par nar vyagh Suyodhan tumse
Kaho kahan kab haara?

Mercy, resolve, tact, tolerance
You've tried everything and some
But o my king of men
When did Suyodhan succumb?

क्षमाशील हो ॠपु-सक्षम
तुम हुये विनीत जितना ही
दुष्ट कौरवों ने तुमको
कायर समझा उतना ही

Kshamasheel ho rrpu-saksham
Tum huye vineet jitna hi
Dusht Kauravon ne tumko
Kaayar samjha utna hi

The more forgiving you were
In your humane compassion
The more these rouge Kauravas
Pegged you as cowardly ashen

अत्याचार सहन करने का
कुफल यही होता है
पौरुष का आतंक मनुज
कोमल होकर खोता है

Atyachar sahan karne ka
Kufal yahi hota hai
Paurush ka aatank manuj
Komal hokar khota hai

This is the consequence
Of tolerating atrocities
The awe of machismo is lost
When one's gentle n kindly

क्षमा शोभती उस भुजंग को
जिसके पास गरल है
उसका क्या जो दंतहीन
विषरहित विनीत सरल है

Kshama shobhti us bhujang ko
Jiske paas garal hai
Uska kya jo dantheen
Vishrahit vineet saral hai

Forgiveness is becoming of
The serpent that's got venom
None cares for the toothless,
Poisonless, kind, gentle one

तीन दिवस तक पंथ मांगते
रघुपति सिंधु किनारे
बैठे पढते रहे छन्द
अनुनय के प्यारे प्यारे

Teen divas tak panth mangte
Raghupati sindhu kinare
Baithey padhtey rahey chhand
Anunay ke pyaare pyaare

For three days Lord Raam kept
Asking the ocean for a passage
Sitting there he petitioned
Using the sweetest words to engage

उत्तर में जब एक नाद भी
उठा नही सागर से
उठी अधीर धधक पौरुष की
आग राम के शर से

Uttar mein jab ek naad bhi
Utha nahi saagar se
Uthi adheer dhadhak paurush ki
Aag raam ke shar se

When in response there was
Not a whisper from the sea
A raging fire of endeavor
Rose from Raam's body

सिंधु देह धर त्राहि-त्राहि
करता आ गिरा शरण में
चरण पूज दासता गृहण की
बंधा मूढ़ बन्धन में

Sindhu deh dhar trahi-trahi
Karta aa gira sharan mein
Charan pooj daasta grrhan ki
Bandha moodh bandhan mein

The ocean took human-form
'N supplicated to Raam
Touched his feet, was subservient
A slave he had become

सच पूछो तो शर में ही
बसती है दीप्ति विनय की
संधिवचन सम्पूज्य उसीका
जिसमे शक्ति विजय की

Sach poochho to shar mein hi
Basti hai deepti vinay ki
Sandhivachan sampoojya usika
Jisme shakti vijay ki

Truth be told, it's in the quiver
That lies the gleam of modesty
Only his peace-talk is reputable
Who is capable of victory

सहनशीलता, क्षमा, दया को
तभी पूजता जग है
बल का दर्प चमकता उसके
पीछे जब जगमग है
Sahansheelta, kshama, daya ko
Tabhi poojta jag hai
Bal ka darp chamakta uskey
Peechhey jab jagmag hai
Tolerance, forgiveness and clemency
Are respected by the world
Only when the glow of strength
From behind them is unfurled

24 comments:

  1. dude/lady...FIRSTLY....THANK YOU verrrrrrrrrry much for coming up with a blog like this. it was like a saviour in times of near dire needs!

    my prof. wanted us to read a poem of our choice in class. i forgot to find one in the 2-3 days tht she gave. n then in the break during two consecutive lectures..i logged to on to find what i had in mind. but woh padhne ke baad i wasn't satisfied...and then...the wild gooose chase began! i juz had tht 'khsama shohti us bhujan ko...' in my mind. [aage peechhe ka kuchh nahin yaad thha!]
    googled tht bit n clicked on the link to ur blog. i had a smile on my face all the while tht i was scrolling down. n when i read 'shakti aur kshama'...i was floored! this was just the perfect poem to suit my tenor. n to think of it...i don't even remember ever doing this poem!!!!!!!!!!!!

    for me it was like reading it for the first time ...aur dil baag-baag ho gaya!!!

    THANKS a zillion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. Vistrit, you are welcome. And many thanks for the kind words. It is certainly one of the best Hindi poems of all time.

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  3. Wow!! All I remembered was the word suyodhan from this poem we read in school and nothing else.

    Its incredible I could find it here... really appreciate it :).

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  4. Un sanvednao ko punah jagrit kar saki hoon in panktion ko padh kar, jo apne bachpan ki vismrit yaadon ke saath kho gayi thee.Aap ka hardik dhanyawad deti hoon!

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  5. Upma,

    Jankar prasannta hui ki mera prayas apko ek muskan de saka. Samajhta hoon mera shram sarthak raha. Sahasvardhan ke liye apka hardik dhanyavad.

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  6. Thanks SO much for posting this! I was a HUGE fan of this poem and was REALLY glad to see this again!!!! One of the best words uttered through poetry

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  7. All this time I have been searching my younger cousins textbooks to find this marvellous piece. Thanks a ton for posting this and for the translation as well. Would request you to post the 'HAM PANCHI UNMUKT GAGAN KE'.
    There was another one that I vaguely remember...some of the lines were 'JEETO NEECH PURUSH KO BHAYA SE...NIJ SAMAJ KO SHAKTI SE'...am not sure where they are from but if I find them, I will chip in with the lines.
    Thanks again.

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  8. Maverick Mahodaya,

    This poem fits the current situation of this blessed nation of 1.1 billion people who're faced with terrorism and confused whether they should "exercise restraint" or hit back. Sunn 1930 se ab tak ke antaraal mein kahin apna paurush bhool baithey hain. You might be delighted to know that this poem has been quoted by Indian strategic affairs experts in their writings post-26/11. Ham sab ko punah yaad dilaane ke liye bahut dhanyavaad.

    Keep up the good work and post more poems here. I shall look forward to the same.

    (P.S. : Pardon me for writing this in english, despite Hindi being my mother tongue. The day I regain the felicity in Hindi demonstrated below by yourself and upmatiwari, I'll come back and post in Hindi).

    Regards
    Manish

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  9. Thanks a lot, I can never forget the lined Kshama Shobhti........... I think it was recited in the parliament by Vajpayee jee Wonderful,thanks a lot

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  10. thank you very much for putting this up here.

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  11. I'm so glad to find this poem here. Thank you for posting it! I'd forgotten that the poet was Ramdhari Singh Dinkar. Thanks for reminding. This poem and it's message has stayed with me all my life. It's a very important message: "If you do not let your opponent (or a bully) know that you're capable of defending yourself, your gentleness will be considered your weakness." Those who like this poem must also read the story of the snake and the holy man. Here: http://aajkearjun.blogspot.com/

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  12. Thanks so very much for putting this up...I have been hunting for the whole peom & the author's name for a long time - few lines have been stuck in head since school. So glad I found it!

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  13. This is wonderful. Thank you so much for posting this. I read it out to my wife and kids as well. (They did not get it but what the heck)

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  14. dude!!!!!!!!!!11kudos and i agree to everyone who appreciated you

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  15. Kudos dude...appreciate every1 who enjoyed it....

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  16. In panktyo ko fir se padhkar hua harsh llasit mann!
    Hey Mavrick mahodaya tumhara pulkit ho hridaya upavan!!
    Asha karta hu aap sada kare samaj ki sewa!
    kirti aapki badhe chouguni khaye sath me mewa!!
    aagya chahta hu apse karna hai vishram!
    sahridaya dhanyawad aapko koti koti pranaam!!

    VIPIN

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  17. Maverick,

    Thanks for putting up this blog and taking the time to work on it. These poems are a national treasure and represent our ethos. I especially try to read the one by Dinkarji when I can!

    Thanks again and keep up the good work!

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  18. Maverick,

    Thanks for taking the time to put these poems up....they are a treasure and I try to read my favorite by Dinkarji when I can! Keep up the good work!

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  19. Thnx a ton... i hav loved Shakti aur kshama since school days...very grateful to you..

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  20. I would lyk to thank you for bringing up such a brilliant poem. This is my favourite poem n i really congratulate u for bringin up this fine piece. You should continue ur gud work n bring up more such work of arts coz its not dat da new generation lyk dese pieces its jus dat dey r not known to them so continue dis thing coz u r doin a really fyn job.... Keep it up....:-)

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  21. IT is always a pleasure to read this superlative creation by dinkarji

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  22. Hey Maverick... the same thing happened to me as it did to Vistrit... except that i wasnt asked to recite a poem... i am 30 and remember the same 'Kshama shobhti lines'and your link popped up when i searched with it.. really amazing job done with the translation... really well done.


    cheers

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  23. Very nice poem ... But I suppose english translation is not exactly representing actualy meaning e.g. 'ram ke shar' means Raam ka baan(arrow) not rama's body ...

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  24. @vicky: Actually there's shleshalankar here...it could be either arrow or body. I could have gone with either and decided to go down this path...one of the things lost in translation I suppose...

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