Shanta

एक काठ का टुकड़ा

Ek Kath Ka Tukda

2 min read 1 versesकाठwoodजल

1 verses · ~2 min

जलप्रवाह में एक काठ का टुकड़ा बहता जाता था। उसे देख कर बार बार यह मेरे जी में आता था। पाहन लौं किसलिए उसे भी नहीं डुबाती जल-धारा। एक किसलिए प्रतिद्वन्दी है और दूसरा है प्यारा। मैं विचार में डूबा ही था इतने में यह बात सुनी। जो सुउक्ति कुसुमावलि में से गयी रही रुचि साथ चुनी। अति कठोर पाहन होता है महा तरल होता है जल। उसमें से चिनगी कढ़ती है इस में खिलता है शतदल। युगल भिन्न मति गति रुचि वालों में होता है प्यार नहीं। स्वच्छ प्रेम की धाराएँ कब अवनि विषमता बीच बहीं। प्रकृति नियम प्रतिकूल कहो क्या चल सकता था सलिल कभी। पाहन को वह यदि न डुबा देता विचित्रत रही तभी। कभी काठ भी शीतल छाया पत्र पुष्प फल के द्वारा। लोकहित निरत रहा सलिल लौं भूल आत्म गौरव सारा। सम स्वभाव गुण शीलवान का रिक्त हुआ कब हित-प्याला। फिर जल कैसे उसे डुबाता आजीवन जिसको पाला।

इति

The Poet

अयोध्या सिंह उपाध्याय ‘हरिऔध’

Ayodhya Singh Upadhyay 'Hariaudh'

1865 · 1947

Ayodhya Singh Upadhyay, widely known by his pen name Hariaudh, fundamentally altered the course of modern Hindi poetry. Born in 1865 in Nizamabad, Uttar Pradesh, he initially wrote in Braj Bhasha before making a decisive shift to Khari Boli. This transition proved historic. In 1914, he published Priyapravas, universally recognized as the very first epic poem written in modern Hindi. Hariaudh did not just write a monumental text. He proved that the everyday language of the people possessed the aesthetic gravity necessary for grand mythological narratives. His poetry seamlessly blended profound devotion with contemporary social reform, reimagining the divine figures of Radha and Krishna as dedicated servants of humanity. He served for decades as a professor at Banaras Hindu University, mentoring an entire generation of modern writers. Passing away in 1947, Hariaudh left a legacy that permanently established the structural foundations of contemporary Hindi literature.

Paired Painting

Shantanu and Matsyagandha

This evocative scene captures a pivotal moment from the Mahabharata, depicting King Shantanu in his fated encounter with the fisherwoman Satyavati, also known as Matsyagandha. As he travels, his gaze meets hers upon the waters: it is a moment pregnant with destiny and longing that would eventually alter the course of the Kuru dynasty. Ravi Varma masterfully humanizes these mythological figures, grounding the ethereal epic in a tactile, romantic realism that resonates with the viewer even today. The presence of the horse swimming alongside the boat adds a sense of urgency and earthly beauty, reminding us that even kings are bound by the currents of human desire and divine planning.

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