1 verses · ~1 min
बनें बनायें किन्तु बिगड़ती बात बनावें। हँसें हँसावें किन्तु हँसी अपनी न करावें। बहक बहँकते रहें पर न रुचि को बहँकावें। खुल खेलें, पर खेल खोल आँखों को पावें। भर जायँ उमंगों में मगर बेढंगी न उमंग हो। रँगतें रहें सब रंग की मगर निराला रंग हो।
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
King Janaka of Mithila
King Janaka stands as an eternal archetype of the philosopher king, a ruler who mastered the delicate balance between the duties of a sovereign and the detachment of a sage. In this delicate portrait, we witness the monarch not merely as a worldly power, but as a man of profound inner contemplation. His posture, seated in a meditative repose, reflects his legendary association with the Yoga Vasishtha, a text that underscores the sovereignty of the mind. He wears the royal crown, yet holds the prayer beads with a gentle grip, signifying that his true dominion lies within his spiritual focus. He remains a beacon of wisdom in the tradition of Mithila, reminding all who gaze upon him that true leadership begins with self mastery.
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