10 verses · ~2 min
कुम्हला गया हमारा फूल।
अति सुन्दर युग नयन-बिमोहन जीवन सुख का मूल। विकसित बदन परम कोमल तन रंजित चित अनुकूल। अहह सका मन मधुप न उसकी अति अनुपम छबि भूल।1।
बंद हुई ऑंखों को खोलो।
अभी बोलते थे तुम प्यारे बोलो बोलो कुछ तो बोलो। देखो भाग न मेरा सोवे चाहे मीठी नींदों सो लो। एक तुम्हीं हो जड़ी सजीवन हाथ न तुम जीवन से धो लो।2।
खोजें तुम्हें कहाँ हम प्यारे।
ए मेरे जीवन-अवलम्बन ए मेरे नयनों के तारे। नहीं देखते क्यों दुख मेरा मुझ दुखिया के एक सहारे। ललक रहे हैं लोचन पल पल मुख दिखला जा लाल हमारे।3।
इतने बने लाल क्यों रूखे।
तुम सा रुचिर रत्न खो करके आज हुए हम खूखे। कैसे बिकल बनें न बिलोचन छबि अवलोकन भूखे। मृतक न क्यों मन-मीन बनेगा प्रेम-सरोवर सूखे।4।
प्यारे कैसे मुँह दिखलाएँ।
लेती रही बलैया सब दिन ले नहिं सकीं बलाएँ। जिस पर भूली रही भूल है उसे भूल जो पाएँ। अधिक है जीवन धन बिन जग में जो जीवित रह जाए।5।
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
Birth of Shakuntala
This profound chromolithograph captures a poignant and sorrowful moment from classical Indian mythology, immortalizing the birth of Shakuntala and the tragic abandonment that followed. The celestial nymph Menaka stands with graceful poise, holding the newborn infant with infinite tenderness and maternal grace, while the ascetic sage Vishwamitra turns away in harsh rejection, his hand raised in a gesture of absolute refusal. Raja Ravi Varma masterfully translated the emotional weight of Kalidasa's timeless drama onto the canvas, bridging high European academic painting techniques with indigenous epic narratives. Through accessible prints like this, Ravi Varma democratized Indian art, allowing millions of households to connect deeply with their spiritual and cultural heritage.
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