8 verses · ~1 min
आज मानव का सुनहला प्रात है, आज विस्मृत का मृदुल आघात है; आज अलसित और मादकता-भरे, सुखद सपनों से शिथिल यह गात है;
मानिनी हँसकर हृदय को खोल दो, आज तो तुम प्यार से कुछ बोल दो ।
आज सौरभ में भरा उच्छ्वास है, आज कम्पित-भ्रमित-सा बातास है; आज शतदल पर मुदित सा झूलता, कर रहा अठखेलियाँ हिमहास है;
लाज की सीमा प्रिये, तुम तोड दो आज मिल लो, मान करना छोड दो ।
आज मधुकर कर रहा मधुपान है, आज कलिका दे रही रसदान है; आज बौरों पर विकल बौरी हुई, कोकिला करती प्रणय का गान है;
यह हृदय की भेंट है, स्वीकार हो आज यौवन का सुमुखि, अभिसार हो ।
आज नयनों में भरा उत्साह है, आज उर में एक पुलकित चाह है; आज श्चासों में उमड़कर बह रहा, प्रेम का स्वच्छन्द मुक्त प्रवाह है;
डूब जायें देवि, हम-तुम एक हो आज मनसिज का प्रथम अभिषेक हो ।
इति
The Poet
भगवतीचरण वर्मा
Bhagwati Charan Verma
1903 · 1981
Bhagwati Charan Verma stands as a giant in modern Hindi literature, possessing a rare ability to blend philosophical inquiry with compelling storytelling. Born in 1903 in Safipur, Uttar Pradesh, he initially practiced law before dedicating his life entirely to letters. His 1934 novel Chitralekha remains a landmark achievement, framing the eternal debate between sin and virtue through a highly sophisticated historical narrative that completely captivated readers and filmmakers alike. However, his poetic contributions were equally vital to the Hindi literary renaissance. Verma wrote verse that was deeply reflective and grounded in the shifting socio-economic realities of his time. He was honored with the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1961 for his epic work Bhoole Bisre Chitra and received the Padma Bhushan in 1971. He even served as a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha. Verma died in 1981, leaving a legacy of literature that elegantly mapped the moral ambiguities of the human heart while maintaining absolute narrative clarity.
Paired Painting
Damayanti and the Swan
This transcendent masterpiece brings to life a timeless episode from the Mahabharata, where Princess Damayanti listens in breathless wonder as a golden swan sings the praises of Nala. Raja Ravi Varma captures the tender flutter of first love and quiet longing, setting the scene within a palatial garden bathed in soft, ethereal light. Damayanti stands draped in a resplendent crimson saree, her posture a delicate blend of shyness and profound curiosity as she gazes upon the celestial messenger. Through this work, the artist bridged classical Indian mythology with European academic realism, creating a visual vocabulary that shaped the soul of modern Indian art and immortalized the poetic grace of ancient lore.
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