4 verses · ~1 min
बताता जा रे अभिमानी!
कण-कण उर्वर करते लोचन स्पन्दन भर देता सूनापन जग का धन मेरा दुख निर्धन तेरे वैभव की भिक्षुक या कहलाऊँ रानी! बताता जा रे अभिमानी!
दीपक-सा जलता अन्तस्तल संचित कर आँसू के बादल लिपटी है इससे प्रलयानिल, क्या यह दीप जलेगा तुझसे भर हिम का पानी? बताता जा रे अभिमानी!
चाहा था तुझमें मिटना भर दे डाला बनना मिट-मिटकर यह अभिशाप दिया है या वर; पहली मिलन कथा हूँ या मैं चिर-विरह कहानी! बताता जा रे अभिमानी!
इति
The Poet
महादेवी वर्मा
Mahadevi Varma
1907 · 1987
Mahadevi Varma stands as the absolute pinnacle of lyrical mysticism in modern Hindi literature. Born in 1907 in Farrukhabad, she was a central pillar of the Chhayavaad romantic movement and is universally revered as the modern Meera for the intense spiritual devotion embedded in her verse. She lived a life of fierce intellectual independence. As the principal of the Prayag Mahila Vidyapeeth, she revolutionized women's education in India, while her literary salon in Allahabad became the epicenter of Hindi letters. Her poetic masterworks, including Yama, Nihar, and Rashmi, are profound meditations on sorrow, the eternal soul, and the quiet strength of the natural world. She did not merely write about pain. She transformed it into a vehicle for spiritual liberation. Honored with the Jnanpith Award in 1982 and the Padma Vibhushan, she passed away in 1987. She remains an immortal figure whose words continue to offer solace to anyone who has ever felt the ache of existential longing.
Paired Painting
Young Woman with a Veena
Raja Ravi Varma, the legendary pioneer of modern Indian art, masterfully captures the essence of refined Indian womanhood in this poignant composition. By blending European oil painting techniques with deeply rooted Indian sensibilities, Varma elevated everyday subjects to a level of divine grace. This painting is a testament to the cultural renaissance of the late nineteenth century, where music and art were inextricably linked with the flowering of national identity. The subject, a woman lost in a moment of quiet musical contemplation, serves as a secular echo of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and music. Her serene expression, the soft fall of her dark tresses, and the meticulous rendering of her silk sari and gold ornaments reflect Varma's deep commitment to portraying the dignity and rich inner world of his subjects. The presence of the Veena, an instrument of ancient lineage, anchors the work in a tradition of classical excellence that continues to resonate with viewers today.
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