6 verses · ~1 min
मुक्ति नहीं, एक जनम, मगन-मगन,!
तन्मय विशेष कुछ न शेष. पूर्ण लीन, मात्र अनुरक्ति हो असीम तृप्ति, सिक्त मन-गगन एक जनम .
धरा हो ऋतंभरा, जीवन संतृप्ति भरा तन, मन विभोर निरखें दृग कोर, मेघ वन-सघन . एक जनम!
मुक्ति नहीं, हो अनन्त राग, विरहित विराग. लहर-लहर दीप, सिहर-सिहर प्रीत नृत्य-रत किरन. एक जनम!
भर-पुरे अस्त उदय भाव-भेद शमित, परम तोष, शमित ताप. स्निग्ध दीप्तिमय गगन. एक जनम,
मुक्ति नहीं, परम परिपूर्ण मगन, लघु भले कि लघुत्तम एक जनम. जनम-जनम की मिटे थकन एक जनम!
इति
The Poet
प्रतिभा सक्सेना
Pratibha Saxena
Dr. Pratibha Saxena holds a distinct and vital place in contemporary Hindi literature. Her work connects the rigorous intellectual demands of academia with the sensitive realities of human relationships. Born on February 9, 1938, in Madhya Pradesh, her life path took her from the lecture halls of Kanpur, where she worked as an educator, to a diasporic existence in the United States. This geographical shift is highly visible in her diverse literary output, which includes poetry, short stories, and satire. In collections like Uttar Katha and Seema Ke Bandhan, she examines the modern domestic sphere. She highlights the subtle constraints placed upon women and the shifting dynamics of family life with deep psychological insight. Her language carries a quiet and confident thoughtfulness that never shouts but still commands complete attention. Saxena has spent decades enriching Hindi literature, demonstrating that a writer can remain deeply rooted in their native culture while living far from home.
Paired Painting
Sheshashayi Laxminarayan
This serene composition depicts the primordial cosmic scene of Lord Vishnu resting upon the serpent Ananta Shesha amidst the milky ocean. Dhurandhar, a master of academic realism, captures the divine intimacy between the Preserver and his consort, Goddess Laxmi, who gently serves her Lord by massaging his feet. The painting transcends mere mythology, inviting the viewer into a moment of eternal stillness (reflecting the balance of the universe before the cycle of creation begins anew). Through delicate brushwork and traditional aesthetic sensibilities, the artist honors a scene that has comforted the souls of devotees for generations, blending the terrestrial grace of a queen with the infinite nature of the Divine.
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