5 verses · ~2 min
एक मिट्टी का खिलौना जिन्दगी, ढालने को जन्म भी तैयार है, खेलने को मौत भी तैयार!
चार साँसें, एक आँसू, एक स्मिति की लहर, एक आशा एख भाषा एक स्वर, और थोडी सी कसकती वेदना, और भरने के लिये छोटा प्रहर! एक छोटी सी कहानी जिन्दगी, जोडने को जन्म भी तैयार है, मोडने को मौत भी तैयार!
एक क्षण को आँख की पलकें झँपीं, स्वप्न बन कर ढल गये अनजान से और क्या होगा इसी की याद को, कल्पना भरने लगी अनुमान से! एक ऐसी है पहेली जिन्दगी, पूछने को जन्म भी तैयार है,पोंछने को मौत भी तैयार!
ढल रहा था काल के इस चक्र में, रूपरेखा किन्तु पहचानी लगी, मृत्तिका ने तन दिया, यौवन दिया, अग्नि मे तप प्राण चेतनता जगी! एक ऐसी रागिनी है जिन्दगी, छेडने को जन्म भी तैयार है, छोडने को मौत भी तैयार!
और सदियाँ ढल गईँ बस इस तरह, हार जीवन ने कभी मानी नहीं, मिट्टियों से फिर नये अँकुर जगे, मौत की यह एक मेहमानी रही! एक ऐसी यात्रा है जिन्दगी, राह देने जन्म भी तैयार है, छाँह देने मौत भी तैयार!
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
Fragment of Buddhist Mural Depicting the Life of Shakyamuni Buddha
This sacred fragment preserves a profound chapter of devotional art born along the ancient Silk Road, originating from the oasis of Turfan where Buddhist teachings flourished across diverse cultures. The imagery draws the viewer into the sacred narrative of the life of Shakyamuni Buddha, capturing celestial and earthly beings caught in divine devotion. Recently restored with utmost care at the State Hermitage Museum, the mural whispers tales of ancient monasteries, flickering butter lamps, and the enduring spiritual journey of travelers, monks, and artists who poured their souls into rendering the dharma visible.
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