4 verses · ~1 min
एक नन्हीं-सी ज्योति! माटी में आँचल में अँकुआता बीज, काल -धारा में बहे जा रहे जीवन को निरंतरता की रज्जु में बाँधता. भंगुर-से तन में सँजोए नव-निर्माण कण, काल से आँख मिलाती नव-जीवन रचती धरती या नारी?
उस अंतर्निहित ज्योति का स्फोट, दर्पण पर प्रतिवर्तित असह्य प्रकाश! स्तब्ध काल-भुजंग अंधिया जाये, अपना दाँव न चल सके, तो तुम सहानुभूत या भय-भीत से बोल दिए - 'नारी की छाया परत अंधा होत भुजंग!'
निःस्व समर्पण के क्षणों में बहुत भाती है न बहुरिया? फिर मस्ती में डूबा मन, और आहत अहं जब बिठा नहीं पाता संगति, व्यवहार -जगत की वास्तविकताओं से, परिणामों से दामन बचा, बचते-भागते, उसी पर दोष धरते, गरियाते, बन जाते हो ख़ुद राम की बहुरिया!
सोचते रहते हो - 'तिनकी कौन गति जे नित नारी संग?' सुनो कबीर, जिसमें सामर्थ्र्य होगी, भागेगा नहीं, अर्धांग में धारण कर बन जाएगा पूर्ण-पुरुष! निर्भय-निर्द्वंद्व!
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
Woman Worshipping the Serpent
This evocative illustration captures a moment of quiet domestic piety rooted in ancient traditions. Within the intimate setting of a traditional home, a woman performs the sacred rite of Naga Puja, offering homage to the serpent, a symbol of primal energy and protection in Indian cosmology. The presence of the serpents, depicted with calm reverence rather than fear, highlights the seamless integration of the divine within the mundane activities of daily life. The artist, D. P. Joglekar, masterfully uses soft light and warm tones to create an atmosphere of profound serenity and spiritual dedication, inviting the viewer to witness a timeless act of devotion that bridges the human and the elemental worlds.
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