Phase 1 … Pre Independence

Shri Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, is often saluted as National Poet. He is well known for his motivational and national tone. First extract is from a poem written before India’s independence and as such motivates Indians (for that matter nationals of any country) for the ultimate sacrifice.

यह झण्डा, जिसको मुर्दे की मुट्ठी जकड़ रही है,
छिन न जाय, इस भय से अब भी कस कर पकड़ रही है;
थामो इसे; शपथ लो, बलि का कोई क्रम न रुकेगा,
चाहे जो हो जाय, मगर, यह झण्डा नहीं झुकेगा।

Mark our national flag- which is in the tight grip of a martyr, who is holding on to it even after death, so that no body can take it away. Now lets take a solemn oath that the sacrifices will go unabated but our flag will not bow down.

इस झण्डे में शान चमकती है मरने वालों की,
भीमकाय पर्वत से मुट्ठीभर लड़नेवालों की।

The flag is a reflection of the glory of those who died for it; those few who fought against the mighty mountain like opponents.

इसके नीचे ध्वनित हुआ ’आजाद हिन्द’ का नारा,
बही देश भर के लोहू की यहाँ एक हो धारा।

It is under this very flag we raised the slogan of “Free India”. It is under this flag we stood united and our bleed together.

जिस दिन हो तिमिरान्त, विजय की किरणें जब लहरायें,
अलग-अलग बहनेवाली ये सरिताएँ मिल जाएँ।

The day we will be victorious and the flag will be hoisted all rivers flowing on different path will merge together. The poet essentially referred to our multi-cultural, multi-religious, multi-lingual nation as different rivers and hoped to see all united under the national flag.

We indeed fought together. We Indeed were victorious. The Martyrs got us freedom and our flag is now glorious. But weather the things went as planned…?

Phase 2… Years later

Having achieved our Independence we set of the new path.How much successful we were were summed after seven years by the same poet in his poetry समर शेष है “The Battle is on…”. I have changed the word seven here to make it more contemporary.

समर शेष है

ढीली करो धनुष की डोरी, तरकस का कस खोलो
किसने कहा, युद्ध की बेला गई, शान्ति से बोलो?
किसने कहा, और मत बेधो हृदय वह्नि के शर से
भरो भुवन का अंग कुंकुम से, कुसुम से, केसर से?

I wonder, who suggested to set aside the weapons and that the war is over and its time to talk in peace? It is surprising that we have agreed to merry among ourselves and decorate our houses.

कुंकुम? लेपूँ किसे? सुनाऊँ किसको कोमल गान?
तड़प रहा आँखों के आगे भूखा हिन्दुस्तान।

But the question is how to merry? How to sing in joy when I see the Hungary starving India in front of me?

फूलों की रंगीन लहर पर ओ उतराने वाले!
ओ रेशमी नगर के वासी! ओ छवि के मतवाले!
सकल देश में हालाहल है दिल्ली में हाला है,
दिल्ली में रौशनी शेष भारत में अंधियाला है।

Those who are trying to portray the glorious picture of India and are trying to improve your image be clear – The whole India is suffering. You see shines only around you  (In Delhi) ?

मखमल के पर्दों के बाहर, फूलों के उस पार,
ज्यों का त्यों है खड़ा आज भी मरघट सा संसार।
वह संसार जहाँ पर पहुँची अब तक नहीं किरण है,
जहाँ क्षितिज है शून्य, अभी तक अंबर तिमिर-वरण है।

Beyond the artificial setup with glossy flowers and lively curtains, You still have the same miserable world. A world which is yet to see the promised sunshine (of opportunity) on independence.  Where there is still a vacuum in future and struggle for survival is still on.

देख जहाँ का दृश्य आज भी अन्तस्तल हिलता है,
माँ को लज्जा वसन और शिशु को न क्षीर मिलता है।
पूछ रहा है जहाँ चकित हो जन-जन देख अकाज,
सात साठ वर्ष हो गए राह में अटका कहाँ स्वराज?

It is terrible to see the current situation – Neither the Mothers get enough to wear nor kids enough to eat. Seeing the anarchy every one is asking the same quetion –“It has been seven sixty years… where is the Independence?”

अटका कहाँ स्वराज? बोल दिल्ली! तू क्या कहती है?
तू रानी बन गयी वेदना जनता क्यों सहती है?
सबके भाग्य दबा रक्खे हैं किसने अपने कर में ?
उतरी थी जो विभा, हुई बंदिनी, बता किस घर में?

Its time for Delhi (The government) to answer this question. How is it that you alone became prosperous and the people of India is suffering. You are responsible to find out who has grabbed the  fortune meant for Indians. The opportunity which was supposed to be for every one but is hoarded by few.

समर शेष है यह प्रकाश बंदीगृह से छूटेगा,
और नहीं तो तुझ पर पापिनि! महावज्र टूटेगा।
समर शेष है इस स्वराज को सत्य बनाना होगा।
जिसका है यह न्यास, उसे सत्वर पहुँचाना होगा।

The war is not over yet. The Ray will find its path ultimately. Those is power will have to pay for their guilt. We will make the dream come true and will have to give to due to the people. Till then The war is not yet over.

धारा के मग में अनेक पर्वत जो खड़े हुए हैं,
गंगा का पथ रोक इन्द्र के गज जो अड़े हुए हैं,
कह दो उनसे झुके अगर तो जग में यश पाएँगे,
अड़े रहे तो ऐरावत पत्तों -से बह जाएँगे।

The  path is obstructed by mighty (mountains) and their men (Elephants of the King). Let them take their call. If they bow now, they will share the glory; Else they will be wiped out like a leaf in the wave.

समर शेष है जनगंगा को खुल कर लहराने दो,
शिखरों को डूबने और मुकुटों को बह जाने दो।
पथरीली, ऊँची ज़मीन है? तो उसको तोडेंग़े।
समतल पीटे बिना समर की भूमि नहीं छोड़ेंगे।

The war is not over yet. Let the public movement take its call. Let power brokers be wiped out. Let the Mighty be drawned. There are obstrucles but we will get rid of them. And Not until we have our home rule, our socialism we are going to leave the battle field.

समर शेष है, चलो ज्योतियों के बरसाते तीर,
खंड-खंड हो गिरे विषमता की काली जंज़ीर।
समर शेष है, अभी मनुज-भक्षी हुँकार रहे हैं।
गाँधी का पी रुधिर, देश पर फुंकार रहे हैं।

The war is not over yet. March, O contemporary warriors. Let the evil chains of inequality be broken. The brutal forces are still out. After finishing Gandhi they are now attacking at rest of us (a word is edited here to make it contemporary and neutral)

समर शेष है, अहंकार इनका हरना बाकी है,
वृक को दंतहीन, अहि को निर्विष करना बाकी है।
समर शेष है, शपथ धर्म की लाना है वह काल
विचरें अभय देश में गांधी और देश के लाल।

The war is not over yet. We need to crush the arrogants. We need to take out their poisons. Let us vow to realize the dream of a time where Gandhi and rest of us can move without fear. (A word is again edited here to make it more contemporary and neutral)

तिमिरपुत्र ये दस्यु कहीं कोई दुष्कांड रचें ना!
सावधान, हो खड़ी देश भर में गांधी की सेना।
बलि देकर भी बली! स्नेह का यह मृदु व्रत साधो रे
मंदिर औ’ मस्जिद दोनों पर एक तार बाँधो रे!

The war is not over yet. Let us make sure that these pirates can’t create further havocs. Let us warn them that the worriers of Gandhi’s Army (In essence, We the people of India)  are ready. Let a sacrifice follow another. Let us bridge the religious gaps (which is a big political exploit) .

समर शेष है, नहीं पाप का भागी केवल व्याघ्र,
जो तटस्थ हैं, समय लिखेगा उनका भी अपराध।

The War is not over yet. But we Aware –

The guilt rests now only with those who are offenders; Those who remain neutral will also be tried for their crime.

On this sixty-first Republic day, I find this poetry still contemporary. I am not sure weather the poet, if were leaving today, would not had been happy about its relevance after sixty-three years. He would had been sorry (like rest of us) that.

The war is not over yet
समर शेष है

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by
narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary
desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is lead forward by thee
into ever-widening thought and action.
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father,
let my country awake

वन्दे मातरम्
सुजलां सुफलां मलयजशीतलाम्
शस्य श्यामलां मातरं |

Mother, I bow to thee!
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
bright with orchard gleams,
Cool with thy winds of delight,
Dark fields waving Mother of might,
Mother free.

शुभ्र ज्योत्स्न पुलकित यामिनीम
फुल्ल कुसुमित द्रुमदलशोभिनीम्,
सुहासिनीं सुमधुर भाषिणीम् .
सुखदां वरदां मातरम् .. वन्दे मातरम्

Glory of moonlight dreams,
Over thy branches and lordly streams,
Clad in thy blossoming trees,
Mother, giver of ease
Laughing low and sweet!
Mother I kiss thy feet,
Speaker sweet and low!
Mother, to thee I bow.

सप्त कोटि कन्ठ कलकल निनाद कराले
निसप्त कोटि भुजैध्रुत खरकरवाले
के बोले मा तुमी अबले
बहुबल धारिणीं नमामि तारिणीम्
रिपुदलवारिणीं मातरम् .. वन्दे मातरम्

Who hath said thou art weak in thy lands
When the sword flesh out in the seventy million hands
And seventy million voices roar
Thy dreadful name from shore to shore?
With many strengths who art mighty and stored,
To thee I call Mother and Lord!
Though who savest, arise and save!
To her I cry who ever her foeman drove
Back from plain and Sea
And shook herself free.

तुमि विद्या तुमि धर्म, तुमि हृदि तुमि मर्म
त्वं हि प्राणाः शरीरे
बाहुते तुमि मा शक्ति,
हृदये तुमि मा भक्ति,
तोमारै प्रतिमा गडि मंदिरे मंदिरे .. वन्दे मातरम

Thou art wisdom, thou art law,
Thou art heart, our soul, our breath
Though art love divine, the awe
In our hearts that conquers death.
Thine the strength that nervs the arm,
Thine the beauty, thine the charm.
Every image made divine
In our temples is but thine.

त्वं हि दुर्गा दशप्रहरणधारिणी
कमला कमलदल विहारिणी
वाणी विद्यादायिनी, नमामि त्वाम्
नमामि कमलां अमलां अतुलाम्
सुजलां सुफलां मातरम् .. वन्दे मातरम्

Thou art Durga, Lady and Queen,
With her hands that strike and her
swords of sheen,
Thou art Lakshmi lotus-throned,
And the Muse a hundred-toned,
Pure and perfect without peer,
Mother lend thine ear,
Rich with thy hurrying streams,
Bright with thy orchard gleems,
Dark of hue O candid-fair

श्यामलां सरलां सुस्मितां भूषिताम्
धरणीं भरणीं मातरम् .. वन्दे मातरम

In thy soul, with jewelled hair
And thy glorious smile divine,
Lovilest of all earthly lands,
Showering wealth from well-stored hands!
Mother, mother mine!
Mother sweet, I bow to thee,
Mother great and free!