Subhadra Kumari Chauhan (1904-1948) was a renowned Hindi poet and freedom fighter. Her pièce de résistance is her epic poem on the Queen of Jhansi, Lakshmibai. While she was known for her poems in the vira rasa (the aesthetic experience of courage; one of the nine rasas), this is a beautiful poem about childhood in the karuna rasa (the aesthetic experience of compassion, pathos, and empathy).
I have to give vent to what has been bothering my mind for quite sometime now. I hope that the underlying fervor appeals to the like-minded.
नीलोत्पल-दल-श्यामां विज्जिकां मामजानता ।
वृथैव दण्डिना प्रोक्ता सर्वशुक्ला सरस्वती ॥
nilotpala-dala-shyamam vijjikam mam ajanata |
vrthaiva dandina prokta sarvashukla sarasvati ||
Immadi Pulakeshi, the valiant ruler of the Chalukya dynasty, is the pride of all Kannadigas. Under his regime, the kingdom crossed many frontiers and extended its influence till the banks of Narmada. He was hailed as दक्षिणापथपरमेश्वर – the invincible emperor of the Southern land. He even defeated the mighty king Sriharsha.
शुष्को वृक्षस्तिष्ठत्यग्रे
तदुपरि कश्चित्सर्पोऽप्यस्ति ।
नीरसतरुरिह विलसति निकटे
तदुपरि मणिमयकुटिलभुजङ्गः ॥
shushko vrkshastishthatyagre
tadupari kashchitsarpopyasti |
nirasataruriha vilasati nikate
tadupari manimayakutilabhujangah ||
यां चिन्तयामि सततं मयि सा विरक्ता
साप्यन्यमिच्छति जनोऽप्ययमन्यसक्तः ।
अस्मत्कृते च परितुष्यति काचिदन्या
धिक्तां च तं च मदनं च इमां च मां च ॥
yam chintayami satatam mayi sa virakta
sapyanyamicchati janopyayamanyasaktah |
asmatkrte ca paritushyati kachidanya
dhik tam cha tam cha madanam cha imam cha mam cha ||
श्वशुरगृहनिवासः स्वर्गतुल्यो नराणां
यदि वसति दिनानि त्रीणि वा पञ्च सप्त ।
मधुदधिघृतधाराक्षीरसारप्रवाह-
स्तदुपरि दिनमेकं पादरक्षाप्रहारः ॥
shvashuragrhanivasah svargatulyo naranam
yadi vasati dinani trini va pancha sapta |
madhudadhighrtadharakshirasarapravahah
tadupari dinamekam padarakshapraharah ||
शीतेनाद्ध्युषितस्य माषशिमिवच्चिन्तार्णवे मज्जतः
शान्ताग्नेः स्फुटिताधरस्य धमतः क्षुत्क्षामकण्ठस्य मे ।
निद्रा क्वाप्यवमानितेव दयिता संत्यज्य दूरं गता
सत्पात्रप्रतिपादितेव वसुधा न क्षीयते शर्वरी ॥
shitenaddhyushitasya mashashimivaccintarnave majjatah
shantagneh sphutitadharasya dhamatah kshutkshamakanthasya me |
nidra kvapyavamaniteva dayita samtyajya duram gata
satpatrapratipaditeva vasudha na kshiyate sharvari ||
Panini (पाणिनि) was a grammarian of ancient India. We do not know when and where he lived. 5th century BCE is a safe estimate. Today, the word ‘Panini’ connotes several things, of which the foremost is perhaps a computer-compatible, NASA-approved system of grammar. Over the decades, many learned minds have been engaged in extracting algorithms out of अष्टाध्यायी ('the eight-chapter book'), a treatise on Sanskrit grammar authored by Panini. The world of computers – though advancing at the speed of light – has not benefited from this ‘computer-compatible’ system.
इह निवसति मेरुः शेखरः क्ष्माधराणा-
मिह विनिहितभाराः सागराः सप्तचान्ये ।
इदमहिपतिभोगस्तम्भविभ्राजमानं
धरणितलमिहैव स्थानमस्मद्विधानाम् ॥
iha nivasati meruh shekharah kshmadharanam
iha vinihatabharah sagarah saptachanye |
idamahipatibhogastambhavibhrajamanam
dharanitalamihaiva sthanamasmadvidhanam ||
ಕಾವ್ಯ ಪ್ರಪ೦ಚದಲ್ಲಿ ಇರುವ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಪಾತ್ರಗಳು ಮೂರು. ೧. ಅದರ ಆತ್ಮವೇ ಆದ ಕಾವ್ಯ ೨. ಕಾವ್ಯದ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಕರ್ತನಾದ ಕವಿ ೩. ಕಾವ್ಯಪ್ರಯೋಜಕನಾದ ಸಹೃದಯ (ಓದುಗ). ಪ್ರತಿಭಾಶಾಲಿಯಾದ ಕವಿಯಿ೦ದ ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ ಕಾವ್ಯವೃಕ್ಷ ಫಲನೀಡುವುದು ಸಹೃದಯನಿ೦ದಲೇ; ಸಹೃದಯನಲ್ಲಿಯೇ; ಒ೦ದು ಕಾವ್ಯಸೃಷ್ಟಿಗೆ ಸಾರ್ಥಕತೆ ದೊರಕುವುದು ಸಹೃದಯನು ಅದನ್ನು ಓದಿ ಮೆಚ್ಚಿ ರಸಪರವಶನಾದಾಗ. ಹಾಗಾದರೆ, ಸಹೃದಯನೆ೦ದರೆ ಯಾರು? ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯ ಓದುಗರಿಗೂ ಸಹೃದಯನಿಗೂ ಇರುವ ವ್ಯತ್ಯಾಸವೇನು? ಎ೦ಬ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗಳು ಸಹಜವಾಗಿ ಏಳುತ್ತವೆ.