Daily Poetry — July 13, 2026

टूटा पहिया (Tuta Pahiya)

Composed by धर्मवीर भारती (Dharamvir Bharati)

Original Hindi

मैं रथ का टूटा पहिया हूँ लेकिन मुझे फेंको मत! क्या जाने कब किस दुर्भेद्य व्यूह में अभिमानी रथी को अक्षौहिणी सेनाओं को चुनौती देता हुआ कोई दुस्साहसी अभिमन्यु आकर घिर जाए! अपने पक्ष को असत्य जानते हुए भी बड़े-बड़े महारथी अकेली निहत्थी आवाज़ को कुचलने के लिए जब टूट पड़ेंगे तब मैं रथ का टूटा पहिया उसके हाथों में ब्रह्मास्त्रों से लोहा ले सकूँगा।

English Translation

I am the broken wheel of the chariot, but Do not discard me! Who knows when, in some impregnable formation, A proud charioteer, Challenging armies vast, A courageous Abhimanyu might be encircled! Even knowing their cause to be unjust, When mighty warriors Rush to crush a lone, unarmed voice, Then I, the broken wheel of the chariot, In his hands, Will be able to contend with divine weapons.

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

हाँ, तुम टूटे हो, पर हो अजेय व्यर्थ नहीं कोई भी छोटा अंग। समय की रणभूमि में जब सत्य हो जाता अकेला, निःसंग। अंधेरे में आशा की एक किरण बनकर तुम ही तो चमकोगे। टूटेपन में ही है पूर्णता का बीज, जो नए पथ रचने को उठेगा। शायद यही तुम्हारी शक्ति है, जो कभी न होगी क्षीण। तुम ही बनोगे उस नायक का बल, जो चुनौती देगा हर अधीन। मैं भी हूँ टूटा, पर आस लिए, कि तुम पथ बनोगे, राह दिए।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

Yes, you are broken, yet unconquerable, No small part is ever useless. When truth in the battlefield of time Becomes solitary, alone. You will shine as a ray of hope in the dark, For in brokenness lies the seed of completeness, Which will rise to forge new paths. Perhaps this is your strength, Which will never diminish. You will become the might of that hero, Who challenges every submission. I too am broken, but hold hope, That you will become the path, showing the way.

Literary & Historical Context

"टूटा पहिया" (The Broken Wheel) by Dharamvir Bharati is a powerful allegorical poem written in the 1970s, reflecting the disillusionment and questioning of established norms post-independence. It employs the Mahabharata context, specifically the character of Abhimanyu, who was unfairly cornered and killed in the Chakravyuh (an impregnable battle formation). The poem's central metaphor, the 'broken wheel' of a chariot, symbolizes the seemingly insignificant, discarded, or marginalized elements of society or thought. Bharati argues that even a 'broken wheel' has potential utility and strength, especially when 'mighty warriors' (representing powerful, unjust forces) gang up against a 'lone, unarmed voice' (symbolizing truth, justice, or a dissenting individual). The poem champions the idea that often, the weakest and most overlooked can become instruments of profound change or resistance against overwhelming, oppressive power, demonstrating an unexpected resilience and capacity to contend with even the mightiest weapons (Brahmastras). It's a poignant commentary on justice, power dynamics, and the value of every individual, irrespective of their apparent status.