Daily Poetry — July 18, 2026

कलम या तलवार (Kalam ya Talwar)

Composed by रामधारी सिंह 'दिनकर' (Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar')

Original Hindi

दो में से क्या तुम्हें चाहिए, कलम या कि तलवार? मन में ऊँचे भाव कि तन में शक्ति विजय अपार? अंध कक्ष में बैठ रचोगे ऊँचे मीठे गान या तलवार पकड़ जीतोगे बाहर का मैदान? कलम देश की बड़ी शक्ति है भाव जगाने वाली, दिल की नहीं दिमागों में भी आग लगाने वाली। पैदा करती कलम विचारों के जलते अंगारे, और प्रज्वलित प्राण देश क्या कभी मरेगा मारे? एक भेद है और जहाँ तक मैं भी उसको पाया, कलम और तलवार दोनों में कुछ अंतर दिखलाया। एक लोहे की एक चक्र की, दोनों में ही धार, एक मारती और जगाती, दोनों का ही वार।

English Translation

Of these two, what do you desire, the pen or the sword? Noble thoughts in mind, or immense power of victory in body? Will you sit in a dark room, composing lofty, sweet songs Or grasp a sword and conquer the field outside? The pen is a great power of the nation, awakening emotions, Igniting fire not just in hearts, but also in minds. The pen generates burning embers of thought, And with ignited spirits, can a nation ever be vanquished? There is a distinction, as far as I have understood it, Between the pen and the sword, some difference I've perceived. One is of iron, one of a wheel, both have an edge, One kills and one awakens, both deliver a strike.

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

पर युग के प्रवाह में देखो, दोनों का है मेल, ज्ञान बिना क्या शस्त्र चले, या शस्त्र बिना क्या खेल? कलम बिना इतिहास अधूरा, रणभूमि है मूक, तलवार बिना रक्षा असंभव, हर सपना है चूक। एक लिखती है भविष्य की गाथा, दूजा गढ़ता वर्तमान, दोनों मिलकर ही रचते हैं गौरवशाली इंसान। अज्ञान पर कलम का वार, अन्याय पर शस्त्र का प्रहार, राष्ट्र की नींव बनते हैं, ये दोनों ही आधार।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

But in the flow of ages, see, both are intertwined, What use is a weapon without knowledge, or a game without arms? History is incomplete without the pen, the battlefield is mute, Without the sword, defense is impossible, every dream a mistake. One writes the saga of the future, the other shapes the present, Together they forge a glorious human being. The pen's strike against ignorance, the weapon's blow against injustice, Both become the foundation, the pillars of the nation.

Literary & Historical Context

Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' (1908-1987) was a prominent Hindi poet, essayist, and academic, celebrated for his 'Veer Rasa' (heroic style) poetry and nationalist sentiments. 'Kalam ya Talwar' (Pen or Sword) is a quintessential example of his work, reflecting the intellectual and moral dilemmas faced by a newly independent India. The poem directly confronts the reader with a choice between the power of thought and literature (the pen) and the power of physical force and defense (the sword). Dinkar explores the unique strengths of each: the pen's ability to inspire minds and ignite revolutionary thoughts, and the sword's necessity for defense and action. Ultimately, he suggests a complex relationship where both are crucial for national progress and protection, emphasizing that true national strength lies in a harmonious balance of intellectual awakening and courageous action. The poem remains significant for its profound philosophical inquiry into the nature of power and its role in nation-building.