Daily Poetry — July 21, 2026

भिक्षुक (Bhikshuk)

Composed by सूर्यकांत त्रिपाठी 'निराला' (Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala')

Original Hindi

वह आता दो टूक कलेजे के करता, पछताता पथ पर आता। पेट पीठ दोनों मिलकर हैं एक, चल रहा लकुटिया टेक, मुट्ठी भर दाने को भूख मिटाने को मुँह फटी पुरानी झोली को फैलाता – दो टूक कलेजे के करता, पछताता पथ पर आता। साथ दो बच्चे भी हैं सदा हाथ फैलाए, बाएँ से वे मलते हुए पेट को चलते, और दाहिने दया-दृष्टि पाने को बढ़ाए। भूख से सूख ओठ जब जाते दाता-भाग्य विधाता से क्या पाते? घूँट आँसुओं के पीकर रह जाते।

English Translation

He comes— His heart torn in two, regretting, he comes down the path. Belly and back are merged into one, He walks, leaning on a stick, For a handful of grains to quell his hunger, He spreads out his torn, old pouch— His heart torn in two, regretting, he comes down the path. With him are two children, always with outstretched hands, With their left hands, they rub their bellies as they walk, And with their right, they extend them to seek a merciful glance. When lips dry up from hunger, What do they receive from the giver, the dispenser of fate? They just swallow gulps of tears and remain.

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

यह कैसा समाज, कैसी यह रीत, जहाँ भूख का क्रंदन, जीवन की पीर। टूटे सपनों की टूटी कहानी, अश्रुधार बन बही जीवन की पानी। न कोई ठौर, न कोई सहारा, बस आशा का एक टूटा किनारा। किससे माँगूँ, क्या कहूँ मैं? विधाता भी मौन, जग रहा भय। कहाँ मिलेगा उस दिन का सवेरा, जब मिटेगा दरिद्रता का अंधेरा?

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

What kind of society, what kind of custom is this, Where hunger's cry, life's pain persists. A shattered tale of broken dreams, Life's water flows as a stream of tears. No shelter, no support, anywhere, Just a broken shore of hope's despair. Whom should I ask, what should I say? Even fate is silent, fear holds sway. When will that morning's light appear, When poverty's darkness will disappear?

Literary & Historical Context

"भिक्षुक" (The Beggar) is one of Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala's most poignant and realistic poems, belonging to the Chhayavaad (Romanticism) era but distinctively marked by its stark portrayal of social realism. Written in the 1920s, it vividly depicts the abject poverty and dehumanizing conditions faced by the common people in India. Nirala, a pioneer of free verse in Hindi, uses simple yet powerful language to highlight the beggar's plight and the silent suffering of his children. The poem is a sharp critique of societal indifference and the economic disparities of the time, resonating deeply with humanitarian concerns. Its directness and empathy make it a classic example of how Hindi poetry moved beyond purely romantic themes to address social injustices.