Daily Poetry — August 28, 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 का फैलाता। साथ दो बच्चे भी हैं सदा हाथ फैलाए, बाएँ से वे मलते हुए पेट को चलते, और दाहिने से दया-दृष्टि पाने को, बढ़े हुए भूखे हाथ फैलाए। भूख से सूख ओठ जब जाते, दाता-भाग्यों के अन्नदाता! पूछते तब पलट कर झोली, "क्या तुम कुछ नहीं पाओगे?" बच्चे भीख माँगते उनसे, "दे दो रोटी, कुछ दे दो!"

English Translation

He comes—his heart torn in two, regretting, he walks on the path. Belly and back are one, he walks leaning on a stick, For a handful of grains, to quench his hunger, he opens the mouth of his tattered old bag. Two children are with him, always stretching out their hands, with their left hands they rub their bellies as they walk, And with their right hands, to receive a sympathetic glance, they stretch out their hungry, extended hands. When lips dry up from hunger, O giver of destiny, giver of food! They then turn their tattered bag and ask, "Will you get nothing?" Children beg from them, "Give us bread, give us something!"

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

फिर भी जनपथ पर वही कहानी दुहराई जाती, आज भी नयनों में वही भूख की अग्नि समाती। बदलते युग में बदली न मनुष्य की व्यथा, कठोर हृदय संसार में कहाँ मिली कथा? वही जीर्ण वस्त्र, वही खाली हाथ, कोई नहीं सुनता उनकी करुण पुकार साथ। सूर्य ढलता है, रात्रि का घना तम आता है, किंतु उनके जीवन में न कोई सवेरा आता है। अभावों के इस गहरे समुद्र में डूबते जाते, आशा की एक किरण को तरसते रह जाते।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

Yet on the public path, the same story is repeated, Even today, the same fire of hunger resides in their eyes. In a changing era, human sorrow has not changed, Where in this cruel-hearted world is their tale heard? The same tattered clothes, the same empty hands, No one hears their piteous cry. The sun sets, the dense darkness of night arrives, But in their lives, no dawn ever comes. They keep drowning in this deep ocean of scarcity, Longing for a single ray of hope.

Literary & Historical Context

"भिक्षुक" (Bhikshuk), meaning 'The Beggar', is one of Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala's most poignant and realistic poems. Written in the Chhayavad (Romanticism) era, it stands out for its stark portrayal of poverty and social inequality, a theme often associated with Pragativad (Progressivism). Nirala, though primarily a Chhayavadi poet, frequently integrated social commentary and realism into his work, making him a unique voice. This poem vividly depicts the desperate struggle of a beggar and his starving children, using simple yet powerful language to evoke empathy and expose the harsh realities faced by the marginalized. It criticizes a society that allows such suffering, directly questioning the 'givers' (दाताओं) and highlighting the unending cycle of hunger. The poem's raw emotional appeal and its focus on the common man's struggle cemented Nirala's reputation as a poet deeply concerned with social justice.

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