"Rashmirathi"

These are one of my favourit lines from "Rashmirathi" (the Sun 's charioteer ) written by popular hindi poet Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'.Its a story of 'Karn' a famous character from epic Mahabharat.

है कौन विघ्न ऐसा जग में, टिक सके वीर नर के मग में?
खम ठोंक ठेलता है जब नर, पर्वत के जाते पाँव उखड़।
मानव जब जोर लगाता है,
पत्थर पानी बन जाता है।
गुण बड़े एक से एक प्रखर, हैं छिपे मानवों के भीतर,
मेंहदी में जैसे लाली हो, वर्तिका-बीच उजियाली हो।
बत्ती जो नहीं जलाता है
रोशनी नहीं वह पाता है।
पीसा जाता जब इक्षु-दण्ड, झरती रस की धारा अखण्ड,
मेंहदी जब सहती है प्रहार, बनती ललनाओं का सिंगार।
जब फूल पिरोये जाते हैं,
हम उनको गले लगाते हैं।
वसुधा का नेता कौन हुआ? भूखण्ड-विजेता कौन हुआ?
अतुलित यश क्रेता कौन हुआ? नव-धर्म प्रणेता कौन हुआ?
जिसने न कभी आराम किया,
विघ्नों में रहकर नाम किया।
जब विघ्न सामने आते हैं, सोते से हमें जगाते हैं,
मन को मरोड़ते हैं पल-पल, तन को झँझोरते हैं पल-पल।
सत्पथ की ओर लगाकर ही,
जाते हैं हमें जगाकर ही।
वाटिका और वन एक नहीं, आराम और रण एक नहीं।
वर्षा, अंधड़, आतप अखंड, पौरुष के हैं साधन प्रचण्ड।
वन में प्रसून तो खिलते हैं,
बागों में शाल न मिलते हैं।
कङ्करियाँ जिनकी सेज सुघर, छाया देता केवल अम्बर,
विपदाएँ दूध पिलाती हैं, लोरी आँधियाँ सुनाती हैं।
जो लाक्षा-गृह में जलते हैं,
वे ही शूरमा निकलते हैं।
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rashmirathi

First time I read this book when I was in school. I tried to understand the concept behind it and I found how these old stories are still related to our daily life.
Now I searched it on net,
Its good to see hindi literature on internet as hindi is not demonstrated on the world frame yet. They have developed a good site for hindi poems. http://www.kavitakosh.org/

To live is to risk dying...

Everyone has a comfort zone where there is less probability of failure.The confort zone of routine work, family, friends, relationship and social image. Deep inside there is a fear to venture out, there is always a fear of the things which would never have been done before.
These are few lines to analyze the fear of coming out from those four walls of comfort zone..

To laugh, is to risk being a fool.
To weep, is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out to another, is to risk involvement.
To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd, is to risk their loss.
To live, is to risk dying.
To hope, is to risk despair.
To try is to risk failure.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing .
They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they simply cannot learn,feel,change, grow, love or live.
Risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
Only a person who risks is free.
-Leo Buscalia

A letter to a teacher.

A letter written by Abraham Lincoln to the Headmaster of a school in which his son was studying. It contains an advice, which is still relevant today for executives, workers, teachers, parents and students

He will have to learn, I know,
that all men are not just,
all men are not true.
But teach him also that
For every scoundrel there is a hero;
that for every selfish Politician,
there is a dedicated leader...
Teach him for every enemy there is a friend,

Steer him away from envy,
if you can,
teach him the secret of
quiet laughter.

Let him learn early that
the bullies are the easiest to lick...
Teach him, if you can,
the wonder of books...
But also give him quiet time
to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky,
bees in the sun,
and the flowers on a green hillside.

In the school teach him
it is far honourable to fail
than to cheat...
Teach him to have faith
in his own ideas,
even if everyone tells him
they are wrong...
Teach him to be gentle
with gentle people,
and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son
the strength not to follow the crowd
when everyone is getting on the band wagon...
Teach him to listen to all men...
but teach him also to filter
all he hears on a screen of truth,
and take only the good
that comes through.

Teach him if you can,
how to laugh when he is sad...
Teach him there is no shame in tears,
Teach him to scoff at cynics
and to beware of too much sweetness...
Teach him to sell his brawn
and brain to the highest bidders
but never to put a price-tag
on his heart and soul.

Teach him to close his ears
to a howling mob
and to stand and fight
if he thinks he's right.
Treat him gently,
but do not cuddle him,
because only the test
of fire makes fine steel.

Let him have the courage
to be impatient...
let him have the patience to be brave.
Teach him always
to have sublime faith in himself,
because then he will have
sublime faith in mankind.

This is a big order,
but see what you can do...
He is such a fine fellow,
my son!