Daily Poetry — August 18, 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 – 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 से दया-दृष्टि पाने को बढ़ाए। भूख से सूख ओठ जब जाते दाता-भाग्य विधाता से क्या पाते? घूँट आँसुओं के पीकर रह जाते। चाट रहे जूठी पत्तल वे सभी सड़क पर खड़े हुए, और झपट लेने को उनसे कुत्ते भी अड़े हुए।

English Translation

He comes— Heartbroken, regretting, on the path he comes. Stomach and back are joined as one, Walking with a stick for support, For a handful of grains—to satiate hunger— He spreads the mouth of his torn old bag— Heartbroken, regretting, on the path he comes. With him are two children, always with outstretched hands, With their left hands, they rub their stomachs as they walk, And with their right, extended to receive a merciful glance. When lips dry up from hunger— What do they receive from givers, from fate's creator? They just gulp down tears. They are all standing on the street, licking discarded leaf-plates, And dogs too are persistent, ready to snatch from them.

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

यह दृश्य चिरंतन, कब बदलेगा संसार? मानवता कहाँ सोई, कहाँ खोया प्यार? पेट की आग कब बुझेगी इस देश में, जब वैभव पनपे, दरिद्रता इस भेष में। कोई हाथ बढ़ेगा क्या, रोटी का टुकड़ा देने को? या हर बार अश्रु ही होंगे पीने को? पथ पर चलते, लोग आँखें मूँद लेते हैं, यह कैसी दुनिया, जहाँ दर्द को मोड़ देते हैं।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

This scene is eternal, when will the world change? Where has humanity slept, where has love been lost? When will the fire in the belly be quenched in this land, When wealth flourishes, poverty in this guise. Will any hand reach out, to offer a piece of bread? Or will there always be only tears to drink? Walking on the path, people close their eyes, What kind of world is this, where pain is turned away?

Literary & Historical Context

“भिक्षुक” (The Beggar) by Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' is a poignant masterpiece of Hindi literature, emblematic of the 'Chhayavaad' (Romanticism) era's social consciousness. Written by one of the pioneers of free verse in Hindi, the poem starkly portrays the agonizing reality of poverty and hunger through the figure of a destitute beggar and his children. Nirala, known for his revolutionary spirit and humanistic concerns, uses vivid imagery and a direct, unsentimental tone to expose societal indifference towards the suffering masses. The lines "पेट पीठ दोनों मिलकर हैं एक" (stomach and back are joined as one) and the grim image of children and dogs vying for discarded food highlight the extreme degradation faced by the poor. The poem is a powerful social commentary, reflecting the economic disparities prevalent in pre-independence India and remains relevant today, making it a timeless appeal for empathy and social justice in Hindi poetry. It challenged conventional poetic forms and themes, bringing the harsh realities of life to the forefront of literary discourse.

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