Daily Poetry — September 5, 2026

भिक्षुक (Bhikshuk)

Composed by सूर्यकांत त्रिपाठी 'निराला'

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 फैलाये, बाएँ से वे मलते हुए पेट को चलते, और दाहिने दया-दृष्टि पाने को फैलाये। भूख से सूख ओंठ 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 हैं अड़े हुए।

English Translation

He comes, Heartbroken, lamenting, he walks the path. His belly and back are one, Walking with the support of a stick, For a handful of grain to quell his hunger, He spreads his torn old bag— Heartbroken, lamenting, he walks the path. With him are two children, always with outstretched hands, With their left hands, they rub their stomachs as they walk, And with their right, they extend them for a glimpse of kindness. When their lips dry from hunger, What do they receive from givers, from fate's creator? They swallow gulps of tears and remain. They are licking discarded plates, standing by the roadside, And dogs too are poised to snatch from them.

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

निर्बल का यह दारुण जीवन, कहाँ मिले अब आशा का धन? पीड़ा की ये लंबी रातें, न जाने कब तक बिसराएँ घातें। अट्टालिका के ऊँचे द्वार, अनसुनी रहती है पुकार। मानवता कब जागेगी फिर? करुणा कब बहेगी इस नीर? क्या यही नियति है, भाग्य का खेल? या क्रूर समाज का है मेल? एक रोटी के टुकड़े पर, जीवन की जंग चले निरंतर। अश्रु भी अब तो सूख गए, पथिकों के मन क्यों मूख गए? शायद कोई हाथ बढ़ेगा, इस अंधेरे को जो छेड़ेगा।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

This harsh life of the weak, where can hope's wealth be found now? These long nights of pain, when will their wounds be forgotten? The high gates of mansions, the pleas remain unheard. When will humanity awaken again? When will compassion flow in this water? Is this destiny, a game of fate? Or a cruel society's embrace? For a piece of bread, life's battle rages on ceaselessly. Even tears have dried now, why have the minds of travelers become mute? Perhaps some hand will extend, to pierce this darkness.

Literary & Historical Context

"भिक्षुक" (The Beggar) by Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' is one of the most poignant and socially conscious poems in Hindi literature, a quintessential example of the 'Chhayavaad' (Romanticism) era's shift towards social realism. Written in 1923, it vividly portrays the stark reality of poverty and hunger in India, a theme that Nirala frequently explored. The poem uses direct and powerful imagery to depict the plight of a beggar and his children, highlighting their desperate struggle for survival against a backdrop of societal indifference. Nirala's use of simple language and rhythm makes the suffering palpable, invoking deep empathy in the reader. It stands as a powerful critique of social inequality and a call for human compassion, securing its place as a timeless piece reflecting the hardships of the common man in 20th-century India.

← Prev Poem Browse All Poems Next Poem →

Feedback | Was this useful?