Daily Poetry — September 16, 2026

सरोज स्मृति (Saroj Smriti)

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

Original Hindi

दुःख ही जीवन की कथा रही! क्या कहूँ आज जो नहीं कही? हो इसी कर्म पर वज्रपात, यदि धर्म रहे नत सदा माथ। इस पथ का, प्रदीप! जो पथभ्रष्ट, करते निष्फल भग्नायु कष्ट। साँस की लपट, दुखों की राह, उसे मिला जीवन का दाह। निश्चय उस पथ पर चल, प्रिये! जिस पथ पर मैं भी चला, प्रिये! तुमको मिला न कुछ, मुझे मिला, जीवन भर बस व्यर्थ ही सिला।

English Translation

Sorrow alone has been the story of my life! What shall I say today that has not been told? May a thunderbolt strike this very deed, If my head bows not always to righteousness. Of this path, O lamp! those who stray, Render futile the pain of a broken destiny. The flame of breath, the path of sorrows, To her fell the burning agony of life. Surely walk on that path, my beloved! On which I too have walked, my beloved! You received nothing, I received, Only futile mending throughout life.

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

निराला! यह व्यथा कहाँ तक कहूँ? अनकही बातों में कब तक रहूँ? हर पथ पर है गहन तिमिर छाया, किस्मत ने कैसी यह चाल रचाई। किंतु तुम मत हारो, हे प्रिय मन! तेरी ही स्मृति में मेरा कण-कण। संघर्षों से ही जीवन का मान, दुःख में ही मिलता नया ज्ञान। आँखों में जल, पर मुख पर हास, जीवन है एक अनमोल आभास। मैं हूँ तेरी, तू मेरी पहचान, करते रहेंगे सदा हम प्रयाण।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

Nirala! How far shall I narrate this anguish? How long shall I dwell in unspoken words? On every path, deep darkness has fallen, What a game destiny has played. But you must not lose, O dear heart! Every particle of me is in your memory. From struggles alone comes life's esteem, In sorrow alone is new wisdom found. Tears in eyes, yet a smile on the face, Life is a priceless sensation. I am yours, you are my identity, We shall always continue our journey.

Literary & Historical Context

"Saroj Smriti" is a monumental elegy by Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala', written in 1935 in memory of his deceased daughter, Saroj. It is considered one of the greatest elegies in Hindi literature and a pioneering work of the Chhayavad (Romanticism) era. The poem is deeply personal and autobiographical, recounting the poet's life, his profound struggles, his paternal love, and the tragic loss of Saroj, who succumbed to illness at a young age. Through this intensely emotional work, Nirala laments his inability to provide a better life for his daughter and reflects on the harsh realities he faced. The chosen excerpt highlights the pervasive sorrow in his life, expressed through the poignant line "दुःख ही जीवन की कथा रही!" (Sorrow alone has been the story of my life!). He describes the futility he felt and implicitly addresses Saroj, guiding her through the path of life that he himself had tread, marked by suffering and broken destiny. It is a profound exploration of grief, love, and the human condition, breaking away from traditional poetic norms with its frank and direct emotional expression and stream-of-consciousness style.

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