Daily Poetry — September 20, 2026

मैं नहीं जानता, मैं क्या हूँ? (An excerpt from Urvashi)

Composed by रामधारी सिंह 'दिनकर'

Original Hindi

मैं नहीं जानता, मैं क्या हूँ? मैं नहीं हूँ केवल शरीर, एक वासना-वासित मन भी? मैं हूँ आत्मा, मैं हूँ ज्योति! मुझे खोज, मुझे पा, मुझे जी! मैं वह जो हूँ, वही हो जाऊंगा। मैं नहीं वह, जो तुम हो। मैं तो वह, जो मैं हूँ।

English Translation

I do not know, what am I? I am not merely a body, Perhaps a mind driven by desires too? I am the soul, I am the light! Seek me, find me, live me! I will become that which I am. I am not that which you are. I am only that which I am.

AI Generated

AI Echo (Hindi)

यह यात्रा है भीतर की, निज स्वरूप को पहचानने की, अज्ञान के पर्दे हटाकर, सत्य के कण को पाने की। कौन है तू, कहाँ से आया, क्या है तेरी सच्ची पहचान? प्रश्न उठते हैं मानस में, खोजती उत्तर यह प्राण। बाहर की माया है मिथ्या, भीतर ही तेरा वास है, स्वयं को जानकर ही पाना, यही जीवन का खास है। जो अपने आप को समझ ले, वही अमरता पाता है, आत्मज्ञान ही असली शक्ति, जो जीवन को चमकाता है।

AI Generated

AI Echo (English)

This is an inner journey, to recognize one's true form, To remove the veils of ignorance, to find the particle of truth. Who are you, whence did you come, what is your true identity? Questions arise in the mind, this soul seeks answers with intensity. The outer illusion is false, your true dwelling is within, To find by knowing oneself, this is life's core essence, its win. He who understands himself, attains immortality, Self-knowledge is true power, that illuminates life's totality.

Literary & Historical Context

Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' (1908-1974) was a prominent Hindi poet, essayist, and academic, often regarded as a national poet for his nationalist and revolutionary poetry. His epic poem 'Urvashi' (1961) is a profound philosophical work, a lyrical drama that explores themes of love, desire, spirituality, and the eternal conflict between the physical and the metaphysical. This particular excerpt delves into the core of self-identity and existential inquiry. The speaker grapples with the fundamental question of "Who am I?" rejecting a purely material or desire-driven existence in favor of an understanding of the self as "soul" and "light." It calls for introspection and self-discovery ("Seek me, find me, live me!"), asserting a unique individual truth and an innate potential to become one's authentic self. 'Urvashi' earned Dinkar the prestigious Jnanpith Award in 1972, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of modern Hindi literature and a testament to his philosophical depth. It moved beyond his earlier heroic and patriotic themes to a more introspective and spiritual realm.

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