Winging away in lush green wood
Amidst young blossoms, tends to brood
The six-footed drone bee
And flees from Champak tree.
Why, beauteous not is she?
Bemused by blooms not he?
God alone knows everyone's good.
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Translation | 29.10.2025 | beautiful, God, green, flowers, wood
Note: A drone bee enjoys the blossoms of all flowers except that of Champak tree (Magnolia Champaca). The poet wonders why, but can’t figure out the reason, and says: God only knows. His wish, His mood. See, however, the next verse. Below is the transliteration of the Sanskrit verse:
Bhraman vana ante nava-mañjarishu
Na shat-padah gandha-falim ijighrat |
Saa kim na ramyaa sah cha kim na rantaa
Baleeyasi kevalam ishvara iccha || Indravajra meter ||
There’s no council without wise old,
Nor old that vouch dharma nor virtue,
No virtue, truth would not uphold,
Nor truth free from fraudulent hue!
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Translation |20.10.2024|assembly, old, virtue, truth, trickery
Poet’s note: Sanskrit has thousands of verses of wisdom called Subhashhitam. This verse is taken from Mahabharata, Sabha Parva. Draupadi was molested in the royal court despite the presence of wise old people like Bheeshma, Drona, Vidur, and Kripacharya. They were all talking about dharma while allowing such a thing to happen. (What Draupadi said is valid; what Duryodhan argued is also not invalid…) The transliteration of the Sanskrit verse follows:
Na saa sabhaa yatra na santi vriddhaah,
vriddhah na te ye na vadanti dharmam |
Dharmah na vai yatra cha na asti satyam,
satyam na tat yat chhala na anu-viddhyam ||
Kuchh aasamaa si bikhari jamiii
Bahata huaa paani, par thahari nadi...
Aa baant le ham jannat jindagi
Thoda saa dard thodi si namii
Sarahad to bas benaam bandigi
Dil se dhadakan tak ye simati chali
Ham to haantho me haanth le chale
Baant le resham si saari khushiii...
Thoda saa dard , thodi si namiii
Aa baant le ham jannat jindagiii....
By AMIT SHUKLA....
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