Rashmirathi

Rashmirathi (रश्मिरथी), meaning 'the Sun's charioteer', is one of the most popular Epic poetry of the great Hindi poet, Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar'.Its one of the most appreciated works of Dinkar other than "Kurukshetra".

About the poem

Karna was first born son of Kunti whom she had abandoned at birth as he was an illegitimate son. Karna grew up in a lowly family, yet became one of the best warriors of his time. In the Great Mahabharata war, Karna was obliged to fight from the side of Duryodhana as Duryodhana recognizing his merits had made him a king and adopted him as a close friend. Karna fighting from Kaurava's side was a great worry of Pandavas as he was reputed to be unconquerable in war. The way Dinkar has presented the storey of Karna with all hues of human emotions trapped in moral dilemmas, is simply marvelous. The rhythm and meter is lilting. Choice of worlds and purity of language is exhilarating. The work has a timeless relevance and is a must read.

On the eve of Mahabharata War Kunti, went to Karna and requested him to diffuse the war by leaving Duryodhana and coming over to Pandava's side as he was her first born and it was only appropriate for him to fight from the side of Pandava's. A part of Karna's reply in words of Ramdhari Singh 'Dinkar' is given below. Karna says that even as he foresees a defeat for Kaurava's, he must fight from the side of Duryodhana. He says that the war is quite pointless yet it is a destiny that has to be fulfilled.

English Translation

"Aur hai, ranivas chala vapas jab rajbhavan ko,
""sabke peechhe chali ek vikalaa masosati man ko.
""ujad gaye ho swapn ki jaise haar gayi ho daon,
"nahi uthaye bhi uth paate they Kunti ke paon."

And alas, when all the queens were returning to their palace,Behind them all walked a mourner, with her heart wrenched with pain,As if all her dreams had shattered, who had lost all at stake,No effort could lift Kunti's feet.

This verse is used after the episode in which Karna challenges Arjuna at the assembly of princes.

"Main unka aadarsh, kahi jo vyathaa na khol sakenge,
""poochhega jag, kintu, pita ka naam na bol sakenge;
""jinka nikhil vishv mein koi kahin naa apna hoga,
""man mein liye umang jinhe chir-kaal kalapna hoga."

I am their ideal, of those who cannot speak of their pain,whom the world will question, but who can't tell their parentage,who have none in the entire cosmos to call their own,and yet will suffer this painful desire till eternity.

This verse is spoken by Karna as he tries to describe his anguish.

After five days of war, when Arjun mortally wounded Bhishma and made him lie down on a bed of arrows(shar-shayya) Karna goes to the battlefieldto ask for Bhishma's blessings to join the battle

"Giri ka udagra gauravadhar, gir jaaye shring jyon mahaakaar
""Athva soona kar aasmaan , jyon gire toot ravi bhaasmaan
""Kaurav dal ka kar tej haran, tyon gire Bhishma alok varan
"

"Kurukul kar deepit taj gira, jab thak kar boodha baaj gira
""Bhoolonthit pitamah ko vilok, chaa gaya samar mein mahaa shok
""Kurupati hi dhairya na khota tha, Arjun ka man bhi rotaa tha
"

"Ro dho kar tej naya damka, doosra surya sir par chamka
""Kauravi tej durjeya utha, rann karne ko radheya utha
""Sabke rakshak guru arya hue, sena nayak acharya hue
"

"Radheya kintu jinke karan, tha kiye abtak maun dharan
""Unka shubh ashish pane ko, apna saddharma nibhane ko
""Wah shar shayya ki or chalaa, pag pag ho vinay vibhor chala
"

"Chhoo Bhishma dev ke charan yugal, bola Radheya vaani saral
""He taat! aapka protsaahan, paa sakaa nahin jo lanchhit jan
""Yah wahi saamne aaya hai, uphaar ashru ka layaa hai
""Aagya ho to ab dhanush dharoon, rann mein chalkar kuchh naame karoon
""Dekhoon hai kaun pralay utraa, jisse dugmug ho rahi dhara
""Kurupati kp vijay dilaaoon mein, athva swayam veergati paaoon main
"

"Anuchar ke dosh kshama kariye, mastak par varad paani dhariye
""Akhiri milan ki vela hai, mann lagtaa badaa akela hai
""Mud-moh tyagne aaya hoon, pad-dhooli maange aaya hoon
"

"Bhishma ne kho nij sajal nayan, dekhe Karna ke aadra lochan
""Badh kheench paas mein laa kar ke, seene se use lagaa karke
""Bole- ab panth kya vishesh rahaa? Betaa aansoo hi shesh rahaa
"

"Main rahaa roktaa hi kshan-kshan, par hai hathi yah Duryodhana
""Mere kahne mein rah na sakaa, ankush vivek ka sah na sakaa
""Krodhandha, bhrant, mud mein vibhor, le hi aaya sangram ghor
"

"Ab kaho aaj kya hotaa hai, kiska samaj yah rotaa hai
""Kiska gaurav, kiska suhaag, jal rahaa pankti ke aar paar
""Kiska vann-baag ujarta hai, yah kaun maarta-marta hai
""Phootta droh-drav ka paavak, ho jaata sakal samaj narak
""sabkaa vaibhav, sabke suhaag, jaati dakaar yah kutil aag
""Jab bandhu virodhi hote hain, saare kulwaasi rote hain
"

"Isliye putra, ab bhi rukkar socho, mann mein yah mahaa samar
""Kis or tumhein le jaayega, phal alabh kaun de paayega
""Manavta hi mit jaayegi, phir vijay siddhi kya laayegi?
"

"O mere pratidwandi maani! Nischal, pavitra gunmaya gyani
""Mere mukh se sun purush vachan, tum vritha malin karte the mann
""Main nahin niraa avanshi thaa, mann hi mann badaa prashansi thaa
""So isliye bhi ki Duryodhana, paa sadaa tumhin se aashwasan
""Mujhko na maan kar chalta thaa, pag pag par rooth machalta thaa
""Anyatha tumse badh kar main kise maanta, veer pravar?
"

"Parthopum rahi, dhanurdhari, keshav samaan rannbhar bhaari
""Arjun ko mile Krishna jaise, tum mile Kauravon ko waise
""Par hai kya veerta ka sambal, rah jaayega dhanu hi keval?
""kya shani hetu shuch-shram bhi karenge veer param?
""jwala bhi kabhi bujhayenge, ya ladkar hi mar jaayenge?br>"

"Chal sake Duryodhana par yadi vash betaa, lo jug mein nayaa suyash
""Ladne se badh yah kaam karo, aaj hi band sangraam kari
""Yadi ise rok tum paaoge, jug ke traata kehlaaoge
"

"Ja kaho veer Duryodhan se, kar door dwesh vish ko mann se
""Wah mile Paandavon se jaakar, marne de mujhe shanti paakar
""Meraa antim balidaan rahe, sukh se saari santaan rahe
"

Listen to the poem

* [http://www.archive.org/download/audio_poetry_39_2006/RashmirathiPart1_64kb.mp3 Part 1]
* [http://www.archive.org/download/audio_poetry_39_2006/RashmirathiPart2_64kb.mp3 Part 2]
* [http://www.archive.org/download/audio_poetry_39_2006/RashmirathiPart3_64kb.mp3 Part 3]

External links

* [http://hi.literature.wikia.com/wiki/%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%B9_%22%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%B0%22 Rashmirathi at Kavita Kosh]
* [http://www.geeta-kavita.com Read excerpts from Rashmirathi in Hindi at geeta-kavita.com]
* [http://hindipoem3.blogspot.com/2006/09/rashmirathi-pratham-sarg.html Rashmirathi in Hindi]