Hindi Recitation Competition - Krishna Ki Chetavani by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar

I learned this poem when I was in 6th or 7th standard. Loved it back then.

When I looked it up online to teach my daughter, I realized that we had learned a very much edited version of the poem. A pity - the poem in its entirety is so much more powerful. It presents a beautifully dramatic visual depiction of Krishna revealing his complete form at the Hastinapur court. Enjoy!

कृष्ण की चेतावनी

रामधारी सिंह "दिनकर"

वर्षों तक वन में घूम-घूम,

बाधा-विघ्नों को चूम-चूम,
सह धूप-घाम, पानी-पत्थर,

पांडव आये कुछ और निखर।
सौभाग्य न सब दिन सोता है,

देखें, आगे क्या होता है।

मैत्री की राह बताने को,

सबको सुमार्ग पर लाने को,
दुर्योधन को समझाने को,

भीषण विध्वंस बचाने को,
भगवान् हस्तिनापुर आये,

पांडव का संदेशा लाये।

‘दो न्याय अगर तो आधा दो,

पर, इसमें भी यदि बाधा हो,
तो दे दो केवल पाँच ग्राम,

रक्खो अपनी धरती तमाम।
हम वहीं खुशी से खायेंगे,

परिजन पर असि न उठायेंगे!

दुर्योधन वह भी दे ना सका,

आशिष समाज की ले न सका,
उलटे, हरि को बाँधने चला,

जो था असाध्य, साधने चला।
जन नाश मनुज पर छाता है,

पहले विवेक मर जाता है।

हरि ने भीषण हुंकार किया,

अपना स्वरूप-विस्तार किया,
डगमग-डगमग दिग्गज डोले,

भगवान् कुपित होकर बोले-
‘जंजीर बढ़ा कर साध मुझे,

हाँ, हाँ दुर्योधन! बाँध मुझे।

यह देख, गगन मुझमें लय है,

यह देख, पवन मुझमें लय है,
मुझमें विलीन झंकार सकल,

मुझमें लय है संसार सकल।
अमरत्व फूलता है मुझमें,

संहार झूलता है मुझमें।

*‘उदयाचल मेरा दीप्त भाल,

भूमंडल वक्षस्थल विशाल,
भुज परिधि-बन्ध को घेरे हैं,

मैनाक-मेरु पग मेरे हैं।
दिपते जो ग्रह नक्षत्र निकर,

सब हैं मेरे मुख के अन्दर।

‘दृग हों तो दृश्य अकाण्ड देख,

मुझमें सारा ब्रह्माण्ड देख,
चर-अचर जीव, जग, क्षर-अक्षर,

नश्वर मनुष्य सुरजाति अमर।
शत कोटि सूर्य, शत कोटि चन्द्र,

शत कोटि सरित, सर, सिन्धु मन्द्र।

‘शत कोटि विष्णु, ब्रह्मा, महेश,

शत कोटि विष्णु जलपति, धनेश,
शत कोटि रुद्र, शत कोटि काल,

शत कोटि दण्डधर लोकपाल।
जञ्जीर बढ़ाकर साध इन्हें,

हाँ-हाँ दुर्योधन! बाँध इन्हें।

*‘भूलोक, अतल, पाताल देख,

गत और अनागत काल देख,
यह देख जगत का आदि-सृजन,

यह देख, महाभारत का रण,
मृतकों से पटी हुई भू है,

पहचान, कहाँ इसमें तू है।

*‘अम्बर में कुन्तल-जाल देख,

पद के नीचे पाताल देख,
मुट्ठी में तीनों काल देख,

मेरा स्वरूप विकराल देख।
सब जन्म मुझी से पाते हैं,

फिर लौट मुझी में आते हैं।

*‘जिह्वा से कढ़ती ज्वाल सघन,

साँसों में पाता जन्म पवन,
पड़ जाती मेरी दृष्टि जिधर,

हँसने लगती है सृष्टि उधर!
मैं जभी मूँदता हूँ लोचन,

छा जाता चारों ओर मरण।

‘बाँधने मुझे तो आया है,

जंजीर बड़ी क्या लाया है?
यदि मुझे बाँधना चाहे मन,

पहले तो बाँध अनन्त गगन।
सूने को साध न सकता है,

वह मुझे बाँध कब सकता है?

*‘हित-वचन नहीं तूने माना,

मैत्री का मूल्य न पहचाना,
तो ले, मैं भी अब जाता हूँ,

अन्तिम संकल्प सुनाता हूँ।
याचना नहीं, अब रण होगा,

जीवन-जय या कि मरण होगा।

*‘टकरायेंगे नक्षत्र-निकर,

बरसेगी भू पर वह्नि प्रखर,
फण शेषनाग का डोलेगा,

विकराल काल मुँह खोलेगा।
दुर्योधन! रण ऐसा होगा।

फिर कभी नहीं जैसा होगा।

*‘भाई पर भाई टूटेंगे,

विष-बाण बूँद-से छूटेंगे,
वायस-श्रृगाल सुख लूटेंगे,

सौभाग्य मनुज के फूटेंगे।
आखिर तू भूशायी होगा,

हिंसा का पर, दायी होगा।’

थी सभा सन्न, सब लोग डरे,

चुप थे या थे बेहोश पड़े।
केवल दो नर ना अघाते थे,

भीष्म-विदुर सुख पाते थे।
कर जोड़ खड़े प्रमुदित, निर्भय,

दोनों पुकारते थे ‘जय-जय’!

Please click here for the YouTube link if you are interested in hearing it recited.

PS: Of course, it would not be possible to recite the entire poem effectively within the specified time interval - 3 minutes. So I decide to cut some stanzas for the competition - the omitted ones are starred above.

Thank you for visiting Random Writez ...  

Varsha

English Recitation Competition - It Couldn't Be Done by Edgar Albert Guest

We selected this poem for the English recitation competition for Third standard. I like it mostly for the positive, go-do-it attitude it exudes, quite contrary to the tragic and defeatist tone of the other shortlisted ones...

It Couldn't Be Done

 Edgar Albert Guest

Somebody said that it couldn't be done

      But he with a chuckle replied

That “maybe it couldn't,” but he would be one

      Who wouldn't say so till he’d tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
      On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
      That couldn't be done, and he did it!

Somebody scoffed: “Oh, you’ll never do that;
      At least no one ever has done it;”
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat
      And the first thing we knew he’d begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
      Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
      That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
      There are thousands to prophesy failure,
There are thousands to point out to you one by one,
      The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,
      Just take off your coat and go do it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
      That “couldn't be done,” and you’ll do it.



Click here for the YouTube link if you'd like to listen to it recited.

Thank you for visiting Random Writez ...  

Varsha

Assignments of Class III

Hiya all...

It has been a long break for me and most likely, I'll be taking another long break right after this post. I had only heard of "writer's block"... this is it, I guess.

Posting a few "five sentence" assignments/speeches/GD prepared for my daughter (Third standard, now :) )

Delhi – A mini India

Delhi is known for its rich cultural heritage and lifestyle.

People from all over the country have come to settle in the capital over many years.

These people, coming from various Indian cultures, live together in peace and harmony.

The art and culture of Delhi is a melting pot of the influences of diverse artists and craftsmen who have made this city their home over the centuries.

This unique ability to blend itself with different cultures without losing its own color has rightly earned this city the title of “Mini India”.

Uses of Solar Energy

Solar energy can be used in the form of heat as well as electricity.

Since ancient times, people have used solar energy for drying clothes and food products.

Nowadays, solar cookers can also be used to cook food.

Solar cells are used to convert solar energy into electricity.

This electricity can then be used to power small calculators and light bulbs.

Earth - The blue planet

Earth, the planet on which we live, is often called the Blue Planet.

It is called so because when astronauts look at Earth from space, it looks blue in color.

Over ¾ of the Earth’s surface is covered with water which makes the planet look bluish from a distance.

The Earth’s atmosphere is also blue in color.

Since no other planet in the solar system has such a vivid blue color, Earth is called the Blue planet.

All the other assignments were mostly about printing pictures out. So I shall omit those. 

Thank you for visiting Random Writez ...  

Varsha