Appreciation

Songs of Radha :The Quest :-Sarojini Naido

The title of the poem transports us to another world, to an environment of fertility and abundance. Mother Nature abounds the earth with the flow of her liquid. This white liquid symbolizesaffection and nurturing of life. Radha, the daughter of Mother Nature carries the liquid of life and growth to all living beings. Mathura is her destination where Krishna, the Divine Musician holds everybodymesmerized with his mystic presence. The heifers herald her arrival to Mathura where she will pour into the pots the liquid which she has brought- energy and power from the mother Earth. It is worth noticing that Sita, the other daughter of mother Earth also represents all that stand for productivity.

Mathura, here is considered the center of life and abundance. While the cow is the species, that represents the flow of life and abundance. Radha feeds and nurtures life. Even the clouds in the sky, white and creamy, are part of the resources of life. The clouds and breeze together produce rain to awash the earth with the energy and moisture that coaxes the dormant vitality into life energy. The time of the year should also be noted. It is the time of incessant rain, the month of Shrawan (August- September), when the life- giving moisture bursts forth.
Radha’s heart wavers from her task in hand. She yearns for her union with the Divine Musician, a presence that encompasses every soul of Mathura. She is absorbed, heart and mind, in his mystic presence and the trade cry she is supposed give out does not come to her lips- only the name of Govinda, the Omnipresent, the Omniscient and the Omnipotent, coming spontaneously from her heart, reverberates. Radha is presented in the poem in the first person. In the first stanza she refers to the commodity she is carrying. Her mind is somewhat attached to the earthly duties and nature of her work. Even in her surroundings she hears the cry of the heifers, an animal she connects with her trade. In the second stanza, her mind is drawn
towards the joy and gaiety of nature. She feels the abundance in her heart that life is flowing everywhere.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

RABINDRANANATH TAGORE

Rabindranath was born on 7 May 1861 Calcutta. His father Debendranath Tagore was a leading light in the Brahmo Samaj – a reforming Hindu organisation which sought to promote a monotheistic interpretation of the Upanishads and move away from the rigidity of Hindu Orthodoxy which they felt was holding back India. Debendranath Tagore also encouraged his family to learn English. Rabindranath began writing from an early age and impressed with his free-flowing style and spontaneous compositions. He mostly rejected formal schooling; he spent much time being taught at home. In 1878 he travelled to England and sought to study law at University College, London, but he left before finishing the degree. After returning to India, in 1901, Tagore moved to Shantiniketan to found an ashram which became his focal point for writing and his view on schooling. He chose the name for the ashram – Shantiniketan meaning ‘Abode of Peace’ Tagore was firm friends with Gandhi and a...
Read more

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

This proverb means that we should be careful about our health. If we take certain steps, we shall save ourselves from falling ill. We should go out for a walk, take excercise, should not over-eat and should sleep in time. Falling ill is a curse. We have to roll helplessly in the bed. Even after recovering, we are not able to do our work for months. Therefore, we should always take proper care of our health. We should not do anything which may cause harm to health. We should not worry unnecessarily. We must take milk and fruits, we should clean our teeth, massage our body. We should take our bath in clean water everyday. If we take these precautions, we shall never fall ill.
Read more

MORNING WALK

          Hiking provides the greatest pleasure to a man, whether you go by yourself or in the company of others. Some people prefer to go alone because then they can think calmly and quietly on many serious problems of the day. Mahathma Gandhi was one of them. He walked very fast every morning but he was accompanied by his disciples they discussed many problems of the day as they walked.          Hikers and tramps are found everywhere in the world. Some go out on long walks for pleasure, some do it for health.Some go out for hikes because they feel bored at home and do not find anything worthwhile to do. In an effort to run away from themselves,they just run away from home. In the new surroundings they find a new interest. They see greener fields and pastures new. During hiking  they make new friends and sometime this friendship blooms in to business ventures or a romance and even marriage. ...
Read more