Editor’s Note: A college student from Mumbai, who had attended a Sanskrit appreciation and learning workshop at Sri Aurobindo Society expresses her love for Sanskrit in this poem.
हे गुरुदेव!
मधुरः तस्य रसः,
इन्द्रधनुषवर्ण इव तस्य वर्णः,
तेन भवति सर्वसुखम्,
कुत्र अस्ति तत् फलम्?
हे बालक!
किं न जानासि त्वम्?
संस्कृतरसः अतीव मधुरः,
भारतस्य तत् अमूल्यं फलम्,
ज्ञात्वा तत् भविष्यसि विद्वान् च त्वम्।।
हे गुरुदेव!
सुन्दरः तस्य गन्धः,
कोमलः तस्य स्पर्शः,
शुभा स्वच्छा एव च सा,
कुत्र अस्ति सा पुष्पमाला?
हे बालक!
भवति पुष्पमाला सदृशी,
भारतस्य सा सभ्यता,
अस्ति सा संस्कृताक्षरमाला
तालबद्धा ।।
हे गुरुदेव!
गीतं गायति सः
कृष्णलोचने अपि तस्य,
धर्मस्य मार्गे चलति सः
कुत्र अस्ति सः पुरुषः?
हे बालक!
पश्य आत्मनि,
वसति सः हृदये,
वासुदेव एव सः स्वयं संस्कृतम् एव,
सर्वदा रक्षति च त्वां मां सर्वान् अपि।।
English Translation by the Poet
O revered teacher!
Sweet is its juice,
Rainbow is its colour,
Satisfied are we by it,
Where do we find that fruit!
O dear student!
Don’t you know?
Sanskrit is sweet,
Bhārat’s most precious fruit it is,
By drinking you become a scholar.
O revered teacher!
Gracious is her fragrance,
Soft is her touch,
Pure and clean is she,
Where do we find that flower?
O dear student!
A garland there is like that
Civilisation of India is in her in fact,
She is the Sanskrit Akshar Maala,
Rhythmic are her beats.
O revered teacher!
Sings he melodious songs,
Eyes like that of Krishna,
Walks he on the righteous path,
Where do we find that person?
O dear student!
Peek into your soul
Resides he in your heart
Vasudev is Sanskrit himself,
Always protecting us all.
Cover image: Painting by Tuhina Roy; graphic retouch by Ranjana Swain
