Class 12

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Poem 8 On His Blindness Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 8 On His Blindness

1. When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days ; in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent
To serve therewith my Maker, and present
My true account, lest He, returning chide.

Word-Notes:
Consider-think. How…………. spent-how I have lost my eye-sight. Ere-before. Half my days-half of my life is spent. Dark world-for he has lost his eyesight. Wide-big. Talent-poetic gift. Milton refers to the story of the talents in the Bible. “A master on the eve of going out to some place gives talents (a sum of money) to his three servants who are expected to make proper use of them.

On his return he desires to know what they have done with their talents. The first two servants have increased their talents. The master is well pleased with them. But the master is angry when he learns that the third servant, who had received only one talent, had kept it hidden beneath the earth and had not increased it.

The master then condemns and punishes the third servant.” Here the master stands for God, the servants for men, and the talents for natural gifts. Milton compares himself to the third servant who receives only one talent and keeps it hidden. He thinks that he has not made the proper use of his gift of poetry. He fears lest he should be punished by God.

Word-Notes :
Which is death to hide–not making use of his poetic gift is like death … to the poet. Lodged-kept. Lodged useless—the poet cannot utilize his poetic gift due to his blindness. Bent-determined. Therewith—with the help of his poetic gift. MakerGod. Present-show. True account-full use of poetic gift. Lest ………….chide–that God may take the poet to task for not using His gift to serve Him.

Explanation. In these lines Milton expresses his sorrow on the loss of his eye-sight. The world becomes totally dark to him. He felt very helpless and restless. God had given him the gift of writing poetry. He felt sad because he was unable to make use of this gift. He wanted to write religious poetry in the service of God. He wanted to present a good account, of his activities lest God should scold him for remaining idle.

Milton is perhaps thinking of the parable of talents (coins). Once a master went on a long voyage. Before leaving, he gave a few talents, to his servants. When he came back he found that the third servant had not made any use of his talent. So the master rebuked him. Milton also fears that God, his master, would rebuke him for not using his talent of writing poetry. But it is not his fault. He is blind. So he is not able to make use of his talent.

इन पंक्तियों में Milton अपने अफसोस को व्यक्त करता है क्योंकि उसकी देखने की शक्ति खो गई है। दुनिया उसके लिए बिल्कुल अंधकारमयी हो गई है। वह बहुत बेबस और बेचैन हो गया। परमात्मा ने उसे कविता लिखने की प्रतिभा दी थी। वह उदास हो गया क्योंकि वह कविता लिखने के योग्य नहीं रह गया। वह परमात्मा की सेवा में धार्मिक कविता लिखना चाहता था।

वह अपनी सरगरमियों का अच्छा लेखा-जोखा देना चाहता था ताकि परमात्मा उसको बेकार रहने के लिए न कोसे। Milton शायद तोड़ों या सिक्कों की नीति कथा का जिकर कर रहा है। एक बार एक स्वामी लम्बी समुद्री यात्रा पर गया। जाने से पहले उसने अपने नौकरों को कुछ सिक्के दिये। जब वह वापस आया तो उसने देखा कि तीसरे नौकर ने सिक्के का प्रयोग नहीं किया था।

इसलिए स्वामी ने उसको कौसा| Milton को डर है कि कहीं परमात्मा उसे अपनी प्रतिभा (talent) को प्रयोग न करने के लिए न कोस लेकिन उसका कोई दोष नहीं है। वह अन्धा है। इस लिए वह अपनी प्रतिभा का प्रयोग नहीं कर सकता।

2. “Doth God exact day-labour, light denied
I fondly ask ; but Patience, to prevent
That murmur, soon replies : ‘God doth not need
Either man’s work or His own gifts ; who best
Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best.

Word-Notes:
Exact-desire, demand, expect. Day-labour-work that can be done during day. Light denied – when light has not been given. Fondly – foolishly. Patience inner voice. To prevent that murmur-to stop all those doubts. Yoke-burden.

Explanation:
In these lines, Milton foolishly questions God how He can expect him to work when He has denied him his eye-sight. He murmurs against the ways of God to man. He feels that God has no right to demand work from him because He has made him blind. The poet’s inner voice or conscience comes to his help. It tells him that God does not want any return for His gifts. Those who accept His will willingly are His best servants.

इन पंक्तियों में Milton परमात्मा से प्रश्न पूछता है कि जब उसने उसके देखने की शक्ति छीन ली है तो उससे काम करने की आशा नहीं की जा सकती। वह आदमी के प्रति परमात्मा के तौर-तरीकों के विरुद्ध बुड़बुड़ करता है। वह महसूस करता है कि परमात्मा को कोई अधिकार नहीं है कि वह कोई किया हुआ काम माँगे क्योंकि उसने उसे अन्धा बना दिया है। कवि की भीतर की आवाज़ या अन्तरात्मा उसे कहती है कि परमात्मा को अपने दिए हुए उपहारों का कोई मुआवजा नहीं चाहिये। जो लोग परमात्मा की मर्जी के अनुसार काम करते हैं वे ही उसके बेहतरीन नौकर होते हैं।

3. His state is kingly ; thousands at His bidding speed,
And post o’er land and ocean without rest ;
They also serve who only stand and wait. (V.V. Important)

Word-Notes: State-kingdom. Kingly-like that of a king. Thousands–thousands of angels. At His bidding-when ordered by Him. Speed-travel. Post – do their duty.

Explanation:
In these lines the poet says that God has thousands of angels at His command. They are willing to carry out the orders of God. Some of the angels go to far off places. Other angels stand near God and wait for His orders. Those who stand near God are as faithful servants of God as those angels who do active duty.

The poet means to say that those men who cannot do active work need not grumble. They must have the humility to work for God. In that case they are as good as active workers. One should learn to submit oneself to the will of God without questioning His authority.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि कहता है कि परमात्मा के पास अपने आदेश के अनुसार काम करने वाले हज़ारों फरिश्ते हैं। वे परमात्मा के आदेशों को मानने के लिए हर समय तैयार रहते हैं। उनमें से कुछ फरिश्ते दूर के स्थानों पर नियुक्त किये गये होते हैं। जो परमात्मा के पास खड़े रहते हैं वे भी उतने ही वफ़ादार होते हैं जितने सक्रिय सेवा करने वाले होते हैं।

कवि के कहने का मतलब है कि जो व्यक्ति सक्रिय काम नहीं कर सकते उन्हें बुड़बुड़ करने की आवश्यकता नहीं। उन्हें परमात्मा के लिए नम्रता से काम करना चाहिए। उस हालत में वे सक्रिय काम करने वालों जितने अच्छे होते हैं। परमात्मा के आदेश को चुनौती दिए बिना उन्हें परमात्मा के प्रभुत्व को मानना चाहिए।

Comprehension Of Stanzas

1. When I consider how my light is spent,
Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,
And that one talent which is death to hide
Lodged with me useless …..

Questions :
(a) In the first line ‘light’ is a ………. for vision. (alliteration/metaphor) .
(b) The word ‘spent’ means …….. (used up, alienated)
(c) Name the poet of this poem.
(d) What is the meaning of the word ‘talent in the line “…….. and that one talent ……. ” ?
Answers :
(a) metaphor
(b) used up.
(c) John Milton.
(d) Poetic gift or poetic ability.

2. But Patience to prevent
That murmur soon replies,
‘God doth not need
Either man’s work or His own gifts.
Who best Bear
His mild yoke, they serve Him best.’ (V.V. Imp.)

Questions :
(a) Identify the figure of speech in the line ……. But Patience to prevent That murmur, soon replies ……..
(b) The speaker’s murmur is about the question whether God would be so cruel as to make impossible demand of work. But then who steps in to stop him.
(c) What does Patience say about God ?
(d) Which line in the poem says, “Those who accept God’s control over their own existence are the best servants of God.”?
Answers :
(a) The figure of speech is personification.
(b) Patience (voice of conscience) steps in to stop him.
(c) Patience says that God does not need man’s work nor any compensation for the gifts that God has given to man.
(d) Who best bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best.

On His Blindness Summary in English

On His Blindness Introduction:

This poem deals with the loss of Milton’s eye-sight. He has become blind. He has hardly lived half of his life. The gift of writing poetry is lying unused with him. He is very anxious to serve God with it. He fears lest God should punish him for not making use of his gift. He becomes impatient. He asks himself if God expects work from him even after his blindness. But soon he realises that they also serve who only stand and wait. He submits himself to the will of God.

On His Blindness Summary in English:

Milton lost his eye-sight at the age of forty three. He felt grief-stricken at this loss. The world appeared dark and desolate to him. God had given him the gift of writing poetry. He felt helpless. He could not make use of this gift. He was a religious-minded man. He wanted to use the gift of writing poetry in the service of God. He felt that his gift was useless.

He feared that God would scold him for wasting His gift. He thought of the servant who did not use a talent given to him by his master. On his return the master scolded the servant for not using the talent. In the same way, Milton feared that God would scold him for not making use of the talent of writing poetry.

So Milton starts grumbling. He foolishly asks himself the question if God wants him to work after taking away his eye-sight. His inner voice however comes to his help. It tells him not to grumble about the ways of God to man.

It assures him that God’s ways to man are absolutely just. God does not want any compensation for the talents that He gives to human beings. He does not want man to work to please Him. Those who accept God’s will happily are His best servants. God has given a light responsibility to each one of us. We must accept that responsibility without grumbling.

On His Blindness Summary in Hindi

On His Blindness Introduction:

यह कविता कवि Milton की आँखों की रोशनी चले जाने से सम्बन्धित है। वह अन्धा हो गया है। उसने अभी तक अपने जीवन की आधी अवधि व्यतीत की है। कविता लिखने की प्रतिभा उसके पास बेकार पड़ी है। वह इस प्रतिभा को परमात्मा की सेवा में प्रयोग करना चाहता है। उसे डर लगाता कि कहीं इस योग्यता या प्रतिभा को प्रयोग न करने से परमात्मा उसे दंड न दे दे।

वह अधीर हो उठता है। वह अपने आप को पूछता है क्या परमात्मा उससे यह आशा करता है कि उसकी दृष्टि शक्ति चले जाने के बाद भी वह कुछ काम करे। लेकिन शीघ्र ही Milton महसूस करता है कि वे मनुष्य भी परमात्मा की सेवा करते हैं जो उसके पास खड़े रहें और उसके आदेशों की प्रतीक्षा करें। अत: Milton परमात्मा की इच्छा के आगे अपना सिर झुका देता है।

On His Blindness Summary in Hindi:

“On His Blindness’ John Milton द्वारा लिखी चौदह पंक्तियों की एक प्रसिद्ध कविता है। कवि को दुःख है कि वह आधा जीवन व्यतीत करने से पहले ही अन्धा हो गया है और अन्धा होने के पश्चात् यह संसार उसके लिए अन्धेरा तथा विशाल बन गया है। मिल्टन का कहना है कि परमात्मा ने उसको कविता लिखने की कला दी है। वह इस कला का प्रयोग करने का बहुत इच्छुक है। उसकी प्रबल इच्छा है कि वह परमात्मा की पूजा करने के लिए एक महान् धार्मिक कविता लिखे। इस कला को छिपाना उसके लिए मृत्यु के समान है। परन्तु वह अपने अन्धेपन के कारण विवश हो जाता है।

मिल्टन अपनी इस विवशता के कारण चिन्तित है। उसको भय है कि परमात्मा उसको इस कला के प्रयोग न करने के कारण डांटेगा। उसको बाइबिल की एक कहानी याद आती है जिसमें एक स्वामी ने उस नौकर को बहुत डांटा था जिसने उस गुण का प्रयोग नहीं किया था जो दिया गया था। कुछ क्षण के लिये कवि बहुत परेशानी महसूस करता है। परमात्मा के प्रति उसके विश्वास में थोड़ी हलचल हो जाती है और वह पूछता है कि जब उसे आंखों की रोशनी से वंचित कर दिया गया है तो वह अपनी प्रवीणता (कविता लिखने की योग्यता) को कैसे प्रयोग कर सकता है।

परन्तु शीघ्र ही उसकी अन्तरात्मा उसकी बेचैनी को दूर कर देती है। ईश्वर के प्रति उसका विश्वास दृढ हो जाता है। उसे समझ आ जाती है कि परमात्मा को मनुष्य की किसी सेवा की आवश्यकता नहीं। परमात्मा को उन उपहारों के प्रतिदान की आवश्यकता भी नहीं जो उसने मनुष्य को दिये होते हैं। परमात्मा केवल यह चाहता है कि मनुष्य अपने को उसकी इच्छा के सामने समर्पित कर दे।

परमात्मा की आज्ञा पूरी करने के लिये उसके पास हज़ारों फरिश्ते हैं। ये फरिश्ते परमात्मा के आदेशों का पालन करने के लिए जल-थल पर शीघ्रता से पहुंच जाते हैं। परन्तु केवल वही फरिश्ते परमात्मा के सेवक नहीं जो उसका आदेश पूरा करने के लिए घूमते हैं। वे फरिश्ते जो खड़े होकर उसके आदेश की प्रतीक्षा करते हैं वे उसके सच्चे सेवक हैं। मिल्टन अपने आपको इन फरिश्तों के समान समझता है जो खड़े रहकर ईश्वर के आदेश की प्रतीक्षा करते हैं।

On His Blindness Central Idea

This poem is based on the idea that the ways of God to man are just. Man must cheerfully adjust himself to the circumstances in which God has placed him. The real service of God lies in feeling happy and contented with our lot. God does not want any return for the gifts that He has given to human beings. God does not want man to work to please Him. Those who accept God’s will cheerfully are His best servants.

On His Blindness Central Idea In Hindi

यह कविता इस विचार पर आधारित है कि आदमी के प्रति परमात्मा के तरीके न्यायसंगत होते हैं। जिन परिस्थितियों में परमात्मा ने आदमी को रखा है उनके अनुसार आदमी को अपने आपको सहर्ष ढाल लेना चाहिये। परमात्मा की वास्तविक सेवा यह होती है कि हम अपने भाग्य या तकदीर से प्रसन्न और सन्तुष्ट रहें। जो उपहार परमात्मा ने आदमी को दिए हैं उनके लिए परमात्मा को कोई मुआवज़ा नहीं चाहिए। परमात्मा यह नहीं चाहता कि आदमी उसको प्रसन्न करने के लिए काम करे। जो व्यक्ति परमात्मा की मर्जी को प्रसन्नता से स्वीकार कर लेते हैं वे ही उसके बेहतरीन सेवक होते हैं।

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Poem 7 The Road Not Taken Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 7 The Road Not Taken

1. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Word-Notes :
Diverged – branched away. Wood – jungle. Undergrowth – bushes.

Explanation:
The poet came to a junction of two roads in the forest. The roads were branching away from each other. The poet was a single traveller. He was sorry to realize that he could not go along both the roads at one and the same time. He stood at the junction of two roads for a long time. He looked along one of the roads as far as he could to the spot where the road became hidden in the growth of trees and bushes.

कवि जंगल में दो सड़कों के जंकशन पर आया। सड़कें एक दूसरे से अलग हो रही थीं। कवि अकेला यात्री था। उसे यह सोच कर खेद हुआ कि वह एक ही समय पर दोनों सड़कों पर नहीं चल सकता था। वह दोनों सड़कों के जंकशन पर काफी समय के लिए खड़ा रहा। जहाँ तक वह देख सकता था, वह एक सड़क को उस बिन्दु तक देखता रहा जहां यह वृक्षों और झाड़ियों के नीचे जा कर छिपती थी।

2. Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as far that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

Word-Notes : Fair-beautiful. Grassy-covered with grass. Wanted wear-it was not much travelled or used.

Explanation:
The poet came to a junction of two roads in a forest. The roads were branching away from each other. The poet was a single traveller. He stood at the junction of the roads for a long time. He looked along one of the roads as far as he could. The poet then turned to the other road.

This one was just as good and comfortable a road for journeying along as the other one. In a way it was entitled to a preferential treatment. It was grass-covered and therefore provided the traveller with an additional attraction. So far as the use of the either road by travellers up to that point was concerned, both had been frequently used by them and were worn out and broken to the same extent.

फिर कवि ने दूसरी सड़क का रुख किया। यह सड़क भी पहली सड़क की तरह यात्रा करने के लिए अच्छी और आरामदायक थी। यह घास से ढकी हुई थी और इसलिए यह यात्री के लिए अधिक आकर्षण का कारण थी। जहाँ तक उस बिन्दु तक यात्रियों द्वारा दोनों सड़कों के प्रयोग का प्रश्न था तो यात्रियों ने दोनों का प्रयोग किया हुआ था और दोनों उसी सीमा तक घिसी-पिटी हुई थीं।

3. And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day :
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

Word-Notes. Trodden black-had black sign because of travelling.

Explanation. In these lines the poet says that the two roads lay in front of him equally covered with leaves. No human being had yet used either of the roads. The poet decided to reserve the first road for use on a future occasion. He knew it, however, very clearly that from one road or path branches off another. He doubted if he would ever come back to that junction of the roads and fulfil his promise of following the first road.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि कहता है कि दोनों सड़कें पत्तों से बराबर-बराबर ढकी हुई उसके सामने थीं। दोनों सड़कों को अभी तक किसी ने भी प्रयोग नहीं किया था। कवि ने निर्णय कर लिया कि वह पहली सड़क को भविष्य में प्रयोग करने के लिए सुरक्षित रखे। लेकिन वह यह बड़ी अच्छी तरह जानता था कि एक सड़क या रास्ते में से दूसरा रास्ता निकल आता है। उसे संदेह था कि वह फिर कभी सड़कों के उस जंकशन पर वापस आयेगा और पहली सड़क पर चलने के अपने वायदे को पूरा कर पायेगा।

4. I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence :
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Word-Notes : With a sigh-with a sense of regret. Hence-afterwards.

Explanation. In these lines, the traveller says that many years later when he has time to think back, he will tell somebody about how he had made his choice. He will tell him that he had stood for a long time in a jungle at the cross-roads, thinking which road to take. He will cell him how he had chosen the road which was less travelled. This choice had made all the difference for him. It affected not only the future course of his life on this earth but also his spiritual course after death.

इन पंक्तियों में यात्री कहता है कि कई वर्ष बाद जब वह इस बात पर विचार करेगा, तो वह किसी को बतायेगा कि उसने अपना चुनाव किस तरह किया। वह कहेगा कि वह जंगल में चौराहे पर काफी देर खड़ा रहा यह सोचते हुए कि उसको किस सड़क का चुनाव करना चाहिये। वह उसे बतायेगा कि उसने किस प्रकार उस सड़क का चुनाव किया था जिस पर कम लोग ही चले थे। इस चुनाव ने उसके लिए सारा अन्तर बना दिया। इस ने न केवल धरती पर उसके जीवन के भविष्य वाले मार्ग पर प्रभाव डाला बल्कि उसकी मौत के बाद उसके आध्यात्मिक रास्ते पर भी प्रभाव डाला।

Comprehension Of Stanza

1. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow :

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth (Imp.)

Questions :
(a) Name the poet and the poem.
(b) What did the poet see in front of him ?
(c) What is the poet sorry about ?
(d) What is the symbolic meaning of two different paths in the woods ?
Answers
(a) The name of the poet is Robert Frost and the name of the poem is “The Road Not Taken’.
(b) He saw that two roads diverged in front of him.
(c) He is sorry that he could not travel on both the roads.
(d) The one path is for the ordinary people. The other less travelled path is for the extraordinary people.

2. Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as far that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

Questions :
(a) Name the poet and the poem.
(b) Where was the poet when he took the other road ?
(c) Why did the poet take the other road ?
(d) Why was the other road entitled to a better treatment ?
Answers :
(a) Robert Frost is the poet. The name of the poem is “The Road Not Taken”.
(b) He had come to a junction of two roads in a forest.
(c) He took the other road because it was just as good and comfortable a road for travelling as the other one.
(d) It was entitled to a preferential treatment because it was grass covered and provided some attraction to the traveller.

3. And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day.
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

Questions :
(a) Who are ‘both’ referred to in the first line of the passage/ stanza ?
(b) What did the poet decide about the first road ?
(c) What did the poet know about the roads ?
(d) What was the doubt in the poet’s mind ?
Answers :
(a) They are the two roads.
(b) The poet decided to reserve the first road for use on a future occasion.
(c) The poet knew that from one road or path branches off another.
(d) The poet doubted if he would ever come back to the junction of the two roads.

4. I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less travelled by
And that has made all the difference.

Questions :
(a) Which path did the poet choose to travel ?
(b) What does the poet mean by the word difference in the last line ?
(c) Is the poet doubtful about his decision ?
(d) Justify the title of the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’.
Answers :
(a) He chose the less travelled path.
(b) The poet hints at the difference between the ordinary and the extraordinary.
(c) The poet is not at all doubtful.
(d) Actually “The Road Taken’ should have been the title because the poet took the less travelled road.
Or
The title “The Road Not Taken’ is also correct because the poet gives his reason why he took one road and rejected the other.

The Road Not Taken Summary in English

The Road Not Taken Introduction:

This poem is based on a very common experience. A traveller was going through a forest. He reached a point where the road diverged in two directions. Both the roads looked equally attractive to the traveller. But he decided to take the one that did not show much sign of having been used. It is true that if he had chosen the beaten path (much used road) he could be sure of reaching somewhere.

He would not have faced many difficulties in life. But he took the one less travelled by’ and that has made all the difference. The poet suggests that the choices which one makes in life are for good. One cannot turn back and make a second choice regarding one’s goal in life. Therefore, one should be very careful in making the choice. He also suggests that by choosing the ordinary course in life, one cannot hope to become extraordinary.

The Road Not Taken Summary in English:

In this poem the poet brings out the importance of choice-making in one’s life. He says that choices cannot be changed. They have a very far-reaching influence. They influence the whole course of man’s life. Another idea brought out in this poem is that one can’t achieve extraordinary things by taking an ordinary course. Only very ordinary men follow the beaten paths. Great souls always prefer to tread new paths. The poet illustrates this idea with the help of a very common experience.

Once the poet was travelling through a forest. He came to a place from where the road branched off in two directions. It was not possible for the poet to travel by both the roads at the same time. He had to choose one of the two. The poet stood there and thought for a long time.

One of the roads was visible to some distance. It meant that the road had frequently been used. The other road was overgrown with grass. It meant that this road had not been used much. The poet decided to go by the second road. He kept the first one for another day.

The poet imagines a time many ages hence. He will then be in some other world. He will then recall how he had decided to travel by the less-frequented road. This choice had made all the difference for him. It affected not only the future course of his life on this earth but also his spiritual course after death. Thus with the help of symbols the poet brings out the idea that man has to choose between the roads of materialism and spiritualism in his life. The choice once made is for good. It cannot be changed later.

The Road Not Taken Summary in Hindi

The Road Not Taken Introduction:

यह कविता एक साधारण अनुभव पर आधारित है। एक यात्री जंगल में से जा रहा था। वह एक ऐसे स्थान पर पहुंचा जहां से सड़क दो भिन्न-भिन्न दिशाओं में जाती थी। यात्री को दोनों सड़कें एक जैसी आकर्षक प्रतीत होती थीं। लेकिन उसने उस सड़क पर चलने का निर्णय लिया जिस पर बहुत अधिक लोग नहीं चले थे। यह बात सच है कि यदि वह उस सड़क पर जाने का निर्णय करता जिस पर अधिक लोग चले थे तो वह अवश्य ही किसी स्थान पर पहुंच जाता। उसने बहुत कठिनाईयों या समस्याओं का सामना न किया होता।

लेकिन उसने उस सड़क को चुना जिस पर बहुत कम लोग चले थे और इसी चीज़ ने इतना अन्तर डाल दिया। कवि के कहने का मतलब है कि आदमी अपने जीवन में जिस चीज़ का चुनाव करता है वह सदा के लिए होता है। आदमी वापस मुड़ कर अपने लक्ष्य के बारे में दूसरा चुनाव नहीं कर सकता। इसलिए मनुष्य को किसी लक्ष्य का चुनाव पूरे ध्यान से करना चाहिए। कवि यह भी कहता है कि जीवन में साधारण मार्ग चुनकर आदमी असाधारण नहीं बन सकता।

The Road Not Taken Summary in Hindi:

‘The Road Not Taken’ कवि Robert Frost की सबसे महान् कविताओं में से एक है । यह कविता बताती है कि जीवन के पतझड़ी जंगलों में आदमी ने दो मार्गों में से किस एक को चुनना होता है। कवि इस स्थिति के द्वारा जीवन में चुनाव के महत्त्व पर टिप्पणी करता है। मनुष्य के अन्दर कोई ऐसी भावना होती है जो उसे अपना लक्ष्य चुनने में सहायता करती है। व्यक्ति दोनों में से किसी एक मार्ग को इसलिए चुन लेता है कि यह अधिक उचित दिखाई पड़ता है।

कवि कहता है कि पीले पड़े जंगलों में वह एक ऐसे स्थान पर जा पहुंचा जहां पर दो मार्ग अलग-अलग दिशाओं में जाते थे। पर वह दोनों मार्गों पर नहीं जा सकता था। उसे दोनों मार्गों में से एक का चुनाव करना था। पहले उसने एक मार्ग पर इतनी दूर देखा जितनी दूर वह देख सकता था। यह मार्ग उसे झाड़ियों के नीचे मुड़ता हुआ दिखाई दिया।

फिर कवि ने दूसरा मार्ग ले लिया। उसने सोचा कि यह अधिक उचित था। यह एक घास उगा मार्ग था। कवि को ऐसा दिखाई दिया कि उससे पहले उस मार्ग पर बहुत कम लोग चले थे। जहां तक दूसरे का सम्बन्ध था उस पर बहुत से लोग चल चुके थे। दूसरे शब्दों में यह घिसा-पिटा मार्ग था।

उस प्रातः जब कवि पतझड़ी पीले जंगल में खड़ा था तो उसने देखा कि दोनों मार्ग पत्तों से ढके थे। दोनों मार्गों पर कोई भी चला दिखाई नहीं देता था। कवि ने सोचा कि वह पहले मार्ग पर बाद में किसी ओर समय पर आएगा। अतः उसने दूसरे मार्ग पर चलना आरम्भ कर दिया परन्तु उसे यह ज्ञात हो गया कि यदि एक बार कोई चुनाव कर लेता है तो वापस लौट कर दूसरे मार्ग पर जाना नहीं हो सकता।

कवि दूर भविष्य के बारे में सोचता है जब वह अपने चुने हुए मार्ग पर चल चुका होगा। फिर शायद वह ठण्डी सांस लेकर पीछे की ओर देखेगा और सोचेगा कि शायद दूसरा मार्ग अधिक लाभदायक होता। परन्तु उस समय इतनी देर हो चुकी होगी कि वापिस आना कठिन होगा।

फिर वह महसूस करेगा कि कम लोगों द्वारा अपनाए गए मार्ग को चुनने के कारण ही उसके जीवन में सारा अन्तर पड़ा। कवि यह सुझाव देता है कि मनुष्य को जीवन में अपने चुनावों के परिणामों को भुगतना पड़ता है। वह स्थिति को ठीक नहीं कर सकता यदि उसने जीवन में गलत चुनाव किया है। वह केवल पछता ही सकता है।

The Road Not Taken Central Idea

This poem is based on the idea of choice-making in life. Choice of one’s aim is very difficult. It has a great influence. It influences the whole course of a man’s life. Another idea in the poem is that one cannot achieve extraordinary things by taking an ordinary course. Only ordinary people follow the beaten path. Great souls always prefer to take new paths. By doing so they break fresh ground.

The Road Not Taken Central Idea In Hindi

यह कविता जीवन में.लक्ष्य का चुनाव करने पर आधारित है। अपने लक्ष्य का चुनाव करना बड़ा कठिन होता है। चुनाव करने का बहुत महत्त्व होता है। यह आदमी के पूरे जीवन को प्रभावित करता है। कविता में एक विचार यह भी है कि साधारण मार्ग पर चलकर कोई व्यक्ति आसाधारण उपलब्धियाँ प्राप्त नहीं कर सकता। केवल साधारण व्यक्ति घिसे-पिटे रास्ते पर चलते हैं। महान् आत्माएं सदा नये रास्तों पर चलना पसन्द करती हैं। ऐसा करने से वे नई राहें खोज लेते हैं।

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Poem 6 Father Returning Home Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 6 Father Returning Home

1. My father travels on the late evening train
Standing among silent commuters in the yellow light
Suburbs slide past his unseeing eyes
His shirt and pants are soggy and his black raincoat
Stained with mud and his bag stuffed with books Is falling apart.
Is falling apart.

Word-Notes :
Commuter-a daily passenger travelling up and down; Suburbs – areas outside the centre of a town where people live; Slide – slip away; Soggywet; Stained-made dirty; Stuffed-full of; Is falling apart-is getting torn.

Explanation:
In these lines the poet talks about his father. He travels back home. He stands in the compartment of the local train. He stands silently among other commuters. His compartment has yellow light. The train goes on moving smoothly passing by suburbs. His eyes do not see the sliding suburbs. His shirt and trousers are wet and soft. His black raincoat is dirty with mud. His bag is stuffed with books and it seems to be getting torn.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि अपने पिता के बारे बात करता है। वह Local गाड़ी से अपने काम से घर लौट रहा है। वह लोकल गाड़ी के डिब्बे में खड़े होकर यात्रा करता है। वह दूसरे यात्रियों के बीच में चुपचाप खड़ा रहता है। उसके डिब्बे में पीला सा प्रकाश है। गाड़ी उपनगरियों को पीछे छोड़कर आगे निविघ्न चलती जा रही है। उसकी कमीज़ और पतलून गीली और नर्म हो गई है। उसका काला रेन-कोट कीचड़ से गंदा है। उसके थैले में किताबें भरी पड़ी हैं और थैला फटता नज़र आ रहा है।

2. His eyes dimmed by age
Face homeward through the humid monsoon night.
Now I can see him getting off the train
Like a word dropped from a long sentence.
He hurries across the length of the grey platform,
Crosses the railway line, enters the lane,
His chapplas arc sticky with mud, but he hurries forward.

Explanation:
The poet says that his father’s eyes have become weak due to old age. In dim light they look at the home through the wet monsoon night. Now the poet can see him getting off the train. While getting off the train, his father looks like a word dropped from a long sentence. He hurries across the length of the grey platform. He crosses the railway line. He enters the lane where his home is situated. His chappals are slippery because of the mud sticking to them. But he hurries and proceeds to his home.

कवि के पिता की आँखें वृद्ध अवस्था के कारण कमजोर हो गई हैं। वे मद्धम प्रकाश में भीगी हुई मानसून की रात में से अपने घर की ओर देखती हैं। अब कवि अपने पिता को गाड़ी से उतरते हुए देखता है। गाड़ी से उतरते समय वह ऐसे लगता है जैसे किसी लम्बे वाक्य से एक शब्द अलग हो गया हो। वह शीघ्रता से प्लेटफार्म की लम्बाई को लांघता जाता है। वह रेलवे लाईन को पार कर जाता है। वह उस तंग गली में आ जाता है जहां उसका घर स्थित है। उसकी चप्पलें कीचड़ के कारण फिसलने वाली हैं। लेकिन वह जल्दी-जल्दी घर लौट रहा

3. Home again, I see him drinking weak tea,
Eating a stale chapati, reading a book.
He goes into the toilet to contemplate
Man’s estrangement from a man-made world.
Coming out, he trembles at the sink
The cold water running over his brown hands,
A few droplets cling to the greying hairs on his wrists.

Word-Notes :
Home again – the writer’s father has returned home after work ; Weak tea – tea with light brew ; Stale – not fresh ; Sink-a basin for washing pots ; Estrangement – no longer friendly or loyal; Contemplate – to think over, to view some thing ; Droplets – small drops.

Explanation:
In these lines the poet says that his father has come back home from work. He then sees him drinking weak tea. He sees him eating a stale chapati, reading a book. Then he sees him going to the toilet to think over man’s situation. Probably, his father would be thinking over man’s being alienated from the man-made world. He comes out of the toilet. Then he goes to the sink and trembles at the touch of cold water. The cold water runs over his brown hands. A few drops of water cling to the grey hairs on his wrists.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि कहता है कि उसका पिता काम से घर वापस लौट आया है। फिर वह उसको हल्की चाय पीते देखता है। फिर वह उसको एक बासी चपाती खाते हुए देखता है। फिर वह शौचालय में जाता है जहां वह आदमी की स्थिति पर विचार करता है। सम्भवतः वह सोचता होगा कि आदमी आज की दुनिया से विमुख क्यों हो गया है। वह शौचालय से बाहर आता है। फिर वह sink के पास जाता है। वह वहां कांपता है। ठंडा पानी उसके भूरे हाथों पर बहता है। पानी के कुछ बिन्दू (कतरे) उसकी कलाईयों पर सफेद बालों से चिपक

4. His sullen children have often refused to share
Jokes and secrets with him. He will now go to sleep
Listening to the static on the radio, dreaming
of his ancestors and grandchildren, thinking
of nomads entering a subcontinent through a narrow pass.

Word-Notes :
Sullen -ill-tempered ; Static-noise produced on the radio; Nomads wandering tribes moving from place to place.

Explanation:
The poet here says that the ill-tempered children do not talk with their father. They do not share their jokes and secrets with him. Now it is time for the old man to retire to his bed. He listens to some noise and music on the radio. He dreams of his ancestors and grandchildren. He thinks of wandering tribes moving along with their cattle from place to place. Probably the nomads are entering a subcontinent through a narrow passage in the mountains.

कवि यहाँ कहता है कि चिड़चिड़े बच्चे अपने पिता के साथ बात नहीं करते। वे उसके साथ अपने मज़ाक सांझा नहीं करते और न ही उसको अपने भेद बताते हैं। अब वृद्ध व्यक्ति के सोने का समय है। वह रेडियो पर कुछ संगीत सुनने की चेष्टा करता है। उसको रेडियो से शोर सुनाई देता है। फिर वह अपने पूर्वजों और पोतेपोतियों के बारे सपने देखता है। वह इधर से उधर घूमने वाली जन-जातियों के बारे सपने देखता है। सम्भवतः वे खानाबदोश लोग पर्वतों के संकीर्ण मार्ग में से होते हुए एक उपमहाद्वीप में प्रवेश कर रहे हैं।

Comprehension Of Stanzas

1. My father travels on the late evening train
Standing among silent commuters in the yellow light
Suburbs slide past his unseeing eyes
His shirt and pants are soggy and his black raincoats
Stained with mud and his bag stuffed with books
Is falling apart. His eyes dimmed by age
face homeward through the humid monsoon night.

Questions :
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) What is the condition of the eyes of the poet’s father ?
(c) What is wrong with the clothes of the commuter described by the poet ?
(d) What does the passage tell you about the weather in the late evening ?
Answers :
(a) The name of the poem is ‘Father Returning Home’. It is written by Dilip Chitre.
(b) His eyes are dimmed becauses of his old age.
(c) His clothes are a bit wet and soft.
(d) It is warm and damp.

2. Now I can see him getting off the train
Like a word dropped from a long sentence.
He hurries across the length of the grey platform,
Crosses the railway line, enters the lane.
His chappals are sticky with mud, but he hurries onward.

Questions :
(a) Name the poet and the poem.
(b) Give the figure of speech used in these lines :
Now I can see him getting off the train
Like a word dropped from a long sentence.
(c) What does the poet’s father do after crossing the railway line ?
(d) Do the sticky chappals of the poet’s father stand in the way of his hurrying forward ?
Answers :
(a) The name of the poet is Dilip Chitre and the name of the poem is ‘Father Returning Home’.
(b) Like a word dropped from a long sentence …………….. simile.
(c) He enters the lane.
(d) No, they don’t.

3. (Based on textual exercise)
(a) Which line in the poem describes father’s irrelevance to the train ?
(b) Write two reasons for father’s eyes being dimmed.
(c) Where does father go after getting off the train ?
Answers :
(a) Now I can see him getting off the train
Like a word dropped from a long sentence.
(b) His eyes are dimmed because of old age and humid monsoon night.
(c) After crossing the railway line he enters the lane where his home is situated.

4. His sullen children have refused to share
Jokes and secrets with him. He will now go to sleep
Listening to the static on the radio, dreaming
Of his ancestors and grandchildren, thinking
Of nomads entering a subcontinent through a narrow pass.

Questions :
(a) Explain the behaviour of the old man’s children towards him.
(b) What does he do after being written off by his children ?
(c) How can you say that his dream mirrors that the old man is either thinking about his past or future ?
(d) Draw a pen portrait of the poet’s father. (V. Imp.)
Answers :
(a) The children are indifferent to their father and they have refused to share their jokes and secrets with him.
(b) He goes to sleep listening to the radio which is accompanied with noise.
(c) He dreams of his ancestors and grandchildren.
(d) The poet’s father is a sad old man. He travels to work by a local train every day in Mumbai. He does not feel comfortable in his home or environment. He feels lonely even in a crowd. He is isolated from his family and friends. He is alienated from people. He lives in a world of his own dreams.

Father Returning Home Summary in English

Father Returning Home Introduction:

This poem has been taken from Dilip Chitre’s collection of poems. The title of the collection is ‘Travelling in a Cage’. It gives us the picture of a sad old man who travels to work by a local train every day in Mumbai. He does not feel comfortable in his environment. He feels lonely even in a crowd. His isolation is seen in his inability to have dialogue with his family or friends. He feels uneasy in his present. So the old man enters into the distant world of the past or into the world of his own dreams. The modern man seems to be alienated in a complex urban world.

Father Returning Home Summary in English:

This poem gives us the picture of the poet’s father who is an old man. He goes to work by a local train. He stands in the compartment among silent daily travellers (commuters) in the yellow light. Suburbs of the city pass by and he does not see them. He has dim eyes. His shirt and trousers have become wet and soft. His black raincoat is dirty because of mud fallen on it. His bag is stuffed with books.

The bag seems to be falling apart. His eyes are dim because of old age. Through the wet monsoon night, he is coming to his home. The poet sees his father getting off the train. He is coming alone. He looks like a word dropped from a long sentence. He walks quickly across the length of the grey platform. He then enters the lane where his house is situated. His chappals are sticky with mud. But he gogs on moving quickly.

He reaches his home. The poet sees his father drinking weak tea. He eats a stale chapati. He reads a book. Then he goes into the toilet to think over man’s disconnection from a man-made world. Old people feel that they are cut off from the rest of the world. He comes to the sink. He washes his hands. Some drops of water stick to the greying hair on his wrists. His bad-tempered children do not talk with him.

They have refused to share jokes and secrets with him. Now it is time for the old man to go to sleep. He listens to music on the radio. He dreams of his ancestors and grandchildren. He thinks of wandering tribes moving along with their animals from place to place. Probably the momads are entering a subcontinent through a narrow passage in the mountains.

Father Returning Home Summary in Hindi

Father Returning Home Introduction:

यह कविता दिलीप चित्रे की कविताओं के संग्रह से ली गई है । संग्रह का नाम है ‘Travelling in a Cage’ । यह कविता हमें एक उदास बूढ़े आदमी का चित्र प्रस्तुत करती है जो एक लोकल गाड़ी द्वारा हर रोज़ Mumbai में काम पर जाता है। उसे अपने वातावरण में बेचैनी सी महसूस होती है। वह अपने आप को लोगों की भीड़ में भी अकेला पाता है। उसका अलगाव इस बात में देखा जा सकता है कि वह किसी से बातचीत भी नहीं कर सकता। उसे वर्तमान समय में बेचैनी रहती है। इसलिए यह बूढ़ा व्यक्ति भूतकाल की दुनिया में दाखिल होता है या अपने सपनों की दुनिया में खो जाता है। वर्तमान युग का आदमी जटिल शहरी दुनिया से अलग-थलग रहता है।

Father Returning Home Summary in Hindi:

यह कविता हमें कवि के पिता का चित्र प्रस्तुत करती है जो कि एक बूढ़ा मनुष्य है। वह एक Local गाड़ी द्वारा अपने काम पर जाता है। वह गाड़ी के डिब्बे में दैनिक यात्रियों के मध्य में चुपचाप खड़ा रहता है और वहां पीली सी रोशनी होती है। उसकी गाड़ी उपनगरियों के पास से गुजरती जाती है और वह उ.को देखता तक नहीं। उसकी आँखों की रोशनी मद्धम हो गई है। उसकी कमीज़ और पतलुन गीली और नई पड गई हैं। उसका काले रंग का रेन-कोट गंदा हो गया है क्योंकि इसके ऊपर कीचड़ गिरा हुआ है।

उसका थेला पुस्तकों से भरा पड़ा है और यह फटता नज़र आता है। बूढ़ी अवस्था के कारण उसकी आँखों का प्रकाश मद्धम पड़ गया है। भीगी मानसून की रात में वह अपने घर की ओर आ रहा है। कवि अपने पिता को गाड़ी से उतरते हुए देखता है। वह अकेला आ रहा है। वह ऐसे लगता है जैसे कि एक लम्बे वाक्य में से एक शब्द को हटा दिया गया है। वह सलेटी रंग के प्लेटफार्म को तेज़ी से चलते हुए पार करता है। फिर वह उस तंग गली में दाखिल होता है जहां उसका घर स्थित है। उसकी चप्पलें भी कीचड़ लगने से चिपचिपी हो गई हैं। लेकिन वह तेजी से आगे चला जाता है।

वह अपने घर पहुँच जाता है। कवि अपने पिता को हल्की सी चाय पीते हुए देखता है। वह एक बासी चपाती खाता है। वह एक पुस्तक पढ़ता है। फिर वह शौचालय में चला जाता है और वह सोचने लगता है कि मनुष्य मनुष्य द्वारा बनाई गई दुनिया से अलग-थलग हो चुका है। बूढ़े लोग सोचते हैं कि वे बाकी ससार से कटे हुए हैं। वह sink के पास आता है। वह अपने हाथ धोता है। पानी के कुछ बिन्दू (कतरे ) उसकी कलाईयों के सफेद बालों पर गिरते हैं। उसके चिड़चिड़े बच्चे उसके साथ बात नहीं करते।

उन्होंने (बच्चों ने) उसके साथ मज़ाक सांझा करना या उसको गुप्त बातें बतानी बंद कर दी हैं। अब इस वृद्ध व्यक्ति के सोने का समय हो गया है। वह रेडियो पर संगीत जिसमें शोर भी होता है का आनन्द लेता है। वह अपने पूर्वजों और अपने पोते-पोतियों के बारे स्वप्न देखता है। वह उन जन-जातियों के बारे भी स्वप्न देखता है जो अपने पशुओं के साथ एक स्थान से दूसरे स्थान तक घूमते हुए जाते हैं। सम्भवतः खानाबदोश लोग पहाड़ों में एक संकीर्ण मार्ग से होते हुए एक उपमहाद्वीप में प्रवेश कर रहे हैं।

Father Returning Home Central Idea

The central idea of this poem is modern man’s alienation from the man-made world. This world is full of hurry and worry. Nobody has the time to take interest in others. The senior citizens are a neglected lot in society. The poem gives us a picture of a sad old man who travels to work by local train every day in the city of Mumbai. He does not feel comfortable or at home in his environment.

He feels lonely even in a crowd. His isolation is seen in his inability to have dialogue with his family or friends. He feels uneasy in his present. So the old man enters into the distant world of the past or into the world of his own dreams. The modern man is alienated in a complex urban world.

Father Returning Home Central Idea In Hindi

यह कविता एक आधुनिक आदमी का आदमी द्वारा बनाई हुई दुनिया से परायापन (बेगानगी) से सम्बन्ध रखती है। यह संसार शीघ्रता और चिन्ता से भरपूर है। दूसरे में रुचि लेने का किसी के पास समय नहीं है। वरिष्ठ नागरिकों की कोई परवाह नहीं करता। यह कविता एक उदास, वृद्ध व्यक्ति का चित्र प्रस्तुत करती है जोकि काम पर हर रोज़ Mumbai में Local गाड़ी द्वारा आता-जाता है।

उसे अपने वातावरण में कोई आराम या चैन उपलब्ध नहीं है। उसे भीड़ में भी अकेलापन महसूस होता है। अपने परिवार या मित्रों से वार्तालाप करने की अयोग्यता से उसका अलगाव प्रगट होता है। वर्तमान स्थिति में उसको बेचैनी रहती है। इसलिए वृद्ध व्यक्ति भूतकाल की दुनिया में प्रवेश करता है या वह अपने सपनों की दुनिया में शरण लेता है। आधुनिक काल का व्यक्ति जटिल शहरी दुनिया में परायापन में रहता है।

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Poem 5 Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 5 Cheerfulness Taught By Reason

1. I think we are too ready with complaint
In this fair world of God. Had we no hope
Indeed beyond the zenith and this slope
Of yon gray and blank of sky, we might grow faint.
To muse upon eternity’s constraint
Round our aspirant souls.

Word-Notes :
Too ready-always ready. Fair world-beautiful world. Zenith-the highest point that the sun or moon reaches in the sky, directly above you. Faintunconscious, very weak.

Explanation:
The poetess says that we are always ready to have some complaint in this beautiful world made by God. If we had no hope to see the vast sky between the highest point over our heads and the slope, then we may have reason to feel upset or even very much disturbed. We might feel weak or upset thinking of the restraint imposed by eternity on man. But this is not so.

कवयित्री कहती है कि हम परमात्मा द्वारा बनाई गई दुनिया के विरुद्ध कोई न कोई शिकवा या शिकायत रखते हैं। यदि हमें चरम बिन्दु (पराकाष्ठा) और ढाल के बीच विस्तृत आकाश नज़र न आये तो हो सकता है हम भीरु या कमजोर बन जायें। शायद हम भविष्य द्वारा मनुष्य पर लगाये प्रतिबंध के बारे में सोच कर कमज़ोर और परेशान हो जायें। लेकिन ऐसा नहीं होता।

2. To muse upon eternity’s constraint
Round our aspirant souls, but since the scope
Must widen early, is it well to droop,
For a few days consumed in loss and taint ?

Word-Notes :
Muse upon-think of. Eternity-future life, everlasting period. Scopeability for improvement.

Explanation:
Here the poetess says that one should be optimistic in life. If we have no hope to see the vast sky between the highest point above our heads and the slope, we might grow upset or weak. We might start thinking over the restrictions imposed by the future on our ambition of aspiring souls. We should not go on thinking of some loss. We have vast scope for improvement. We should not be pessimistic. It does not help us at all if we are worried about our loss for a few days.

यहां कवयित्री कहती है कि हमें जीवन में आशावादी होना चाहिए। यदि हमें चरम बिंदु (पराकाष्ठा) और ढाल के बीच विस्तृत आकाश नज़र न आये तो हो सकता है हम भीरू या कमज़ोर बन जायें। हो सकता है कि हम उन प्रतिबन्धों के बारे सोचना शुरू कर दें जो भविष्य द्वारा हम पर लागू किये गये हैं। हमें किसी प्रकार की हानि के बारे सोचते नहीं रहना चाहिये। सुधार के लिए हमारे पास विस्तृत क्षेत्र है। हमें निराश नहीं होना चाहिये। इससे हमें रत्ती भर भी सहायता नहीं मिलती यदि हम कुछ दिनों की अपनी हानि के बारे चिन्तित रहें।

3. O Pusillanimous Heart, be comforted
And, like cheerful traveller, take the road
Singing beside the hedge. What if thy bread
Be bitter in thine inn, and thou unshod
To meet the flints ? At least it may be said
Because the way is short, I thank thee, God.

Word-Notes :
Pusillanimous—cowardly. Beside—by the side of. Hedge—a group of bushes or small trees planted along the edge of a field or road. Inn—hotel or house. Thine-your. Unshod-without shoes. Thee-you. Flints-very hard grey stones.

Explanation:
The poetess addresses a man with a cowardly heart. She tells the person to feel comfortable and at ease. He should undertake his journey like a cheerful traveller. He should walk along the road and go on singing happily. It does not matter if the food in his house or hotel is bitter and he is without shoes to walk on the stony road. He should be thankful to God that he has to cover a short distance to reach his destination.

कवयित्री एक कमज़ोर दिल वाले व्यक्ति को संबोधित करती है। वह कहती है कि उसे निश्चिन्त महसूस करना चाहिए और उसे ब्रेफिक्र होना चाहिए। उसे एक प्रसन्नचित्त यात्री की तरह अपनी यात्रा करनी चाहिए। उसे प्रसन्नता से सड़क पर गाते हुए चलना चाहिये। उसे इस बात की बिल्कुल परवाह नहीं करनी चाहिये कि उसके घर या होटल का भोजन कड़वा है और पथरीली सड़क पर चलने के लिए उसके पाँव में जूते नहीं हैं। उसको परमात्मा का धन्यवादी होना चाहिए क्योंकि गन्तव्य पर पहुँचने के लिए उसको थोड़े फासले पर ही चलना है।

Comprehension Of Stanzas

1. I think we are too ready with complaint.
In this fair world of God’s.
Had we no hope Indeed beyond the zenith and the slope
Of yon gray blank of sky, we might grow faint
To muse upon eternity’s constraint
Round our aspirant souls.

Questions :
(a) According to the poet, what are we too ready to do ?
(b) How should man conduct himself in his life ?
(c) Why should we hope beyond the zenith and the slope of yon gray blank of sky?
(d) Write the rhyme scheme followed by the poet in the first four lines of the stanza.
Answers :
(a) We are ready to complain about this beautiful world created by God.
(b) He should have an optimistic outlook in life.
(c) We should hope beyond the zenith and the slope of yon gray blank of sky in order to avoid disappointment.
(d) The rhyme scheme is : ab ba.

2. But since the scope
Must widen early, is it well to droop
For a few days consumed in loss and taint ?

Questions :
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) Explain : Is it well to droop
For a few days consumed in loss and taint ?
(c) What lesson does the poetess seek to give in these lines ?
(d) Explain : The scope must widen early.
Answers :
(a) The name of the poem is ‘Cheerfulness Taught by Reason’ written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
(b) It is not wise to feel disappointed and depressed if we have a few setbacks through loss and damage. We must have a cheerful outlook on life.
(c) We should learn to take temporary setbacks and failures in our stride.
(d) We must believe that every midnight has a budding morrow. (Raat Bhar ka hai mehman andhera Kiske rokay ruka hai savera)

3. O Pusillanimous Heart, be comforted
And, like cheerful traveller, take the road
Singing beside the hedge.

Questions :
(a) Name the poet and the poem.
(b) Which figure of speech is used in the above lines ?
(c) Pusillanimous Heart is :
(i) the heart that is enjoying life.
(ii) the heart that is frightened to take risks.
(iii) the heart that is ready to take risks.
(d) In which manner should one move on a journey ?
Answers :
(a) The name of the poet is Elizabeth Barrett Browning and the name of the poem is Cheerfulness Taught by Reason.
(b) Pusillanimous Heart ………. Personification.
And, like cheerful traveller, take the road ……………. simile.

(c) Pusillanimous Heart is the heart that is frightened to take risks.
One must go on a journey in a cheerful manner.

4. What if the bread
Be bitter in thine inn, and thou unshod
To meet the flints ? At least it may be said,
‘Because the way is short, I thank thee, God.‘

Questions :
(a) What are the two complaints in the above lines ?
(b) The poet asks us to be …………. in life. (careful, alert, optimistic)
(c) …………….. and thou unshod to meet the flints ?
(i) Meeting people during the journey.
(ii) Walking on a stony path without shoes.
(d) Why should we thank God ?
Answers :
(a) The two complaints are :
(i) The bread in our inn iş bitter.
(ii) We have to walk on a stony path without shoes.
(b) optimistic
(c) walking on a stony path without shoes.
(d) We should thank God because we have to walk a very short distance.

Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Summary in English

Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Introduction:

It is a short poem. But it has a big idea. It tells man to be optimistic in life. It is no use complaining about what we do not have. We should be thankful to God for what we have. One should have a brave heart to accept things as they are. We should not go on complaining that our path is full of stones. We should be thankful to God that the path is short.

Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Summary in English:

The poetess tells us to learn to be optimistic in life. It is no use complaining about what you do not have. The best thing would be to be thankful for what we have. In this beautiful world made by God, most of us are always ready to complain about what we do not possess. We are likely to be deprived of so many things in our life. We may not be able to reach the highest point in the sky.

We may become unconscious thinking that there is some restriction put on our soul to reach the sky. It is not wise to keep on feeling sad or depressed if we cannot reach such a distant destination. Our weak heart should feel strong. It must go on marching on the road singing in a cheerful mood. We should not complain that the road to our destination is full of stones. We should be thankful to God that we have to cover only a very short distance.

Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Summary in Hindi

Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Introduction:

यह एक छोटी-सी कविता है। लेकिन इसकी एक बड़ी धारणा है। यह मनुष्य को कहती है कि उसे अपने जीवन में आशावादी होना चाहिए। जो चीज़ हमारे पास नहीं है उसके बारे में हमें कोई शिकवा या शिकायत नहीं होनी चाहिए। जो कुछ हमारे पास है उसके लिए हमें भगवान का धन्यवादी होना चाहिए। चीजें जैसे भी हैं, उन्हें हमें दलेर दिल से स्वीकार कर लेना चाहिए। हमें यह शिकायत नहीं करते रहना चाहिए कि हमारे रास्ते में पत्थर हैं। हमें परमात्मा का धन्यवादी होना चाहिए क्योंकि हमारा रास्ता छोटा-सा है।

Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Summary in Hindi:

कवयित्री हमें कहती है कि जीवन में हमें आशावादी होना चाहिए। जो कुछ हमारे पास नहीं होता उसके बारे शिकायत करने का कोई लाभ नहीं होता। सर्वोत्तम तो वही बात होती है कि जो कुछ हमारे पास है उसके लिए हमें धन्यवादी होना चाहिए। अपने जीवन में हमें कई चीजों से वंचित रहना पड़ता है। हम में से बहुत से ऐसे लोग होते हैं जो हमेशा शिकायत करने के लिए तैयार रहते हैं यदि उनके पास कोई वस्तु न हो। हमें अपने जीवन में कई चीजों से वंचित होना पड़ता है।

हम आकाश में सबसे ऊँचे बिन्दु पर पहुँचने के योग्य नहीं हो सकते। हमें उदास या निराश बिल्कुल नहीं होना चाहिए यदि हम किसी दूर स्थित गन्तव्य पर नहीं पहुंच पाते। हमें अपने कमज़ोर हृदय को मजबूत बनाना चाहिए। इसे पथ पर चलते रहना चाहिए और खुशी का गीत गाते जाना चाहिए। हमें यह शिकायत नहीं करनी चाहिए कि हमारे गन्तव्य का मार्ग अड़चनों से भरा पड़ा है। हमें परमात्मा का शुक्राना करना चाहिए क्योंकि हमारी मंजिल थोड़ी सी दूरी पर है।

Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Central Idea

This is a small poem with a big idea. It calls upon the readers to be optimistic in life. It is no use grumbling and whining about what we do not possess. We should rather be thankful for what we have. We should have a brave heart. We should not be cowardly. We should take things in our stride. We should stop grumbling if there are difficulties in our way or if our path is full of stones. We should be thankful to God that the way is short and destination is about to come.

Cheerfulness Taught By Reason Central Idea In Hindi

यह एक छोटी कविता है जो बड़े विचार को व्यक्त करती है। यह पाठकों से अनुरोध करती है कि उन्हें जीवन में आशावादी होना चाहिये। जो चीज़ हमारे पास नहीं है उसके बारे रोने-धोने का कोई लाभ नहीं है। हमें उस चीज़ के लिए धन्यवादी होना चाहिये जो हमारे पास है। हमारा दिल दलेर होना चाहिए। हमें भीरु या बुज़दिल नहीं बनना चाहिए। हमें चीज़ों को या स्थिति को सहज में लेना चाहिये। यदि हमारे रास्ते में कठिनाईयाँ हों या यदि हमारे रास्ते में पत्थर हों तो हमें बुड़-बुड़ नहीं करना चाहिये। हमें परमात्मा का धन्यवादी होना चाहिये कि हमारा रास्ता छोटा है और हमारा गन्तव्य आने ही वाला है।

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Poem 4 Once upon a Time Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 4 Once upon a Time

1. Once upon a time son,
they used to laugh with their hearts
and laugh with their eyes ;
but now they only laugh with their teeth,
while their ice-block-cold eyes
search behind my shadow.

Word-Notes.
Laugh with their hearts – laughed sincerely ; they laughed with real joy in their hearts. Laughter was sincere and natural. Laugh with their eyes – expression of joy in the eyes. Laugh with their teeth – their laughter is artificial. There is no feeling of joy in their laughter. Ice-block-cold eyescold and feelingless eyes almost as cold as a block of ice.

Explanation.
In these lines the poet says that there was a time when people laughed out of real joy at heart. Such laughter could be seen reflected even in their eyes. Their eyes looked bright and cheerful. But now, they laugh even when they are not happy. Their eyes remain cold and they do not express any joy. They are as cold and expressionless as a block of ice.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि कहता है कि कोई ज़माना था जब लोग अपने हृदय की प्रसन्नता के कारण हंसा करते थे। ऐसी हंसी उनकी आँखों में भी देखी जा सकती थी। उनकी आंखें चमकीली और प्रसन्न दिखती थीं। लेकिन अब तो लोग तब भी हंसते हैं जब वे वास्तव में प्रसन्न नहीं होते। उनकी आँखों में रूखापन होता है और वे प्रसन्नता को व्यक्त नहीं करते। अब उनकी आंखें भावशून्य और बर्फ की तरह ठंडी होती हैं।

2. There was a time indeed
they used to shake hands with their hearts,
but that’s gone, son.
Now they shake hands without hearts
while their left hands search
my empty pockets.

Word-Notes. Shake hands with their hearts – sincere warmth of feelings. That’s gone rob the person.

Explanation.
In these lines the poet tells his son that in the past people shook hands with others out of friendship and good feelings. People were genuine and honest. Now that is changed. People shake hands with one hand and with the other they try to rob the pockets of the other person. The poet expresses his nostalgic feelings for the past.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि अपने बेटे को बताता है कि भूतकाल में लोग दूसरों के साथ मित्रतापूर्ण और अच्छी भावनाओं के साथ हाथ मिलाते थे। वे सच्चे और ईमानदार थे। अब तो परिवर्तन आ गया है। अब लोग एकदूसरे के साथ हाथ मिलाते हैं और दूसरे हाथ के साथ दूसरे आदमी की जेब काटने की कोशिश करते हैं। कवि भूतकाल से अपने बिछुड़ने की भावनाओं को उजागर करता है।

3. ‘Feel at home,’ ‘Come again’,
they say, and when I come
again and feel
at home, once, twice,
there will be no thrice
for then I find the doors shut on me.

Word-Notes. Feel at home – make yourself feel. easy.

Explanation. In these lines the poet tells his son that in the past people were very hospitable. They used to give a warm welcome to their guests. Now there is a change in their attitude. Now people welcome their guests, ask them to feel at home insincerely. When the guest leaves, they invite him to come again.

But if the guests come again, the guest may be entertained once or twice. After that he is no more welcomed. The doors of the host are shut on that guest for ever. People become inhospitable towards their guest. The poet regrets that there is a lot of change in the attitude of people towards their guests.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि अपने बेटे से कहता है कि भूतकाल के लोग बड़े मेहमाननवाज़ थे। वे अपने मेहमानों का बड़ी गर्मजोशी से स्वागत करते थे। अब उनके व्यवहार में परिवर्तन आ गया है। अब लोग अपने अतिथियों का सत्कार करते हैं, उनको झूठ बोल कर कह देते है कि उनके घर को अपना ही घर समझें। जब अतिथि जाने लगता है वे उसे फिर उनके यहाँ दोबारा आने का न्यौता देते है।

लेकिन यदि मेहमान दोबारा आ जाये, तो एक या दो बार मेहमान का सत्कार कर दिया जाता है। उसके बाद उसका बिल्कुल सत्कार नहीं किया जाता। यजमान के द्वारा ऐसे मेहमान के लिए दरवाज़े सदा के लिए बन्द कर दिए जाते हैं। लोग अपने मेहमान का आदर नहीं करते। कवि खेद से कहता है कि लोगों का अपने मेहमानों के प्रति व्यवहार में काफ़ी परिवर्तन आ गया है।

4. So, I have learnt many things, son,
I have learned to wear many faces
like dresses-homeface,
office face, streetface, hostface,
cocktailface, with all their conforming smiles
like a fixed portrait smile.

Word-Notes.
Wear faces—put on false expressions on the face. Homeface–face sported when one is at home. Officeface—face worn by a person in an office. Streetface-face worn in the street while encountering other people. Hostface-a face worn by the host when entertaining a guest. Cocktailface-face worn at the time of a party. Conforming-suiting to. A portrait smile-artificial smile for a portrait or picture or painting. Fixed—a smile that remains on the face but does not change.

Explanation.
In these lines the poet tells his son that he has learnt many things from this changed situation. He has learnt to change the expression on his face. He has different face expressions at home, in the office, in the street, as a host and as a guest. He has also a fixed smile suiting the occasion and situation of the guest.

कवि अपने बेटे को कहता है कि उसने बदली हुई स्थिति से कई चीजें सीख ली हैं। उसने अपने चेहरे की अभिव्यक्ति को भिन्न-भिन्न स्थानों पर बदल लेना सीख लिया है। उसके चेहरे का हाव-भाव दफ्तर में, गली में, बतौर यजमान और अतिथि बदल जाता है। अवसर और स्थिति के अनुसार उसकी एक निश्चित मुस्कान भी होती है।

5. [And I have learned, too,
to laugh with only my teeth
and shake hands without my heart.]
I have also learnt to say, ‘Goodbye’
when I mean ‘Good-riddance’ ; 
to say ‘Glad to meet you’.
without being glad ; and to say ‘It’s been
nice talking to you’, after being bored.

Word-Notes. Good-riddance—feeling a sense of relief on getting free of an unwanted guest or person. Bored-having been fed up with someone.

Explanation. In these lines the poet explains to his son that he too has learnt to laugh without being happy and to shake hands without any warmth of feelings. He can say: goodbye to a person whom he has not liked to be with. He says ‘glad to meet you’ without being glad and ‘It has been nice talking to you’, without enjoying the talk.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि अपने बेटे को समझाता है कि बिना प्रसन्न हुए उसने हंसना सीख लिया है और उसने यह भी सीख लिया है कि बिना गर्मजोशी के दूसरों के साथ कैसे हाथ मिलाना है। उसने उस आदमी से भी विदा लेना सीख लिया है जिस आदमी के साथ वह पल भर भी नहीं टिक सकता। बिना खुश हुए वह किसी को भी कह सकता है कि ‘मुझे तुमको मिलकर बहुत खुशी हुई।’ ‘तुम्हारे साथ बातचीत करके बहुत अच्छा लगा’, हालांकि बातचीत करके कोई मज़ा नहीं आया।

6. But believe me, son,
I want to be what I used to be
when I was like you. I want,
to unlearn all these muting things.
Most of all, I want to relearn
how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror
shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs!

Word-Notes. Unlearn-forget. Muting things-things that change the nature of man. Bare-naked. Fangs-serpent’s teeth with which it injects poison into the victim of its bite.

Explanation. In these lines the poet tells his son that he wants to be as he was earlier. He wants to be innocent, genuine and sincere-hearted like his son. He wants to forget all those things which have changed his nature. He wants to learn laughing in the real sense once again.

Now when he looks at himself laughing in the mirror, his teeth look like the poisonous teeth of a snake. Modern men are like Shakespeare’s villain lago who used to say, “I am not what I am.” We are not to judge the modern people by what they say. They are insincere, hypocritical and deceptive.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि अपने बेटे को कहता है कि वह ऐसे बनना चाहता है जैसे वह पहले था। वह अपने बेटे की तरह भोलाभाला, निष्कपट और सच्चे हृदय वाला बनना चाहता है। वह उन सब चीज़ों को भूल जाना चाहता है जिन्होंने उसके स्वभाव को बदल दिया है। वह असली अर्थ में एक बार फिर हंसना सीखना चाहता है।

अब जब वह अपने को दर्पण में हंसते हुए देखता है तो उसके दांत ऐसे दिखते हैं जैसे सांप के जहरीले दांत हों। आधुनिक युग के सब आदमी ऐसे होते हैं जैसे Shakespeare का खलनायक Iago जो कहा करता था, “मैं वैसे नहीं दिखता जैसे मैं वास्तव में हूँ।” हमें आधुनिक काल के लोगों को उनके शब्दों द्वारा जज नहीं करना चाहिए। वे झूठे, कपटी और धोखेबाज़ हैं।

7. So, show me son
how to laugh ; show me how
I used to laugh and smile
Once upon a time when I was like you.

Word-Notes. When I was like you—when I had the innocence and simplicity of childhood.

Explanation. In these lines the poet expresses a strong desire to get back the simplicity and innocence of his childhood days. He requests his son to teach him how to laugh in the real sense of the word. He should show to his father how he laughs and smiles now. The poet himself used to laugh and smile innocently in his childhood. He would like to get back the simplicity and innocence of his earlier days when he was like his son.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि अपने बचपन के दिनों की सादगी और भोलेपन को फिर हासिल करने की बड़ी ज़ोरदार इच्छा व्यक्त करता है। वह अपने बेटे को कहता है कि वह उसे सिखलाये कि शब्द के असली अर्थ में किस तरह हंसना चाहिए। उसे अपने पिता को यह दिखाना चाहिए कि वह अब कैसे हंसता और मुस्कराता है। कवि भी अपने बचपन में स्वयं भी निष्कपट रूप से हंसता और मुस्कराया करता था। वह अपने पिछले दिनों की सादगी और भोलापन पुनः प्राप्त करना चाहता है जब वह अपने बेटे की तरह था।

Comprehension Of Stanzas

1. Once upon a time son,
they used to laugh with their hearts
but now they only laugh with their teeth,
while their ice-block-cold eyes
search behind my shadow.

Questions :
(a) How did the people laugh in olden days ? How do they laugh now?
(b) Name the poem and its poet.
(c) Explain : They laugh with their teeth.
(d) How do their eyes look now ?
Answers :
(a) In olden days people laughed sincerely and naturally. They laughed out of real joy at heart.
(b) The name of the poem is ‘Once Upon a Time’. It is written by Gabriel Okara.
(c) Their laughter is artificial. There is no feeling of joy in their laughter.
(d) Their eyes look cold and feelingless.

2. There was a time indeed
they used to shake hands with their hearts,
but that’s gone, son.
Now they shake hands without hearts
while their left hands search
my empty pockets.

Questions :
(a) What is gone, according to the poet ?
(b) How do people shake hands now?
(c) What do the people do with their left hands ?
(d) What kind of feelings does the poet express for the past ?
Answers :
(a) The genuineness and sincerity of the people is gone now. Now people are insincere.
(b) They shake hands insincerely. They shake hands with one hand.
(c) With their left hands, they try to rob the pockets of the other person.
(d) He expresses nostalgic (thinking of things of the past) feelings for the past.

3. “Feel at home,’ ‘Come again’,
they say, and when I come
again and feel
at home, once, twice,
there will be no thrice
for then I find the doors shut on me.

Questions :
(a) Who is being asked to come again ?
(b) Where is he being invited to ?
(c) By whom is he being invited ?
(d) What is meant by ‘feel at home’ ?
Answers :
(a) The poet is being asked to come again.
(b) He is being invited to the home of the host.
(c) He is being invited by the host.
(d) It means to make oneself comfortable and to feel easy.

4. So, I have learnt many things, son,
I have learned to wear many faces
like dresses – homeface,
officeface with all their conforming smiles
like a fixed portrait smile
And I have learned, too,
to laugh with only teeth.

Questions :
(a) What has the poet learned ?
(b) What is involved in wearing faces ?
(c) What is a portrait smile ?
(d) What is a cocktail face ?
Answers :
(a) He has learned to wear many faces like dresses.
(b) Wearing faces involves putting on false expressions on the face.
(c) It is an artificial smile for a portrait or picture or painting.
(d) It is a face worn at the time of a cocktail party.

5. And I have learned, too,
to laugh with only my teeth
and shake hands without my heart.
I have also learned to say, ‘Goodbye
when I mean “Good riddance’ ;
to say ‘Glad to meet you’
without being glad ; and to say “It’s been
nice talking to you,’ after being bored.

Questions :
(a) Who is the speaker in the poem ?
(b) What has the poet learned to do with his feelings ?
(c) What is the meaning of laughing with only my teeth ?
(d) What kind of life is the poet living ?
Answers :
(a) The poet (Gabriel Okara) is the speaker in the poem.
(b) He has learned to put on false expressions on his face to hide his real feelings.
(c) He has learned to laugh without being happy. His laughter is artificial. It does not express the joy of his heart.
(d) He is living an artificial life.

6. But believe me, son, 
I want to be what I used to be
when I was like you. I want
to unlearn all these muting things.
Most of all, I want to relearn
how to laugh, for my laugh in the mirror
shows only my teeth like a snake’s bare fangs.

Questions :
(a) Whom is the poet talking to ?
(b) What are the things that the poet wants to unlearn ?
(c) What does the poet compare his teeth to ?.
(d) Write the significance of the title, ‘Once Upon a Time’. (V.V. Imp.)
Answers :
(a) The poet is talking to his son.
(b) The poet wants to unlearn the muting things like hypocrisy and deception.
(c) He compares his teeth to the poisonous teeth of a snake.
(d) The title brings out the difference between the past and the present. The title shows the poet’s longing for the past. He glorifies the past simplicity and innocence in man’s behaviour. In olden days there was love in man’s heart for others. All his actions sprang from the depth of his heart. His eyes showed the depth of his feelings. The modern man is hypocritical in his behaviour.

Once upon a Time Summary in English

Once upon a Time Introduction:

This poem has been written by a Nigerian poet Gabriel Okara. In this poem the poet satirises (criticises) the hypocrisy and artificial behaviour of the modern man. He presents two contrasted pictures of human behaviour. In the past human beings were true, sincere and friendly in their relations with others. But now the situation is entirely different Outwardly man appears to be cordial and friendly, but in reality, it is a pose entirely. At heart, he is selfish and cunning. The poet himself has seen a change in his own behaviour with growing years. He sees innocence and purity in the nature of his son. He wants his son to help him get back his basic nature.

Once upon a Time Summary in English:

The poet tells his son that there was a time when human beings were true and free from any kind of artificiality. When they laughed, they laughed from the heart. Even their eyes shone with the light of joy. But now, they laugh only to show to others that they are laughing. So, their laughter shows only their teeth. It is not an expression of real joy. Their eyes also remain cold and feelingless, as if looking not at the man in front of them, but at his shadow.

In the past, human beings were sincere in their relationship with others. When they shook hands with somebody, it showed the warmth of their feelings. But now that sincerity does not exist in human relationships. When they shake hands, it is a mere formality. While they are shaking hands one tries to pick the pocket of the other with his left hand. Thus, a handshake is no more an expression of warm feelings.

The modern man poses to be a good and happy host in front of his guests. When his friends and relatives visit him, he pretends to be happy over their coming. He entertains them and asks them to feel at home. He does so once or twice only. When the same guest visits him for the third time, the doors are closed for him.

The poet tells his son that seeing this kind of behaviour around him, he too, has changed. He has now learnt to change his face, his expressions and behaviour like his dresses. Now he can pose well. He wears different face expressions for different places and occasions. He knows what kind of face he should wear at home, in the office, in the street, as a host and as a guest in a cocktail party. His smile changes according to the situation and the type of persons he is with.

The poet says that he has now learnt all kinds of artificial behaviour. He can laugh without being happy at heart. He shakes hands with others without any warmth of feelings. Now he can say goodbye to his guests when at heart he is happy to be rid of them. When he is not glad to see a person, he can tell him that he is glad to meet him. Similarly, when he is bored in conversation with someone, he can say that it was nice talking to him. Thus, he has become an expert in hypocrisy.

The poet is not happy with all this. He tells his son that he heartily wants to regain his old self. He wants to be true and sincere as he was in his childhood. Then he used to be like his son simple, sincere and straightforward. He wants to forget all those things which have caused a change in his nature.

Above everything else, he wants to learn real laughter once again. Now when he sees his laughter in the mirror, he sees only his teeth. They look like the poisonous and dangerous fangs of a snake. No real joy is reflected in that laughter. So he requests his son to show him how to laugh sincerely. He wants to laugh and smile as he used to when he was innocent and true at heart like his son.

Once upon a Time Summary in Hindi

Once upon a Time Introduction:

यह कविता Nigeria के एक कवि Gabriel Okara द्वारा लिखी गई है। इस कविता में कवि आधुनिक व्यक्ति के ढोंगी और बनावटी व्यवहार का उपहास करता है। वह मानवीय व्यवहार के दो भिन्न-भिन्न चित्रों को प्रस्तुत करता है। भूतकाल में मनुष्य सच्चे, निष्कपट और मैत्रीपूर्ण हुआ करते थे। लेकिन अब स्थिति बिल्कुल भिन्न है। बाहरी तौर पर तो मनुष्य स्नेहपूर्ण और मैत्रीपूर्ण दिखाई देता है लेकिन वास्तव में यह केवल एक pose या आडम्बर होता है। उसका दिल टटोलने पर पता चलता है कि वह स्वार्थी और मक्कार होता है। समय बीतने के साथसाथ कवि को स्वयम् अपने व्यवहार में परिवर्तन नज़र आता है। उसको अपने बेटे के स्वभाव में निष्कपटता और शुद्धता नज़र आती है। वह चाहता है कि उसका बेटा बुनियादी स्वभाव को वापिस लाने में उसकी सहायता करे।

Once upon a Time Summary in Hindi:

यह कविता नाईजीरियाई कवि गैबरियल ओकारा के द्वारा लिखी गई है। इस कविता में वह आधुनिक व्यक्ति पर व्यंग्य करता है जो दूसरों के प्रति अपने व्यवहार में अति पाखण्डी और छलपूर्ण हो गया है। अब उसके व्यवहार में वह पहले जैसे सादगी, ईमानदारी और प्रेम-भावना नहीं रही है। वह अपने व्यवहार में प्यार और स्नेह का मात्र खोखला आडम्बर करता है जबकि उसके दिल में छल और कपट भरा होता है। बाहरी रूप से वह किसी व्यक्ति के आने का स्वागत करता है जबकि अपने दिल में वह उससे छुटकारा पाना चाहता है।

बाहर से वह मुस्करा रहा होता है जबकि उसके दिल में क्रोध भरा होता है। कवि को ये सभी बातें स्वयं अपने में भी दिखलाई देने लगी हैं। वह स्वयं अपने में और अपने पुत्र में बहुत बड़ा अन्तर देखता है। उसका पुत्र अब भी वही पुराने समय की सच्चाई और सादगी रखता है। उसके व्यवहार में कोई छल-कपट नहीं हैं। इसलिए कवि अपने पुत्र से कहता है कि वह उसे भी अपना भोलापन और अपनी सच्ची सादगी सिखला दे ताकि वह पहले की भांति अपने दिल से हंसना और मुस्कराना सीख जाए।

Once upon a Time Central Ideas

This poem is a criticism of modern life. The poet satirises the modern man’s hypocrisy and insincerity. His actions do not reflect his feelings. They are a mere pose. He can laugh without being happy. He can shake his right hand with you while picking your pocket with his left hand. He says ‘good-bye’ when he means good riddance’. There are no feelings of love and sincerity in the heart of the modern man. In good old days people were sincere, affectionate and virtuous. The poet glorifies the past simplicity and sincerity in man’s behaviour.

Once upon a Time Central Idea In Hindi

यह कविता आधुनिक जीवन की कड़ी आलोचना करती है। कवि वर्तमान समय के आदमी के ढोंग और पाखंड का उपहास करता है। उसके व्यवहार से उसकी असली भावनाओं का पता नहीं लगता। उसकी कार्यप्रणाली में आडम्बर होता है। बिना खुश हुए वह हंसता है। वह तुम्हारे साथ दांया हाथ मिलाते समय बाएं हाथ से तुम्हारी जेब काट सकता है। वह तुम्हें अलविदा कहते हुए वास्तव में तुम्हारे जाने पर तुमसे छुटकारा पाता है। आधुनिक मनुष्य के हृदय में प्रेम और सच्चाई की भावनाएं नहीं होतीं। भूतकाल के दिनों में लोग सच्चे, स्नेही और वास्तविक गुणों वाले होते थे। कवि आदमी के व्यवहार में पुराने समय की सादगी और संजीदगी का गुणगान करता है।

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Poem 3 The Echoing Green Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 3 The Echoing Green

1. The sun doth arise
And make happy the skies,
The merry bells ring
To welcome the spring
The skylark and thrush
The birds of the bush
Sing louder around
To the bells’ cheerful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the Echoing Green.

Word-Notes : The echoing green–the spot where plenty of vegetation, plants, trees, etc. are growing, making it a pleasant place for boys and girls to play the sport. It is echoing with sounds of church bells and birds’ songs etc. The merry bells – the bells of a nearby church. Thrush and Skylark-songbirds who live in bushes.

Explanation. This poem brings us a scene of a village green on a warm afternoon in the late spring. The sun rises. With the rising of the sun the skies are bright. Happy church bells ring to welcome the spring season. The skylark and the thrush who live in the bushes sing loudly in tune with the cheerful sound of the bells. On the village green plain voices echo. Now the sports played by boys and girls will be seen.

यह कविता हमें बसन्त ऋतु के अन्त में एक गाँव के हरे-भरे मैदान का दृश्य प्रस्तुत करती है। सूर्य उदय होता है। सूर्य उदय होने के साथ आकाश चमकदार प्रतीत होता है। गिरजाघर की घंटियाँ बजती हैं और वे प्रसन्न दिखती हैं। ये घंटियां बसन्त ऋतु का स्वागत कर रही हैं। Skylark और Thrush झाड़ियों में रहने वाले पक्षी हैं। वे ऊँची आवाज में गाते हैं। उनकी आवाज़ घंटियों के बजने के साथ मिल जाती है। गाँव के हरे-भरे मैदान पर लड़कों और लड़कियों की आवाजें गूंजती हैं। अब हम लड़कों और लड़कियों की खेलें देखेंगे।

2. Old John with white hair
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,
And soon they all say;
Such, such were the joys
When we all girls and boys.
In our youth time were seen
On the Echoing Green

Word-Notes : Old John-He does not refer to one particular person, but to old men in general.

Explanation. Here the poet says that Old John with grey hair laughs away his cares and worries. The old people keep sitting under the oak tree. They laugh at the play of boys and girls. They say that they were young once. These pleasures of playing on the Echoing Green were also enjoyed by them. According to them, the Echoing Green of the village was a symbol of a happy day.

कवि कहता है कि बूढ़ा John जिसके बाल सफेद हो चुके हैं अब हंसता है और अपनी चिन्ताओं को भूल गया है। बूढ़े लोग बलूत के पेड़ के नीचे बैठते हैं। वे लड़कों और लड़कियों को खेलते हुए देखकर हंसते हैं। वे कहते हैं कि एक बार वे भी जवान थे। वे इस हरे-भरे गूंजते हुए मैदान पर खेलों का मज़ा लिया करते थे। उनके अनुसार गाँव का हरा-भरा मैदान जिस पर शोर भी होता था एक प्रसन्नता वाले दिन का प्रतीक था।

3. Till the little ones, weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest,
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.

Word-Notes : Weary-tired. Merry-happy. Does descend-come down or set.

Explanation. In these lines the poet says that children are tired and can no longer enjoy the play. The sun is going to set, so the sports of children come to an end. As birds gather round their nests to take rest, children gather near their mothers to fall asleep. And on the Echoing Green, no more sport is seen.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि कहता है कि बच्चे खेलकूद कर थक जाते हैं। अतः वे खेल का मज़ा नहीं ले सकते। सूर्य अस्त होने वाला है। इसलिए बच्चों की खेल समाप्त हो जाती है। जैसे पक्षी अपने घौंसलों के पास इकट्ठे हो जाते हैं, बच्चे भी अपनी माताओं के समीप आ जाते हैं ताकि वे उनकी गोद में सो सकें और फिर बच्चों के शोर और खेल-कूद से गूंजने वाले हरे-भरे मैदान में कोई खेल देखने को नहीं मिलती।

This poem is a little idyll (a happy piece of music in the peaceful countryside) of a village green on a warm afternoon in the spring. Young boys and girls have gathered for fun and frolic through their play. Some old men like John are sitting under the oak tree. Mothers of children also watch their young ones at play. The open green space of playground comes alive with the cheerful shouts of children and the songs of birds.

As the children play, the old people watch them. They are reminded of their own childhood. Old people forget the problems of their lives for the time being. The children go back home at sunset. Birds go to their nests to sleep for the night. The presence of children, birds, men and women on the ground shows the harmony between man and Nature.

यह कविता एक ग्राम काव्य है और इसका दृश्य है बसन्त ऋतु में गाँव का हरा-भरा मैदान जिसमें खेलते हुए बच्चों का शोर और पक्षियों के चहचहाने की आवाजें भी सुनाई देती हैं। किशोर बालक और बालिकाएं कूदफांद के लिए एकत्रित हुए हैं। Old John जैसे बूढ़े व्यक्ति वहाँ बैठे हुए बच्चों को देख रहे हैं। बच्चों की माताएं भी अपने बच्चों को खेलते हुए देख रही हैं।

वृद्ध व्यक्तियों को बच्चों को खेलते हुए देखकर अपना बचपन याद आता है। वे अपने जीवन की दैनिक समस्याओं को भी भूल जाते हैं। सूर्यास्त होने पर बच्चे अपने-अपने घर चले जाते हैं। पक्षी अपने घौंसलों में चले जाते हैं ताकि वे आराम कर सकें। Echoing Green पर बच्चों, पक्षियों, स्त्रियों और पुरुषों की उपस्थिति यह दर्शाती है कि मनुष्यों और प्रकृति में तालमेल है।

Comprehension Of Stanzas

1. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow :

The sun does rise And make happy the skies
The merry bells ring
To welcome the spring.
The skylark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around
To the bells cheerful sound
While our sports shall be seen
On the Echoing Green.

Questions :
(a) Name the poet and the poem.
(b) Name the birds which sing to welcome the spring.
(c) What purpose does the ringing of the merry bells serve in the poem ?
(d) How can you say that the mood in the poem is happy and carefree, celebrating a close bond between man and nature ? (Imp.)
Answers :
(a) The poet is William Blake and the poem is “The Echoing Green’.
(b) The skylark and the thrush are singing songs to welcome the spring.
(c) People have gathered in some nearby church where bells are ringing and welcoming … the spring season.
(d) The mood in the poem is happy and carefree. The sun has risen and the skies are bright. Happy boys and girls are having fun and frolic. Birds are singing. There
seems to be harmony between Nature and man.

2. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow :

Till the little ones weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers
Like birds in their nest
Are ready for rest.
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.

Questions :
(a) What do the words weary, descend, an end and rest suggest?
(b) Name the things that take rest at the end of the day.
(c) Why has the echoing green become the darkening green?
(d) Name the figure of speech used in the lines :
Many sisters and brothers Like birds in their nest
Are ready for rest.
(e) Give the rhyme scheme in the first four lines of the passage.
Answers :
(a) They suggest that all activities on the Echoing Green are going to end.
(b) Children, birds, men and women take rest at the end of the day.
(c) The sun sets, night falls and the echoing green becomes the darkening green.
(d) Like birds—-simile.
(e) aa, bb.

The Echoing Green Summary in English

The Echoing Green Introduction:

This poem has been taken from William Blake’s Songs of Innocence. We get a picture of the open green space with the cheerful shouts of children and the songs of birds. As the children play, the older people relax under an oak tree. These old people feel happy as they watch the children at play. They are reminded of their own childhood. John tries to forget the cares and miseries of his life. He thus shares the carefree laughter of the children. The poem shows a link between man and Nature.

The Echoing Green Summary in English:

It is a simple poem. We are taken to the open green space outside a village. We hear cheerful shouts of children and the songs of birds. The sun rises and with it the skies are bright. Happy bells ring to welcome the spring season. The skylark and the thrush who live in the bushes sing loudly in tune with the cheerful sound. While on the green plain where voices echo, our sports will be seen.

Grey haired old John laughs away his cares and miseries. The old people, sitting under the oak tree, laugh at the play of the children. They say that in their youth also, when they were still boys and girls, these joys (which children have now) were there on this Echoing Green which is a symbol of a happy day.

At last, the little children are tired and can no longer enjoy the play. The sun sets and the play comes to an end. As birds gather around their nests to take rest, children gather near their mothers to fall asleep. On the echoing green, no more sport is seen.

The Echoing Green Summary in Hindi

The Echoing Green Introduction:

यह कविता William Blake के ‘Songs of Innocence’ से ली गई है| इसमे खुले हरे – भरे मैदान का चित्र प्रस्तुत किया गया है जहाँ हमें बच्चों की उल्लास भरी आवाजें गूंजती हुई और पक्षियों के गाने की आवाजें सुनाई देती हैं। जब बच्चे खेलते हैं तब वृद्ध बलूत के पेड़ के नीचे विश्राम करते हैं। यहां वृद्ध लोग बच्चों को खेलते हुए देख कर प्रसन्न होते हैं। उन्हें अपना बचपन याद आ जाता है। कविता आदमी और प्रकृति के बीच एक संबंध प्रकट करती है।

The Echoing Green Summary in Hindi:

यह एक सरल सी कविता है। हम एक गांव के बाहर खुले और हरे-भरे मैदान में पहुंच जाते हैं। हम बच्चों की प्रसन्न चिल्लाहट और पक्षियों के गाने सुनते हैं। सूर्य उदय होता है और आकाश चमकदार दिखाई देता है। बसन्त ऋतु का स्वागत करने के लिए किसी गिर्जे की घंटिया बजती हैं। Skylark (भरल पक्षी) और thrush (बाम्कार पक्षी) जो झाड़ियों में रहते हैं, ऊँची-ऊँची प्रसन्न आवाज़ में गाते हैं। हरे-भरे मैदान में जहाँ आवाजें गूंजती हैं, हमारी खेलें देखी जायेंगी।

सफेद बालों वाला बूढ़ा John अपनी चिन्ताओं और तंग हाली को भूल जाता है। बूढ़े लोग जो बलूत के पेड़ के नीचे बैठे हुए हैं, वे बच्चों की खेलकूद पर हंसते हैं। वे कहते हैं कि जब वे छोटे लड़के थे तब वे भी इस हरे-भरे मैदान में खेलकूद का मज़ा लिया करते थे।  खेलते-कूदते छोटे बच्चे अन्त में थक जाते हैं। सूर्य अस्त हो जाता है और बच्चों के खेल समाप्त हो जाते हैं। जब पक्षी अपने घौंसलों के गिर्द विश्राम करने के लिए इकट्ठे हो जाते हैं, बच्चे अपनी माताओं के पास सोने के लिए चले जाते हैं। हरे-भरे गूंजते हुए मैदान पर खेल बन्द हो जाते हैं।

The Echoing Green Central Idea:

This poem is a little idyll (a happy piece of music in the peaceful countryside) of a village green on a warm afternoon in the spring. Young boys and girls have gathered for fun and frolic through their play. Some old men like John are sitting under the oak tree. Mothers of children also watch their young ones at play.

The open green space of playground comes alive with the cheerful shouts of children and the songs of birds. As the children play, the old people watch them. They are reminded of their own childhood. Old people forget the problems of their lives for the time being. The children go back home at sunset. Birds go to their nests to sleep for the night. The presence of children, birds, men and women on the ground shows the harmony between man and Nature.

The Echoing Green Central Idea in Hindi:

यह कविता एक ग्राम काव्य है और इसका दृश्य है बसन्त ऋतु में गाँव का हरा-भरा मैदान जिसमें खेलते हुए बच्चों का शोर और पक्षियों के चहचहाने की आवाजें भी सुनाई देती हैं। किशोर बालक और बालिकाएं कूदफांद के लिए एकत्रित हुए हैं। Old John जैसे बूढ़े व्यक्ति वहाँ बैठे हुए बच्चों को देख रहे हैं। बच्चों की माताएं भी अपने बच्चों को खेलते हुए देख रही हैं।

वृद्ध व्यक्तियों को बच्चों को खेलते हुए देखकर अपना बचपन याद आता है। वे अपने जीवन की दैनिक समस्याओं को भी भूल जाते हैं। सूर्यास्त होने पर बच्चे अपने-अपने घर चले जाते हैं। पक्षी अपने घौंसलों में चले जाते हैं ताकि वे आराम कर सकें। Echoing Green पर बच्चों, पक्षियों, स्त्रियों और पुरुषों की उपस्थिति यह दर्शाती है कि मनुष्यों और प्रकृति में तालमेल है।

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Poem 2 On Friendship Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 2 On Friendship

1. A friend is a gift of God. He’s God’s way of answering our needs.
We nurture a bond of friendship with love and in return we get gratitude
and thanksgiving.
A friend acts like a board that provides strong support in all times.
He is like a fireside that provides us warmth in cold or turbulent times.

Word-Notes. Nurture–develop or grow. Bond—a strong connection or feeling of friendship between two people. Gratitude-thankfulness. Board-a medium of support. Like a fireside-like a sympathiser. Cold-not pleasant. Turbulent-disturbed.

Explanation. In these lines the poet says that a friend is a gift given by God to man. God meets our requirements through a friend. We receive a connection of friendship with love and in return we get gratitude or the expression of thanks to God. A friend acts like a platform which is a source of great support to us in all times. As a fireplace gives us comfort in the cold winter nights, similarly a friend provides us warmth or sympathy in all times.

इन पंक्तियों में कवि कहता है कि एक मित्र भगवान का दिया हुआ उपहार है। परमात्मा एक मित्र के साधन से हमारी आवश्यकताओं को पूरा करता है। हमें मित्रता का सम्बन्ध बड़े प्यार से प्राप्त होता है और उसके बदले हमें कृतज्ञता प्राप्त होती है या परमात्मा के शुक्राने की अभिव्यक्ति प्राप्त होती है। एक मित्र एक ऐसे प्लेटफार्म की तरह होता है जो हमारे लिए हर समय सहायता का साधन होता है। चूल्हा सर्दी की रातों को हमें आराम पहुंचाता है। इसी प्रकार एक मित्र हमें हर समय सहानुभूति उपलब्ध करता है।

2. One does not fear to say ‘no’ or ‘yes’ to a friend.
So one can either agree or disagree with friends without any fear
of upsetting them.
One does not need to proclaim one’s love for a friend.
A friend will be able to read thoughts, even if we do not express them.

Word-Notes : Upsetting-making you feel unhappy, angry or annoyed.

Explanation. The poet says that a man says ‘yes’ or ‘no’ boldly to his friend. One may agree or disagree with one’s friend. Friends would never feel angry or annoyed. One does not have to declare one’s love for a friend in so many words. A friend can always read our thoughts even if we do not express them freely or frankly.

कवि कहता है कि आदमी अपने मित्र को बडी दलेरी से हां या न कह देता है। आदमी अपने मित्र से सहमत हो सकता है या असहमत। मित्र किसी भी हालत में नाराज़ या क्रुद्ध नहीं होते। हमें मित्रों के लिए अपने प्रेम को घोषित करने की आवश्यकता नहीं होती। कोई भी मित्र हमारे विचारों को जान सकता है चाहे हम उनको स्वतन्त्र तौर पर या स्पष्ट रूप से व्यक्त नहीं करते।

3. We can open our heart to them and share our joys and sorrows with them.
This is what can refresh our hearts like the morning dew.

Word-Notes : Imagery-mental pictures expressed in words. Similes-comparisons. Conveying-communicating. Befitting-suitable.

Explanation. The poet says that friends can talk frankly and openly with friends. They can share joys and sorrows with one another. This exchange of conversation can refresh their hearts like the fresh dew drops. The poet has used very fine imagery. With the help of suitable similes the poet has been able to convey his thoughts and ideas on the subject of friendship.

कवि कहता है कि मित्र आपस में स्पष्टता से और खुलमखुल्ला बातें कर सकते हैं। वे आपस में अपने सुखदुःख की बातें कर सकते हैं। इस वार्तालाप के आदान-प्रदान से वे एक -दूसरे के दिलों को ताज़ा दम बना सकते हैं जिस प्रकार ओस के बिन्दू आदमी को ताज़ा कर देते हैं। कवि ने बहुत अच्छी प्रतिकृति प्रयोग की है। उपयुक्त अलंकारों के प्रयोग से कवि ने अपने विचारों का मित्रता का विषय बड़े उचित ढंग से प्रस्तुत किया है।

4. And a youth said, “Speak to us of Friendship.”
Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving,
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger and you seek him for peace.
When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the ‘nay’ in your own mind.
Nor do you withhold the ‘yes’.

Word-Notes : Needs-requirements. Answered-fulfilled or met. Sow with loveyou grow with all the care. Reap with thanksgiving—you get the benefits of friendship by the gratitude of your friends.

Explanation. Here the poet says that a young man wanted to be told about the subject of friendship. He gets the answer that friends are there to meet your requirements. Friendship is made and nurtured with love. You get its benefits by the gratitude of friends. A friend is one’s support and provider of sympathy to one’s friends with some requirements. You also go to your friend for consolation. When a friend speaks to you and tells you what is there in his mind, you are not afraid if he says ‘no’. If you have to say ‘yes’, you will not withhold it but you will say ‘yes’ promptly.

यहां कवि कहता है कि एक नवयुवक मित्रता के विषय के बारे जानना चाहता था। उसको यह उत्तर मिलता है कि मित्र इस लिए होते हैं कि तुम्हारी आवश्यकताओं को पूरा किया जा सके। मैत्री प्यार से आरम्भ होती है और प्यार से ही वह फलती-फूलती है। इसका लाभ मित्रों की कृतज्ञता से मिलता है। एक मित्र दूसरे मित्र की सहायता करता है। और वह दूसरे मित्र को सहानुभूति के रूप में उसकी आवश्यकताओं को पूरा करता है। हम सान्त्वना के लिए मित्रों के पास जाते हैं। जब कोई मित्र तुमसे बात करता है और अपने मन की बात करता है, तब तुम्हें यह डर नहीं रहता कि उसका उत्तर ‘न’ में होगा। यदि तुमने ‘yes’ में उत्तर देना है तब भी तुम शीघ्र ही ‘yes’ कह दोगे।

5. And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart ;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts; all desires, all
expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unclaimed.

Word-Notes : Ceases not-does not stop. Expectations-hopes. Unclaimed – not declared.
Explanation. If your friend is silent, it does not mean that you do not listen to what is going on in his heart. When we are friends, all thoughts, desires and hopes are born and shared with undeclared joy even without words.

यदि तुम्हारा मित्र खामोश हो, इसका यह अर्थ नहीं निकलता कि तुम उसको नहीं सुन रहे जो उसके मन में हो रहा हो। जब हम मित्र हों, तब सब विचार, इच्छाएं और आशाएं जन्म लेती हैं और शब्दहीन अघोषित खुशी से सांझेदारी में होती है।

6. When you part from your friend, you grieve not.
For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.

Word-Notes : Part from-to be away from. Grieve-do not feel sorrowful. Clearerbe more vivid. Plain-flat ground. Save-except. Deepening-strengthening.

Explanation. It is a special feature or characteristic of friendship that we do not feel sad or sorrowful, when we part from our friend. We love our friend for certain qualities. That quality of the friend becomes more prominent when we are away from him. A mountain becomes clearer to a mountain climber from the level ground. Moreover, according to the poet, there is no purpose in friendship except strengthening the spiritual bond between the friends.

मित्रता का यह विशेष लक्षण होता है कि जब हम अपने मित्र से जुदा होते हैं तो हम न तो उदास होते हैं और न ही हमें कोई दुःख होता है। हम अपने मित्रों से उनके गुणों के कारण प्यार करते हैं। हमारे मित्र का गुण अधिक सुप्रकट हो जाता है जब हम उस से दूर हो जाते हैं। एक पर्वत आरोही को मैदान के स्तर से पर्वत. अधिक साफ दिखाई देता है। इसके अतिरिक्त, कवि के अनुसार मित्रता का मंतव्य नहीं होता सिवाये इसके कि दोनों मित्रों के बीच आध्यात्मिक बन्धन को मजबूत करना होता है।

7. For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love
but a net cast forth and only the unprofitable is caught.
And let your best be for your friend.
If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.
For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill ?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

Word-Notes : Seeks-looks for. Aught—anything. Disclosure—the act of making something known or public. Mystery something that is difficult to understand or to explain. Ebb-the period of time when the sea flows away from the land.

Explanation. The poet talks about the important features of friendship. That friendship cannot be called friendship or love if it is interested in trying to know anything except the mystery of love. In that case it is nothing but a net thrown about. Nothing useful is caught by such a thrown net. You must try to do the best for your friend. If he comes to know the shallowest part of your depth in love, he must also know the peak point of your love.

You should not try to look for your friend only with a view to killing your time. You must seek your friend in order to pass your time with him. Your friend has to meet your requirements. He does not have to do anything to engage you in your idleness. You experience sweetness in the company of your friend. The sweetness of friendship brings us laughter and pleasure. The heart feels refreshed in the sweetness of friendship.

कवि मित्रता के महत्त्वपूर्ण लक्षणों के बारे बात करता है। उस मित्रता को मित्रता नहीं कह सकते यदि हम दूसरे मित्र की मित्रता के केवल रहस्य को ही जानना चाहते हैं। उस स्थिति में यह एक फैंका हुआ जाल ही होता है। इस तरह फैंके हुए जाल से कोई लाभदायक चीज़ नहीं मिलती। तुम्हें अपने मित्र के लिए सर्वोत्तम प्रयत्न करना चाहिये। यदि वह तुम्हारे प्यार की कम से कम गहराई को जान सके तो उसे अपने प्यार का शिखर भी दिखाना चाहिये।

तुम्हें अपना मित्र इसलिए नहीं ढूंढना चाहिए ताकि तुम उसके साथ अपना समय नष्ट कर सको। तुम्हें अपने मित्र के साथ अच्छी तरह से समय व्यतीत करना चाहिए। तुम्हारे मित्र ने तुम्हारी मांगों को पूरा करना होता है। उसने तुम्हें अपने पास इसलिए नहीं रखना होता कि वह तुम्हारा समय फजूल ही व्यतीत कर दे। तुम अपने मित्र की संगति में मिठास का अनुभव करते हो। मित्रता की मिठास हमें हंसी और प्रसन्नता उपलब्ध कराती है। मैत्री की मिठास दिलों को ताज़गी देती है।

Comprehension Of Stanzas

1. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow :

He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.
And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.
When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the ‘nay’ in your own mind.
Nor do you withhold the ‘yes’.

Questions :
(a) Name the poem and its poet.
(b) What is the most important thing that one can give to a friend ?
(c) What do we earn in return when we shower our friend with love ?
(d) How is a friend our fireside ?
Or
Give the figure of speech in the line ……………… He is your field which you sow with love.
Answers:
(a) The name of the poem is ‘On Friendship and its poet is Kahlil Gibran.
(b) Love is the most important thing which we can give to a friend.
(c). When we shower our friend with love, he also responds.
(d) By showing sympathy, our friend acts as our fireside.
Or.
A. The figure of speech used is a metaphor.

2. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow :

For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.
And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net
cast forth and only the unprofitable is caught.

Questions :
(a) A mountain appears more clear when one is on the plain, at some distance away. How does the poet relate this statement to understand the value of a friend ?
(b) What should be the main purpose of friendship?
(c) List all the qualities a true friend should have, according to Kahlil Gibran.
(d) A true friend is one with whom we can share our :
(i) Wealth and property.
(ii) Fame and pleasures.
(iii) Joys and sorrows.
Answers :
(a) We love our friend for some great quality. We miss him for this quality when he is away from us. In the same way, a mountain climber can see the mountain more
clearly when he stands on a flat plain at some distance.
(b) The main purpose of friendship is strengthening the spiritual bond between two friends.
(c) A true friend is loving, grateful, supportive, sympathetic, helpful, candid.
(d) Joys and sorrows.

On Friendship Summary in English

On Friendship Introduction:

This is a simple poem. It has been taken from the book ‘The Prophet’. It was written in 1923. The publication of this poem made the writer famous and popular. In this poem, the poet praises the virtues and advantages of having friends.

On Friendship Summary in English:

A friend is God’s gift to us. God meets our requirements through a friend. We develop a bond of friendship with love. Such a bond is accepted by our friend with gratitude. A friend is very dependable and he gives us support in all times. He provides us warmth in cold and disturbed times.

We can be frank and candid with our friends. One does not have any fear while accepting or rejecting a friend’s suggestion about some thing. We do not have to declare our love for our friend every now and then. A friend can easily read the thoughts of a friend even if we do not express them.

We can open our hearts to our friends. We can also share our joys and sorrows with them. By doing so we can refresh our hearts like the morning dew. It has been rightly said that joy shared is joy doubled and sorrow shared is sorrow halved. The poet has used excellent images in the poem. The use of proper similes helps him in conveying his thoughts and ideas in a suitable manner.

A youth wanted to be told about friendship. We have to understand that a friend meets our needs. One develops friendship with love and our love is properly reciprocated by gratitude. A friend is our strong support and he provides us warmth. We go to our friends when we need something. We also go to our friends for peace and consolation. When our friend speaks his mind we do not feel afraid if he says ‘no’ to something. He actually speaks what we have in our mind. If you have something by saying ‘yes’, you promptly say ‘yes’. You do not delay it.

Even when our friend is silent, our heart does not stop listening to what goes on in his mind. Between friends, all thoughts, desires and expectations are born and shared even when they are not openly expressed. When we part from our friends, we do not feel sad or sorrowful.

Because when a friend is absent from us, we remember him for the quality that we like in him the most just as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain. The purpose of friendship is after all the deep relationship of two friendly spirits. Love that seeks anything except its own mystery is not love but is a net thrown about. Nothing profitable is caught in the throw of a net for this purpose.

A friend always wants to get the best for the sake of his friend. If a friend comes to know that there has been a fall in the intensity of your love, he should also know its peak. That friendship is of no use when you seek your friend to kill your time. You should always seek your friend to live with him. You must seek the company of your friend. It is your friend’s duty to meet your requirement. He does not make you feel idle. Friendship is sweet. There should be sweetness of friendship. There is laughter and sharing of mutual pleasure. Friends feel refreshed if they share the little things of life by being together.

On Friendship Summary in Hindi

On Friendship Introduction:

यह एक सरल सी कविता है। इस को ‘The Prophet’ नामक पुस्तक से लिया गया है। यह 1923 में लिखी गई थी। इस पुस्तक के छपने के बाद लेखक बहुत प्रसिद्ध और लोकप्रिय हो गया। इस सरल कविता में कवि मित्रता के गुणों और लाभों की प्रशंसा करता है।

On Friendship Summary in Hindi:

एक मित्र हमें ईश्वर का दिया हुआ उपहार होता है। परमात्मा मित्र के द्वारा हमारी आवश्यकताओं को पूरा करता है। हम प्रेम द्वारा मैत्री का बन्धन बनाते हैं। हमारा मित्र ऐसे बन्धन को कृतज्ञता से स्वीकार कर लेता है। मित्र पर निर्भर किया जा सकता है और वह हमें हर समय में सहायता करता है। एक मित्र कठिनाई के समय हमें सहानुभूति दिखाता है। हम अपने मित्रों के साथ स्पष्टवादी और निष्कपट हो सकते हैं। अपने मित्र की किसी चीज़ के बारे सलाह को स्वीकार करने या रद्द करने में कोई डर नहीं होता। हमें अपने मित्र के लिए अपने प्रेम को बार-बार घोषित करने की आवश्यकता नहीं होती। एक मित्र दूसरे मित्र के विचारों के बिना व्यक्त करने के समझ सकता है।

हम अपने मित्र के साथ अपने मन की बात कर सकते हैं। हम अपने मित्रों के साथ खुशियों और दुःखों की बातें बांट सकते हैं। ऐसा करने से प्रातः की ओस की तरह हम अपने हृदयों को ताज़ा कर सकते हैं। ठीक ही कहा गया है कि खुशी बांटने से खुशी दुगनी हो जाती है और दुःख बांटने से आधा रह जाता है। कवि ने कविता में विशिष्ट अंलकार प्रयोग किए हैं। उपयुक्त उपमाओं के प्रयोग द्वारा अपने विचारों को व्यक्त करने में उसने सहायता ली है।

एक नवयुवक मित्रता के बारे जानना चाहता था। हमें यह समझना चाहिए कि एक मित्र हमारी आवश्कताओं को पूरा करता है। हम प्यार द्वारा मैत्री पैदा करते हैं और हमारे प्रेम का उपयुक्त आदान-प्रदान कृतज्ञता से होता है। एक मित्र हमारा बड़ा तगड़ा सहायक होता है और वह हमारा सहानुभूति वाला मददगार बन जाता है। हम अपने मित्रों के पास तब जाते हैं जब हमें किसी चीज़ की आवश्यकता होती है। हम अपने मित्रों के पास तब भी जाते है जब हमें शान्ति और सांत्वना (दिलासा) की आवश्यकता होती है।

जब हमारा मित्र अपने मन की बात कहता है हमें कोई डर नहीं लगता यदि वह किसी चीज़ के लिए न कह दे। वास्तव में वह वही बात कहता है जो हमारे दिल में होती है। यदि तुम्हें ‘yes’ वाला उत्तर चाहिए तो वह भी ‘yes’ ही कहता है। तुम देर नहीं करते। जब हमारा मित्र खामोश भी हो तब भी हमारा हृदय उस बात को सुन लेना बन्द नहीं करता जो उसके दिल में हो। मित्रों के बीच सारे विचार, इच्छाएं और आशायें उत्पन्न होती हैं और साझी होती हैं चाहे वे व्यक्त न की गई हों।

जिस प्रकार पर्वत आरोही को पर्वत मैदान से अधिक साफ दिखाई देता है, इसी प्रकार मित्रता का प्रयोजन है दो मैत्रीभाव वाले मनुष्यों का घनिष्ठ सम्बन्ध होता है। वह प्यार जो अपने रहस्य को छोड़कर और कुछ ढूंढता है वह प्यार नहीं होता बल्कि वह एक जाल होता है। जाल के फैंकने से कोई लाभदायक वस्तु नहीं पकड़ी जा सकती। एक मित्र अपने मित्र के लिए सर्वोत्तम चीज़ प्राप्त करना चाहता है।

यदि किसी मित्र को यह आभास होता है कि उसके मित्र के प्यार की प्रगाढ़ता में अन्तर आ गया है, तो उसे प्यार के शिखर स्तर पर होने का ज्ञान भी होना चाहिए। वह मित्रता किसी काम की नहीं होती जिसमें एक मित्र अपना समय गुजारने के लिए दूसरे मित्र के पास जाता है। तुम्हें अपने मित्र के साथ रहने के लिए उसके पास जाना चाहिए। तुम्हें अपने मित्र की संगति तलाशनी चाहिए। यह तुम्हारे मित्र का कर्तव्य है कि वह आपकी मांगों को पूरा करे। वह तुम्हें बेकार नहीं रहने देगा। मित्रता एक मधुर वस्तु है। मित्रता में मिठास होनी चाहिए। यह तब हो सकता है जब हंसीमज़ाक की साझेदारी हो। मित्र ताज़ा दम हो जाते हैं यदि वे जीवन की छोटी-छोटी बातों को साझा कर लें।

On Friendship Cental Idea

This poem tells us about friendship by praising its virtues and advantages. A friend is a God’s gift to us. A friend is a God’s way of meeting our requirements. He supports us at all times. He shows us sympathy whenever we need it. A friend is free to agree or disagree with us on any point. We do not have to declare our love for our friend. He can read our thoughts even if we do not express them. We can open our heart to a friend and a friend can share our joys and sorrows. When our friend is away from us, we remember him for his best quality. Friendship enables us to strengthen our spiritual bond.

On Friendship Cental Idea in Hindi

यह कविता मित्रता के गुणों और लाभों का गुणगान करते हुए हमें दोस्ती के बारे बताती है। एक मित्र हमें परमात्मा का दिया हुआ उपहार होता है। एक मित्र ऐसा साधन होता है जिसके जरिये परमात्मा हमारी आवश्यकताओं को पूरा करता है। हमारा मित्र हर समय हमारा समर्थन करता है। जब हमें आवश्यकता होती है तो हमारा मित्र हमें सहानुभूति दिखलाता है। एक मित्र हमारे साथ सहमत या असहमत हो सकता है। हमें अपने मित्र के प्रति प्रेम की घोषणा नहीं करनी होती है। हमारा मित्र हमारे विचारों को यूँ ही जान लेता है चाहे हम उनको व्यक्त न भी करें। एक मित्र के सामने हम अपना दिल खोल सकते हैं और मित्र हमारे सुखों और दुःखों का सांझेदार हो सकता है। जब हमारा मित्र हमसे दूर होता है तब भी हम उसको उसके सर्वोत्तम गुण के लिए याद रखते हैं। मित्रता हमारे आध्यात्मिक बन्धन को मजबूत बनाती है।

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Poem 1 Prayer of the Woods Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Poem 1 Prayer of the Woods

1. I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights, the friendly shade
Screening you from the summer sun and my fruits are refreshing draughts
quenching your thirst as you journey on.
I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table, the bed on
Which you lie, and the timber that built your boat.

Word-Notes:
Heat-fire that gives heat or warmth. Hearth – fireplace, चूल्हा | Friendly soothing. Shade – the area that is dark and cool under a tree. Screening – hiding or keeping one away from. Refreshing – making one feel less tired. Quenching – satisfying. Journey on-travel onwards, go forward. Draughts – liquid drops. Beam – long piece of timber……. .

Explanation:
The tree says that its wood burns the fire in the fireplaces of men. When the fire burns, the cold of the winter season keeps off. The tree also provides pleasant shade to human beings and keeps the heat of the summer season away. As the travellers move on during their travel in the summer season, the juice from the juicy fruits of trees keeps them refreshed and less tired. Timber of the trees supports the roofs of houses. It makes boards for tables. Beds on which we sleep are also made from wood. Wood is also used in making boats.

वृक्ष कहता है कि उसकी लकड़ी आदमियों के चूल्हों में आग जलाती है। जब आग जलती है तो सर्दी के मौसम की सर्दी दूर रहती है। गर्मी के मौसम में जब यात्री चलते जाते हैं तो रसदार फलों वाले वृक्षों का रस यात्रियों को ताजा दम और कम थकान वाले बना देता है। वृक्षों की लकड़ी मकानों की छतों को पूरा सहारा देती है। पेड़ों की लकड़ी से मेज़ों के फट्टे बनते हैं, लकड़ी से सोने के लिए Beds और नौकाएं बनती हैं।

2. I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead, the wood of your
cradle and the shell of your coffin.
I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty. Ye, who pass by, listen to my prayer :
Harm me not.

Word-Notes:
Hoe-an instrument for breaking the soil, a garden tool, फावड़ा, कुदाली, गोड़ने के लिए। Ye-you.

Explanation:
The speaker here tells the human being that he is the wooden handle of his garden tools with which the soil is broken. He also serves the purpose of the door of his house. He provides wood for the cradle for the new born baby and coffin for the dead. He also teaches the lesson of kindness and beauty. So he requests human beings not to harm the trees grown in the forest.

वक्ता (जंगल का वृक्ष) यहां मानव को कहता है कि वह उसके औजारों (फावड़े या कुदाली) के लिए handle बनाने के लिए लकड़ी देता है। उसके घर का दरवाज़ा भी लकड़ी से बनता है। वह नये पैदा होने वाले बच्चे के पालने के लिए लकड़ी देता है और मरे हुए व्यक्ति के कफन के कवच के लिए लकड़ी देता है। वह मेहरबानी और सुन्दरता का भी पाठ सिखलाता है। अतः वह मानवों से विनती करता है कि उन्हें जंगल में उगे हुए वृक्षों को हानि नहीं पहुंचानी चाहिए।

Comprehension Of Stanza

1. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow :

I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights, the friendly shade
screening you from the summer sun, and my fruits are refreshing draughts
quenching your thirst as you journey on.

Questions :
(a) Name the poet and the poem.
(b) Name the figure of speech used in the line …………. the friendly shade screening you from the summer sun.
(c) How can the woods give us heat as well as coldness ?
(d) Who is the narrator in the lines ?
Answers :
(a) The name of the poem is Prayer of the Woods and the name of the poet is not known (anonymous).
(b) The friendly shade …………. (Personification). Screening you from the summer sun ………… (Alliteration).
(c) Wood burnt in the fireplace on cold winter nights gives us warmth or heat and the friendly shade gives us coldness in summer.
(d) The wood is the narrator.

2. I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table, the bed on

which you lie, and the timber that built your boat.
I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead, the wood of
your cradle and the shell of your coffin.
I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty. Ye, who pass by, listen to my prayer :
Harm me not.

Questions :
(a) Write down the line in the poem that explains the statement :
The wood accompanies us from birth to death.
(b) I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty. This means the woods give us : .
(i) Business and love.
(ii) Food and decoration.
(iii) Kind feelings and loveliness.
(c) Who is the speaker in the poem ?
(d) What is the prayer of the woods to the human beings ?
Answers :
(a) The line is : I am the wood of your cradle, and the shell of your coffin.
(b) Kind feelings and loveliness.
(c) The wood or the tree is the speaker in the poem.
(d) The woods pray to the human beings not to harm them.

Prayer of the Woods Summary in English

Prayer of the Woods Introduction:

It is a simple poem. Its poet is not known. It is a prayer by trees to human beings. The trees say that they are very useful for human beings. On winter nights, wood from trces burns in the fireplaces and provides heat to people. Shade is provided by trees in the summer season. They provide juicy fruit to travellers to satisfy their thirst. Long pieces of timber support roofs of buildings. Wood from trees is used for making tables and boats. The handles of garden tools are also built from wood. Hollows for coffins are also made from wood. Trees teach the value of kindness and beauty. Trees appeal to human beings not to harm them.

Prayer of the Woods Summary in English:

In this poem trees of the woods make an appeal to human beings not to harm them. They say that they are very useful for human beings in several ways. Wood from trees is burnt in the fireplaces and this provides warmth to human beings on cold winter nights. They also protect man from the summer sun by giving shade. They provide juicy fruits to travellers and satisfy their thirst. Wood from the forest is also used as beams to support the houseroofs. Wood is also used for making boards for tables and the covers for coffins of dead persons. Wood from the trees is also used for making handles of garden tools such as spade, hoe, doors for homes and cradles. Woods inspire people with feelings of kindness and enjoyment of beauty. In other words, woods are very useful for men. So woods appeal to human beings not to harm them in any way.

Prayer of the Woods Summary in Hindi

Prayer of the Woods Introduction:

यह एक सरल कविता है। इसके कवि के नाम का पता नहीं है। यह वृक्षों द्वारा इन्सानों को याचना या विनती है। वृक्ष कहते हैं कि वे इंसानों के कई काम आते हैं। जाड़ें की रातों में चूल्हों में लकड़ी जलती है और लोगों को जाड़े से राहत मिलती है। गर्मी के मौसम में वृक्षों से छाया उपलब्ध होती है। अपनी प्यास बुझाने के लिए यात्रियों को रसदार फल मिलते हैं। लकड़ी के शहतीरों के लम्बे-लम्बे टुकड़े मकानों की छत बनाने के काम आते हैं। मेज़ों के लिए लकड़ी भी वृक्षों से मिलती है और नौकाएं भी लकड़ी से बनती हैं। बागों के लिए औज़ारों के हैन्डलस लकड़ी से बनते हैं। कफनों के लिए कवच भी लकड़ी द्वारा बनाये जाते हैं। वृक्ष हमें दयालुता और सुन्दरता का पाठ भी सिखलाते हैं। वृक्ष मानवों से प्रार्थना करते हैं कि वे उनको कोई हानि न पहुंचायें।

Prayer of the Woods Summary in Hindi:

इस कविता में जंगलों के वृक्ष मानवों से याचना करते हैं कि वे उनको हानि न पहुंचायें। वे कहते हैं कि वे कई तरह इंसानों के बहुत काम आते हैं। वृक्षों की लकड़ी चूल्हों में जलाई जाती है और जाड़े की रातों में गर्मी उपलब्ध होती है। वे गर्मी के मौसम में इंसानों को अपनी छाया देकर उनको आराम पहुंचाते हैं। यात्रियों को रस-भरे फलों द्वारा उनकी प्यास को दूर करते हैं। वन की लकड़ी से घर बनाने के लिए शहतीर प्रयोग किए जाते हैं, मेजें बनाने के लिए फट्टे बनाये जाते है और मरे हुए व्यक्तियों को दफनाने के लिए खोल या कवच बनाये जाते हैं। वृक्षों की लकड़ी बाग के औज़ार फावड़ा और कुदाली, घरों के लिए दरवाज़े बनाने के काम आती है। लकड़ी के वन लोगों को दयालुता की भावनाओं से प्रेरित करते हैं और सुन्दरता की प्रसन्नता देते हैं। इस लिए वन मनुष्यों से याचना करते हैं कि वे उनको हानि न पहुंचायें।

Prayer of the Woods Central Idea.

This poem is based on the idea that trees serve man in various ways. The wood from trees is used in winter for warmth. Trees provide shade in summer and juicy fruits to travellers to satisfy thirst. Buildings, boats, and furniture use wood. Wood is used by mạn from birth to death. Trees also teach us the value of kindness and beauty. Trees appeal very humbly to men not to harm them.

Prayer of the Woods Central Idea In Hindi

यह कविता इस विचार पर आधारित है कि वृक्ष मनुष्य के लिए भिन्न-भिन्न तरीकों से काम में आते हैं। वृक्षों से उपलब्ध लकड़ी को सर्दी के मौसम में गर्मी प्राप्त करने के लिए इस्तेमाल किया जाता है। गर्मियों में वृक्षों से छाया प्राप्त होती है और यात्रियों को रसदार फलों से प्यास बुझा कर तसल्ली होती है। इमारतें, नौकाएं और – फर्नीचर बनाने के लिए लकड़ी प्रयोग की जाती है। जन्म से लेकर मृत्यु तक लकड़ी आदमी के काम आती रहती है। वृक्ष हमें दयालुता और सौन्दर्य का पाठ भी सिखलाते हैं। वृक्ष बड़ी विनम्रता से मानवों को अपील करते हैं कि वे वृक्षों को कोई हानि न पहुंचाये।

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions English E-Mail Writing Exercise Questions and Answers, Notes.

PSEB 12th Class English E-Mail Writing

The popular name of E-mail is ‘electronic mail’. It involves sending message via telecommunication links. If two computer terminals, however distant from each other are connected to network, it is possible to send messages from one to the other. The message is typed on a computer screen at one end and is conveyed to the other end through electric impulses. The person operating the computer terminal at the receiving end is alerted by a signal that a message or mail, meant for him is in the electronic mail box, or he can occasionally see his mail box to check for any incoming mail. Then he can get it flashed on to a screen immediately or keep it stored and attend to it at leisure.

If the computers have fax, telephone or telex facilities attached to them, E-mail can be used even to transmit telephonic message or to fax important documents.

If we want to Use E-mail all that one needs is an access to a network area, a P.C., a telephone, a modem with its software and the basic knowledge of using this software which is easy to attain. One doesn’t have to be a seasoned expert to be able to use E-mail. Nor do we need a separate telephone line for it. Modems are also reasonably priced. Sending message by E-mail is cheap. It is cost-effective. It is cheaper than our registered mail which we send through post offices.

Advantages of E-Mail

1. E-mail has several advantages. It is the quickest means of transmitting messages. Sending messages through ordinary post is just something very slow and rather old fashioned. It is no longer the in-thing. Courier service is also slow. It can rarely do better than overnight delivery. Telephone has its limitations. Other telematic services like telex, fax, communicating word processors etc. are not options to E-mail but complementary services. Most modern E-mail systems allow messages to be delivered through telecom channels.

2. An E-mail message is free from disturbance. One can check one’s mail box and receive the message at one’s leisure.

3. E-mail does not depend on the availability of the recipient. As long as people keep checking their mail boxes regularly, the communication cycle continues to work properly.

4. E-mail communication saves us from time-zone inconvenience. One can send an E¬mail message whenever one likes to do so. The person at the other end can receive it the next morning when he comes to work.

5. E-mail messages are supposed to be highly confidential and secure. The chances of tampering with them are much fewer than in the case of message conveyed through conventional modes.

The E-mail screen is given below:

Details necessary for an E-mail

Writing an E-mail message for a friend is just like writing an informal friendly note. If you have to ask a friend to meet you at a restaurant in the evening, we do not have to write an elaborate letter.
1. Send an e-mail message to your friend asking him to meet you at your home.
Answer:

2. Write a message for transmission by E-maii for delivery to a prospective customer.
Answer:

3. Draft a message to be sent by E-mail to your friend Srikesh on the occasion of his grand success in the Higher Secondary Examination.
Answer:

4. Your friend is celebrating his birthday. You are not able to attend it. Send him a message by E-mail.
Answer:

WHEN YOU ARE SENDING E-MAIL MESSAGES TO FRIENDS, YOU HAVE. TO ADOPT A VERY INFORMAL AND INTIMATE STYLE. YOU CAN MAKE USE OF SOME ABBREVIATIONS. BUT ABBREVIATIONS SHOULD NOT BE USED TO SACRIFICE CLARITY.

You can use the following abbreviations:
u for you
2 for two
ur for your
cud for could
gud for good
I’m 4 u = I am for you etc.
But clarity must not be lost sight of.

5. Send an E-mail message to your friend who is staying abroad. Ask him when he plans to come to India. Tell him to be here before Dewali.
Answer:
E-mail form

6. You are the secretary of the Drama Club in your school. You have to arrange a meeting at 5 p m. tomorrow to discuss preparation and rehearsal for the annual inter-school drama festival. Send an E-mail to all the members apprising them about the meeting.
Answer:

7. You have come to know that your brother has taken to the habit of smoking. Write a message for transmission by e-mail giving him a warning.
Answer:

8. Your father is worried because of your neglect of studies. Send a message by e-mail assuring him not to worry about your neglect of studies. Tell him that you would do everything to make up your deficiency.
Answer:

9. Write a note for transmission by e-mail from a mother to a daughter. Note that a message for transmission by e-mail does not have to be a full-length letter.
Answer:

10. Write a note for transmission by e-mail to your mother informing her that you will arrive home late and miss the evening meal.
Answer:

11. Write an e-mail to your friend inviting him to attend the tea party arranged to celebrate your birthday.
Answer:

12. Write an e-mail to your cousin, who lives in Agra, informing that you along with three of your friends are visiting Agra on 7th of June, 16, requesting him/her to get two rooms booked in some good hotel near his/her residence. Your stay there is only for two nights.
Answer:

13. Write an e-mail to your father, who is posted in a far away place, asking him about his whereabouts. You are worried about him as someone coming from that place has told you that your father is not feeling well Ask him if he has consulted the doctor or not.
Answer:

14. Write an e-mail to your friend informing him that you are visiting him next month.

15. Write an e-mail to your friend informing him that you are visiting him next month.

16. Your friend has invited you to attend the marriage of his/her sister at Chandigarh. Write an e-mail to him/her describing your journey plan and your probable arrival date and time.
Answer:

Exercise For Practice

1. Write an e-mail to your friend who is abroad asking when he is coming back and how so that you receive him on his return.
2. Write an e-mail to your friend expressing your willingness to attend his marriage ceremony.
3. Write an e-mail to, your friend asking him to be present at your birthday party being held at your residence. Inform him about the date and time of the function.
4. Write an e-mail to your aunt, who has been ill, asking about her health and wishing her better health.
5. Write an e-mail to your friend who is in the U.S.A. congratulating him on his joining a medical college there. Use short forms where possible.
6. Write an e-mail to your teacher at school thanking him/her for all the help he/she has given to you to get such good marks in the Board exams.

Punjab State Board PSEB 12th Class English Book Solutions Chapter 10 Ghadari Babas in Kalapani Jail Textbook Exercise Questions and Answers.

PSEB Solutions for Class 12 English Chapter 10 Ghadari Babas in Kalapani Jail

Short Answer Type Question

Question 1.
Discuss the various physical problems that the Indian freedom fighters had to face in the Cellular Jail.
उन शरीर सम्बन्धी समस्याओं का वर्णन करो जिनका भारतीय स्वतन्त्रता सेनानियों को सामना करना पड़ा।
Answer:
Indian freedom fighters had to face many physical problems. The weather there was very bad. The place was full of mosquitoes and leeches. Food given to the political prisoners was of poor quality. Many were frequently sick with dysentery, fever, tuberculosis and other ailments. Work taken from them was very hard.

They had to extract coconut oil from the kohlu. If they failed to extract the required quantity, jail officials behaved like butchers. Political prisoners and revolutionaries put up stiff resistance against the arrogant conduct of the jail officials. About ten of them died. As a result of their resistance, the jail authorities were forced to discontinue some of the practices of their bad treatment.

भारतीय स्वतन्त्रता सेनानियों को कई शारीरिक समस्याओं का सामना करना पड़ा। वहाँ (Port Blair) का मौसम बहुत खराब था। वह स्थान मच्छरों और जोंकों से भरा पड़ा था। राजनीतिक कैदियों को दिया जाने वाला भोजन घटिया दर्जे का था। उनमें से बहुत से बार-2 पेचिश, ज्वर, तपेदिक और दूसरी बीमारियों से पीड़ित होते थे।

उनसे लिया जाने वाला काम बहुत कठिन होता था। उन्हें कोल्हू से नारियल का तेल निकालना पड़ता था। यदि वे आवश्यक मात्रा निकालने में असफल रहते, तो जेल के अधिकारी बूचड़ों की तरह व्यवहार करते। राजनीतिक कैदी और क्रांतिकारी जेल अधिकारियों के दुर्व्यवहारपूर्ण आचरण का कड़ा विरोध करते। उनमें से लगभग 10 कैदी मर गये। उनके विरोध का परिणाम यह हुआ कि जेल के अधिकारियों को अपने बुरे व्यवहार को त्याग देना पड़ा।

Question 2.
What was David Barry’s address to the new group of political prisoners ?
राजनीतिक कैदियों के नये ग्रुप को David Barry का भाषण क्या होता था ?
Answer:
David Barry, the Superintendent of Jail, addressed every new group of political prisoners asking them to strictly follow the rules and orders. If they disobeyed him, only God would help them. At least he would not help them. He also told the prisoners to remember that God does not come within three miles of Port Blair (where the Cellular jail was situated). They must also obey the warders and the petty officers.

David Barry जो जेल का Superintendent था राजनीतिक कैदियों के हर नये ग्रुप को भाषण देता। वह उन्हें कहता कि उन्हें नियमों और आदेशों का सख्ती से पालन करना होगा। यदि वे उसका आदेश नहीं मानेंगे, तो केवल परमात्मा ही उनकी सहायता करेगा। कम से कम वह स्वयं तो उनकी सहायता नहीं कर सकेगा। उसने कैदियों को यह याद रखने के लिए भी कहा कि परमात्मा भी तीन मील की परिधि में Port Blair के अन्दर नहीं आता। उन्हें warders और छोटे अधिकारियों का भी अवश्य कहना मानना चाहिए।

Long Answer Type Question

Question 1.
Write, in brief, what you know about the Ghadar Party.
जो तुम Gadhar Party के बारे जानते हो उस के बारे में संक्षेप में लिखें।
Answer:
The Ghadar Party was an organisation founded by Punjabi Indians in the United States of America and Canada with the object of freeing India from the British rule. The important members were Lala Har Dayal, V.G. Pingley, Sant Baba Wasakha Singh, Sohan Singh Bhakna and Rashbehari Bose. At the outbreak of World War I, Ghadar Party members returned to Punjab to agitate for rebellion alongside Babbar Akalis.

They conducted revolutionary activities in central Punjab. Their attempts were crushed by the British government. The Cellular Jail was set up in Port Blair. This jail was known as Kala Pani. The Ghadar Party was later sent to Kala Pani for torturing. There were other political prisoners. Some of the Ghadar Party prisoners were very old.

They were made to work on the kohlu to extract coconut oil. They had to live in narrow cells. Jail officials were very cruel. They put up a brave resistance. Eight Ghadarites died in the jail. There were strikes led by Sohan Singh Bhakna, Prithvi Singh, Udham Singh Kasel and Kartar Singh Sarabha. They were ready to die for Matribhumi. They were martyrs.

Ghadar Party एक ऐसा संगठन था जिसको अमेरिका और Canada में रहने वाले पंजाबी भारतीयों ने स्थापित किया और इस का उद्देश्य था भारत को अंग्रेजों के राज से आजाद कराना। इसके मुख्य सदस्य थे लाला हरदयाल, V.G.Pingley, संत बाबा बसाखा सिंह, सोहन सिंह भकना और रासबिहारी बोस।

प्रथम विश्व युद्ध के छिड़ जाने के बाद Ghadar Party के सदस्य पंजाब वापस आ गये ताकि वे Babbar Akalis के साथ मिलकर विद्रोह कर सकें। अंग्रेजी सरकार ने उनके प्रयासों को कुचल दिया। Port Blair में Cellular Jail जेल को स्थापित किया गया। इस जेल को काला पानी के नाम से जाना जाता था।

Ghadar Party को बाद में काला पानी भेजा गया ताकि उन पर अत्याचार किया जाए। वहाँ और भी राजनीतिक कैदी थे। गदर पार्टी के कुछ कैदी बहुत बूढ़े थे। उनसे कोलहू चला कर तेल निकालने का काम लिया जाता था। उन्हें तंग कोठरियों में रहना पड़ता था। जेल अधिकारी बड़े निर्दयी थे। उन्होंने कड़ा विरोध किया। आठ गदर पार्टी वाले जेल में मर गए। कुछ हड़तालों का नेतृत्व Sohan Singh Bhakna, Prithvi Singh, Udham Singh Kasel और Kartar Singh Sarabha ने किया। वे सब मातृभूमि के लिए मरने को तैयार थे। वे शहीद थे।

Question 2.
How were the Indians treated in the Cellular Jail of Andamans by the British officials ?
Cellular Jail में अंग्रेज़ अधिकारियों द्वारा भारतीय लोगों से कैसे व्यवहार किया जाता था ?
Answer:
The Cellular Jail known as Kala Pani was set up by the British government to teach the freedom fighters a lesson of their lives. Their treatment of the Indians was inhuman and cruel. The penal colony was created to isolate and torture the members of the Gadhar Party.

There were revolutionaries from Bengal and Maharashtra. They were given hard work to do and offered poor quality of food. Some suffered from fever, dysentery and other ailments.

They were forced to extract coconut oil. They had to produce coconut thread by pounding. Old criminals tortured the revolutionaries and political prisoners. All the jail officials such as David Barry were very cruel. They offered resistance. Parma Nand Jhansi hit back the Jailor Barry, so he was beaten mercilessly. The brave revolutionaries were ready to die for the motherland. Eight Gadharites died. Indians opposed brute force of the English government with their soul force.

Cellular जेल जिसको काला पानी कहते हैं अग्रेजों की सरकार ने स्थापित की थी ताकि स्वतन्त्रता सेनानियों को जीवन भर के लिए सबक सिखलाया जाये। भारतीयों के प्रति उनका व्यवहार अमानवीय और क्रूर था। दण्डितों की बस्ती इसलिए बनाई गई थी कि Ghadar Party के सदस्यों को अलगथलग रखा जाये और उन पर अत्याचार किया जाये। वहाँ बंगाल और महाराष्ट्र से क्रान्तिकारी आये हुए थे। उनको करने के लिए कठिन काम दिया जाता था और खाने के लिए घटिया भोजन दिया जाता था। उनमें से कुछ ज्वर, पेचिश और दूसरी बीमारियों से पीड़ित होते थे। उनको कोल्हू से तेल निकालने के लिए विवश किया जाता था। कूट कर उन्हें नारियल के रेशे से धागा (रस्सी) भी बनाना पड़ता था।

पुराने कैदी क्रान्तिकारियों और राजनीतिक कैदियों पर अत्याचार करते थे। जेल के सब अधिकारी जैसे कि Barry बड़े क्रूर थे। क्रांतिकारी विरोध करते थे। Parma Nand Jhansi को बड़ी निर्दयता से पीटा गया था क्योंकि उसने Barry को चोट लगाई थी। बहादुर क्रांतिकारी मातृभूमि के लिए जान देने को तैयार थे। गदर पार्टी के आठ सदस्य मर गये। अंग्रेजी राज की पाश्विक शक्ति का विरोध भारतीय क्रांतिकारी अपनी आत्मा की शक्ति से करते थे।

Objective Type Questions.

This question will consist of 3 objective type questions carrying one mark each. These objective questions will include questions to be answered in one word to one sentence or fill in the blank or true/false or multiple choice type questions.

Question 1.
List a few key members of the Ghadar Party.
Answer:
Key members were Lala Har Dayal, V.G. Pingley, Sant Baba Wasakha Singh Dadehar, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Kartar Singh Sarabha and Rashbehari Bose.

Question 2.
What were the modes of torturing brave fighters ?
Answer:
They were tortured through living in dirty cells, working hard to produce 30 pounds of coconut oil from the ‘Kohlu’ and coir thread and lashing in public.

Question 3.
Write the two names of the Cellular Jail.
Answer:
Its popular name was ‘Kala Pani’ and the other name was the Devil’s Island

Question 4.
What were the physical conditions of the Cellular jail ?
Answer:
Besides bad weather, the jail had mosquitoes and leeches; prisoners were given bad food and they suffered from illness.

Question 5.
Who were the chief governing officials in the Cellular jail ?
Answer:
Jailor David Barry, Superintendent Murray and the Chief Commissioner were the chief governing officials.

Question 6.
How were the convicts punished when they failed to work properly ?
Answer:
They were abused and given 30 whip lashes in public.

Question 7.
Who were addressed as demi-gods and why? (V. Imp.)
Answer:
Old criminals were called demi-gods as they believed that they had the divine right to ill-treat all prisoners and make their life miserable.

Question 8.
What did the Ghadarites do in the beginning of their conviction period ?
Answer:
They decided not to suffer disrespect without hitting back.

Question 9.
Why was Jyotish Chandra Pal moved to a mental hospital ?
Answer:
He passed blood in stool after a long hunger strike and went mad and so he was moved to a mental hospital.

Question 10.
Why did jail authorities discontinue some of their practices of bad treatment ?
Answer:
Very stiff resistance through long hunger strikes forced the jail authorities to discontinue some of their practices of bad treatment.

Question 11.
Choose the correct option :
The Ghadar Party was founded :
(i) by Punjabi Indians in U.S.A. and Canada
(ii) by. Britishers
(iii) by Pakistanis. Answer:by Punjabi Indians in U.S.A. and Canada.

Question 12.
The object of the Ghadar Party was :
(i) to free India from the yoke of the British rule.
(ii) to remove poverty from India.
Answer:
to free India from the yoke of the British rule.

Question 13.
What is the other name of Kala Pani ?
Answer:
The Devil’s Island.

Question 14.
Where was the Cellular Jail set up ?
Answer:
In Port Blair.

Question 15.
The setting up of the Cellular Jail took place in :
(i) 1926
(ii) 1906
(iii) 1923
(iv) 1947
Answer:
(ii) 1906.

Question 16.
The first batch of revolutionaries brought here were a group of :
(i) Bengalis
(ii) Maharashtrians
(iii) Punjabis.
Answer:
(i) Bengalis.

Question 17.
Give at least four names of the rebel prisoners in the Kala Pani Jail.
Answer:
(i) Kartar Singh Sarabha
(ii) Lala Har Dayal
(iii) Rash Behari Bose
(iv) Baba Wasakha Singh

Question 18.
Name at least two founders of the Ghadhar Party.
Answer:
(i) Punjabi Indians in U.S.A.
(ii) Punjabi Indians in Canada.

Ghadari Babas in Kalapani Jail Summary in English

Ghadari Babas in Kalapani Jail Introduction:

This extract has been taken from Dr. Harish K. Puri’s book Ghadar Movement. Dr. Harish K. Puri is former professor of Guru Nanak Dev University. He has written extensively on political movements, religion and terrorism. In this extract he gives a harrowing account of the Cellular Jail (called Kala Pani) situated in Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar Islands). This Cellular Jail (Kala Pani) was set up by the Britishers in far away Andaman Island. The main purpose of the Britishers was to isolate, punish and torture the freedom fighters of India during the early decades of the 20th century.

Ghadari Babas in Kalapani Jail Summary in English:

Ghadar Party was an organisation founded by Punjabi Indians in the United States of America and Canada. Its object was to free India from the British rule. Its important members were Lala Hardayal, V.G. Pingley, Sant Baba Wasakha Singh Dadehar, Sohan Singh Bhakna, Kartar Singh Sarabha, and Rashbehari Bose. The World War I broke out in 1914.

The Ghadar Party members returned to Punjab to agitate for rebellion alongside the Babbar Akali Movement. In 1915, they started revolutionary activities in Central Punjab. They tried to stage revolts, but their attempts were crushed by the British government. The British government in India set up a special jail to teach these brave fighters for the freedom a lesson.

The Cellular Jail was set up in Port Blair. It is popularly known as Kala Pani. It is situated far away from the Indian mainland. It is also described as the British version of Devil’s Island’. In the beginning, the penal colony was created to isolate and torture for life the members of the Ghadar Party. The newly made jail was opened in 1906. Bengali revolutionaries convicted in conspiracy cases were the first group of 27 political prisoners brought there.

They were followed by others of the Nasik Conspiracy Case, such as V. D. Savarkar and his brother Ganesh Savarkar. The Ghadarites were the largest single group of political prisoners sentenced to transportation for life. Forty of these were brought there in December 1915.

More than 30 from the Lahore Supplementary and Mandlay Conspiracy cases followed later. Other groups of revolutionaries were young. Many among the Ghadar prisoners were quite old. Nidhan Singh was 60 years old; Kehar Singh 62; Kala Singh 55; Gurdit Singh 50 and a large number of them 40 years and above.

There were many difficulties for the prisoners. The weather was bad. The area had many mosquitoes. There were blood-sucking leeches. Many were frequently sick. They suffered from high fever, tuberculosis. They had to work on the oil-mill and extract a minimum of 30 pounds of coconut oil. They had to pound coconut husk to produce coir threads.

If the quantity produced was less, the prisoners were abused and whipped with lashes. Prisoners cried loudly as blood flowed out of their skins. Communication between the prisoners was not possible as each one of them was kept in a small cell.

The recorded accounts of victims and eye-witnesses of over a dozen prominent revolutionaries provided heart-rending details of torture of political prisoners. All accounts refer to the Jailor David Barry, the Superintendent Murray and the Chief Commissioner as butchers and children of Satan. Some old criminals had been appointed as jamadars, petty officers and warders who got pleasure out of torturing political prisoners.

Barin Ghosh, brother of Aurobindo Ghosh, called them smaller gods who would abuse, humiliate and ill-treat the political prisoners and made their life most miserable. Some stories were smuggled out of the jail by Savarkar. They related to young Nani Gopal’s sharp and shrill cries because of whip lashes, his hunger strike that continued for 72 days and the long strike against tortures. The suicide committed by Indu Bhushan raised a storm in the country.

On arrival there, the Ghadarites learnt about the sufferings, the hard struggle of resistance of Bengali and Marathi prisoners. In the beginning, they decided not to suffer any indignity with a determined resistance. Parma Nand Jhansi was abused and threatened by the Jailor Barry for not producing the required quantity of oil. Parma Nand hit the jailor Barry.

As the jailor fell down, Parma Nand Jhansi was mercilessly beaten by the warders. The fall of Barry and the horrible torture of Jhansi created a stir in the jail. In another case of cruelty, Chattar Singh who slapped the Superintendent of Jail, Murray hard, was put in a cage.

Bhan Singh was beaten so hard that he died in the hospital. Resistance and most cruel punishment took the life of Ram Rakha within two months of his arrival in the jail. Eight Ghadarites lost their life in jail. They continued their repeated strikes from work and hunger strikes led by Bhakna. They were joined by 25 others for their rights as political prisoners.

The number of those who joined the strike rose to 100. Jyotish Chandra Pal passed blood in stool and went mad after a month. He was removed to a mental hospital. Prithvi Singh continued his hunger strike for four months. In the history of Andaman such a long strike had never been organised.

The impact of the strike was very powerful. The jail authorities were forced to discontinue some of the practices of bad treatment of political prisoners. The revolutionaries sang patriotic songs and Vande Matram, recited Gurbani and did not care for the harshest physical punishment.

They were fighting against brutal forces with soul-force. They were either released in 1921 or transferred to jails in the mainland. Bhakna explained that the crux of the songs which the revolutionaries sang in the jails was : ‘Hey Matribhoomi, this is true that we could not liberate you, but so long as even one of our comrades is alive, he will sacrifice everything to remove your chains.

Ghadari Babas in Kalapani Jail Summary in Hindi

Ghadari Babas in Kalapani Jail Introduction:

यह उद्धरण Dr. Harish K. Puri की पुस्तक Ghadar Movement से लिया गया है। Dr. Harish K. Puri, Guru Nanak Dev University के भूतपूर्व professor हैं। उन्होंने राजनीतिक आन्दोलनों, धर्म और आतंकवाद पर विस्तृत तौर पर पुस्तकें लिखी हैं। इस उद्धरण में उन्होंने cellular jail (काला पानी) का डराने वाला (भयावह) वृत्तान्त दिया है। Cellular शब्द cell से बना है। Cell का अर्थ है छोटी कोठरी। यह cellular जेल Port Blair में स्थित है और इसको अंग्रेज़ों ने स्थापित किया था। Port Blair, Andaman और Nicobar का बड़ा नगर है। अंग्रेज़ों का मुख्य उद्देश्य था भारतीय स्वतन्त्रता संग्रामियों को 20वीं शताब्दी के शुरू के दशकों में अलग रखना, सज़ा देना और अत्याचार करना।

Ghadari Babas in Kalapani Jail Summary in Hindi:

गदर पार्टी U.S.A. और Canada में रहने वाले भारतीय पंजाबियों द्वारा स्थापित किया गया एक संगठन था। इसका लक्ष्य भारत को अंग्रेजों के राज से आजाद करवाना था। इसके महत्त्वपूर्ण या मुख्य सदस्य थे – लाला हरदयाल, V.G. Pingley, सन्त बाबा वसाखा सिंह डाडेहर, सोहन सिंह भकना, करतार सिंह सराभा और रासबिहारी बोस। 1914 में पहला विश्व युद्ध छिड़ गया। ग़दर पार्टी के सदस्य पंजाब वापस आ गये ताकि वे Babbar Akali Movement के साथ मिल कर विद्रोह कर सकें।

1915 में उन्होंने Central Punjab में क्रान्तिकारी गतिविधियां आरम्भ कर दी, लेकिन अंग्रेज़ों की सरकार ने उनके प्रयासों को कुचल डाला। भारत में अंग्रेजों की सरकार ने एक विशेष जेल स्थापित कर डाली ताकि इन बहादुर योद्धाओं को एक सबक सिखाया जाये। Port Blair में Cellular जेल स्थापित कर दी गई। इसको काला पानी कहते हैं। यह भारत की मुख्य भूमि से दूर थी। इसका अंग्रेजी तर्जुमा होता है ‘शैतान का टापू’ ।

यहां मुख्य भूमि भारत से आसानी से नहीं पहुंचा जा सकता था। आरम्भ में यह दण्ड-विषयक बस्ती इस लिए स्थापित की गई थी ताकि Ghadar Party के सदस्यों को अलग रखा जाये और उन पर सारी उमर अत्याचार किया जाये।
इस नई जेल को 1906 में खोला गया। बंगाली क्रान्तिकारियों जिन्हें षड्यन्त्र का दोषी ठहराया गया था, उनका 27 राजनीतिक कैदियों का पहला समूह यहाँ लाया गया था।

उनके बाद Nasik षड्यन्त्र Case के दूसरे दोषी जैसे V. D. Savarkar और उसका भाई Ganesh Savarkar आये। Ghadar Party वालों के राजनीतिक कैदियों का सबसे बड़ा एक जत्था था जिन्हें जीवन भर के लिए काला पानी भेजा गया। उनमें से 40 को December 1915 में लाया गया।

30 से अधिक Lahore Supplementary और Mandlay षड्यन्त्र केसों से बाद में आये। क्रान्तिकारियों के दूसरे ग्रुप नवयुवक थे। Ghadar Party के कैदियों में से काफ़ी बूढ़े थे। निधान सिंह 60 वर्ष का था, Kehar Singh 62 साल का था, Kala Singh 55 वर्ष का था, Gurdit Singh 50 का और उनमें से बहुत से 40 साल के और उससे भी अधिक वर्षों के थे।

कैदियों के लिए कई कठिनाईयां थीं। वहां मौसम खराब था। उस क्षेत्र में मच्छर भी बहुत थे। वहाँ खून चूस लेने वाली जोंकें भी थीं। उन कैदियों में से बहुत से तो प्रायः बीमार रहते थे। वे तपेदिक (T.B.) से भी पीड़ित हो जाते थे। उन्हें कोल्हू चलाना पड़ता था और कम से कम 30 पौंड प्रतिदिन नारियल का तेल निकालना पड़ता था।

उन्हें नारियल के छिलके को कूटना पड़ता था ताकि नारियल की जटा निकाली जा सके। अगर निकाली गई मात्रा कम होती, तो कैदियों को गालियाँ दी जाती और चाबुक लगाए जाते। कैदी ऊँची-ऊँची चीखें मारते जब उनकी त्वचाओं से रक्त निकलता। कैदियों के बीच वार्तालाप नहीं हो सकती थी क्योंकि उनमें से प्रत्येक को एक छोटी-सी कोठरी में रखा जाता था।

पीड़ितों के दर्ज किए वृत्तान्त और एक दर्जन से अधिक महत्त्वपूर्ण चश्मदीद गवाहों ने राजनीतिक कैदियों के अत्याचारों का हृदय-विदारक विस्तृत विवरण दिया है। सारे वृत्तान्त Jailor David Barry, Superintendent Murray और Chief Commissioner का हवाला देते हुए कहते हैं कि वे बूचड़ और शैतान के बच्चे थे। कई

पुराने अपराधियों को जमादार, छोटे अफ़सर और Warder नियुक्त किया गया था जिनको राजनीतिक कैदियों पर अत्याचार करके प्रसन्नता होती थी। Barin Ghosh जो Aurobindo Ghosh का भाई था, इनको छोटे देवता कहता था जो गालियाँ देते थे, अपमानित करते थे और राजनीतिक कैदियों और उनके जीवन को दयनीय बना देते थे। कुछ कहानियां Savarkar द्वारा जेल के बाहर भेज दी जाती थीं।

वे नवयुवक Nani Gopal को चाबुक द्वारा पीटे जाने के बाद उसकी तेज़ चीखों के बारे थी, यह उसकी भूख हड़ताल के बारे थी जो 72 दिन रही और उसकी लम्बी हड़ताल के बारे थी जो अत्याचारों के विरुद्ध थी। एक कहानी इन्दू भूषण की आत्महत्या के बारे थी जिसने सारे देश में तूफ़ान खड़ा कर दिया।

वहाँ पहुँचकर Ghadar Party के सदस्यों ने बंगाली और मराठी कैदियों के कष्टों और विरोध के कठोर संघर्ष के बारे जानकारी प्राप्त की। आरम्भ में उन्होंने निर्णय किया कि वे किसी अपमान को सहन नहीं करेंगे या उसका कड़ा विरोध करेंगे। Jailor Barry ने Parma Nand Jhansi को गालियाँ और धमकियां दी क्योंकि उसने (कोहलू से) तेल की आवश्यक मात्रा नहीं निकाली थी। Parma Nand ने जेलर Barry को चोट लगा दी और Barry नीचे गिर गया। ज्योंही जेलर नीचे गिरा, जेल के warders ने उसको बड़ी बेरहमी से पीट डाला।

Barry के नीचे गिरने और Parma Nand Jhansi पर हुए विकराल अत्याचार ने जेल में हलचल पैदा कर दी। अत्याचार के एक और मामले में चतर सिंह ने जेल के Superintendent Murray को एक जबरदस्त चपत जड़ दी। उसको सलाखों वाले पिजरे में डाल दिया गया। भान सिंह की इतनी सख्त पिटाई की गई कि वह हस्पताल में ही मर गया। विरोध और बड़ी सख्त सज़ा ने राम रक्खा की उसके जेल में आने के दो महीनों के भीतर उसकी जान ले ली। Ghadar Party के आठ सदस्यों की जान जेल में ही चली गई। उन्होंने काम से बार-बार हड़ताल करना जारी रखी और Bhakna के नेतृत्व में भूख हड़ताल होती रही।

उनके साथ 25 सदस्य और आकर मिल गये। Jyotish Chandra Pal के stool में खून आता था और वह एक महीने के बाद पागल हो गया। उसे पागलखाने में दाखिल करा दिया गया। 4 महीने Prithvi Singh ने अपनी भूख-हड़ताल जारी रखी। अंडेमान के इतिहास में इतनी लम्बी हड़ताल कभी नहीं रखी गई थी। हड़ताल का प्रभाव बड़ा प्रबल था। जेल के अधिकारियों को विवश होकर राजनीतिक कैदियों के प्रति दुर्व्यवहार में सुधार लाना पड़ा। क्रांतिकारी देशभक्ति के गीत और वन्दे मातरम, Gurbani का पाठ करते और वे कठोर से कठोर सज़ा की परवाह नहीं करते थे।

वे अपनी आत्मा की शक्ति से पाश्विक शक्तियों से लड़ते थे। उनको या तो 1921 में जेल से रिहा कर दिया गया या उन्हें मुख्य भूमि भारत की जेलों में भेज दिया गया। भकना ने वर्णन किया कि क्रान्तिकारी जो गाने जेल में गाते थे उनका निचोड़ यह था : ‘हे मातृभूमि यह सच है कि हम तुम को आजाद नहीं करा सके लेकिन जितनी देर तक हमारा एक भी साथी ज़िन्दा है, वह तुम्हारी जंजीरों को काटने के लिए अपना सर्वस्व बलिदान कर देगा।’

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