sandhya kee is malin sej par gange! kis vishaad ke sang,
sisak-sisak kar sula rahee too apane man kee mridul umang?
umad rahee aakul antar mein kaisee yah vedana athaah?
kis peeda ke gahan bhaar se nishchal-sa pad gaya pravaah?
maanas ke is maun mukul mein sajani! kaun-see vyatha apaar
banakar gandh anil mein mil jaane ko khoj rahee laghu dvaar?
chal ateet kee rangabhoomi mein smriti-pankhon par chadh anajaan,
vikal-chit sunatee too apane chandragupt ka kya jay-gaan?
ghoom raha palakon ke bheetar svapnon-sa gat vibhav viraat?
aata hai kya yaad magadh ka surasari! vah ashok samraat?
sanyaasinee-samaan vijan mein kar-kar gat vibhooti ka dhyaan,
vyathit kanth se gaatee ho kya gupt-vansh ka garima-gaan?
goonj rahe tere is tat par gange! gautam ke upadesh,
dhvanit ho rahe in laharon mein devi! ahinsa ke sandesh.
kuhuk-kuhuk mrdu geet vahee gaatee koyal daalee-daalee,
vahee svarn-sandesh nity ban aata oosha kee laalee.
tujhe yaad hai chadhe padon par kitane jay-sumanon ke haar?
kitanee baar samudragupt ne dhoee hai tujhamen talavaar?
tere teeron par digvijayee nrp ke kitane ude nishaan?
kitane chakravartiyon ne hain kiye kool par avabhritth-snaan?
vijayee chandragupt ke pad par sailyookas kee vah manuhaar,
tujhe yaad hai devi! magadh ka vah viraat ujjval shrngaar?
jagatee par chhaaya karatee thee kabhee hamaaree bhuja vishaal,
baar-baar jhukate the pad par greek-yavan ke unnat bhaal.
us ateet gaurav kee gaatha chhipee inheen upakoolon mein,
keerti-surabhi vah gamak rahee ab bhee tere van-phoolon mein.
niyati-natee ne khel-kood mein kiya nasht saara shrngaar,
khandahar kee dhoolon mein soya apana svarnoday saakaar.
too ne sukh-suhaag dekha hai, uday aur phir ast, sakhee!
dekh, aaj nij yuvaraajon ko bhikshaatan mein vyast sakhee!
ek-ek kar gire mukut, vikasit van bhasmeebhoot hua,
tere sammukh mahaasindhu sookha, saikat udbhoot hua.
dhadhak utha tere maraghat mein jis din sone ka sansaar,
ek-ek kar laga dhahakane magadh-sundaree ka shrngaar,
jis din jalee chita gaurav kee, jay-bheree jab mook huee,
jamakar patthar huee na kyon, yadi toot nahin do-took huee?
chhipe-chhipe baj rahee mandr dhvani mittee mein nakkaaron kee,
goonj rahee jhan-jhan dhoolon mein mauryon kee talavaaron kee.
daayen paarshv pada sota mittee mein magadh shaktishaalee,
veer lichchhavee kee vidhava baayen rotee hai vaishaalee.
too nij maanas-granth khol donon kee garima gaatee hai,
veechi-drrgon se her-her sir dhun-dhun kar rah jaatee hai.
devi! dukhad hai varttamaan kee yah aseem peeda sahana.
nahin sukhad sansmrti mein bhee ujjval ateet kee rat rahana.
astu, aaj godhooli-lagn mein gange! mand-mand bahana;
gaanvon, nagaron ke sameep chal kalakal svar se yah kahana,
“khandahar mein soee lakshmee ka phir kab roop sajaoge?
bhagn dev-mandir mein kab pooja ka shankh bajaoge?”
1931
paataliputr kee ganga