JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 1 Prayer

This poem is addressed to God. The poet makes certain wishes to the Almighty. He prays to God to lead him to the path of truth. He wants God to bless him with the nectar of knowledge. He wants to remain free from idleness and weakness. The poet is a firm believer in God. He wants God to keep him under His protection always. The poet is not bothered what people say about him or do to him. But he wants God to be always with him. He can’t bear separation from God.

यह कविता ईश्वर को सम्बोधित की गई है। कवि सर्वशक्तिमान ईश्वर के सामने कुछ इच्छाएं व्यक्त करता है। वह ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसे सच्चाई के रास्ते पर ले जाए । वह चाहता है कि ईश्वर उसे ज्ञान – रूपी अमृत का वरदान दे। वह आलस्य  सकता है और कमजोरी से मुक्त रहना चाहता है। कवि ईश्वर में एक पक्की आस्था रखने वाला व्यक्ति है। वह चाहता है कि ईश्वर उसे सदा अपने संरक्षण में रखे। कवि को इस बात की चिन्ता नहीं है कि लोग उसके बारे में क्या कहते हैं या उसके साथ क्या करते हैं। किन्तु वह चाहता है कि ईश्वर सदा उसके साथ रहे । वह ईश्वर से जुदाई को सहन नहीं कर  सकता है।

Lord! You are my hope and trust, lead me to the way of truth;

How long shall I dwell in ignorance ! Pour me the nectar of knowledge.

Lend ear to my wailing and pleas, cure me of ills and pains;

Be kind each moment to me; let me never feel in want.

Save me from sloth, infirmity and doubt,

Surcharge my heart with passion, zest and hope.

Word-meanings: 1. trust – विश्वास; 2. dwell – रहना; 3. ignorance – अज्ञात; 4. nectar – अमृत; 5. lend ear to—ध्यान से सुनना; 6. wailing — विलाप; 7. pleas– प्रार्थनाएं; 8 in want – निर्धनता  की स्थिति; 9. sloth — आलस्य; 10. infirmity- अशक्तता, निर्बलता; 11. surcharge — जोश से भरना; 12. passion – आवेश; 13. zest — जोश l

Explanation: The poet calls God his hope and trust. He calls upon God to lead I him to the path of truth. The poet has so far been living a life of ignorance. He prays to God to bless him with the nectar of knowledge. The poet is crying. He appeals to God to listen to his prayers. He prays to Him to cure. him of his ills and 4 want of anything in his life s nt to live weakness. He does not to him He want to feel the want So he prays to God to save him from laziness and live a life of doubts. So he prays to God to fill his heart with passion, enthusiasm and hope.

कवि ईश्वर को अपनी आशा और भरोसा कहता है। वह ईश्वर से आवाहन करता है कि वह उसे सच्चाई के रास्ते पर ले जाए। कवि अब तक अज्ञानता का जीवन बिताता रहा है। वह ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसे ज्ञान रूपी अमृत का वरदान दे । कवि रो रहा है। वह ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसकी प्रार्थनाओं को सुने। वह उससे प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसे उसकी बुराइयों और पीड़ाओं से छुटकारा दिलाए। वह चाहता है कि ईश्वर उस पर प्रति पल दयालु रहे। वह अपने जीवन में किसी भी चीज़ की कमी महसूस नहीं करना चाहता है। इसलिए वह ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसे आलस्य और कमज़ोरी से बचाए। वह संदेहों भरा जीवन नहीं बिताना चाहता है। इसलिए वह ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसके दिल में जोश, उत्साह और आशा भर दे।

Let me not ever chant the sleep-inducing tales;

Let me sing the songs which infuse life into the dead.

Let me sing of that which inspires people with love,

And causes all bitterness and hatred to vanish.

You brought me to bloom with the earliest vernal breeze;

Let not the burning heat of summer wither me grey.

Word-meanings : 1. chant — अलापना; 2. sleep-inducing — नींद ला देने वाली; 3. infuse – भर देना; 4. inspires — प्रेरित करता है; 5 bitterness — कड़वाहट; 6. vanish – लुप्त होना; 7. bloom – खिलाना; 8. vernal – बसन्तकालीन; 9. breeze — मन्द पवन; 10. wither- मुरझा जाना; 11. grey – निराशापूर्ण ।

Explanation: The poet wants to remain active all his life. He does not want to sing such tales which can make one sleepy and lazy. He prays to God to keep him up-and-coming always. He wants to sing only such songs which can infuse life even in the dead. He wants to sing songs that can inspire people with love. He wants to sing songs that will cause all hatred and bitterness to end. The poet says that it was God who filled his heart with the freshness of the earliest spring breezes. Now he does not want that any unpleasant or painful thing should lead to the withering of enthusiasm in his heart.

कवि जीवन-भर सक्रिय रहना चाहता है। वह ऐसी गाथाओं को नहीं गाना चाहता है जिससे नींद या आलस्य आने लगे । वह ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसे सदा सचेत और सक्रिय रखे । वह केवल ऐसे गीत ही गाना चाहता है जो मुर्दों में भी जान फूंक दें । वह ऐसे गीत गाना चाहता है जो लोगों में प्यार भर दें । वह ऐसे गीत गाना चाहता है जिनसे सब कड़वाहट और घृणा समाप्त हो जाए। कवि कहता है कि यह ईश्वर ही था जिसने उसके दिल को सब से पहले शुरू होने वाली बसन्ती हवाओं की ताज़गी से भर दिया। अब वह नहीं चाहता कि कोई असुखद या पीड़ाजनक बात उसके दिल में पैदा हुए जोश को ठण्डा कर दे ।

Like dew, how long shall I wait for the first flash of the sun ?

Awaken me with the flowers in the first stroke of the dawn.

In form I am a man, in substance far from humanity,

Subject me not to trials, shame not my human form.

Forsaken by men am I, and so they call me Mehjoor,

People may desert me thus but you don’t abandon me Lord !

Word-meanings : 1. dew— ओस; 2. flash – चमक; 3. stroke— चोट, आहट; 4. dawn – प्रभात; 5. form— शक्ल, रूप; 6. substance— वास्तविकता; 7. humanity – मानवता; 8. subject — का विषय बनना; 9. trials— परीक्षाएं; 10. forsaken— छोड़ा गया; 11. Mehjoor – कवि ने यह शब्द अपने उपनाम के रूप में इस्तेमाल किया है, जिसका अर्थ होता है, छोड़ा हुआ; 12. desert — साथ छोड़ देना; 13. abandon – छोड़ना ।

Explanation: The poet here compares himself with dew. Drops of dew have to keep lying in the grass till the first rays of the sun come and give them the power to rise up. Similarly, the poet wants God to fill him with the power to rise. He says that he has been lying like dew so far. Now he wants to awaken like flowers at the first stroke of dawn. It is only God that can give him the knowledge and wisdom to wake up. He says that so far he has been a man in form only. The real substance of man is humanity which has been far away from him. The poet prays to God not to put him to trials. He does not want God to shame his human form. He wants God to fill humanity in his human form and only thus he can become a man in the real sense. The poet feels himself all alone because he has been forsaken by others. That is why they call him Mehjoor, which means the forsaken one. The poet doesn’t care if people have deserted him. He prays to God not to abandon him even if people have abandoned him.

कवि यहां अपनी तुलना ओस से करता है। ओस के कणों को घास के ऊपर पड़े रहना पड़ता है जब तक सूर्य की पहली किरणें नहीं आतीं और उन्हें ऊपर उठने की शक्ति प्रदान नहीं करतीं। इसी प्रकार कवि चाहता है कि ईश्वर उसमें उठने की शक्ति भर दे। वह कहता है कि वह अभी तक ओस की भांति पड़ा रहा है। अब वह प्रभात की पहली आहट के साथ फूलों की भान्ति जाग उठना चाहता है। यह केवल ईश्वर ही है जो उसे उठने का ज्ञान और समझ प्रदान करेगा। वह कहता है कि अब तक वह केवल शक्ल में ही एक आदमी रहा है। आदमी का वास्तविक तत्त्व मानवता होता है जो उससे बहुत दूर रहा है। कवि ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसके इम्तिहान न ले। वह चाहता है कि ईश्वर उसकी आदमी वाली शक्ल को लज्जित न करे। वह चाहता है कि ईश्वर उसके आदमी वाले ढांचे में मानवता को भर दे और केवल तभी वह सच्चे अर्थों में आदमी बन सकता है। कवि स्वयं को बिल्कुल अकेला महसूस करता है क्योंकि उसे दूसरों ने त्याग दिया है। इसी कारण से वे उसे महजूर कहते है, जिसका अर्थ होता है छोड़ा हुआ। कवि को कोई परवाह नहीं यदि लोग उसे छोड़ गए हैं। वह ईश्वर से प्रार्थना करता है कि वह उसे न छोड़े, यद्यपि लोगों ने उसका साथ छोड़ दिया हो।

Ans. The poet implores the Lord to lead him to the path of truth.

Ans.The poet prays for the following blessings :

1. the nectar of knowledge

2. the cure from ills and pains

3. safety from wants

4. freedom from idleness and infirmity

5. a heart full of passion and hope

6. inspiring songs of love

7. the substance of humanity in his human form.

Ans. The poet is G.A. Mehjoor. He wants to sing songs that can infuse life into the dead even. He wants to sing songs that can inspire people with love. He wants to sing songs that can end all hatred and bitterness.

Ans. O God! O God!

You are my father,

I am your little child;

Give me your love,

Show me your light;

That I may,

Follow the way,

To things good,

And things right! to !

Ans. This poem has been written by G.A. Mehjoor. The poet says that so far, he has been a man in form only. The real substance of a man is his humanity. This humanity has been far from the poet’s human form. The poet prays to God not to subject him to trials which will show his lack of humanity. Thus his human form will be put to shame. The poet wants God to bless his human form with humanity also.

Ans. The poet has used the following similes in his poem :

1. Like dew, how long shall I wait for the first flash of the sun ?

2. Awaken me with (like) the flowers in the first stroke of the dawn.

The metaphors used in the poem are:

1. dwell in ignorance

2. nectar of knowledge

3. the way of truth.

Lord! You are my hope and trust, lead me to the way of truth,

How long shall I dwell in ignorance ! pour me the nectar of knowledge.

Lend ear to my wailing and pleas, cure me of ills and pains.

Ans.The poetic device used in these lines is ‘metaphor.’ The poet has used the following metaphors here –

1. the way of truth.

2. dwell in ignorance

3. the nectar of knowledge.

Lord! You are my hope and trust, lead me to the way of truth; How long shall I dwell in ignorance ! Pour me the nectar of knowledge. Lend ear to my wailing and pleas, cure me of ills and pains; Be kind each moment to me; let me never feel in want. Save me from sloth, infirmity and doubt, Surcharge my heart with passion, zest and hope.

A	B
(a) dwell (b) sloth (c) zest	(i) eagerness, enthusiasm (ii) to live (iii) unwillingness to work or make any effort

1. The name of the poem is Prayer’ and the poet is G.A. Mehjoor.

2. He implores God to lead him to the path of truth and pour on him the nectar of knowledge.

3. sloth, infirmity and doubt.

4. (a) dwell – to live (b) sloth – unwillingness to work or make any effort eagerness, (c) zest – enthusiasm.

5. He calls God his hope and trust.

Let me not ever chant the sleep-inducing tales;

Let me sing the songs which infuse life into the dead.

Let me sing of that which inspires people with love,

And causes all bitterness and hatred to vanish.

You brought me to bloom with the earliest vernal breeze;

Let not the burning heat of summer wither me grey.

Like dew, how long shall I wait for the first flash of the sun ?

Expressions from the poem	To suggest that
(a) Sealed (b) Fluster (c) Traitor (d) Corpse (e) Three score	(i) locked (ii) …………….. (iii) …………….. (iv) …………….. (v) ……………..

(ii) sixty

(iii) upset and confused

(iv) a dead body

(v) a person who is not loyal to his country.

1. The poet does not want to sing such tales which can make one sleepy and lazy.

2. He wants to sing such songs which can infuse life even in the dead, inspire people with love and cause all hatred and bitterness to end.

3. (a) inspires = gives enthusiasm to do something (b) vanish = disappear.

4. (b) Fluster = upset and confused; (c) Traitor = a person who is not loyal to his country; (d) Corpse = a dead body; (e) Three score = sixty.

5. The name of the poem is Prayer’ and the poet is G.A. Mehjoor.

The poet wants to remain (a) (b) which can (d) ……….. which can make one (c) cause all (e) and (f) even in the dead. He to end. ………… all his life. He does not want to sing He wants to sing such songs wants to sing songs that will .

Expressions from the poem	To suggest that
(a) Chant (b) Infuse (c) Vanish	(i) …………….. (ii) …………….. (iii) ……………..

(i) tough tests

(ii) to sing

(iii) to fade away

(iv) to fill with emotion

(v) to abandon

(vi) urgent.

I. (a) active; (b) such tales; (c) sleepy and lazy; (d) rinfuse life; (e) hatred; (f) bitterness.

II. (a) Chant = to sing; (b) Infuse = to fill with emotion; (c) vanish = to fade away

The poet wants to remain (a) ……………. all his life. He does not want to sing such tales which can make one sleepy and lazy. He wants to sing only such songs which can (b) ……………. life even into the dead. He wants to sing songs that can (c) …………… people with love. He wants to sing songs that will cause all hatred and bitterness to (d) ……………….. The poet says that it was God who filled his heart with the freshness of the earliest (e) ……………… breezes. Now he does not want that any upleasant thing should lead to the (f) ……………….. of enthusiasm in his heart.

(i) abandon

(ii) to cry because of pain

(iii) to live in a particular way.

(iv) to fill someone or something with an emotion or quality.

(v) relating to or happening in the spring.

I. (a) active; (b) infuse; (c) inspire; (d) vanish; (e) spring; (f) withering.

II. (a) dwell = to live in particular way; (b) desert = abandon; (c) infuse = to fill someone or something with an emotion or quality.

You brought me to bloom with the earliest vernal breeze;

Let not the burning heat of summer wither me grey.

Like dew, how long shall I wait for the first flash of the Sun ?

Awaken me with the flowers in the first stroke of the dawn.

In form I am a man, in substance far from humanity,

Subject me not to trials, shame not my human form.

The poem is addressed to God. The poet makes certain wishes before the Almighty. He requests Him to save him from any misfortune and be kind to him. The poet says that God has brought him to (a) ………….. with the earliest fresh breeze. He prays to God not to let the burning heat of the summer fade him. The poet requests God to (b) ………………. him with the flowers in the first stroke of the (c) …………… . The poet says that he is in the form of a (d) ……………. but far from (e) ………….. . The poet requests and prays to God Almighty that he should not be affected by the tough tests i.e. the (f) ………….. .

Expressions from the poem	To suggest that
(a) Vernal (b) Wither (c) Trial	(i) …………….. (ii) …………….. (iii) ……………..

(i) A tough test

(ii) Relating to or happening in spring

(iii) To sing a religious prayer

(iv) To fade away.

I. (a) bloom (b) awaken (c) dawn (d) man (e) humanity (f) trials.

II. (a) vernal = relating to or happening in spring (b) wither = to fade away (c) trial = a tough test.

Like dew, how long shall I wait for the first flash of the sun ?

Awaken me with the flowers in the first stroke of the dawn.

In form I am a man, in substance far from humanity,

Subject me not to trials, shame not human form.

Forsaken ken by men am I, and so t am 1, and so they call me Mehjoor,

People may desert me thus but you don’t abandon me Lord !

1. The poet compares himself with dew.

2. He wants to awaken like flowers at the first stroke of dawn.

3. the sun comes and gives them the power to rise up.

4. (a) desert = turn one’s back on (b) awaken = arouse (c) trial = tough tests (d) forsaken = left.

5. The name of the poem is Prayer’ and the poet is G.A. Mehjoor.

1. The poet has used the images of nature in these lines. All things in nature – the dew and the flowers for example have their natural form as well as their natural traits. Man has the human form, but is devoid of the human traits. It is this lack of humanity that the poet laments in these lines.

2. The poet compares himself with dew.

3. The real substance of a man is his humanity.

4. (a) desert = to leave somebody without help or support

    (b) forsaken = given up, abandoned.

The poet fervently appeals to his Lord to show him (a) ……….. and says that he can ill-afford to (b) ……….. in ignorance. The poet passionately requests his Lord to pay heed to his (c) ………. and heal his (d) ………… He most earnestly appeals to his Lord not to make him write something which will (e) ………… but instead asks for power in his pen which will (f) ………. and something which will remove bitterness and hatred from the heart of people.

(i) Fill the people with enthusiasm who were otherwise as good as dead.

(ii) Remove hatred from the poet.

(iii) Brought me to life and gave me the power to write.

(iv) Remove hatred from people.

(v) Fill the poet with passion.

(vi) Fill the poet with useless thoughts.

1. (a) the path of truth (b) live (c) prayers (d) pains (e) make one sleepy and lazy (f) infuse life even in the dead.

2. (i) Brought me to life and gave me the power to write. (ii) Fill the people with enthusiasm who were otherwise as good as dead. (iii) Remove hatred from people.

3. The poet has used the following similes in this poem : menceg

1. Like dew, how long shall I wait for the first flash of the sun ?

2. Awaken me with (like) flowers in the first stroke of the dawn.