Ghoom rahi sabhyata danavi, shanti-shanti karti bhootal mein,
Poochhey koi, bhigo rahi wah kyon apne vishdant garal mein.
Tank rahi hon sooyi charm, par shant rahen ham, tanik na dolen;
Yehi shanti, gardan katthi hon, par hum apni jeebh na kholen.
Bolein kuchh mat kshudhit, rotiyan shwan chin khayen yadi kar se,
Yehi shanti, jab we aayen, hum nikal jaayen chupke nij ghar se
Choos rahe hon danuj rakth, par hon mat dalit prabudh kumari!
Ho na kahin pratikaar paap ka, shanti ya ki yeh yudhh kumari.
(The monster civilization moves, urging peace on the earth,
Let’s ask, why does it soak its teeth in poison.
You sew up our skin, but desire peace and no resistance from us
This is the peace, where necks are severed, but expects us to be tongue-tied.
The hungry should remain voiceless, even if the falcon snatches food from their hands
This is the peace, where when they invade, we should quietly leave our homes
The monsters may be sucking their blood, but don’t want the oppressed to be conscious
They do not want injustice to be resisted; for you, O maiden, either this peace or war.)
~ from ‘Ramdhari Singh Dinkar: Makers of Indian Literature’, Sahitya Akademi.
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