औक्षण (कविता) Aukshan (The Waving of Lamps) - a poem

कवयित्री सांगतात की सैनिकाला ओवाळायला माझ्याकडे मुठीत धनसंपत्ती नाही, आणि माझ्या शिरेत रक्तदेखील नाही जे मी त्याच्यासाठी देऊ शकेन. मला काय करावे तेच कळत नाही, कारण माझ्याकडे कष्ट करण्याचे सामर्थ्यही नाही.

At the very start the poet voices the state of mind of an ordinary, helpless citizen. She says she has no wealth in her fist and no blood in her veins to offer the soldier during the aukshan. She does not know what to do, because she does not even have the strength for hard labour. Beginning from this sense of having nothing substantial to give, the poem moves toward a deep feeling of gratitude.

कवयित्री म्हणतात, माझा जीव ओवाळून टाकावा असे वाटले तरी माझा जीव किती लहान आहे. सैनिकाच्या शौर्यगाथेपुढे माझ्या या लहानशा जिवाची किंमत तरी काय?

The poet goes on to say that even if she wished to offer up her very life, she is aware that this life is very small. She asks herself what worth such a small life could have before the soldier's saga of valour. This expresses how trivial an ordinary person's offering feels compared to the soldier's sacrifice, while at the same time showing an intense wish to offer something from the heart.

कवयित्री सैनिकाच्या शौर्याचे चित्र रंगवतात. वर बंदुकीच्या गोळ्यांचा भडिमार होत आहे, समोर धुराचा लोळ पसरला आहे, आणि अशा धडाडत्या तोफांतूनही सैनिकाचे पाऊल जिद्दीने पुढे पडते आहे.

In this section the poet paints a stark yet valiant picture of the battlefield. Overhead there is a barrage of bullets and shells, ahead lies billowing smoke, and through such thundering cannon-fire the soldier's foot still strides forward with unwavering resolve. The poet wishes to watch this victorious march with eyes wide open, for the glory of the nation lies within it.

शेवटी कवयित्री म्हणतात, डोळ्यांतील आसवांचीच ज्योत होऊन ती पाजळावी आणि तिने सैनिकाचे औक्षण करावे. आपल्यासारख्या असंख्य दीनदुबळ्या, सामान्य देशवासीयांच्या डोळ्यांतील अशा असंख्य ज्योतींची त्याच्या मागे राखण आहे, हेच सामान्य माणसाचे त्याला एकमेव औक्षण आहे.

At the end the poet says that the flame of the tears in her eyes should itself be lit and used to wave before the soldier. She says that countless such flames of tears in the eyes of countless ordinary, humble citizens like herself stand guard behind him. Though there is no wealth and no strength, these heartfelt flames of tears are the one true aukshan that poor, ordinary citizens can offer the soldier, and on this note the poem closes.