Stars Speak to Man | Poem 9 | English 8th | Tulip Series | (Abdul Ahad Azad)

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Stars Speak to Man | Poem 9 | English 8th | Tulip Series |

(Abdul Ahad Azad)

Stars Speak to Man

You were the light of reason but you chose to be ire. O man!

You put humanity to disgrace, how callous of you, O man!

Nature had fashioned you to apportion love and affection

But you took to buying and selling religion and faith instead.

Nature had thrown open all its treasures to you;

You had to share them equitably but you sat serpent-like on them.

One world, one mankind, as close to one another as the nail to the flesh -

Who then ignited the fire of division and duality in your mind?

You pose to be the pillar of religion and dharma without caring the least for either:

Seeing your shameful deeds humanity has fallen into lament.

Should mankind ever own and profess a religion and faith

Which perverts the essential unity of man into division and disorder?

To mischief and disruption, you have given the name of religion and patriotism:

That which you call awakening is a stupefying hangover.

Your own misdeeds have deluded you and you grumble against fate;

Still pursuing the hackneyed ways, how can you ferry across?

Your heart restlessly vibrating, your vision clouded by fantasies:

All this is a fanciful dream, now wake up, O man, wake up.

Friends and mates who shared your woe, like parts of your own heart

How could you tear their hearts to pieces, you blood-thirsty man!

In your own garden, you cut the roots while watering twigs and leaves.

Your own home you ransack and ravage and tear apart

 

Short Summary

"Stars Speak to Man" by Abdul Ahad Azad is a poem that criticizes humanity's betrayal of its innate virtues and values. The poem addresses mankind, accusing it of abandoning reason for anger and disgraceful behaviour. It laments humanity's deviation from its natural inclination towards love and affection, instead opting for greed and exploitation. The poet condemns the division and discord sowed by humanity, particularly through the misuse of religion and patriotism. Azad highlights the irony of humanity's destructive actions, which contradict the unity and harmony that should characterize human existence. The poem serves as a wake-up call, urging mankind to abandon its divisive ways and embrace a more compassionate and unified approach to life.

THINKING ABOUT THE POEM

Q1. What do stars say to a man in the first two lines?

Ans. In the first two lines, stars remind man that he was born to enlighten the world, but he has chosen the fire and showed his insensitiveness, thus put humanity in disgrace.

Q2. Nature had fashioned you to apportion love and affection

      But you took to buying and selling religion and faith instead.

Explain these lines.

Ans. These lines have been taken from the “Stars Speak to Man” written in Kashmiri by a Kashmiri writer Abdul Ahad Azad and translated in English by Prof G. R Malik.

In these lines, stars tell the man, that he was designed to distribute love and affection proportionally among people but he made the business of his religion and thus have lost faith in religion.

Q3. Why is man described as a serpent?

Ans. A serpent is a poisonous animal. If it is given the task to guard the treasure, it will allow no one to come near it. Nature had bestowed treasure for all to share it equally, but man, with his selfishness took it all, and sat like a serpent on it, thereby allowing no one to come near it. That is why man is described as a serpent in the poem.

Q4. “That which you call awakening is a stupefying hangover”. Why?

Ans. Man has created divisions on the basis of religion. His own mischief has divided humans in the name of religion, thus they have lost faith in it. The man called this mischief an awakening while as it was a sedative to make it restless and away from the belief of others.

Q5. Do you think the poem is the wake-up call? Explain.

Ans. The poem clearly reveals the deeds of man. So this poem is a wake-up call for man because he has misused his religion created divisions among brothers that lead to bloodshed. He has forgotten the humbleness, honour, help, sympathy, and sharing. Now it is time that he should repent from his all misdeeds. Thus the poet through his art of poetry wants to warn man for his misleads.

LANGUAGE WORK

Q1. Fill in the blanks to make a meaningful summary of the poem.

Ans. The poem is addressed to Man. The poet tells Man that he was the light of reason but he put humanity to disgrace. Nature had provided him with treasures of bounties to share them equally, but he sat like a serpent on them. His heart is restlessly vibrating and his vision clouded by fantasies. In his own garden, he cut the roots while watering twigs and leaves. He has ransacked and ravaged his own home.

Q2. Use the following phrases in your own sentences.

Ans.

(i). Choose to be: He chooses to be a teacher.

(ii). Take to: He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

(iii). Throw open: The warden throw opens the door for all students to come in.

(iv). Pose to be: He poses to be a genius.

(v). Fall into: I told him not to fall into conversation with them.

(vi). Tear apart: The professor tore apart the paper.