‘The Lotus’ Poem by Toru Dutt: Explanation and Analysis in English and Hindi

“The Lotus,” a poem Toru D, is presented here with explanations and analysis in both English and to make it effectively understandable to a larger audience. The vocabulary for the poem “The Lotus” will provide additional aid in grasping the different meanings of the poem.

Poem: The Lotus by Toru Dutt

Love came to Flora asking for a flower
That would of flowers be undisputed queen,
The lily and the rose, long, long had been
Rivals for that high honor. Bards of power
Had sung their claims. “The rose can never tower
Like the pale lily with her Juno mien” —
“But is the lily lovelier?” Thus between
Flower-factions rang the strife in Psyche’s bower.
“Give me a flower delicious as the rose
And stately as the lily in her pride” —
But of what color?” — “Rose-red,” Love first chose,
Then prayed — “No, lily-white — or, both provide;”
And Flora gave the lotus, “rose-red” dyed,
And “lily-white” — the queenliest flower that blows.

Toru Dutt
Also Read
Notes on “The Lotus” Poem by Tiru Dutt (Summary, Poetic devices etc..)
Question and Answers (School Textbooks)

Stanza Wise Line by Line Explanation

The lines of the poem “The Lotus” have been explained here in both English and Hindi for easy understanding and grasping of the poem.

Lines 1-4:

“Love came to Flora asking for a flower
That would of flowers be undisputed queen,
The lily and the rose, long, long had been
Rivals for that high honor.”

Explanation in English & Hindi: In these lines, Love (the god of love, Cupid) approaches Flora, the goddess of flowers, with a special request. He wants a flower that can be the undisputed queen among all flowers. For a long time, the lily and the rose have been competitors for this title, with no clear winner.

इन पंक्तियों में प्रेम (Cupid) फ्लोरा (फूलों की देवी) के पास एक खास अनुरोध लेकर आता है। वह ऐसा फूल चाहता है जो सभी फूलों की निर्विवाद रानी हो। लंबे समय से लिली और गुलाब इस खिताब के लिए प्रतिद्वंद्वी रहे हैं, लेकिन कोई स्पष्ट विजेता नहीं बन पाया है।

  • “Undisputed queen” – Love is searching for the ultimate flower that is superior to all others. ऐसा फूल जो सभी फूलों से श्रेष्ठ हो।
  • “Rivals for that high honor” – The competition between the lily and the rose symbolizes the beauty and pride associated with both flowers. 

Lines 5-8:

“Bards of power
Had sung their claims. ‘The rose can never tower
Like the pale lily with her Juno mien’ —
‘But is the lily lovelier?’ Thus between
Flower-factions rang the strife in Psyche’s bower.”

Explanation in English & Hindi:
Poets (bards) have talked & written about the beauty of both the rose and the lily. Some argue that the rose can never match the grandeur and dignity of the lily, which resembles the goddess Juno. Others question whether the lily is truly more beautiful. This debate continues among flower lovers, even in Psyche’s garden, which represents the mind and soul.

कवि (bards) गुलाब और लिली दोनों की सुंदरता के बारे में लिख चुके हैं। कुछ लोग कहते हैं कि गुलाब कभी भी लिली की गरिमा और भव्यता से मेल नहीं खा सकता, जो देवी जूनो जैसी लगती है। अन्य लोग सवाल करते हैं कि क्या लिली वाकई अधिक सुंदर है। यह बहस फूलों के प्रेमियों के बीच, यहां तक कि Psyche (मन और आत्मा) के बगीचे में भी चलती रहती है।

  • “Juno mien” – The lily is compared to Juno, the queen of gods, symbolizing dignity and majesty. लिली की तुलना देवी जूनो से की गई है, जो गरिमा और भव्यता का प्रतीक है।
  • “Strife in Psyche’s bower” – The debate represents the eternal conflict in human minds over choices and preferences. यह बहस मनुष्यों के मन में पसंद और निर्णयों के बीच के संघर्ष को दर्शाती है।

Lines 9-11:

“‘Give me a flower delicious as the rose
And stately as the lily in her pride’ —
‘But of what color?’ — ‘Rose-red,’ Love first chose,”

Explanation in English:
Love asks Flora for a flower that is as delightful as the rose and as majestic as the lily. Flora asks him to specify the color, and at first, Love chooses “rose-red,” symbolizing passion and love.

 प्रेम फ्लोरा से ऐसा फूल मांगता है जो गुलाब की तरह मोहक और लिली की तरह शानदार हो। फ्लोरा उससे रंग के बारे में पूछती है, और पहले प्रेम “गुलाब जैसा लाल” (rose-red) चुनता है, जो प्रेम और जुनून का प्रतीक है।

  • “Delicious as the rose” – Highlights the rose’s charm and beauty.  गुलाब की सुंदरता और आकर्षण को दर्शाता है।
  • “Stately as the lily” – Reflects the dignity and pride associated with the lily. लिली की गरिमा और गर्व को दिखाता है।

Lines 12-14:

“Then prayed — ‘No, lily-white — or, both provide;’
And Flora gave the lotus, ‘rose-red’ dyed,
And ‘lily-white’ — the queenliest flower that blows.”

Explanation in English:
Love changes his mind and asks for a flower that is both rose-red and lily-white. In response, Flora creates the lotus, which combines the best qualities of both flowers. The lotus, with its dual colors and unmatched beauty, becomes the queenliest flower of all.

प्रेम अपनी राय बदलता है और ऐसा फूल मांगता है जो गुलाब जैसा लाल और लिली जैसा सफेद हो। इसके जवाब में, फ्लोरा कमल का निर्माण करती है, जिसमें दोनों फूलों की सर्वोत्तम विशेषताएं हैं। कमल, अपनी दोहरी रंगत और अनोखी सुंदरता के कारण, सभी फूलों में सबसे श्रेष्ठ बन जाता है।

  • “Both provide” – Love’s indecision reflects human desire for perfection. यह मानव की पूर्णता पाने की इच्छा को दर्शाता है।
  • “Queenliest flower that blows” – The lotus is declared the most regal and supreme of all flowers. कमल को सभी फूलों में सबसे शाही और सर्वश्रेष्ठ घोषित किया गया।

Stanza Wise Summary Explanation

Here lines of the poem “The Lotus” by Toru Dutt are grouped together in stanzas with their explanation and Analysis in English and Hindi.

Stanza 1:

Love came to Flora asking for a flower
That would of flowers be undisputed queen,
The lily and the rose, long, long had been
Rivals for that high honor. Bards of power
Had sung their claims. “The rose can never tower
Like the pale lily with her Juno mien” —
“But is the lily lovelier?” Thus between
Flower-factions rang the strife in Psyche’s bower.

Literal Meaning: In this stanza, Love (the god of love) asks Flora (the goddess of flowers) for a flower that will be the queen of all flowers. For a long time, the lily and the rose have been fighting to be the most beautiful and special flower. Poets and powerful people have sung songs in praise of both flowers. Some say the lily is more beautiful and graceful like the goddess Juno, while others question whether the lily is truly lovelier than the rose. There is a rivalry between the two flowers, and this conflict takes place in the garden of Psyche (a beautiful soul).

Deeper Meaning: This stanza highlights the idea of competition for beauty and supremacy. The two flowers symbolize different qualities: the rose represents passion and love, while the lily represents purity and grace. The “strife in Psyche’s bower” suggests the inner conflict between different ideals of beauty.

Hindi: प्रेम, फ्लोरा (फूलों की देवी) से एक ऐसा फूल मांगने आता है, जो सभी फूलों में सर्वश्रेष्ठ और अविवादित रानी हो। लंबे समय से, कमल और गुलाब इस सम्मान के लिए प्रतिस्पर्धा कर रहे थे। कवियों और शक्तिशाली व्यक्तियों ने दोनों फूलों की महिमा गाई है। कुछ कहते हैं कि कमल अपनी सुंदरता और गरिमा में जूनो देवी जैसी है, जबकि कुछ पूछते हैं कि क्या कमल वाकई में गुलाब से सुंदर है। इस तरह से फूलों के बीच प्रतिस्पर्धा (कलह) Psyche के बग़ीचे में गूंज रही थी।

Stanza 2:

“Give me a flower delicious as the rose
And stately as the lily in her pride” —
But of what color?” — “Rose-red,” Love first chose,
Then prayed — “No, lily-white — or, both provide;”
And Flora gave the lotus, “rose-red” dyed,
And “lily-white” — the queenliest flower that blows.

Literal Meaning: Love asks for a flower that is as sweet-smelling as the rose and as proud and tall as the lily. Then, Love wonders what color the flower should be. First, he suggests rose-red, but then changes his mind, saying lily-white would be better. Finally, Flora (the goddess of flowers) gives him the lotus, which has the color of both: a rose-red hue and a lily-white appearance. The lotus is presented as the most beautiful flower, the queen of all flowers.

Deeper Meaning: This stanza reflects how love and beauty are often seen as combinations of different qualities. The lotus is given a unique identity because it combines the best of both the rose (passion) and the lily (purity), symbolizing an ideal balance between love, grace, and beauty. The lotus is depicted as the ultimate flower, superior to all others.

Hindi: प्रेम ने एक ऐसा फूल मांगा जो गुलाब की तरह मीठा और कमल की तरह ऊँचा और गर्वित हो। फिर प्रेम ने पूछा, “किस रंग का हो?” पहले उसने गुलाब-लाल रंग चुना, लेकिन फिर कहा कि कमल-सफेद रंग बेहतर होगा। अंत में, फ्लोरा ने कमल दिया, जो गुलाब-लाल रंग में रंगा हुआ और कमल-सफेद रंग का था। यह फूल सभी फूलों की रानी बन गया।

Conclusion:

In this poem, Toru Dutt beautifully describes how the lotus combines the qualities of both the rose and the lily to become the “queenliest flower” of all. The poem uses flowers as symbols of different qualities like love, grace, purity, and beauty. The lotus stands as an ideal, uniting the best of both worlds.

Hindi Conclusion: इस कविता में, तोरू दत्त ने सुंदरता और प्रेम को व्यक्त करने के लिए फूलों का उपयोग किया है। कमल, गुलाब और कमल के मिश्रण के रूप में प्रस्तुत किया गया है, जो दोनों फूलों की बेहतरीन विशेषताओं को मिलाकर सबसे सुंदर और सर्वोत्तम फूल बन जाता है। कविता का संदेश है कि कुछ विशेष गुणों का संगम सर्वोत्तम परिणाम देता है।


Also Read
Notes on “The Lotus” Poem by Tiru Dutt (Summary, Poetic devices etc..)
Question and Answers (School Textbooks)
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