Subramanya Bharathi Quotes (7 quotes) | Quotes of famous people

“The Devil is a Five-headed
Snake, says the father.
The son says, Nay, it's a Six-headed one.”

Subramanya Bharathi

"When I Think Of My People Broken Down", as translated in "The Poetry of Sri Lanka" Journal of South Asian Literature, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Fall-Winter 1976), published by Asian Studies Center, Michigan State University, p. 11 http://www.jstor.org/stable/40872078
Context: The Devil is a Five-headed
Snake, says the father.
The son says, Nay, it's a Six-headed one.And then their hearts burn
with hate for each others —
and they live apart for many years.

“Fools! Do you argue, that things ancient ought, on that account, to be true and noble!”

Subramanya Bharathi

As quoted in Bharathiar's 125th anniversary tribute "The People's Poet" by N. Nandhivarman in TamilSydney (7 January 2008) http://www.sangam.org/2008/01/Bharathiar.php?uid=2727
Context: Fools! Do you argue, that things ancient ought, on that account, to be true and noble! Fallacies and Falsehoods there were from time immemorial, and dare you argue that because these are ancient these should prevail?
In ancient times, do you think that there was not the ignorant, and the shallow minded? And why after all should you embrace so fondly a carcass of dead thoughts. Live in the present and shape the future, do not be casting lingering looks to the distant past for the past has passed away, never again to return.

“In ancient times, do you think that there was not the ignorant, and the shallow minded? And why after all should you embrace so fondly a carcass of dead thoughts.”

Subramanya Bharathi

As quoted in Bharathiar's 125th anniversary tribute "The People's Poet" by N. Nandhivarman in TamilSydney (7 January 2008) http://www.sangam.org/2008/01/Bharathiar.php?uid=2727
Context: Fools! Do you argue, that things ancient ought, on that account, to be true and noble! Fallacies and Falsehoods there were from time immemorial, and dare you argue that because these are ancient these should prevail?
In ancient times, do you think that there was not the ignorant, and the shallow minded? And why after all should you embrace so fondly a carcass of dead thoughts. Live in the present and shape the future, do not be casting lingering looks to the distant past for the past has passed away, never again to return.

“Unbearable becomes the pain in my heart —
When I think of my people, broken down,
broken by disease in mind and limb.”

Subramanya Bharathi

"When I Think Of My People Broken Down", as translated in "The Poetry of Sri Lanka", in Journal of South Asian Literature, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Fall-Winter 1976), published by Asian Studies Center, Michigan State University, p. 11
Context: Unbearable becomes the pain in my heart —
When I think of my people, broken down,
broken by disease in mind and limb. On the edge of life they always linger;
For countless are the diseases
Of Ignorance and Hunger. And on treacherous paths to Slavery
like children blind, they would walk behind
strangers from over the sea. O, divine Land, blessed by the gods!
O, ancient Mother of Culture and Art!
Thy children today are spineless hordes.

“We shall not look at caste or religion. All human beings in this land — whether they be those who preach the vedas or who belong to other castes — are one.”

Subramanya Bharathi

ஜாதி மதங்களைப் பாரோம் -
உயர் ஜன்மம்இத் தேசத்தில் எய்தின ராயின்
வேதிய ராயினும் ஒன்றே -
அன்றி வேறு குலத்தின ராயினும் ஒன்றே
As quoted in Freedom Fighters of India, Vol. 3, Lion M. G. Agrawal (2008), "Subramaniya Bharathi", p. 235

“He who writes poetry is not a poet. He whose poetry has become his life, and who has made his life his poetry — it is he who is a poet.”

Subramanya Bharathi

English translation originally from "Subramaniya Bharathi" at Tamilnation.org, also quoted in "Colliding worlds of tradition and revolution" in The Hindu (13 December 2009) http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-sundaymagazine/colliding-worlds-of-tradition-and-revolution/article662079.ece