यशोधरा...
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When Siddhartha walked away in search of truth, the world speaks of his courage. But rarely do we pause to see Yashodhara’s silence. She was not merely abandoned; she was confronted with a deep question of her own—what does one do when life suddenly takes away what one was holding onto? Her pain was real, but so was her depth. She did not run behind him, nor did she collapse into bitterness. There is a quiet self-respect in her stillness, as if she too was being pushed toward an inner journey.
In many poetic portrayals, Yashodhara is not just grieving; she is reflecting. She questions—not in anger, but in understanding. Was his search only his, or does it belong to all of us? Through her, we begin to see that the path of truth is not only for the one who leaves, but also for the one who stays. Her life becomes a silent तपस्या—not in forests, but within the walls of daily life, where longing, patience, and acceptance meet.
Acharya Prashant often points out that true spirituality is not about escaping life, but about seeing clearly. In that sense, Yashodhara’s life is no less spiritual than Siddhartha’s. She faces reality as it is—without illusion, without running away. Her strength lies not in dramatic action, but in her ability to remain steady in the face of emotional storm.
Yashodhara, then, is not just a forgotten character in someone else’s enlightenment story. She is a reminder that truth can be approached in many ways—through renunciation, or through silent endurance; through walking away, or through staying and understanding deeply. In her quiet presence, we see a different kind of courage—one that does not seek recognition, but transforms pain into awareness.
सखि, वे मुझसे कहकर जाते,
कह, तो क्या मुझको वे अपनी पथ-बाधा ही पाते?
Yashodhara’s first response is not anger, but a quiet pain. She feels hurt that Siddhartha left without even telling her. It shows her self-respect—she believes she deserved honesty. This stanza captures a very human feeling: the pain of being left without closure.
“मुझको बहुत उन्होंने माना
फिर भी क्या पूरा पहचाना?
मैंने मुख्य उसी को जाना
जो वे मन में लाते।”
Explanation:
She reflects on their relationship.
“He respected me… but did he truly understand me?”
She says she always tried to understand him, his thoughts, his inner world. But he could not fully understand her strength.
This shows a quiet truth: sometimes, even close relationships lack deep understanding.
“स्वयं सुसज्जित करके क्षण में,
प्रियतम को, प्राणों के पण में,
हमीं भेज देती हैं रण में -
क्षात्र-धर्म के नाते।”
Explanation:
She says: “If needed, I myself would have sent him.”
Just like a warrior’s wife sends her husband to battle, she too would have supported Siddhartha’s path.
This is powerful—she is saying she was never weak or possessive. She had the courage to let go consciously, if only she had been trusted.
“हुआ न यह भी भाग्य अभागा,
किसपर विफल गर्व अब जागा?
जिसने अपनाया था, त्यागा;
रहे स्मरण ही आते!”
Explanation:
Now the pain deepens.
She feels the sting of being left behind—“the one who once accepted me, has now left me.”
There is a gentle sadness here, mixed with a wounded pride. Memories keep returning.
It shows how the mind holds on—love turning into remembrance and ache.
“नयन उन्हें हैं निष्ठुर कहते,
पर इनसे जो आँसू बहते,
सदय हृदय वे कैसे सहते?
गये तरस ही खाते!”
Explanation:
Her eyes call him “cruel,” but her heart doesn’t fully agree.
She wonders: “If he saw my tears, how could his compassionate heart bear it?”
So she imagines—maybe he left quietly because he couldn’t face her pain.
Here love becomes softer. Even in hurt, she tries to understand his sensitivity.
“गये, लौट भी वे आवेंगे,
कुछ अपूर्व-अनुपम लावेंगे,
रोते प्राण उन्हें पावेंगे,
पर क्या गाते-गाते?”
Explanation:
She holds onto hope.
“He will return… and bring something rare and great.”
But there is also a subtle doubt—will that meeting be joyful, or filled with tears?
“गये, लौट भी वे आवेंगे,
कुछ अपूर्व-अनुपम लावेंगे,
रोते प्राण उन्हें पावेंगे,
पर क्या गाते-गाते?”
Explanation:
She holds onto hope.
“He will return… and bring something rare and great.”
But there is also a subtle doubt—will that meeting be joyful, or filled with tears?
This poem is from Jaishankar Prasad.
It is taken from his famous work “Kamayani”, where Yashodhara’s emotional and philosophical reflections are portrayed in a deeply symbolic and poetic form.
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