Mr. Dhundiraj Vinod (1925)

This is a photograph of young Dhundiraj Vinod caught in contemplation. We see him sitting at his desk in his room at Elphiston college hostel by the side of Arabian sea at Mumbai. We can see him wearing a contemporary outfit of white dhoti, white shirt and a black coat.

An Experience!

The Final doubt
Has answered me
In the prison of flesh
I felt to be free.

The ruins of a temple
Could give me a God.
My unsaid Song
Was heard abroad.

In the grave of desires-
Their fruition I gained-
-More soul I got
The more I was pained.

The Confession.

I create the God
My sins to save!
To hide some fears
My words are brave!

I preach to all
My pet beliefs-
Secretly sharing
The doubter's griefs (grieves)!

I myself move
In an unlit maze
When the surest truths
I seem to phrase!

TRUTHS FROM LIFE

I
One Truth I love
: I shall cease to be
One song I sing
: I am never free!
No more now
Whatever used to be then
How sweet a fact
God is beyond my ken!

II

If I shall die
The moment, the world will follow!

If the world dies
I may not even know!

III

My Bliss?
To weep a pain not mine.
My God?
A tearful human eye.

My World?
Of those who sob in silence.
My Heaven?

For the distressed, where I sigh!

SHIVAJI

O-prophet of Eternal Freedom
The voice of your footfalls
Passes across our souls
And lends us courage
In this dark, difficult and distressed hour!

We sit here sighingly (sighing)
Like forlorn way-farers
Sun-burnt and weary
For the non of this Slavery
O! - Let us rest in your Liberty's bower!

Our paths are dimmed
With the cloud of ignorance
And unfaith, in our strength-
And in our Ancient Dream
O! -Bathe us once in your Sunshine shower!

Our song is silent
And blurred is our vision
Dead-the spirit within us,
And lost is all our hope
O! -Let us stand in the shade of your Freedom's Tower!

-New India, May 1927 issue