The Parrot in the Cage by Lekhanath Paudyal - summary and analysis

The parrot in the poem "The Parrot in the Cage" composed by Lekhanath Paudyal is the mouthpiece of the poet. Through the poem, the poet wants to show the pathetic condition of Neplese during the Rana regime that lasted for 104 years.

The Parrot in the Cage by Lekhanath Paudyal [summary and analysis]

The poem 'The Parrot in the Cage' written by Lekhanath Paudyal is about a caged parrot which laments (दुखी हुनु) remembering his happy and free life in the forest with family and relatives.

The parrot expresses its agony (पीडा) from the cage in a pitiable (दयनीय) way. The parrot, which is the speaker in the poem, has been imprisoned by a human. He remembers the time when he used to live a carefree (चिन्ता मुक्त) life at jungle wandering (घुमफिर) around the forest eating wild fruits.

But his condition has been changed. He is deprived (वञ्चित) of natural life. He is unable to enjoy the cool water, shades, and delicious fruits. Rather he is given rotten (सडेको) food. He is no longer able to sing of his own. He is compelled to speak others' language despite his willingness. He is made to speak and sing although his throat is dry.

He can't express his sickness, hunger, and tiredness. He is completely helpless. So, to be free from the cage, he has done many efforts to break the iron bars and fly away. But his attempts to escape (बाहिर निस्कनु) away fail. His beak is blunt, his wings and legs have much pain while trying to break the cage. So, he does not have any hope to get rid of the cage.

He thinks of his parents' grief at the loss of the child. He finds a dark future. Until he dies, he is forced to accept human torture and exploitation. He is beaten by a stick if he doesn't sing. So, he curses God for making him able to speak. His ability to speak is the main reason for his suffering. He hates human beings for exploiting their talent and prays God not to give birth to any Parrot as long as there is a Human being on the earth.

The Parrot in the Cage Point to remember

➤The poem shows Nepalese pathetic condition during the Rana regime.

➤ The poem shows how the autocratic Rana regime exploited innocent Nepalese for 104 years.

➤ The Rana rulers are compared with the Parrot's master and the caged parrot is compared with common and powerless the then Nepalese.

➤ The poem also shows how the then common and powerless Nepalese were deprived of their fundamental rights and freedom.

The Parrot in the Cage in Nepali

A parrot called a bird, a twice-born child, By Fate into an iron cage beguiled, I find, O God, nor peace nor quiet rest, For even in a dream I lie oppressed.	बालक बबुरो दिजशुक नाम हुँ म परेको छु पिंजडामा मकन हरे शिव शान्ति र चैन सपना बिच पनि रति भर छैन
My parents and relations that there are, Do in a forest corner dwell afar. To whom shall I my agonies outpour, From this, my iron cage, lamenting sore ?	मेरा बान्धव बाबु र आमा बस्छन वनका एक कुनामा को सित पोखुँ मनको ताप गर्दै पिजडा बाट बिलाप
Sometimes my tears roll down my swelling eyes, At times I feel a corpse, my spirit flies, At other times I madden and I jump, Recalling woodland pleasures with a lump.	अंशु बगाई कहिले रुन्छु कहिले मुर्दा तुल्य म हुन्छु कहिले पागल सरि उफ्रन्छु केवल वनका सुख सम्झन्छु
A poor and little forest wanderer I, Fed on wild fruits, delighted who did fly, Have been by Fate allured into this cage, Destiny, O, has strange mysterious ways.	फलफुल खाइ नित्य रमाई वनमा फिर्ने बबुरो लाई विधिले पार्यो पिजडा भित्र कर्म हरे शिव हुन्छ बिचित्र
How far might I have freely roamed and flown, Into what different countries soared and gone! Alas! In vain, why Fate has me beguiled, Into this dungeon, a forest-wandering child.
Cool waters and cool shades of verdant wood, Really delicious fruits to pick for food. Ah! All those things are vanished dreams today, What now remains? A fear, my mind must sway.
Delightful shades of forests, rich and green, Affection for the dear ones that have been Feasting on food and wandering in the wild Have now become but dreams to this poor child.
My aged ailing parents for me pine, Tears in their eyes, dejected, dropping brine, They may be everyday beating their breast, Our close ties broken, Fate has us oppressed.
I see but enemies all around me lie, There’s not a thing on which I can rely. What shall I do? And how effect a flight? To whom unburden woes in this sad plight?	वरी परी बैरीहरु छन् सारा छैन कतै तिर कोही सहारा के गरु कसरी उम्की जाऊँ को सित मन को दर्द बिसाऊँ
The bird to whom the open boundless blue Was field for flights of pleasure to renew Has now, alas, for his life’s single stay A narrow cage of iron here today.
Seeking to break this dungeon open here, Against the bars that check my free career, The hard-struck beak is blunted, wings and feet Are cramped. How shall I pass long days? Defeat!	पिजडा फोडु भनिकन चुच्चो बल संग धस्दा भो सब बुच्चो बेसरी कुजिए पक्ष्य र पाऊँ कसरि अब हा काल बिताऊँ
Sometimes the cramping cold, sometimes the heat, A prattling now, and then a silent seat. After the varying whims of boys that play, My fate changes her course perverse today.
When I recall the shows sad Fate displays, Then like a mad thing do I pass my days, My tears pour down, then cracks and breaks my breast, My heart constantly wails by Fate oppressed.
Dark apprehensions in long waves arise, Shocked and bewildered, I survey the skies. Without Death’s call the life-breath cannot cease, Excruciating must I end my lease.
A stinted measure of some third class rice, That, half a fill, doth Destiny devise. I cast a thirsty glance upon the pot Devoid of water, such is my life’s sad lot.
Dry is my throat, my bondage sharp and tight, A prating still compelled, I hate downright. Should I refuse to speak, brandishing cane, They threaten me with thrashing once again.	सुस्खा छ घटी बन्धन चर्को बोल्नै पर्ने झर्को अर्को बोलेन भने लाठी उजाई हुन्छ तयारी पिट्न लाई
One says, “Look here! This is an ass’s colt!” Another says, “He is displeased! Behold!” A third induces me God to repeat, Says, “Atmaram! Read on! Be famed! A wit!”	यौटा भन्दछ यो हो पाजी आर्को भन्दछ यो छ बिराजी भन्द छ तेस्रो आत्मा राम पढो पढो जी राखो नाम
What sort of fellow is this tiny life? How comes he here? What food and of which type, Takes he within this cage? There’s none to know. And so my heart must tingle in my woe.	यो कस्तो हो कसरि आयो बसी कन पिंजडा बिच के खायो यो सब बुझ्ने कोहि छैन हाय यसैले मन रहदैन
To be a life subjected to a bond, And to be forced to callers to respond. Strange Fate! Thou giv’st me yet such stinted measure Of sustenance! How hard, they cruel pleasure.	गुडको बैरी मनुष जाति सूश्क गराई गुणीका छाती प्राण पखेरु नलिए सम्म खुश किन हुन्थ्यो हाय अचम्म
Hard Providence! Thou didst me just provide With power of speech and reasoning, my pride, And this has been the parent of my woes— Scolding and threats, and a confinement close.
Man must indulge in strange and merry sport, Anguishing me, a cage for my resort. How sinful is this human course, this crime, Help me escape, O Pitying God sublime!
The human race hostile to virtues fair, Exploits the worthy till the breast dries sheer. Till winged breath be taken not away, How should it be content or kind today!
So long as on this wide terrestrial plain A single human being shall remain, O Lord! Let not a parrot’s life be given, Suddenly comes a sense to me, O Heaven!	पृथिबी तलमा एउटा सम्म मानिस बाँकि रहंदा सम्म तुच्छ सुगाको जन्म नदेऊ दीन दयालु बिन्ती लेऊ !