Poetry (पद्यम्)

The essentials

पद्यम् is composition in metre (छन्दोबद्धम्). Class 12 verse selections typically come from Vedic and Upanishadic texts, the epics and the Bhagavadgītā, classical कवि such as Kālidāsa, and collections of सुभाषितानि (wise sayings). For each verse you are expected to understand the meaning, write the अन्वयः (prose order), give the भावार्थः (central idea), and identify grammar, metre and alankāra.

Key points

• महाकाव्यम्: a long poem in cantos (सर्गबद्धम्) with a noble hero, e.g. रघुवंशम् and कुमारसम्भवम् (Kālidāsa). खण्डकाव्यम्: a shorter poem on one theme, e.g. मेघदूतम्.
• रघुवंशम् opens with "वागर्थाविव सम्पृक्तौ वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये। जगतः पितरौ वन्दे पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ॥" — Śiva and Pārvatī are compared to word and meaning.
• The Taittirīya Upaniṣad gives the teacher's instructions to a departing student: सत्यं वद। धर्मं चर। स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः। and मातृदेवो भव। पितृदेवो भव। आचार्यदेवो भव। अतिथिदेवो भव।
• Bhagavadgītā: "कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन" — your right is only to action, never to its fruits.
• Popular सुभाषितानि: "विद्या ददाति विनयं विनयाद् याति पात्रताम्"; "उद्यमेन हि सिध्यन्ति कार्याणि न मनोरथैः".
• अन्वयः: arrange the verse in prose order — subject with its adjectives, then object, adverbs and finally the verb — and split sandhis.

Exam tips

• In अन्वय questions, find the main verb first and attach every word to it.
• Learn a few verses by heart; questions often quote a line and ask its source or meaning.

Common mistakes

• Treating मेघदूतम् as a महाकाव्य; it is a खण्डकाव्य (a messenger poem).