Silent Soil

Author(s): Vidyasagar Acharya
Publisher: Bhagwan Rishabhdev Granthmala

Page 17

divided in four parts, then from the point of view of its volume it touches the epic's boundary. Opening the first page the natural scene gets voiced like an epic:
In the limitless void blueness is spread and here below total silence prevails.
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The sleep of the Sun has broken indeed but he is still lying changing sides in his mother's smooth lap — Sweet slight smile pervades
on the lips of the east — (Page 1) In this very context lily, small lotus, moon, stars, fragrant air, river bank — and
the soil of the river bank before the Mother earth opens her heart!
(Page 4) Coming to this point the whole natural scene gets centered on a philosophical question:
When will this paryaya (mode of life) end? Tell me Mother! Strike some remedy, Mother! Take away the calamity yourself, Mother! And listen/don't delay give position, give path give provision for the path also, Mother!
(Page 5) In the preceding 20-30 lines the pain/ạnguish of the soil has got expressed so acutely and touching that the compassion becomes concrete. The dialogue
Eleven