Upagupta 10+1

  

Upagupta

Class 11th English Book Poem 

 Upagupta Question Answers

 Questions and Answers

Question 1.

Which lines in the poem prove that it was a dark night when Upagupta lay asleep?

Answer:

The following lines prove that it was a dark night when Upagupta lay asleep –

Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and

stars were all hidden by the murky sky of August.

Question 2.

How does the poet describe the dancing girl ?

Answer:

The dancing girl was very beautiful. She was all decorated with shining jewels. She had covered herself with a cloth of pale-blue colour. She was drunk with the wine of her youth.

नर्तकी बहुत सुन्दर थी। उसका पूरा शरीर चमकते हुए आभूषणों से सजा हुआ था। उसने स्वयं को एक हल्के नीले रंग की चुनरिया से ढका हुआ था। उसे अपनी जवानी रूपी मदिरा का नशा चढ़ा हुआ था।

Question 3.

How can a face be austere yet beautiful ?

Answer:

Beauty doesn’t lie in the physical ornamentation. It comes out of soul and lends charm to the face.

सुन्दरता शारीरिक सजावट में निहित नहीं होती। यह तो आत्मा से आती है और चेहरे को सौम्यता प्रदान करती है।

Question 4.

Why was the woman hurriedly removed from the town ?

Answer:

The woman was struck with a horrible disease. There were sores all over her body. It was an infectious disease that could pass easily from person to person. So to save others from this horrible disease, she was hurriedly removed from the town.

वह स्त्री एक भयानक बीमारी से ग्रस्त थी। उसके सारे शरीर पर फोड़े निकल आए थे। यह एक छूत की बीमारी थी जो आसानी से एक व्यक्ति से दूसरे व्यक्ति को हो सकती थी। इसलिए दूसरे लोगों को इस भयंकर बीमारी से बचाने के लिए उसे शीघ्रता से नगर से निकाल दिया गया।

Question 5.

How did the ascetic help the woman ?

Answer:

The ascetic( monk ) sat down by her side. He took her head on his knees. He put water on her lips and applied balm on her body.

संन्यासी उसकी एक तरफ बैठ गया। उसने उसके सिर को अपने घुटनों पर रख लिया। उसने उसके होंठों पर पानी डाला और उसके शरीर पर मरहम लगाई।

..

Question 6.

Match the words in Column A with their meanings in Column B :

A — В.

murky — flourish

mantle — a group of trees

ascetic — spreading of a disease by touch

blossom — cloudy

rampart — abstinent / living like a monk

pestilence — ointment

contagion — cloak

balm — parapet

grove — epidemic

Answer:

1. murky = cloudy

2. mantle = cloak

3. ascetic = abstinent / living like a monk;

4. blossom = flourish

5. rampart = parapet

6. pestilence = epidemic

7. contagion = spreading of a disease by touch

8. balm = ointment

9. grove = a group of trees.

Question 7.

Read the following lines :

The young ascetic answered, “Woman, go on your way.”

What was ‘her’ way and what was ‘his way?

Answer:

‘Her’ way led to prostitution. And ‘his’ way led to asceticism that has nothing to do with physical pleasures.

उस (नर्तकी) का रास्ता वेश्यावृत्ति की ओर जाता था। और उस (भिक्षुक) का रास्ता तपस्या की ओर जाता था जिसका शारीरिक सुखों से कुछ लेना-देना नहीं होता।

Question 8.

“Suddenly the black night showed its teeth in a flash of lightning.’

How can you say that the figure of speech used is personification ?

Answer:

The figure of speech used in this line is personification because the black night’ is personified here.

Question 9.

Write down the figure of speech used in the following line :

………. spotted with sores of small-pox.

Answer:

The figure of speech used here is – alliteration. Alliteration is the repetition of the same sound, usually initial consonants of words, in any sequence of words.

Important Stanzas For Comprehension

Note : A complete Answer Key has been given at the end of the stanzas.

Stanza 1.

Upagupta, the disciple of Buddha, lay asleep in

the dust by the city wall of Mathura.

Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and

stars were all hidden by the murky sky of August.

Whose feet were those tinkling with anklets,

touching his breast of a sudden ?

He woke up startled, and a light from a woman’s

lamp fell on his forgiving eyes.

It was the dancing girl, starred with jewels,

Wearing a pale blue mantle, drunk with the wine of her youth.

Questions

1. Give the name of the poem and the poet.

2. What woke up Upagupta ?

3. Why have the ascetic’s eyes been described as forgiving’?

4. Write the figure of speech used in the line ………….

a light from a woman’s lamp fell on his forgiving eyes.’

Answer:

1. The name of the poem is ‘Upagupta’ and the name of the poet is Rabindranath Tagore.

2. The touch of a woman’s feet and the tinkling of her anklets woke up Upagupta.

3. The dancing girl had touched the ascetic’s breast with her feet, yet the ascetic did not get angry. That is why his eyes have been described as forgiving.

4. Alliteration.

Stanza 2.

She lowered her lamp and saw the young face

austerely beautiful.

“Forgive me, young ascetic,” said the woman,

“Graciously come to my house. The dusty earth

is not a fit bed for you.”

The young ascetic answered, “Woman,

go on your way;

When the time is ripe I will come to you.”

Suddenly the black night showed its teeth

in a flash of lightning.

The storm growled from the corner of the sky, and

The woman trembled in fear of some unknown danger.

Questions

1. Give the name of the poem and the poet.

2. What did the dancing girl say to the ascetic ?

3. What was the ascetic’s reply to the girls invitation ?

4. Write the figure of speech used in the following line :

Suddenly the black night showed its teeth…………

Answers:

1. The name of the poem is ‘Upagupta’ and the name of the poet is Rabindranath Tagore.

2. She invited him to visit her house. She said that the dusty earth was not a fit bed for him.

3. He replied that he would visit her when the ripe time came for it.

4. Personification.

Stanza 3.

The branches of the wayside trees were aching with blossom.

Gay notes of a flute came floating in the

warm spring air from afar.

The citizens had gone to the woods for the

festival of flowers.

From the mid-sky gazed the full moon on the

shadows of the silent town.

The young ascetic was walking in the lonely street,

While overhead the love-sick koels uttered from the

mango branches their sleepless plaint.

Questions

1.Give the name of the poem and the poet.

2. Why were the streets lonely ?

3. Who was walking in the lonely street ?

4. In which line of the given stanza is the figure of speech ‘alliteration’ used ?

Answers:

1. The name of the poem is ‘Upagupta’ and the name of the poet is Rabindranath Tagore.

2. The streets were lonely because people had gone to celebrate the festival of flowers.

3. The young ascetic Upagupta, was walking in the lonely street.

4. “Gay notes of a flute came floating in the warm spring air from afar.’

Stanza 4.

Upagupta passed through the city gates, and

stood at the base of the rampart.

Was that a woman lying at his feet in the

shadow of the mango grove ?

Struck with black pestilence, her body

spotted with sores of small-pox,

She had been hurriedly removed from the town

To avoid her poisonous contagion.

Questions

1. Give the name of the poem and the poet.

2. Who did Upagupta see lying in the shadow of the mango grove ?

3. Why was she lying there?

4. Write the figure of speech used in the following line :

……spotted with sores of small-pox.’

Answers:

1. The name of the poem is ‘Upagupta’ and the name of the poet is Rabindranath Tagore.

2. He saw the dancing girl lying in the shadow of the mango grove.

3. She was suffering from a terrible disease. The people had turned her out of the city.

4. Alliteration.

Stanza 5.

The ascetic sat by her side, took her head

on his knees,

And moistened her lips with water, and

smeared her body with sandal balm.

“Who are you, merciful one ?” asked the woman.

“The time, at last, has come to visit you, and

I am here,” replied the young ascetic.

Questions

1. Give the name of the poem and the poet.

2. Why did the woman call the ascetic ‘merciful one’?

3. Why did the ascetic say: ‘The time, at last, has come to visit you.’ ?

4. Write the figure of speech used in the very first line of the given stanza.

Answers:

1. The name of the poem is ‘Upagupta’ and the name of the poet is Rabindranath Tagore.

2. The girl was suffering from a horrible disease. The ascetic came to help her when nobody would come near her. Therefore, she called him the merciful one.

3. In her youth, she had invited the ascetic to visit her. But he had refused saying that he would visit her when the ripe time came for it. Now when she was in sore need, everybody had deserted her. That is why the ascetic said, “The time, at last, has come to visit you.”

4. Alliteration.

Central Idea-

 'Upagupta' is a beautiful  poem written by Rabindranath Tagore. It gives us a very  beautiful message. Upagupta was a true ascetic ( monk ) .He was a Budhist monk. He was forgiving by nature. He had wonderful self-control. He felt no hesitation in nursing a woman. Who was suffering from a horrible disease? This poem is a great tribute to Upagupta.

4. UPAGUPTA summary 

'Upagupta' is written by 'Rabindranath Tagore'. The poem throws light on the strengths of character. Upagupta is the name of a Budhist monk. Self-control and kindness for humanity are the strengths of his character. Outer beauty does not attract him. But he believes in serving humanity in its gross situation. Thus the poem is a true picture of a strong character.

Prepared by Daya Krishan 

PM Shri GSSS School Khanauri Sangrur Punjab 

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