Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi: A Successful Garhwali Translator of Sanskrit Poetries

Bhishma Kukreti

 There are basic problems of translating poems of one language to other language as:

1-lack of similar sounds in two languages

2-Diction is different than one language’s poems

3-There may be aesthetic differences

4-There may be linguistic differences

           In Garhwali, there has been tradition of Garhwali literature poets translating poems of classic Sanskrit poems into Garhwali.  One of such Garhwali literature creative is Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi who translated Sanskrit classic poetry collection ‘Sudama Charit’ by Narotam Das into Garhwali language with ease.

   Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi was born in Syunrai khet village of Lansdowne block, Pauri Garhwal on 6^th July 1923. Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi started literary activities from the student life when he was taking schooling from Mission School Dehradun 1944-1945. He along with Damodar Prasad Thapliyal, Dr Purushottam Dobhal, Ram Chandra Uniyal, started a Garhwali magazine ‘Fyunli’. Due to financial problems, they had to stop publication of ‘Fyunli’.

   After completing his studies, Dwivedi joined Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi Police service in 1944 and retired from their in 1981.

  In Hindi, he published poetry collections and story collection.

   Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi published a translation of Sanskrit classic poetries created by Narotam Das – ‘Sudama Charit’.  ‘Sudama Charit’ is about the eternal friendship between two friends –lord Krishna and poor Sudama.

  The translation of ‘Sudama Charit’ (same name in Garhwali) shows that Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi was brilliant translator. Garhwali ‘Sudama Charit’ proves that Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi was great knowledgeable of Sanskrit and Garhwali languages and had depth knowledge of poetic construction system. Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi was well versed with the emotions hidden in the Sanskrit poetries.

  The readers will find the capability of Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi in creating attractive Doha as

सुण बामणी बेकार छन, दुन्या का सबि भोग

सच्चु भजन भगवान् कू , मिटे दींद सबि रोग

 Another example of brilliancy of Pundit Ishwari Datt Dwivedi is seen here in the following Dhanakshari and Savaiya;

सुदामा नौं सुणदइ , सब राज काज

दौड़ी दौड़ी गैन प्रभु , नंगी पाँव द्वार पर

उनि , जन अब तक , जांद रैन वो सदनि,

विपद का मारा दुखी भक्तु की पुकार पर II

पांवु पड़ी बामण का बार बार भेंट दन

वर्ष बिटि बिछड्याँ जु मित्र को मिलाप यो ?

या कि योगिराज लीलाधर भगवान् कु

सार्थक दीन बंधु नाम कु प्रताप यो ?

 When Pundit Ishwari Datt was ailing and struggling for his life, he handed over another Garhwali literature book to the publisher for publication. However, Pundit Ishwari Datt expired on 13^th December 2008 and the book ‘ Banji Koodi ku Jagwalu?’  is still is waiting for publishing.

  Garhwali literature will always remember Pundit Ishwari Datt as great translator for literature cross fertilization.

Reference:

 Dr Nand Kishor Dhoundiyal, 2012, Garhwal ki Divangat Vibhutiyan, Dhad Prakashan, Dehradun, India.

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti, 29/5/2012