We Soar, Yet Circle Back

We Soar, Yet Circle Back — A Reflection on Joint Families and Modern Loneliness

In today's fast-moving world, the traditional Indian joint family is rapidly dissolving into nuclear fragments. While we gain privacy and independence, we often lose connection, rootedness, and emotional sustenance. Inspired by Hindu scriptures and timeless values, this post reflects on the contrast between the inclusive, interdependent communities of our past and the isolating structures of today.

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1. मूल विचार (Hindi Poem – Rooted in Scriptures)

मेरो मन अनत कहाँ सुख पावै।
जैसे उड़ि जहाज की पंछी, फिरि जहाज पै आवै।
हम भरें उड़ान, पर नई दुनिया बसाने को नहीं,
पर बनी हुई दुनिया सजाने को।

संग चलें जैसे राम संग भरत,
त्याग में हो प्रेम, न हो रगों में कलह की परत।
गृहस्थ धर्म जो सिखाए नारद पुराण,
वही धर्म हो जीवन की संजीवनी संतान।

सभी के हित में हो संकल्प हमारा,
ना कोई छोटा, ना कोई किनारा।
गृह में दादी की बात हो वेदवाक्य समान,
और बच्चों के स्वप्न हों खुले आसमान।

पृथ्वी-सा धैर्य, गंगा-सा प्रवाह,
हर पीढ़ी मिले अपना स्थान और राह।
संयुक्त हो परिवार, मन हो एक सूत्र,
ना हो मोह बंधन, हो स्नेह में यथासूत्र।

शिव-पार्वती की तरह हो समभाव,
हर नारी को मिले अपनापन और प्रभाव।
लक्ष्मी का वास हो सेवा में, संचित में नहीं,
और वाणी हो मधुर, ऋचा जैसी कहीं।

हम भरें उड़ान, पर लौटें उसी घर आकर,
जहाँ मिलें आशीर्वाद, और हों जीवन के सूत्र आकार।
नया कुछ न तोड़ें, पुराने को जोड़ें,
सब साथ मिल, हर मन को ओझलता से मोड़ें।

Explanation: The Hindi verses emphasize harmony, intergenerational unity, and spiritual wealth over material gain—drawing from figures like Ram-Bharat, Narad, and Shiva-Parvati to depict familial dharma. The key message is that we must evolve without forsaking the warmth of the joint family system.

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2. English Adaptation – Loneliness of the Modern World

We Soar, Yet Circle Back

Where does the restless heart find peace?
Like the bird that strays from ship, then returns in silent release.
We too may soar on wings of change,
But not to build a world anew—just to adorn the one estranged.

Gone are the days of Ram and Bharat’s bond,
Now homes divide, and love responds
To calendars, calls, and structured meet—
Where once flowed trust, now silence greets.

No grandma’s voice as sacred verse,
No stories passed, just scrolling curse.
The house once sacred, warm and wide,
Now echoes back from walls that hide.

The Purānas spoke of dharma shared,
Of duties done because we cared.
But now we chase the "I" and "mine",
And leave the roots for glass and shine.

Like Sati torn from Shiva’s arms,
The home today forgets its charms.
The mother cooks in rooms apart,
The child eats alone with a flickering heart.

No Lakshmi dwells in wealth amassed,
She walks where service holds steadfast.
And Saraswati’s grace, once free,
Now buried under luxury.

We soared to find a brighter sky,
But found the sun too fierce, too high.
And so we circle back, unheard—
To homes we left with final word.

To not erase, but gently mend—
To walk together, hand in hand.
To build not towers tall and cold,
But living homes with hearts of gold.

Reflection: This version presents the emotional cost of modern "success"—where individualism leads to isolation. Drawing parallels from Hindu mythos, it laments the lack of shared space, intergenerational bonds, and moral rootedness in today’s nuclear family setups.

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Conclusion

Both the Hindi and English renditions are not just poems—they are meditations on what we’ve lost in the pursuit of freedom and space. The Hindu scriptures, while ancient, remain profoundly relevant as they teach us the value of interdependence, selfless duty, and family as a spiritual ecosystem. Perhaps it's time to soar again—but with a gentle landing where love and legacy live together.