Savitribai Phule is also remembered as the pioneer of the Marathi poetry, by using her poems to fight against discrimination and to push people towards education for a better future. Her poems continue to inspire generations of pioneers in the fight against India’s caste system. Among her writings, the most prominent are:
Kavyaphule- Collection of poems, 1854
Jyotirao’s Speeches, Edited by Savitribai Phule, 25 December 1856
Savitribai’s Letters to Jyotirao
Speeches of Matoshree Savitribai, 1892
Bavankashi Subodh Ratnakar, 1892
All these writings have been collected in a volume titled “The Complete Works of Savitribai Phule”, edited by Dr. Mali. The collection of “Kavyaphule” of 1984 is the very first anthology of Savitribai’s poems, including 41 poetic compositions dealing with nature, social issues and teaching poems.
Here we propose two poems from this collection, “Go, get education” and “Rise, to learn and act” with the respective translation in German, Spanish and Italian, so that people from other countries can become interested in her poetry. We chose these pomes as they highlight the multifaceted personality of a reformer, who put into verses her own social engagement. In these verses one can get a view of a woman completely devoted to education of the downtrodden. Her passion to see them empowered, her faith that the powerful knowledge can save people from the chains of servitude, ignorance and sufferance. Her revolutionary call to “throw away the Brahman’s scriptures” and “rise to learn” for our own dignity is so powerful and intensive that still gives hope and strength to fight against ignorance towards a society of equality and equity.
Go, Get Education
Be self-reliant, be industrious
Work, gather wisdom and riches,
All gets lost without knowledge
We become animal without wisdom,
Sit idle no more, go, get education
End misery of the oppressed and forsaken,
You’ve got a golden chance to learn
So learn and break the chains of caste.
Throw away the Brahman’s scriptures fast
♦
Los, bilde dich! (German)
Sei selbstbewusst, sei fleißig
Arbeite, sammle Erkenntnis und andere Reichtümer/Erfolge,
alles geht verloren ohne Wissen
wir werden zu Tieren ohne Gelehrtheit,
sei nicht mehr träge, los, bilde dich
beende das Leid der Unterdrückten und der Verlassenen,
Du hast das große Glück dass du lernen kannst
Also lerne und breche die Ketten des Kastensystems.
Wirf die Schriften der Brahmanen schnell weg.
♦
Anda, edúcate (Spanish)
Sé autosuficiente, sé laborioso
Trabaja, apila sabiduría y riquezas,
Todo se pierde sin conocimiento
Nos volvemos animales sin sabiduría,
Deja de estar ocioso, anda, edúcate
Pon fin a la miseria de los oprimidos y abandonados,
Tienes la oportunidad de oro para aprender
Pues aprende y rompe las cadenas de la casta.
Rápido, deshazte de la escritura brahmánica
♦
Vai, educati (Italian)
Sii autonomo, sii diligente,
Lavora, raccogli saggezza e ricchezze,
Tutto si perde senza conoscenza
Diventiamo animali senza saggezza,
Smettila di oziare, vai e educati
Metti fine alla miseria degli oppressi e abbandonati
Hai la preziosa opportunità di imparare
Perciò impara e spezza le catene della casta
Liberati subito delle sacre scritture del Brahmano
_________________________________________________________________________________
Rise, to learn and act
Weak and oppressed! Rise my brother
Come out of living in slavery.
Manu-follower Peshwas are dead and gone
Manu’s the one who barred us from education.
Givers of knowledge– the English have come
Learn, you’ve had no chance in a millennium.
We’ll teach our children and ourselves to learn
Receive knowledge, become wise to discern.
An upsurge of jealousy in my soul
Crying out for knowledge to be whole.
This festering wound, mark of caste
I’ll blot out from my life at last.
In Baliraja’s kingdom, let’s beware
Our glorious mast, unfurl and flare.
Let all say, “Misery go and kingdom come!”
Awake, arise and educate
Smash traditions-liberate!
We’ll come together and learn
Policy-righteousness-religion.
Slumber not but blow the trumpet
O Brahman, dare not you upset.
Give a war cry, rise fast
Rise, to learn and act.
§
Erhebe dich um zu lernen und zu handeln (German)
Schwach und unterdrückt! Erhebe dich mein Bruder
Beende dein Leben in Sklaverei.
Die Manu-Anhänger Peshwas sind tot und fort,
Manu ist diejenige die Bildung vor uns versperrt hat.
Die die Bildung schenken, die Engländer sind gekommen
Lerne, du hattest keine Chance in 1000 Jahren,
Wir werden unsere Kinder und uns selbst lehren zu lernen
Bilde dich und werde weise um zu erkennen.
In meiner Seele steigt der Neid
Schreit nach Wissen um endlich Ganz zu sein.
Diese eiternde Wunde, eine Narbe der Kaste
Werde ich schließlich auslöschen von meinem Leben.
In Baliraja’s Königreich, lass uns vorsichtig sein
Unser glorioser Mast, spann dein Segel auf und weite dich aus.
Lasst uns rufen „Verschwinde Leid, Königreich komme!
Wach auf, erhebe dich und bilde
Zerschlage die Traditionen und und befreie uns!
Wir werden zusammenkommen und lernen
Die Grundsätze – Rechtschaffenheit-Religion
Schlummer nicht, sondern spiele die Trompete
Oh Brahmane, wag es nicht zu stören,
schreie den Schlachtruf aus, erhebe dich schnell,
erhebe dich um zu lernen und zu handeln.
§
Sube, para aprender y actuar (Spanish)
Débil y oprimido! Sube mi hermano
Sal de la vida de esclavitud.
Manu-seguidores Peshwas están muertos y acabados
Manu, el que nos negó el acceso a la educación.
Donante de conocimiento – los británicos han llegado
Aprende, no has tenido la oportunidad durante un milenio.
Les enseñaremos a nuestros hijos y a nosotros mismos nos enseñaremos
Recibe conocimiento, llega a ser sabio para poder distinguir.
Aumenta la envidia en mi alma
Pidiendo a gritos que el conocimiento sea completo.
Esta herida infectada, marca de casta,
Al fin voy a eliminarla de mi vida.
En el reino de Baliraja, hay que tener cuidado
Nuestro glorioso mástil, se despliega y resplande.
Digamos todos “Vete miseria, vente reino!”
Despiértate, levántate y edúcate
Rompe tradiciones – libera!
Nos juntaremos y aprenderemos
Leyes – justicia – religión.
No te duermas, toca la trompeta
O Brahman, no te atreves a ofenderte.
Da un grito de guerra, sube rápido
Sube, para aprender y actuar.
§
Alzati, per imparare e agire (Italian)
Debole e oppresso! Alzati fratello
Esci dal tuo stato di schiavitù
I Peshwa, seguaci di Manu, sono morti e spariti
Manu è colui che ci ha negato l’educazione
Donatori di conoscenza, gli Inglesi sono arrivati
Impara, non hai avuto la possibilità per un millennio
Insegneremo ai nostri figli e a noi stessi a imparare
Accogli la conoscenza, diventa saggio per saper distinguere
Aumenta la gelosia nella mia anima
Chiamando a gran voce la completa conoscenza.
Questa ferita lacerata, segno della casta,
alla fine la eliminerò dalla mia vita.
Nel regno di Baliraja, facciamo attenzione
Alla nostra gloriosa bandiera, che si spiega e si ripiega.
Diciamo tutti insieme, “Addio miseria e benvenuto regno!
Svegliati, alzati e educati
Rompi le tradizioni e liberatene!
Ci uniremo e impareremo
le leggi,la giustizia e la religione.
Non dormire ma suona la tromba
O Bramino, non osare offenderti.
Manda un grido di guerra, rialzati velocemente
Alzati, per imparare e agire.
Savitribai Phule and Women's Education in India 