Tryst with Destiny | Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Independence Day Speech | 1947
Summary
TLDRThis transcript is an excerpt from a historic speech marking India's independence. It reflects on the nation's long journey toward freedom, highlighting the trials and triumphs experienced. The speaker acknowledges the responsibilities that come with newfound freedom, emphasizing the need to work towards eradicating poverty, ignorance, and inequality. The speech is a call to action for all citizens to unite and strive for a better future, not just for India but for the world. It invokes hope, perseverance, and dedication to serve humanity and uphold the ideals of peace, freedom, and prosperity.
Takeaways
- 🌅 India is awakening to life and freedom after a long journey.
- ⏳ This is a rare historic moment where India steps from the old to the new.
- 🕊️ The nation is renewing its pledge to serve the people of India and the larger cause of humanity.
- ⚔️ India's history is filled with struggles, both in success and failure, but the nation never lost sight of its quest.
- 🌄 Today marks the beginning of new opportunities for India, but the real challenges lie ahead.
- 💪 Freedom and power bring responsibility, which now rests on the sovereign assembly representing India's people.
- 💔 The memory of past suffering remains, but the focus is on the future and striving to meet promises made.
- 🌍 Serving India means serving millions who suffer, working to eliminate poverty, ignorance, disease, and inequality.
- 👁️ The ambition to wipe every tear from every eye is a goal, though difficult, that will continue to drive India's efforts.
- 🏛️ The future of India is linked with the world, as freedom, prosperity, and disaster are indivisible in today's interconnected world.
Q & A
What is the significance of the phrase 'trip with destiny' in the speech?
-The phrase 'trip with destiny' symbolizes India's long struggle for independence, a journey that has been filled with hardships but is now reaching a pivotal moment of freedom.
What does the 'stroke of the midnight hour' represent in the context of the speech?
-The 'stroke of the midnight hour' refers to the moment when India officially gained independence on August 15, 1947, marking the birth of a new nation.
What is meant by 'India will awake to life and freedom'?
-'India will awake to life and freedom' conveys the idea that after years of colonial rule and suppression, India will finally rise as a free and sovereign nation.
Why does the speaker describe this moment as 'rarely in history'?
-The speaker calls this moment 'rarely in history' because achieving freedom from colonial rule is a momentous and unique event in the life of a nation, marking a significant turning point.
What is the 'pledge of dedication' the speaker refers to?
-The 'pledge of dedication' refers to the commitment made by the people of India to work towards the betterment of the nation and serve its people, particularly focusing on eradicating poverty, ignorance, and inequality.
How does the speaker link India's ancient history to the present moment?
-The speaker highlights that throughout history, India has been on a continuous quest for self-discovery, and despite periods of success and failure, India has always pursued ideals that give it strength. The present moment of independence is seen as a continuation of this quest.
What does the speaker mean by 'freedom and power bring responsibility'?
-'Freedom and power bring responsibility' emphasizes that with independence comes the obligation to govern wisely, ensuring the welfare of all citizens and addressing the nation's challenges.
What is the 'service of India' according to the speech?
-The 'service of India' refers to working towards the upliftment of millions who suffer, aiming to eliminate poverty, ignorance, disease, and inequality, and ensuring equal opportunities for all.
What is the ambition of the 'greatest man of our generation' mentioned in the speech?
-The ambition of the 'greatest man of our generation' refers to Mahatma Gandhi’s vision to wipe away every tear from every eye, symbolizing his desire to alleviate the suffering of every individual in India.
What is the speaker's message regarding India’s role in the world after independence?
-The speaker emphasizes that India's independence is not just important for the nation but also for the world, as all nations are interconnected. India must strive for peace and prosperity, understanding that global challenges like disaster and freedom are shared and indivisible.
Outlines
🕰️ A Moment of Destiny
This paragraph begins with a reflection on the long journey towards India’s independence, describing the moment as a fulfillment of a historic pledge. It emphasizes the significance of India awakening to freedom at the stroke of midnight. The speech marks a rare moment in history where a nation steps into a new era, allowing its suppressed soul to finally express itself. The speaker highlights the dedication to the service of India and humanity as a crucial commitment.
🏛️ India’s Eternal Quest
This section reflects on India’s historical quest, which spans centuries, filled with triumphs and challenges. Despite facing periods of hardship, the nation has always stayed true to its ideals and aspirations. It conveys the idea that even in the current period of misfortune, India is rediscovering itself. The speaker hints that this moment of independence is only the beginning, an opening to greater accomplishments that await the country.
🎯 Responsibility of Freedom
The paragraph discusses the responsibility that comes with freedom, placing it in the hands of the newly sovereign people of India. It reflects on the pain and labor endured to achieve this freedom, acknowledging the sorrow that persists. However, it stresses that the future now calls for continuous effort to realize the pledges made, as freedom is not an endpoint but a starting point for ongoing striving.
⚖️ Service to India’s Millions
Here, the speaker defines the true meaning of serving India, which involves addressing the suffering of millions. It emphasizes the eradication of poverty, ignorance, disease, and inequality. Quoting the ambition of the greatest leader of the time, the speech calls for the removal of suffering and affirms that the work will not be done until every tear is wiped away. The task is immense, but it remains a guiding vision for the future.
🌍 A Shared Destiny for All Nations
This final paragraph highlights the interconnectedness of nations and how India’s dreams are tied to those of the world. It stresses that in today’s world, no nation can live in isolation, as peace, freedom, prosperity, and even disaster are now shared across borders. The speaker calls for unity and faith, urging all to join in the collective endeavor of building a free and noble India, without room for blame or destructive criticism.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Destiny
💡Pledge
💡Midnight hour
💡Freedom
💡Soul of the nation
💡Responsibility
💡Service
💡Incessant striving
💡Humanity
💡Tears and suffering
Highlights
We made a trip with destiny, and now, the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge.
At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.
A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new.
When the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance.
It is fitting, at this solemn moment, to pledge dedication to the service of India and her people.
The dawn of history: India started on her unending quest, filled with the grandeur of successes and failures.
Through good and ill fortune alike, India has never lost sight of that quest or the ideals that gave her strength.
India discovers herself again in this period of ill fortune.
The achievement we celebrate today is but a step, an opening of opportunity to greater triumphs.
Are we brave enough and wise enough to grasp this opportunity and accept the challenge of the future?
Freedom and power bring responsibility, and that responsibility rests upon this assembly of sovereign people.
Before the birth of freedom, we have endured the pains of labor, and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow.
The service of India means the service of millions who suffer, and the ending of poverty, ignorance, disease, and inequality of opportunity.
The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye.
So long as there are tears and suffering, our work will not be over.
We must labor and work hard to give reality to our dreams, not just for India but for the world, as all nations are too closely knit together today.
Transcripts
long years ago
we made a trip with destiny
and now
the time comes
when we shall redeem our pledge
not only
or in full measure
but very substantially
at the stroke of the midnight hour
when the world sleeps
india will awake to life and freedom
[Music]
a moment comes
which comes but rarely in history
when we step out from the old to the new
when an agent
and when the soul of the nation
long suppressed find utterance
it is fitting
that at this solemn moment
we take the pledge of dedication to the
service of india and her people
and to the still larger cause of
humanity
the dawn of history
india started on her unending quest
and trackless centuries are filled with
her fighting
and the grandeur of her successors and
her failures
through good and ill fortune alike she
has never lost sight of that quest
or forgotten the ideas which gave her
strength
we in today a period of ill fortune
and india discovers herself again
the achievement we celebrate today is
but a step
an opening of opportunity
to the greater triumphs and achievements
that await us
are we brave enough and wise enough to
grasp this opportunity
and accept the challenge of the future
freedom and power bring responsibility
that responsibility rests upon this
assembly
of sovereign body representing the
sovereign people of india
before the birth of freedom
we have endured
all the pains of labor
and our hearts are heavy with the memory
of this sorrow
some of those things continue continue
even now
nevertheless the past is over
and it is the future that beckons to us
now
that future
is not one of ease or resting but of
incessant striving
so that we might fulfill the pledges we
have so often taken
and the one we shall take today
the service of india
means the service
of the millions who suffer
it means the ending of poverty and
ignorance and disease and inequality of
opportunity
the ambition
of the greatest man of our generation
has been
to wipe
every tear
from every eye
that may be beyond us
but so long as there are tears and
suffering so long
our work will not be over
and so we have to labor and to work
and work hard to go to give reality to
our dreams
those dreams are for india
but they are also for the world
for all the nations and peoples are too
closely knit together today for any one
of them to imagine that it can live
apart
peace has been said to be indivisible
so is freedom
so is prosperity now
and so also is disaster
in this one world that can no longer be
split into isolated fragments
for the people of india whose
representatives we are
we make appeal to join us with faith and
confidence in this great adventure
this is no time for pity and destructive
criticism
no time for ill will or blaming others
we have to build the noble mansion of
free india
where all her children made
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