RBSE Solutions Class 12 English Prudence Poetry Chapter 2 On Time

(A) Choose the Correct Alternative:

Question 1. "lazy leaden ......... stepping hours' denotes time as :
(i) fast
(ii) furious
(iii) crazy
(iv) very slow
Answer: (iv) very slow
In simple words: The phrase "lazy leaden stepping hours" describes time moving very slowly, as if with heavy, dragging steps.

🎯 Exam Tip: Pay attention to descriptive words like "lazy" and "leaden" as they provide strong clues about the meaning of the phrase.

Question 2. What guides human souls towards divinity?
Answer:

🎯 Exam Tip: For questions without immediate answers, check later sections for related or repeated questions that might contain the full answer.

Question 3. The thing which is eternal :
(i) greed
(ii) envy
(iii) selfless love
(iv) selfish love
Answer: (iii) selfless love
In simple words: The poem teaches that among all human feelings and actions, only true, unselfish love lasts forever and never fades away.

🎯 Exam Tip: Understand the core themes of the poem, especially the contrast between temporary worldly things and eternal virtues.

(B) Answer the Following Questions in 15-20 Words Each:

निम्न प्रत्येक प्रश्न का उत्तर 15-20 शब्दों में दीजिए :

Question 1. "And merely mortal dross.” What do you understand by mortal dross ? नश्वर निकृष्ट अवगुणों से आप क्या समझते हैं ?
Answer: Mortal dross refers to a strong desire for worldly things, such as greed, being selfish, showing off, or feeling jealous. These are considered bad, temporary qualities that do not last.
In simple words: "Mortal dross" means bad human traits like greed, selfishness, and jealousy. These are temporary and not good for the soul.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define key terms clearly and connect them to the poem's context of temporary vs. eternal values.

Question 2. "With an individual kiss, And joy shall overtake us as a flood” What does individual kiss mean here? यहा 'individual kiss' का क्या अर्थ है?
Answer: When people perform good and honorable actions, they become immortal, meaning their positive impact lives on forever. This lasting remembrance and achievement is what the "individual kiss of eternity" signifies, representing a personal touch from everlasting time.
In simple words: "Individual kiss" means that when people do good things, their actions live on forever, giving them a personal kind of immortality or everlasting joy.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain poetic phrases by connecting them to their underlying meaning about human actions and their lasting effects.

Question 3. "Then long éternity shall greet our bliss.” How long will eternity greet our bliss ? अनंत समय प्रसन्नतापूर्वक हमारा कैसे स्वागत करेगा?
Answer:

🎯 Exam Tip: If an answer is missing, ensure you correctly identify and leave it blank as per instructions, without generating content.

Question 4. What is meant by 'worldly attachment'? सांसारिक लिप्तता' से क्या तात्पर्य है?
Answer: By "Earthy grossness," the poet refers to humans being busy with worldly matters that are temporary and not important in the long run. These are things that do not last and do not contribute to eternal happiness.
In simple words: "Earthy grossness" means getting too caught up in daily, unimportant things that don't last long, instead of focusing on spiritual matters.

🎯 Exam Tip: Connect the specific term "Earthy grossness" to the broader concept of temporary worldly concerns versus lasting spiritual values mentioned in the poem.

Question 5. 'Fly envious time', why does the poet want the envious time to fly? कवि क्यों चाहता है कि ईर्ष्यालु समय चला जाये? Or Why does the poet wish this time to pass quickly? कवि इस समय के शीघ्रातिशीघ्र गुजर जाने की इच्छा क्यों रखता है ?
Answer: The poet wants this "envious time" to pass quickly so that a better, more joyful time can come. He desires the swift departure of negative and jealous periods to make way for happiness and peace.
In simple words: The poet wants bad, jealous times to go away fast. He hopes that good and happy times will come instead.

🎯 Exam Tip: When a question offers an "Or" alternative, ensure your answer addresses the core meaning of both phrasings.

(C) Answer the Following Questions in 50 Words Each:

निम्न प्रत्येक प्रश्न का उत्तर 50 शब्दों में दीजिए :

Question 1. What guides human souls towards divinity? मनुष्यों को देवत्व की ओर जाने के लिए क्या चीज़ निर्देशित करती है ?
Answer: Human souls are guided towards divinity by good qualities like truth, peace, and love. These virtues help people live a holy life and inspire them to do good deeds. A person who develops these traits in their character will overcome the challenges of time, as their actions come from their deepest inner self.
In simple words: Truth, peace, and love help people become closer to God. These good qualities guide us to live well and do good things, making us strong against time's challenges.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify the specific virtues mentioned in the poem as drivers of spiritual growth and explain their impact on a person's life.

Question 2. What is the theme of the poem ? इस कविता की विषयवस्तु क्या है ?
Answer: The poem's main idea is the poet's desire for a future where truth, peace, and love will quickly take over the world. He hopes for a time when everyone acts according to God's will and fills the world with happiness.
In simple words: The poem is about hoping for a world where truth, peace, and love rule quickly, and people follow God's path to bring joy everywhere.

🎯 Exam Tip: Summarize the central message or moral of the poem in a concise way, highlighting the poet's key aspirations.

Question 3. "About the supreme Throne of Him”. Which supreme throne does the poet talk. about? "उसके सर्वोच्च सिंहासन के चारों ओर” कवि किसे सर्वोच्च सिंहासन की बात कर रहा है?
Answer: The poet refers to God's highest throne, which is in Heaven. In Heaven, truth, peace, and love always exist. After a person dies, their soul goes to God and leaves behind all its temporary, earthly qualities. In this divine place, the soul defeats death and time, becoming eternal and never-ending.
In simple words: The poet refers to God's throne in Heaven, a place of constant truth, peace, and love. There, souls become eternal, overcoming death and time.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain the spiritual significance of the "supreme Throne" as a symbol of eternal divine presence and the ultimate destiny of the soul.

Question 4. What is sincerely good and perfectly divine ? वास्तविक रूप से अच्छा और पूर्णतः दैवीय क्या है ?
Answer: Actions that are noble, free from jealousy, and honest are truly good. These include love, truth, and peace. Such actions are perfectly divine because goodness is very close to being godly. These deeds make both the person doing them and the person receiving them happy and satisfied.
In simple words: True goodness and divine actions are noble deeds done without jealousy or pretense, like showing love, truth, and peace. They bring joy to everyone involved.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the qualities that define true goodness and divinity according to the poem, emphasizing their positive impact on individuals and society.

(D) Answer the Following in Questions 100 Words Each:

निम्न प्रत्येक प्रश्न का उत्तर 100 शब्दों में दीजिए :

Question 1. "Triumphing over Death and Chance and thee 0 Time.” What does triumph over death, chance and time signify ? मृत्यु, अवसर और समय पर विजय से क्या अभिप्राय है ?
Answer: Triumphing over death, chance, and time means that a person's noble and good deeds will last forever, making them immortal in the memories of people. When someone follows truth, peace, and love, their good actions benefit humanity, overcoming the limits of life and time. Such individuals are remembered for their virtuous character, and their influence extends beyond their physical existence, creating a lasting legacy.
In simple words: Winning over death, chance, and time means that good actions and noble character live on forever in people's memories, making a person immortal.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain how spiritual virtues and noble actions allow an individual to achieve a form of immortality that transcends physical death and the constraints of earthly time.

Question 2. Write critically the central idea of the poem. कविता का आलोचनात्मक केन्द्रीय भाव लिखिये।
Answer: John Milton's poem 'On Time' explains how earthly time molds and impacts human life, bringing tough changes that lead to decay and eventually physical death. The poet wishes for this earthly time to quickly pass, taking all bad and temporary things with it. He hopes that this will allow everlasting time, like that in heaven, to bring truth, peace, and love to everyone. Milton stresses that people can overcome the destructive effects of time by achieving an eternal life filled with joy.
In simple words: John Milton's poem 'On Time' discusses how time changes human life, causing decay and death. The poet wants bad, worldly time to pass quickly. He hopes for eternal time to bring truth, peace, and love to all, showing that we can beat time by living a joyful, everlasting life.

🎯 Exam Tip: When critically analyzing a central idea, discuss both the problem (the negative aspects of earthly time) and the solution/hope (the promise of eternal, virtuous existence).

RBSE Class 12 English Prudence Poetry Chapter 2 Additional Questions

RBSE Class 12 English Prudence Poetry Chapter 2 Short Answer Type Questions

Answer the Following Questions in About 50 Words Each:

Question 1. Why has the poet compared the flight of time with the 'lazy leaden-stepping hours' and 'the heavy plummet's pace?
Answer: The poet compares time's movement to "lazy leaden-stepping hours" and a "heavy plummet's pace" because he is discussing a difficult, unpleasant period. In this bad time, there is no truth, peace, or selfless love. The poet wishes for this time to pass quickly, but its progress feels very slow, like heavy, sluggish steps or a slow pendulum swing.
In simple words: The poet uses these slow comparisons because he is talking about a bad time that feels very long. He wants this time to go away fast, but it moves slowly like heavy, slow steps.

🎯 Exam Tip: When analyzing imagery, explain how the chosen words (like "lazy," "leaden," "heavy") evoke specific feelings or observations about the subject, in this case, the slow passage of undesirable time.

Question 2. What are the things associated with the temporal and what are associated with the eternal ? कौन-कौन सी वस्तुएँ अल्पकाल से सम्बन्धित हैं और कौन-सी अनन्त से सम्बन्धित हैं ?
Answer: Temporary things are bad habits like envy, greed, and selfishness, which eventually disappear because evil is always short-lived. Nothing bad can last forever. Eternal things, however, are selfless love, peace, and truth. These qualities are certain to make our world like heaven and bring lasting joy to our lives.
In simple words: Bad habits like jealousy and greed are temporary and will end. Good things like selfless love, peace, and truth are eternal and bring lasting happiness, making the world a better place.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly distinguish between what is temporary (negative earthly qualities) and what is eternal (positive spiritual virtues) as presented in the poem.

Question 3. What is long eternity? पारलौकिक शाश्वतता क्या है ?
Answer: Long eternity refers to a state of universal awareness where worldly concerns become unimportant. In this state, negative feelings like envy, greed, and pretense do not exist. Instead, love and peace completely fill our surroundings. It is a condition of total happiness and permanent joy that brings a deep sense of calm.
In simple words: Long eternity is a state of deep awareness where worldly worries disappear. It's a place filled with love and peace, bringing complete and lasting happiness and calm.

🎯 Exam Tip: Describe "long eternity" not just as an endless duration, but as a quality of existence characterized by profound peace, love, and detachment from worldly evils.

Question 4. Why does the poet call the time envious कवि समय को ईर्ष्यालु क्यों कहता है ?
Answer:

🎯 Exam Tip: Even if an answer is missing, reflect on why the poet might personify time as "envious" based on other themes in the poem.

Question 5. "So little is our loss, so little is your gain !” What does the poet mean to convey? “कितना कम हमारा नुकसान, कितना कम तुम्हारा लाभ!” कवि क्या कहना चाहता है?
Answer: The poet uses the phrase "So little is our loss, so little is your gain!" to show that all temporary things eventually disappear with time. When these things are lost, humans actually lose nothing because they are not valuable. Similarly, time gains nothing by taking them, as they are worthless.
In simple words: The poet means that losing temporary, worthless things is not a real loss for us, and time gains nothing by taking them either.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain the irony in the phrase: what seems like a loss is actually insignificant because the things lost held no true value.

Question 6. When does 'Earthy grossness' quit a man's life? मानव जीवन से सांसारिक लिप्तता कब निकलती है?
Answer: According to the poet, "Earthy grossness" leaves a person's life when they reach a state of Supreme consciousness. In this high state of awareness, all worldly matters lose their importance and meaning for the individual. The person becomes free from life's worldly pains, joys, and difficulties, and their soul unites with God.
In simple words: "Earthy grossness" leaves a person when they reach a higher spiritual awareness. In this state, worldly things no longer matter, and the soul connects with the Divine.

🎯 Exam Tip: Connect the idea of shedding "Earthy grossness" to attaining spiritual enlightenment or higher consciousness, a central theme in many philosophical poems.

RBSE Class 12 English Prudence Poetry Chapter 2 Long Answer Type Questions

Answer the Following Question in About 100 Words:

Question 1. Explain how long eternity will greet our bliss with an individual kiss. व्याख्या कीजिए कि पारलौकिक शाश्वतता हमारे आनन्द का एक व्यक्तिगत चुम्बन से स्वागत किस प्रकार करेगी।
Answer: While performing noble deeds, we will experience a state of lasting joy. Such noble actions involve selflessly loving all living beings, maintaining inner peace, and helping to create a peaceful world. Following the path of truth is also part of this. Love, peace, and truth bring happiness with them. As we practice these in our lives, we will always feel blessed by God. We will find the world to be a peaceful place filled with love and truth. In this state, we will feel that eternal bliss welcomes us with its love, as that time will be precious to us.
In simple words: When we do good deeds, we find lasting happiness. These good deeds include loving everyone, being peaceful inside, and helping global peace. Living with truth, love, and peace makes us feel blessed and brings joy, making eternity welcome us warmly.

🎯 Exam Tip: Detail the specific actions and virtues that lead to "bliss" and how "long eternity" acknowledges and rewards this virtuous living with a personal, lasting sense of joy and fulfillment.