UP Board Solutions Class 10 English Chapter 2 The Psalm of Life

Comprehension Questions

In the examination paper, there are asked only two questions from each paragraph. Given below are some more questions for extra practice. Read the following stanzas and answer the questions put there upon: (1) Life is real! Life is earnest ......... Is not spoken of the soul.

 

Question 1. What is life and what is not its goal ? |
(जीवन क्या है और क्या जीवन का लक्ष्य नहीं है ?)
Or
What does the poet say about life?
(जीवन के विषय में कवि क्या कहता है ?)
Or
What is the meaning of life according to the poet?
(कवि के अनुसार जीवन का क्या अर्थ है?)
Or
What is the message of the poet that he gives in this stanza ?
(कवि इस पद्यांश में क्या सन्देश देना चाहता है ?)
Answer: Life is not simply birth and death. Life is a reality and should be taken very seriously. Only death is not its goal.
(जीवन मात्र जन्म-मृत्यु ही नहीं है। जीवन एक वास्तविकता है और हमें इसे गम्भीरता से जीना चाहिए। केवल मृत्यु ही इसका लक्ष्य नहीं है।)
In simple words: Life is a serious reality, not just birth and death. Its goal is not merely to die, but to be lived earnestly.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on explaining life's purpose beyond mortality, emphasizing seriousness and reality for scoring well.

 

Question 2. What was not spoken of the soul ?
(आत्मा के विषय में क्या नहीं कहा गया था ?)
Or
How is soul different from body ?
(आत्मा शरीर से किस प्रकार भिन्न है ?)
Answer: 'Dust thou art, to dust returnest' was not spoken of the soul. Soul is immortal. It neither originates from dust (body) nor it returns (dies) to dust like our body.
(Dust thou art, to dust returnest' आत्मा के विषय में नहीं बोला गया था। आत्मा अमर है। यह हमारे शरीर की भाँति न तो मिट्टी से उत्पन्न होती है और न ही मिट्टी में मिलती है ।)
In simple words: The idea of returning to dust does not apply to the soul. The soul is immortal and is distinct from the physical body, which is made of dust.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly distinguish between the mortal body and the immortal soul, using the "dust" metaphor as a key contrast.

 

Question 3. What are the qualities of life ?
(जीवन के क्या गुण हैं?)
Answer: Life is real and earnest.
(जीवन वास्तविक है और कुछ प्राप्त करने के लिए है ।)
In simple words: Life is real and serious, implying it has purpose and requires genuine effort.

🎯 Exam Tip: State the two primary qualities – "real" and "earnest" – to answer this directly and concisely.

 

Question 4. What does the poet mean by saying Dust thou art, to dust returnest'?
(Dust thou art, to dust returnest' कथन से कवि का क्या तात्पर्य है ?)
Answer: The poet means that our body is made of dust and will mix in the dust.
(कवि का तात्पर्य है कि हमारा शरीर मिट्टी का बना है और मिट्टी में ही मिल जाएगा ।)
In simple words: This phrase signifies the mortal nature of the human body, indicating that it originates from and will eventually return to the earth.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain the phrase as a metaphor for the body's mortality and its earthly origin and end.

 

Question 5. What are the views of the poet about the body and the soul ?
(शरीर और आत्मा के विषय में कवि के क्या विचार हैं ?)
Or
What does the poet say about human ‘body' and 'soul?.
('शरीर' और 'आत्मा' के विषय में कवि क्या कहता है ?)
Or How is the soul different from the body? (आत्मा, शरीर से किस प्रकार भिन्न है ?)
Answer: The poet says that our body is made of dust and after death mixes in the dust. But soul is not made of dust. It never dies because it is immortal.
(कवि कहता है कि हमारा शरीर मिट्टी का बना है और मृत्यु के बाद मिट्टी में ही मिल जाता है, किन्तु आत्मा मिट्टी की नहीं बनी है। यह कभी नहीं मरती है, क्योंकि यह अमर है ।)
In simple words: The poet believes the body is mortal and returns to dust, while the soul is immortal and transcends physical decay.

🎯 Exam Tip: Clearly differentiate between the body's mortality and the soul's immortality as explained by the poet.

 

Question 6. What does the word 'dust stand for in the third line of the stanza ? How does dust return to the 'dust' ?
(पट्यांश की तीसरी पंक्ति में ‘dust' किसके लिए प्रयोग हुआ है ? dust 'dust' में कैसे मिल जाती है ?)
Answer: Dust stands for five elements :
1. earth,
2. water,
3. sky,
4. air and
5. fire.
After death these five elements mix in their own. (मिट्टी का तात्पर्य पाँच तत्त्वों से है-
1. मिट्टी,
2. जल,
3. आकाश,
4. वायु तथा
5. अग्नि ।
मृत्यु के बाद यह पाँचों तत्त्व अपने-अपने में मिल जाते हैं।)
In simple words: 'Dust' represents the five fundamental elements of nature: earth, water, sky, air, and fire, to which the body returns after death.

🎯 Exam Tip: List the five elements accurately and explain that "dust" symbolizes the body's decomposition into these elemental components.

 

Question 7. Write the name of the poet who has composed the poem from which the above noted stanza has been chosen.
(उस कवि का नाम लिखो जिसने यह कविता लिखी है जिससे ऊपर लिखी पद्यांश चुना गया है।)
Answer: H.W. Longfellow has composed the poem "The Psalm of Life'from which the above noted stanza has been chosen.
(H.W. Long fellow ने 'The Psalm of Life' नामक कविता लिखी है जिससे यह पद्मांश चुना गया है ।).
In simple words: The poem, "The Psalm of Life," was written by H.W. Longfellow.

🎯 Exam Tip: Memorize the poet's full name (H.W. Longfellow) and the poem's title ("The Psalm of Life").

 

Question 8. Point out the rhyming words used in the stanza.
(इस पद्यांश में से समान तुक वाले शब्द छाँटिए ।)
Answer: The rhyming words are: earnest and returnest, goal and soul.
In simple words: The rhyming pairs in the stanza are 'earnest' with 'returnest', and 'goal' with 'soul'.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify and correctly list the rhyming word pairs from the stanza.

(2) Not enjoyment, .......................further than today.

 

Question 1. From which poem has the above stanza been taken? Who has composed this poem?
(उपर्युक्त पद्यांश किस कविता से लिया गया है ? इसके रचयिता कौन हैं ?)
Answer: The above stanza has been taken from the poem ‘The Psalm of Life'. The composer of this poem is ‘H.W. Longfellow'.
(उपर्युक्त पद्यांश “The Psalm of Life' नामक कविता से लिया गया है। इसके रचयिता H.W. Long fellow हैं।).
In simple words: This stanza is from "The Psalm of Life," composed by H.W. Longfellow.

🎯 Exam Tip: Remember the poem's title and author, as this question often appears in contextual references.

 

Question 2. What does the poet say in the first two lines of the stanza?
(इस पद्यांश की प्रथम दो पंक्तियों में कवि क्या कहता है?),
Or What does the poet say about enjoyment and sorrow ?
(कवि ने आनन्दं और दुःख के बारे में क्या कहा है ?)
Answer: In the first two lines of the stanza the poet says, “The purpose of our life is not only to enjoy or be sad."
(इस पद्मांश की प्रथम दो पंक्तियों में कवि कहता है, “हमारे जीवन का उद्देश्य केवल आनन्द मनाना या दुःखी होना नहीं है ।)
In simple words: The poet emphasizes that life's purpose is not just about experiencing pleasure or pain, but something deeper and more meaningful.

🎯 Exam Tip: Highlight that the poet dismisses mere enjoyment or sorrow as the sole purpose of life, pointing to a higher calling.

 

Question 3. What do you understand by the following expressions :
(निम्नलिखित अभिव्यक्तियों से आपका क्या तात्पर्य है
(a) destined end,
(b) farther than today.
Answer:
(a) 'destined end means fated or preordained course of life.
(b) 'farther than today' means in a better position than today.
(इन अभिव्यक्तियों का क्रमशः अर्थ है-
(a) भाग्य में निश्चित जीवनचर्या तथा
(b) कल का जीवन आज से अच्छा होना ।)
In simple words: 'Destined end' refers to a predetermined life path, while 'farther than today' implies a future state that is improved or more advanced than the present.

🎯 Exam Tip: Provide clear and concise definitions for both phrases, explaining their meaning in the context of the poem.

 

Question 4. What is the purpose or aim of our life ?
(हमारे जीवन का क्या उद्देश्य अथवा लक्ष्य है ?)
Answer: The purpose of our life is to act for our future betterment.
(हमारे जीवन का उद्देश्य भावी जीवन को उत्तम बनाने का है ।)
In simple words: Our life's aim is to continuously work and strive for a better future.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on the idea of working for "future betterment" as the central purpose of life according to the poet.

 

Question 5. What is the meaning of 'destined in the second line ?
(दूसरी पंक्ति में 'destined' शब्द का क्या अर्थ है ?)
Answer: 'Destined' means written in fate. (Destined' का अर्थ है-भाग्य में लिखा हुआ ।)
In simple words: In this context, 'destined' means something that is predetermined or written by fate.

🎯 Exam Tip: Define 'destined' simply as "fated" or "preordained" to accurately answer the question.

 

Question 6. What is the advice of the poet to young men in the above stanza ?
(उपर्युक्त पद्यांश में कवि नवयुवकों को क्या सलाह देता है ?)
Or
How should we act for better tomorrow?
(हमें सुनहरे कल के लिए कैसे कार्य करने चाहिए ?)
Answer: The poet advises the young men not to depend on fate but to act for a better tomorrow.
(कवि नवयुवकों को सलाह देता है कि वे भाग्य के भरोसे न रहें बल्कि सुनहरे कल के लिए कार्य करें ।)
In simple words: The poet advises young people to not rely on fate but to actively work towards creating a better future.

🎯 Exam Tip: Emphasize the poet's call for active effort and responsibility over passive reliance on fate for a better future.

 

Question 7. How should we act in our life ?
(हमें अपने जीवन में कैसे काम करना चाहिए ?)
Or
What should we do to progress in life?
(जीवन में उन्नति करने के लिए हमें क्या करना चाहिए ?)
Answer: We should act in our life to make future better.
(हमें अपने भविष्य को अधिक अच्छा बनाने के लिए जीवन में काम करना चाहिए।)
Or We should act to progress in life. (जीवन में उन्नति करने के लिए हमें काम करना चाहिए ।).
In simple words: We should act in a way that contributes to making our future better and helps us progress in life.

🎯 Exam Tip: The core idea is to work proactively towards self-improvement and future advancement.

 

Question 8. How do generally people live their lives?
(सामान्यतः व्यक्ति अपना जीवन कैसे जीते हैं ?)
Answer: Generally the people enjoy their life or feel sorrow.
(सामान्यतः व्यक्ति या तो जीवन का आनन्द लेते हैं या दुःख का अनुभव करते हैं ।)
In simple words: Most people tend to live their lives focused either on seeking enjoyment or experiencing sorrow, rather than a deeper purpose.

🎯 Exam Tip: Note that common perception of life is often limited to experiencing pleasure or pain, which the poet critiques.

(3) In the world's broad..............heroin the strife!

 

Question 1. What has the world been compared to in the given stanza? What is meant by the word 'bivouac'?
(प्रस्तुत पद्यांश में संसार की तुलना किससे की गयी है ? 'bivouac' शब्द का क्या अर्थ है ?)
Or
What is this world like according to the poet?
(लेखक के अनुसार यह संसार किसके समान है ?)
Answer: The world has been compared to a broad field of battle. Bivouac means temporary camping ground.
(संसार की तुलना युद्ध के बड़े मैदान से की गयी है। 'Bivouac' का अर्थ है अस्थायी पड़ाव ।)
In simple words: The world is likened to a battlefield, and 'bivouac' means a temporary camp, signifying life's transient and struggle-filled nature.

🎯 Exam Tip: Identify both metaphors: world as a battlefield and life as a temporary bivouac, and define 'bivouac' accurately.

 

Question 2. What does the poet want us to do?
(कवि हमसे क्या कराना चाहता है ?)
Or
What piece of advice has the poet given in this stanza ?
(इस पद्यांश के द्वारा कवि क्या सलाह देना चाहता है?)
Answer: The poet advises us to face the struggle of life like a brave person.
(कवि शिक्षा देता है कि हम जीवन के संघर्ष का मुकाबला एक बहादुर व्यक्ति के समान करें ।)
In simple words: The poet urges us to confront life's challenges with courage and bravery, like a valiant soldier.

🎯 Exam Tip: The key takeaway is to approach life's struggles with bravery and resilience.

 

Question 3. How can we become a hero?
(हम वीर कैसे बन सकते हैं ?) |
Answer: We can become a hero by facing the struggle of life bravely.
(हम जीवन के संघर्ष को बहादुरी से मुकाबला करके वीर बन सकते हैं ।)
In simple words: To become a hero, one must bravely confront and overcome the challenges and struggles of life.

🎯 Exam Tip: Link heroism directly to courageously facing and navigating life's difficulties.

 

Question 4. What does the poet not want to be?
(कवि क्या बनना नहीं चाहता है ?) :
Answer: The poet wants not to be like dumb, driven cattle.
(कवि गूंगे भेड़-बकरियों के समान बनना नहीं चाहता है ।)
In simple words: The poet does not want us to be mindless and passively led, like sheep or cattle, but rather to be independent and purposeful.

🎯 Exam Tip: State the comparison directly: the poet advises against behaving like "dumb, driven cattle."

(4) Let us, then, be .................................labour and to wait.

 

Question 1. What does the poet mean by the phrase ‘be up and doing'? What do the words heart and fate' mean here?
(कवि का 'be up and doing' नामक वाक्यांश से क्या तात्पर्य है ? Heart तथा fate शब्दों का यहाँ क्या तात्पर्य है ?)
Or
What does the poet mean by the words, with a heart for any fate'?
("With a heart for any fate' शब्दों से कवि का क्या तात्पर्य है ?)
Answer: By this phrase the poet means that we should be busy in doing work. The word 'heart' means courage and the word 'fate' means result. |(इस वाक्यांश से कवि का तात्पर्य है कि हमें कार्य करने में व्यस्त रहना चाहिए। heart शब्द का अर्थ 'साहस' है तथा fate शब्द का अर्थ 'परिणाम' है ।)
Or The poet means by the phrase 'with a heart for any fate' that we should continue working with courage without thinking about its result.
(इस वाक्यांश से कवि का तात्पर्य है कि हमें परिणाम के विषय में बिना सोचे साहस के साथ काम करते रहना चाहिए ।)
In simple words: 'Be up and doing' means to be actively engaged in work. 'Heart' here signifies courage, while 'fate' refers to the outcome. 'With a heart for any fate' implies working bravely without worrying about the results.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain both phrases, focusing on active work, courage, and detachment from results as key themes.

 

Question 2. What should we pursue and then what shall we get? What should we learn according to the poet? What should we wait?
(हमें किस बात में लगे रहना चाहिए और तब हमें क्या प्राप्त होगा ? कवि के अनुसार हमें क्या | सीखना चाहिए? हमें किस बात की प्रतीक्षा करनी चाहिए ?)
Or
What do we learn from the above stanza ?
(हम उपर्युक्त पद्यांश से क्या सीखते हैं ?)
Or
What advice does the poet give us in the above stanza ?
(उपर्युक्त पद्यांश में कवि हमें क्या सलाह देता है ?) (हमें क्या सीखना चाहिए?)
Or
What does the poet mean by 'learn to labour and to wait?
('मेहनत करना और प्रतीक्षा करना सीखो' इस वाक्यांश से कवि का क्या आशय है ?)
Answer: We should pursue our work and then we shall get success in our work. According to the poet we should learn to work hard and wait for its result.
(हमें अपने कार्य में लगे रहना चाहिए और तब हम अपने कार्य में सफलता प्राप्त करेंगे। कवि के अनुसार हमें परिश्रम करना और फल की प्रतीक्षा करना सीखना चाहिए ।)
In simple words: We should diligently pursue our work, learn to labor hard, and patiently await the results, as this leads to success.

🎯 Exam Tip: The main advice is to persistently work hard and practice patience, understanding that success follows effort and waiting.

 

Question 3. Point out the rhyming words in the stanza.
(पद्यांश से समान तुक वाले शब्द छाँटिए ।)
Answer: Rhyming words are: doing and pursuing, fate and wait.
In simple words: The rhyming words in this stanza are 'doing' with 'pursuing', and 'fate' with 'wait'.

🎯 Exam Tip: Accurately identify and list the rhyming pairs present in the given stanza.

Appreciation Of The Poem

 

Question 1. What should be the aim of our life?
(हमारे जीवन का लक्ष्य क्या होना चाहिए ?)
Answer: The aim of our life should be to work for our future betterment.
(अपने भावी जीवन को उत्तम बनाना हमारे जीवन का लक्ष्य होना चाहिए ।)
In simple words: The primary goal of our life should be to actively strive and work towards improving our future.

🎯 Exam Tip: State the aim clearly as "working for our future betterment" to score directly.

 

Question 2. what do the people hold about life?
(व्यक्ति जीवन के विषय में क्या विचारधारा रखते हैं ?)
Answer: The people hold that life is an empty dream. We don't know when we shall die.
(लोग सोचते हैं कि जीवन एक कोरी कल्पना है। हमें नहीं पता कि हम कब मर जाएँगे ।)
In simple words: Many people view life as a meaningless dream, often preoccupied with the uncertainty of death.

🎯 Exam Tip: Note the common, often pessimistic, view of life as an "empty dream" and highlight the ignorance of mortality.

 

Question 3. What does the poet think about life ?
(कवि जीवन के विषय में क्या सोचता है ?)
Answer: The poet thinks that life is real and has a definite aim.
(कवि सोचता है कि जीवन वास्तविक है और इसका निश्चित लक्ष्य है।)
In simple words: The poet believes life is a tangible reality with a clear purpose, contradicting the common view.

🎯 Exam Tip: Contrast the poet's view (life is real, has a definite aim) with the common perception (empty dream).

 

Question 4. How can we make our life wholesome, useful and successful?
(हम अपने जीवन को सुन्दर, लाभदायक और सफल कैसे बना सकते हैं ?)
Answer: We can make our life wholesome, useful and successful by doing useful works continuously.
(लगातार लाभदायक कार्यों को करने से ही हम अपने जीवन को सुन्दर, लाभदायक और सफल बना सकते हैं।)
In simple words: We can enrich our lives by consistently engaging in valuable and beneficial actions.

🎯 Exam Tip: Emphasize the importance of "doing useful works continuously" as the path to a wholesome, useful, and successful life.

 

Question 5. what is said about body and soul?
(शरीर और आत्मा के विषय में क्या कहा गया है ?)
Answer: Body is mortal. It is made of dust. After death it mixes in the dust. But soul never dies. It is immortal.
(शरीर नश्वर है। यह मिट्टी का बना हुआ है। मृत्यु के बाद यह मिट्टी में ही मिल जाता है। किन्तु आत्मा कभी नहीं मरती । यह अमर है ।)
In simple words: The body is mortal, formed from dust and returning to it after death, while the soul is immortal and eternal.

🎯 Exam Tip: Provide a clear distinction between the temporary nature of the body and the everlasting nature of the soul.

 

Question 6. Why does the poet warn us against the way of living of sheep and goats?
(कवि हमें भेड़-बकरियों के रहने के ढंग के विरुद्ध क्यों चेतावनी देता है?)
Answer: The sheep and goats are dumb. They are driven this way or that. So the poet warns us not to behave in this way under any circumstances. But we should use our intelligence in doing any work.
(भेड़-बकरियाँ पूँगी होती हैं। उन्हें इधर-उधर हाँको जाता है। इसलिए कवि हमें सचेत करता है कि हमें परिस्थितियों के द्वारा इस प्रकार व्यवहार नहीं करना चाहिए। किन्तु हमें किसी भी कार्य को करने में अपनी बुद्धि का प्रयोग करना चाहिए ।)
In simple words: The poet warns us against living passively like sheep and goats, which are mindless and easily led. Instead, he urges us to use our intelligence and act purposefully.

🎯 Exam Tip: Explain that the warning is against a passive, unthinking existence; students should highlight the need for intelligence and purposeful action.

Central Idea Of The Poem

The poet H. W. Longfellow imparts a high moral in this poem. He says that life is a reality and should be taken quite seriously. Life is full of struggle and difficulties and is like a battlefield. We should face it bravely. To achieve our goals in life we should be patient and hard working.
(कवि H.W. Longfellow इस कविता में एक महान् शिक्षा प्रदान करता है। वह कहता है कि जीवन एक वास्तविकता है और इसे हमें गम्भीरता से समझना चाहिए। जीवन संघर्षों और कठिनाइयों से भरा हुआ है। और एक युद्ध-क्षेत्र के समान है। हमें इसका मुकाबला वीरता से करना चाहिए। अपने जीवन के लक्ष्यों को प्राप्त करने के लिए हमें धैर्यशाली और परिश्रमी होना चाहिए।)

Advice Of The Poet

This poem preaches us a high moral. The poet teaches us to work with a spirit of courage. He says that we should be busy in useful works. We should make our life wholesome, useful and successful. The poet advises the young men that they should always be busy in doing noble deeds. They should make their life wholesome, useful and successful. If all the young men are sincere, country will progress.
(यह कविता हमें एक उच्च आचरण का उपदेश देती है। कवि हमें साहस की भावना से कार्य करने की शिक्षा देता है। वह कहता है कि हमें लाभदायक कार्यों में व्यस्त रहना चाहिए। हमें अपना जीवन हितकर, लाभदायक और सफल बनाना चाहिए । कवि नवयुवकों को शिक्षा देता है कि उन्हें सदा श्रेष्ठ कार्य करने में व्यस्त रहना चाहिए। उन्हें अपने जीवन को सुन्दर, लाभदायक तथा सफल बनाना चाहिए। यदि सभी नवयुवक ईमानदार होंगे तब देश उन्नति करेगा ।)