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Karnataka 2nd PUC English Textbook Answers Springs Chapter 10 Heaven, If you are not here on Earth
Heaven, If you are not here on Earth Questions and Answers, Notes, Summary
Heaven, If you are not here on Earth Comprehension I
Question 1.
According to the poet, ‘heaven’ is
(a) on earth
(b) within us
(c) elsewhere.
Answer:
(a) on earth.
Question 2.
The poet finds god in
(a) nature
(b) earth
(c) temple.
Answer:
(a) nature.
Question 3.
What does the line ‘Heaven lies all over’ suggest?
Answer:
Heaven is not elsewhere but within us and is all over the world. If we are good, then that is heaven and if we are bad that is hell. Nature is also a heaven as we can find heaven in objects like trees, moon, sands of grains etc.
Question 4.
Who creates’heaven on earth’?
OR
Where does the poet create heaven?
Answer:
The poet creates heaven on earth.
Heaven, If you are not here on Earth Comprehension II
Question 1.
Describe the beauty in nature that makes the earth a heavenly place.
OR
How has the poet glorified heaven on earth?
Answer:
The poet Kuvempu argues that we do not need to seek heaven after death. We can enjoy the heavenly bliss in looking at Nature on this earth itself. The poet presents a beautiful description of nature’s beauty. The poet emphatically states that the bliss that one experiences while looking at the streams that are leaping down, roaring from the top of the hills, the waves that come rolling across the seas carrying surf at their edges, the tender rays of sunlight falling on the sprawling green forests and the gentle sun warming up the earth make this earth a heavenly place.
Question 2.
Why does the poet feel that earth is more beautiful than heaven?
Answer:
According to Kuvempu, there is no heaven in reality. Entities like ‘God’, ‘Heaven’, and the nymphs are merely figments of man’s imagination. All the different forms of nature like the green forests, the streams that leap down the hills, the waves that roll across the seas, the moonlit night, and the splendour of harvest appear more beautiful than the imaginary descriptions of the man.
Heaven, If you are not here on Earth Comprehension III
Question 1.
How does the poet explain the illusion of heaven in the poem?
OR
How does the poem ‘Heaven, if you are not here on Earth’ visualise heaven?
Answer:
Kuvempu considers concepts like ‘God’, ‘nymphs’ and ‘heaven’ as myths created by man. He opines that if at all ‘heaven’ exists it exists only on this earth and nowhere else. In order to break the illusion of heaven in man’s mind, he presents before us charming sights of nature and argues that nothing can be more heavenly than these forms of nature.
He makes a direct address to nature and declares that if heaven does not exist on the earth where else can it be. He justifies his statement referring to the streams, the waves, and the sunlight. He says that the streams that leap down roaring from the top of the hills, the rolling surf at the edge of the waves, the tender rays of sunlight falling on the green forests, the gentle sun warming the earth all these make the earth heaven.
Question 2.
How does the poem celebrate the power of the poet?
Answer:
Having argued categorically that if at all there exists an entity called heaven, it exists only on this earth, the poet Kuvempu presents before the readers’ beautiful sights of nature. In the last stanza, the poet states that one sees chunks of heaven lying all over in the splendour of harvest and of moonlight. He concludes the poem celebrating poetic talent. He says that the poet enjoys looking at Nature, imbibes the beauty of nature and spills the nectar of heaven, on the earth, through his poetry.
Heaven, If you are not here on Earth Additional Questions and Answers
I. Answer the following questions in a word, a phrase, or a sentence each:
Question 1.
Where can heaven be found, according to Kuvempu?
OR
Where, according to the poet, did he see heaven?
OR
Where does the poet create heaven in the poem ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’?
Answer:
On this earth itself.
Question 2.
Where does the tender sunshine lean?
Answer:
The tender sunshine leans on gardens green with grass or other rich vegetation.
Question 3.
How does the poet create heaven on earth?
Answer:
The poet creates heaven on earth by imbibing the beauty of nature and spilling the nectar of heaven, on the earth, through his poetry.
Question 4.
What, according to Kuvempu, are only figments of man’s imagination?
Answer:
‘Heaven’, ‘God’, and ‘nymphs’ are not tangible entities but are only figments of man’s imagination.
Question 5.
When, according to the speaker, can there be no Gods?
Answer:
According to the speaker, if we ourselves cannot be gods, then there can be no gods.
Question 6.
According to the speaker, heaven is
(a) on earth
(b) not on earth
(c) beyond earth.
Answer:
(a) on earth.
Question 7.
Who creates heaven on earth?
Answer:
The poet.
Question 8.
How does the poet imbibe and spill the ‘song of nectar’?
OR
What does the poet imbibe and spill to create heaven on earth?
Answer:
The poet absorbs the beauty of nature through his eyes and spills the ‘song of nectar’ through his poetry.
Question 9.
According to the poet makes this Earth heaven.
(a) heavenly nymphs
(b) gods
(c) gentle sun.
Answer:
(c) gentle sun.
Question 10.
What could not be anywhere else but on earth, according to the speaker, in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’?
Answer:
According to the speaker in the poem ‘Heaven, if You are not Here on Earth’ it is heaven. If heaven is not on the earth, it can be nowhere else.
Question 11.
According to the speaker in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’, if we ourselves cannot be gods, then there can be no
(a) gods
(b) nymphs
(c) humans.
Answer:
(a) gods.
Question 12.
When can there be no nymphs, according to the speaker, in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’?
Answer:
According to the speaker in the poem, there can be no nymphs if we ourselves are not heavenly nymphs.
Question 13.
According to the speaker in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’ if we ourselves aren’t heavenly nymphs, the nymphs are not
(a) everywhere
(b) nowhere
(c) elsewhere.
Answer:
(c) elsewhere.
Question 14.
Who, according to the speaker, imbibes and spills the song of nectar in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’?
Answer:
According to the speaker in the poem, it is the poet who imbibes and spills the song of nectar.
Question 15.
What does the poet create on earth, according to the speaker, in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’?
Answer:
According to the speaker in the poem, the poet creates heaven on earth.
Question 16.
What quality of harvest causes heaven to lie all over in ’Heaven If you are not here on Earth’?
Answer:
In ‘Heaven, if you are not Here on Earth’, the splendour of harvest causes heaven to lie all over.
Question 17.
“In the splendour of harvest and of moonlight Heaven lies all over!” The phrase refers to
(a) harvest and moonlight are no match to heaven
(b) splendour is only in heaven
(c) heaven can be seen in the harvest and moonlight
Answer:
(c) heaven can be seen in the harvest and moonlight.
II. Answer the following questions in a paragraph of 80 – 100 words each:
Question 1.
Why does the speaker believe that heaven can be created only by human effort in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’?
Answer:
The speaker convincingly argues that we do not need to seek heaven in the skies because this very earth is heaven-like in reality. He tries to prove this point by describing a roaring stream and the sunlit verdant garden. The poet emphatically states that the bliss that one experiences while looking at the streams that are leaping down, roaring from the top of the hills, the waves that come rolling across the seas carrying surf at their edges, the tender rays of sunlight falling on the sprawling green forests and the gentle sun warming up the earth make this earth a heavenly place.
The poet presents two more pictures of heaven on earth. They are the splendour of harvest and the beauty of the moonlit night. The poet wishes that the reader brings to mind the harvest season when in every bit of agricultural land do we see heaps of grains covering the land. Then he mentions the moonlit night on which the whole earth seems to be bathed in silvery light. Finally, the poet says that we (the poets) who enjoy such heavenly sights, imbibe the beauty of nature and spill the nectar of heaven through our poetry and thus create heaven on earth.
Question 2.
What image of heaven does the poem, ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’ create?
Answer:
According to the speaker, the poem creates a mesmerizing image of heaven which is reflected in the description of pristine nature created by the poet. There are roaring streams leaping down from the top of the hills. The waves come rolling across the seas carrying surf at their edges. The tender rays of sunlight falling on the vast expanse of green forests and the gentle sun warming up the earth enhance the beauty of the Earth, creating an image of Heaven on earth. The splendour of harvest and the pleasant moonlight that bathes the earth makes it all the more heavenly.
Question 3.
What are the requirements of heaven, according to ‘Heaven, If You Are NotHere On Earth’?
Answer:
As expressed in the poem, Heaven is imagined to be the abode of gods and heavenly nymphs. Besides, it must have roaring and leaping streams, waves rolling with surf at their edge, the vast expanse of green forests being clothed by the tender rays of the sunlight, warmed by the gentle sun during the day and cooled and covered by moonlight at night.
III. Answer the following questions in about 200 words each:
Question 1.
‘Heaven is a creation of one’s own mind’. Explain with reference to ‘Heaven, if you are not here on earth’.
OR
Why does the speaker in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here on Earth’ say that heaven is nowhere else but on earth?
Answer:
The very title of the poem suggests the intention of the poet. The poet wishes to argue that concepts like ‘heaven’, ‘god’, nymphs, etc., are not tangible entities but are only figments of man’s imagination. On the other hand, all the imaginary comforts, pleasures, and bliss one believes to enjoy in heaven, can be got in reality on this earth. The poet presents a beautiful picture of the different forms of nature which make this earth a heaven.
The poet claims that the roaring streams that tumble down fast from the top of the hills, the rolling surf at the edge of the waves that come rolling across oceans and seas, the tender rays of the sunbathing the vast green forests, and the gentle sun warming up the earth make this earth a heaven.
Question 2.
‘Heaven lies all over’. How is this brought out in ‘Heaven, if you are not here on earth’?
OR
How does Kuvempu show that heaven is here on earth?
OR
How does the poet recreate and capture the beauty and splendour of heaven on earth?
OR
Describe how the poem ‘Heaven, if you are not on earth’ visualizes heaven in nature.
OR
Why does the speaker heaven, if you are not on earth’ say that heaven is right here on earth?
OR
How, according to the speaker, does one find heaven on earth?
OR
“Heaven is not a separate entity but a part of the earth to be created by human endeavour”. How does the poem ‘Heaven, if you are not here on earth present this?
Answer:
Having convincingly argued that we do not need to seek heaven in the skies, and this very earth is heavenly in reality, the poet presents the splendour of harvest and the beauty of the moonlit night. The poet calls these chunks of heaven. The poet wishes the reader to bring to mind the harvest season when in every bit of agricultural land do we see heaps of grains, covering the land.
He then presents a beautiful picture of the different forms of nature which make this earth a heaven. The poet claims that the roaring streams that tumble down fast from the top of the hills, the rolling surf at the edge of the waves that come rolling across oceans and seas, the tender rays of the sunbathing the vast green forests, and the gentle sun warming up the earth make this earth a heaven.
Secondly, he mentions the moonlit night on which, the whole earth seems to be bathed in silvery light. Finally, the poet tells the reader that the poets who enjoy such heavenly sights imbibe the beauty of nature and spill the nectar of heaven through their poetry. This way the poet creates heaven on earth and celebrates the joys of heaven through his poetry.
Question 3.
How, according to the speaker, can we create heaven on earth?
OR
Human effort alone can create heaven on earth. How is this brought out in ‘Heaven, If you are not here on Earth’?
Answer:
The poet Kuvempu convincingly argues that we do not need to seek heaven in the skies because this very earth is heaven-like in reality. He tries to prove this point by describing a roaring stream and the sunlit verdant garden. The poet emphatically states that the bliss that one experiences while looking at the streams that are leaping down, roaring from the top of the hills, the waves that come rolling across the seas carrying surf at their edges, the tender rays of sunlight falling on the sprawling green forests and the gentle sun warming up the earth make this earth a heavenly place. The poet presents two more pictures of heaven on earth. They are the splendour of harvest and the beauty of the moonlit night.
The poet wishes that the reader brings to mind the harvest season when in every bit of agricultural land do we see heaps of grains covering the land. Then he mentions the moonlit night on which the whole earth seems to be bathed in silvery light. Finally, the poet says that we (the poets) who enjoy such heavenly sights, imbibe the beauty of nature and spill the nectar of heaven through our poetry and thus create heaven on earth.
Question 4.
Heaven is nothing but a replica of the best qualities of Earth. How does the poem ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’justify this statement?
Answer:
” The poem ‘Heaven, if You are not Here on Earth’, makes an attempt to argue that there is no ‘Heaven’ in reality. Entities like ‘God’, ‘Heaven’, and the ‘Nymphs’ are merely figments of man’s imagination. In response to the belief that ‘Heaven’ is mesmerizingly beautiful and is the abode of ‘Gods’ and the ‘Nymphs’, the poem asserts that ‘Heaven’ is only a replica of the resplendent and pristine Nature. When we are treated with kindness and compassion in times of distress and helplessness, we attribute it to the divinity of God. This is only a replica of ‘Man’ giving divine help to his fellow beings in times of distress and saving them.
We believe that nymphs are lesser goddesses of Nature represented as young girls living in trees, streams, mountains, etc. They are none other than a replica of the beautiful and charming girls living in the lap of nature of this earth.
Besides being the abode of the gods and nymphs, ‘Heaven’ is believed to be an incredibly beautiful place. The poem argues that the idea or concept of Heaven’s beauty is only an image of the beautiful earth which abounds in roaring streams leaping down the mountains and the rolling waves carrying surf at their edges. This enchanting beauty of the earth is enhanced by the tender sunshine clothing the vast expanse of green forests, and the warmth of the gentle sunbathing the greenery. To top all this is the moonlight, which makes our nights tranquil and pleasant.
On the whole, one can conclude that it is our human kindness and compassion that comes to be termed as ‘divinity’ and the pristine Nature that creates Heaven on earth.
Question 5.
‘It is not gods that make heaven but humans who attain divinity’. How is this brought out in ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’?
Answer:
The idea that ‘it is not gods that make heaven but humans who attain divinity’ is expressed in lines three and four:
“If we ourselves cannot be gods
Then there can be no gods!”
According to the poet, heaven is only a replica of the resplendent and pristine nature. There is no distinct or substantial entity called ‘God’ and it is the man who makes the earth ‘Heaven’. When ‘man’ treats his fellow beings with kindness and compassion in times of distress and helplessness, he attains divinity. He is as divine as God. This is only a replica of a man giving divine help to his fellow beings in times of distress and saving them. It is such human beings with divine kindness and compassion that make ‘Heaven’ on earth.
Question 6.
‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’ tries to remove the traditional picture of heaven. Discuss.
Answer:
” The poem ‘Heaven, if You are not Here on Earth’, makes an attempt to argue that there is no ‘Heaven’ in reality. Entities like ‘God’, ‘Heaven’, and the ‘Nymphs’ are merely figments of man’s imagination. In response to the belief that ‘Heaven’ is mesmerizingly beautiful and is the abode of ‘Gods’ and the ‘Nymphs’, the poem asserts that ‘Heaven’ is only a replica of the resplendent and pristine Nature. When we are treated with kindness and compassion in times of distress and helplessness, we attribute it to the divinity of God. This is only a replica of ‘Man’ giving divine help to his fellow beings in times of distress and saving them.
We believe that nymphs are lesser goddesses of Nature represented as young girls living in trees, streams, mountains, etc. They are none other than a replica of the beautiful and charming girls living in the lap of nature of this earth.
Besides being the abode of the gods and nymphs, ‘Heaven’ is believed to be an incredibly beautiful place. The poem argues that the idea or concept of Heaven’s beauty is only an image of the beautiful earth which abounds in roaring streams leaping down the mountains and the rolling waves carrying surf at their edges. This enchanting beauty of the earth is enhanced by the tender sunshine clothing the vast expanse of green forests, and the warmth of the gentle sunbathing the greenery. To top all this is the moonlight, which makes our nights tranquil and pleasant.
On the whole, one can conclude that it is our human kindness and compassion that comes to be termed as ‘divinity’ and the pristine Nature that creates Heaven on earth.
Question 7.
Both human nature and the natural world play a vital role in the creation of heaven. Explain with reference to ‘Heaven, If You Are Not Here On Earth’.
Answer:
” The poem ‘Heaven, if You are not Here on Earth’, makes an attempt to argue that there is no ‘Heaven’ in reality. Entities like ‘God’, ‘Heaven’, and the ‘Nymphs’ are merely figments of man’s imagination. In response to the belief that ‘Heaven’ is mesmerizingly beautiful and is the abode of ‘Gods’ and the ‘Nymphs’, the poem asserts that ‘Heaven’ is only a replica of the resplendent and pristine Nature. When we are treated with kindness and compassion in times of distress and helplessness, we attribute it to the divinity of God. This is only a replica of ‘Man’ giving divine help to his fellow beings in times of distress and saving them.
We believe that nymphs are lesser goddesses of Nature represented as young girls living in trees, streams, mountains, etc. They are none other than a replica of the beautiful and charming girls living in the lap of nature of this earth.
Besides being the abode of the gods and nymphs, ‘Heaven’ is believed to be an incredibly beautiful place. The poem argues that the idea or concept of Heaven’s beauty is only an image of the beautiful earth which abounds in roaring streams leaping down the mountains and the rolling waves carrying surf at their edges. This enchanting beauty of the earth is enhanced by the tender sunshine clothing the vast expanse of green forests, and the warmth of the gentle sunbathing the greenery. To top all this is the moonlight, which makes our nights tranquil and pleasant.
On the whole, one can conclude that it is our human kindness and compassion that comes to be termed as ‘divinity’ and the pristine Nature that creates Heaven on earth.
Heaven, If you are not here on Earth by Kuvempu About the Poet:
K.V. Puttappa (1904-1994) is widely known by the pen name Kuvempu. He is acknowledged as the greatest poet of the 20th century Kannada literature. He is the first among eight recipients of the Jnanpith Award for Kannada.
He is the second – after M. Govinda Pai – among Kannada poets to be revered as Rashtrakavi, a national poet. His work ‘Sri Ramayana Darshanam’, the rewriting of the great ancient Indian epic ‘Ramayana’ in modern Kannada, is regarded as a revival of the era of Mahakavya (Epic poetry) in a contemporary form and charm. He is immortalized by some of his phrases, and in particular for his contribution to Universal Humanism or in his own words ‘Vishwa Manavatha Vaada’. He was conferred the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India. He has penned the Karnataka State anthem ‘Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate’. The poem has been translated into English by Dr. C. Naganna, a well-known poet, critic, and translator.
In this poem, Kuvempu urges us to take note of nature as a dynamic entity. For him, heaven is not something beyond the boundaries of this world, since the earth itself possesses all that the so-called heaven promises. The poet’s decisive inference that heaven is here on earth and nowhere else is seen from the beginning to the end. According to him, the stream, the waves, the splendour of harvest, the sunshine, the celestial eye, the moonlight – are all nothing but the reflection of that unseen paradise called heaven.
Heaven, If you are not here on Earth Summary in English
This poem is the English version of’Swargave, Bhoomiyoliradire Neenu’, a poem in Kannada, written by Kuvempu, one of the most revered poets of Karnataka.
The poem makes an attempt to give the reader a glimpse into the rationalistic outlook of the poet. The poet has tried to argue that concepts like ‘Heaven’, ‘God’, ‘Nymphs’ etc., are man’s creations. Entities like ‘Heaven’ and ‘God’ exist only on the Earth and you cannot find them anywhere else. The poet suggests that one should perceive divinity and enjoy the heavenly bliss in the company of Nature itself. The poet strongly believes that ‘Heavenliness and worldliness’ are not distinct or two separate entities and argues that there is no difference between worshipping or adoring Nature and worshipping or adoring God.
In the first two lines the poet addresses ‘Heaven’ and declares emphatically that if Heaven does not exist on the Earth where else can it be. It only means that the reader needs not look for ‘Heaven’ in the skies; if at all there is an entity called ‘Heaven’ one must find it on the earth only and nowhere else.
The poet refers to our beliefs about ‘Gods’ and ‘heavenly nymphs’. The poet expresses his conviction that there is no distinct or substantial entity called ‘God’ and it is Man himself who is God. Similarly, there exist no entities called ‘heavenly nymphs’. He firmly believes that we ourselves are the nymphs, and the nymphs are to be found nowhere else but on this earth only.
The poet wants to dispel the popular notion that gods and nymphs live in heaven. The poet, who wants to dismiss such beliefs, tells the reader that we ourselves should become gods and nymphs. The poet wants us to give up our belief that we go to heaven after death where we find gods and nymphs.
The poet tries to introduce us to the different forms or parts of heaven that exist on the earth. He presents a mesmerizing picture of ‘Nature’ in its pristine form. The poet states that the ‘bliss’ that we experience when we look at the streams that are leaping down, roaring, from the top of the hills, the waves that come rolling across the seas carrying surf at their edges, the tender rays of sunlight falling on the vast expanse of green forests and the gentle sun warming up the earth make this Earth, ‘Heaven’.
The poet refers to the beauty of the harvest season and the moonlit night. He declares that one enjoys heavenly bliss when one watches the splendour of harvest and the moonlit night. The poet ends the poem saying that the poet who imbibes this heavenly bliss, spreads the nectar of Heaven through his poetry on this earth.
A poet is endowed with a higher degree of imagination and sensibility. With these qualities, the poet appreciates nature’s beauty and in turn, the poet enables others to behold heaven on earth.
To sum up, the poet argues that we do not need to seek heaven after death, but can enjoy heavenly bliss even when we are alive, if only we have the ‘eyes’ to see ‘Heaven’ on this earth. ’Heaven’ exists only on the earth and nowhere else. One is sure to enjoy the pleasures of heaven when one looks at the splendour of Nature. The poet urges the reader to perceive the tremendous energy that lies underneath the physical beauty of Nature. This idea can be taken as the message of the poem.
Heaven, If you are not here on Earth Summary in Kannada
Glossary:
- nymph: damsel
- Froth: foam
- Verdant: green with grass or other rich vegetation
- Nectar: the drink of the Gods