Harvest Hymn, Class 8: Symbols, Poetic Devices and the Chorus of Voices
Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked
In Harvest Hymn, Sarojini Naidu lets different groups of farming folk thank the Sun (Surya), rain (Varuna), the Earth (Prithvi) and the Creator (Brahma). The Sun stands for light and warmth, rain for mercy, the Earth for motherhood and Brahma for the beginning and end of life. Devices such as apostrophe, repetition, alliteration, metaphor and personification make the thanks musical.
Notice that each power thanked in the poem stands for something: Sun for light, rain for mercy, Earth for motherhood, Brahma for beginning and end.
Illustration drawn for QuestionBuddy.
Understand Harvest Hymn: Symbols, Devices and the Chorus
The chorus. The poem is sung in four stanzas of eight lines. Men sing stanzas 1 and 2, women sing stanza 3 and all voices sing stanza 4. Every stanza ends by praising the power addressed with cymbals and another instrument or a prayer.
What each power stands for.
- Surya, the Sun: light, energy and warmth that ripen the crops. He is "bright and munificent lord of the morn".
- Varuna, rain: mercy and nourishment for the furrows and the grain.
- Prithvi, the Earth: fertile land and motherhood: "Sweet and omnipotent mother, O Earth!"
- Brahma: the Creator, "the Seed and the Scythe of our harvests", which means that he is both the beginning and the end of the harvest cycle.
Gold. "The gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit" uses gold as a metaphor for ripe crops and fruit, the real wealth of the farmers.
Devices with examples.
- Apostrophe (addressing someone who cannot reply): "Sweet and omnipotent mother, O Earth!"
- Repetition: "Thine is the bounty" and "Thine is the mercy" begin lines in the same way.
- Alliteration: "Lord of the lotus"; "our lives and our labours"; "Seed and the Scythe".
- Metaphor: Brahma is called the Seed and the Scythe.
- Personification: the Earth is addressed as a mother.
- Imagery: "the wealth of our valleys, new-garnered and ripe".
Tone and language. The tone is reverent, joyful and grateful. Archaic words (thou, thee, thine, art) give the poem the sound of a prayer.
Dignity of labour. In the last stanza the farmers offer "our lives and our labours" as tribute. Their gratitude is shown through work as well as words.
Answer pattern. Quote the line, name the device and state its effect on the feeling or meaning.
Harvest Hymn: Symbols, Devices and the Chorus: key facts
- Powers and what they stand for
Surya light and warmth Varuna rain and mercy Prithvi motherhood and fertility Brahma creator, beginning and end - One symbol per stanza.
- Voices
Stanza 1 men Stanza 2 men Stanza 3 women Stanza 4 all voices - Four eight-line stanzas.
- Devices
Apostrophe O Earth Repetition Thine is the bounty Alliteration Seed and Scythe Metaphor gold of our fields - Quote, name, explain.
- Tone and mood
- Reverent
- Joyful
- Grateful
- Use for tone questions.
Harvest Hymn: Symbols, Devices and the Chorus in real life
The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.
Thanking those who make our food possible
Suppose a school holds a "Thank a Farmer" day, and Class 8 students decide to write a short thanksgiving song. Each group thanks one part of the chain: the sun and rain, the soil, the farmers and the people who carry the grain to the market. They end by singing together.
Which features of Harvest Hymn does this activity copy?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Different groups sing to different powers.
- All voices join at the end.
- The song thanks nature and the workers.
Answer: It copies the structure of voices, from separate groups to a full chorus, and the theme of gratitude to nature and to labour.
Memory hook: Separate voices, one chorus, one thanks.
Tricks to remember Harvest Hymn: Symbols, Devices and the Chorus
Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.
S-V-P-B
Surya, Varuna, Prithvi, Brahma.
Use it when: The four powers in order.
Seed and Scythe
Seed begins, scythe ends.
Use it when: Brahma as beginning and end.
Thou thee thy
Thou does, thee receives, thy owns.
Use it when: Archaic pronouns.
Harvest Hymn: Symbols, Devices and the Chorus: solved examples
Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.
Example 1: Who is stanza 2 addressed to · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
Stanza 2 of Harvest Hymn is addressed to
(a) Surya (b) Varuna (c) Prithvi (d) Brahma
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The second stanza praises Varuna, the lord of the rain (1 mark).
Answer: (b)
Example 2: What the gold stands for · 2 marks · Short answerBoard level
What does the poet mean by "the gold of our fields and the gold of our fruit"? Answer in 25-30 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Gold is a metaphor for ripe crops and fruit (1).
- It shows their value to the farmers (1).
Answer: The poet uses gold as a metaphor for ripe crops and fruit. The golden grain and fruit are the real wealth of the farmers, which they offer with thanks to the Sun.
Example 3: Apostrophe: O Earth · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
What is apostrophe? Why does the poet make the farmers address the Earth directly, as in "Sweet and omnipotent mother, O Earth!", instead of describing her? Answer in 50-60 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Definition: addressing someone absent or non-human (1).
- Effect: personal, prayer-like closeness (1).
- Shows gratitude is expressed to her directly (1).
Answer: Apostrophe is a device in which a speaker directly addresses an absent person or a non-human thing. By calling "O Earth!", the poet makes the hymn sound like a prayer offered face to face. It creates closeness and respect, and shows that the thanks are spoken straight to the Earth, as to a loving mother.
Example 4: Repetition and alliteration · 4 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Explain how repetition and alliteration add to the feeling of the poem, with one example of each. Answer in 70-80 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Repetition example and effect (2).
- Alliteration example and effect (2).
Answer: Repetition: "Thine is the bounty" and "Thine is the mercy" begin lines in the same way, giving the poem a chant-like rhythm and a feeling of gratitude said again and again. Alliteration: in "our lives and our labours" and "the Seed and the Scythe" the repeated sounds add music and make the lines easy to remember and sing. Together they make the hymn sound like a real song of thanks.
Example 5: Why different voices · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Why does the poet divide the hymn among men, women and all voices? How does the arrangement add to the meaning? Answer in 80-100 words.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The three groups (1).
- The women address the Earth, a mother (1.5).
- The full chorus joins for the Creator, showing unity (1.5).
- Expression (1).
Answer: The hymn is arranged like a real village celebration in which different groups take turns before everyone sings together. The men thank Surya and Varuna, the powers that send sunlight and rain, and the women thank the Earth, which is addressed as a mother and a source of life. In the last stanza all voices join to praise Brahma, the Lord of the Universe. The arrangement shows that the whole community shares the harvest and the gratitude, and it builds from separate voices to a united chorus.
Where students lose marks in Harvest Hymn: Symbols, Devices and the Chorus
The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.
Mistake: Writing that the poem is sung by men only
Three groups sing.
Wrong working
The men sing all four stanzas.
Right working
Men sing stanzas 1 and 2, women sing stanza 3 and all voices sing stanza 4.
Do this: Remember M-M-W-All.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Explaining the metaphor literally
Brahma is not really a seed or scythe.
Wrong working
Brahma is a tool used for cutting.
Right working
Brahma is the beginning and the end of the harvest cycle.
Do this: Say "stands for".
Usually costs: 1 to 2 marks.
Mistake: Naming a device without a quotation
Marks go for the example.
Wrong working
The poem uses alliteration.
Right working
The poem uses alliteration in "Seed and the Scythe".
Do this: Quote the words.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Exam tips
- Name the four powers in order: Surya, Varuna, Prithvi, Brahma.
- Say what each stands for, not only what it is.
- For devices, quote the line first.
- Describe the tone with three words: reverent, joyful and grateful.
- Mention the archaic words (thou, thee, thine, art) when asked about language.
Practice questions on Harvest Hymn: Symbols, Devices and the Chorus
Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.
Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
The word "munificent" in the poem means
(a) generous (b) cruel (c) tiny (d) noisyHint
It is used for the Sun.
Answer
(a)
Q2 · 2 marks · Short answerBoard level
Why does the poet mention cymbals and other instruments at the end of the first three stanzas? Answer in 25-30 words.
Hint
Think of a village festival.
Answer
The cymbals and other instruments add music, joy and a festive mood. They show that the villagers do not only speak their thanks but celebrate the harvest with song.
Q3 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): The poet addresses the Earth as a mother.
Reason (R): The Earth feeds all of us and all riches come from her.
(a) Both A and R are true and R explains A
(b) Both are true but R does not explain A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is trueHint
Think of what a mother does.
Answer
(a)
Q4 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Explain how the poem shows the dignity of labour. Use two lines or phrases. Answer in 50-60 words.
Hint
"Our lives and our labours" and "the Seed and the Scythe".
Answer
The farmers offer "our lives and our labours for tribute", showing they regard their work as worth offering. By calling Brahma "the Seed and the Scythe", the poet presents sowing and reaping as part of a divine cycle. Together they show that labour is honourable and is a way of giving thanks.
Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency
Write a short thanksgiving song or poem of 8-12 lines for the farmers of your country, using at least two devices from Harvest Hymn.
Hint
Use repetition and apostrophe, and keep a simple rhyme.
Answer
O Farmer, O Farmer, we thank you today,
For the rice in our bowls and the grain in our tray.
O Sun in the morning, O rain on the land,
You ripened the harvest with the work of your hand.
The gold of the wheat and the green of the field,
The wealth of the soil and the joy of the yield,
We thank you, we thank you, we sing in a row,
For the seed that you planted, for the crops that you grow.
Test your recall
Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.
1.Who wrote Harvest Hymn?Show answer
Sarojini Naidu.
2.How many stanzas does it have?Show answer
Four, each with eight lines.
3.Whom do the women praise?Show answer
Prithvi, the Earth.
4.Who is the Seed and the Scythe?Show answer
Brahma, Lord of the Universe.
5.What does thine mean?Show answer
Yours.
6.What do the farmers offer in the last stanza?Show answer
Their lives and labours.
Harvest Hymn: Symbols, Devices and the Chorus: frequently asked questions
What is the central idea of Harvest Hymn?
A good harvest is a gift of nature and the Creator, and farmers respond with gratitude and hard work.
Is Harvest Hymn a prayer?
It is a hymn, a song of praise sung at harvest time.
Why are old words like thou used?
They give the poem the formal sound of a prayer.
What questions come from this poem?
Extract questions, devices, symbols, vocabulary and a creative slogan or song.