---
type: Language adaptation
title: स्वप्नान् द्रष्टुं न मे निषेधः
language: Sanskrit
slug: sanskrit
collection_order: 21
poem: i-am-free-to-dream
lyric_status: Lyric draft
review_status: needs-native-review
description: Sanskrit lyrics, cultural references and musical direction.
tags:
- i-am-free-to-dream
- language-adaptation
sources:
- resource: /poems/i-am-free-to-dream/original.md
  title: Author-supplied Odia poem
script: Devanagari
status: draft
generated:
  by: process:collection-import
  at: '2026-09-23T02:00:25+00:00'
music_theme: local-voice-quiet-joy-v2
music_review_status: musician-review-pending
---
# स्वप्नान् द्रष्टुं न मे निषेधः

**Language:** Sanskrit  
**Original poem and lyrics:** Ahimanikya Satapathy  
**Status:** Existing lyric draft; fluent-speaker review pending  
**Script:** Devanagari  
**Musical direction:** Luminous Sanskrit chamber song with spacious Dhrupad-informed resonance

## Poem / arranged lyrics

```text
[Intro]
स्वप्नान् द्रष्टुं न मे निषेधः,
मार्गाद् विचलितुमपि न मे निषेधः।
ध्रुवतारा मे मार्गं दर्शयिष्यति।

[Verse 1]
सञ्चित्य... सञ्चित्य...
जगदिदं दृढमालिङ्गितं मया—
सन्धानाशया,
अलङ्करणाशया।

[Verse 2]
कुम्भकारोऽहम्।

रूपं दातुं शिक्षितोऽहम्,
वर्णैरलङ्कृत्य,
तव मुखे स्मितं वप्तुं शिक्षितोऽहम्।

[Chorus]
स्वप्नान् द्रष्टुं न मे निषेधः,
मार्गाद् विचलितुमपि न मे निषेधः।
ध्रुवतारा मे मार्गं दर्शयिष्यति।

[Bridge]
एहि, पर्वतमारोहाव।
एहि, चन्द्रं पश्याव।
मेघैः सहांसं संयोज्य,
वर्षणमन्त्रं शिक्षावहै।

[Final Chorus]
स्वप्नान् द्रष्टुं न मे निषेधः।
तव स्वप्नान् मम स्वप्नेषु
गुम्फितुमपि न मे निषेधः।

[Soft Outro]
तव स्वप्नान् मम स्वप्नेषु...
गुम्फितुमपि न मे निषेधः।
```

## Why this musical direction

Make this a spacious version. The potter’s calm declaration and the North Star can gain warmth through sustained tone and silence. The intimacy should survive the more resonant sound.

The shared feeling is calm, soulful joy: affection, wonder and the freedom to dream. Local vocal phrasing and melody lead the arrangement. Rhythm and instrumentation can vary with the chosen setting while the pace remains unhurried.

## Arrangement decisions and review

**Status — proposed setting for the lyric draft.** The reasoning on this page is a creative direction to test with a fluent singer and musician, not a verified description of a recording.

**Vocal choice — solo by default.** One lead keeps the poem’s first-person voice and long thoughts connected. Any second voice, shared refrain or harmony suggested in the arrangement notes is an optional variation to discuss with the author before generation; it is not required by the language.

**What to validate.** Respect Sanskrit vowel quantity and word boundaries; let a luminous sustained melody follow the poem's free phrasing. Check whether the cited context supports the chosen influence and whether the musical choices serve the poem. Distinguish a documented practice from our new arrangement. Suggest corrections with the local variety, a source or performance example, and a timestamp when reviewing audio.

## Cultural grounding

NCPA’s Dhrupad programming illustrates a voice-centred practice with pakhawaj accompaniment. Sanskrit can also be sung through many other traditions; Dhrupad is a deliberate choice for this particular interpretation.

Musical reference: [NCPA — Promising Artistes Series](https://www.ncpamumbai.com/event/ncpa-citi-promising-artistes-series/).

The reference supports the context described above. The new melody, tempo and ensemble still need musician review.

## Voice, rhythm and arrangement

Respect Sanskrit vowel quantity and word boundaries; let a luminous sustained melody follow the poem's free phrasing.

Natural resonant male voice, tanpura drone, spare rudra-veena-like plucks and low pakhawaj entering later. Free opening on the actual poem; a measured pulse emerges after the first verse. Minimal chord movement.

Use a warm youthful male lead. Choose the rhythm around the reviewed lyric; there is no collection-wide requirement for 6/8. Keep one answering instrument or voice prominent at a time, with percussion below the words.

## Emotional shape

Let the opening unfold slowly without added syllables. Leave a full silent breath after कुम्भकारोऽहम्। Raise the bridge through register and resonance, then return to an almost unaccompanied closing line. Keep a distinct gathering breath and a fuller potter pause, with soft instruments sustaining underneath. Add warmth without accelerating or building a dramatic crescendo. End in peaceful, hopeful contentment.

## Style prompt

```text
Secular Sanskrit poetic chamber song with Dhrupad-informed luminous resonance and intimacy. Natural resonant male voice, precise Sanskrit consonants and vowel lengths, spacious sustained tones and restrained ornament. Tanpura drone, sparse rudra-veena-like plucks, low pakhawaj entering after the first verse. Free opening on the supplied words, then a measured gentle pulse; minimal harmonic movement. Breathe between सञ्चित्य... सञ्चित्य... and pause fully after कुम्भकारोऽहम्। Sustain the drone below. Lift the mountain-and-cloud bridge through vocal register, then close almost alone. Sing only the supplied poem, without added invocations or chant syllables. Respect Sanskrit vowel quantity and word boundaries; let a luminous sustained melody follow the poem's free phrasing. Warm youthful delivery; calm, soulful joy, affection and wonder. Keep the pace unhurried throughout; finish with peaceful hope. No mournful delivery, driving beat or dramatic crescendo.
```

## Working settings and listening checks

Use the existing arranged lyric for comparison. Keep its words, section order and pauses intact; log any later wording changes separately.

Start with the [shared generation baseline](../../../guides/generation-settings.md), then apply documented language or arrangement overrides. Preserve this language’s musical direction and listening checks. Explain each changed control, its musical reason and review status; record the actual settings with the take.

For the listening review:

1. Ask a fluent speaker to read the opening, gathering line, potter declaration and longest phrase naturally. Compare that phrasing with the sung version.
2. Check that the local vocal cadence and melodic treatment are audible, and that the regional character comes through beyond instrument names. Respect Sanskrit vowel quantity and word boundaries; let a luminous sustained melody follow the poem's free phrasing.
3. Check the gathering breath and fuller potter pause. Listen for dropped syllables, added words, distorted pronunciation or an accompaniment that forces a sentence to hurry.
4. Compare the opening, bridge and ending at similar playback volume. The arrangement may grow warmer, but should remain calm, soulful and quietly happy.

Keep the current translation review status until a fluent speaker and singer have reviewed the actual wording and take.

## Language-specific review

Existing lyrical draft, not a metrically verified classical verse or Vedic chant. A Sanskrit reviewer should check grammar, sandhi, dual imperatives in the bridge, vowel quantity and sung word boundaries. Masculine first-person forms follow the author’s speaker.

---

Collection prepared 22 September 2026. Original poem: Ahimanikya Satapathy. Translation drafts are AI-assisted except the author’s Odia source. Musical direction updated 23 September 2026. These language-specific arrangements remain proposals, not verified performances.