“Look to This Day” and the Wisdom Attributed to Kalidasa

The poem "Look to This Day," often attributed to the ancient Sanskrit poet Kalidasa, beautifully captures the wonders of living in the here and now.

Purple roses as symbol of th beauty of the present moment as described in Kalidasa's poem

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In This Post:

The Poem
More About Kalidasa

Have you ever read something that stopped you mid-sentence?

That happened to me with a short poem often attributed to the ancient Sanskrit poet Kalidasa. I first encountered it in John Naish's Enough, and the lines stayed with me long after I closed the book.

The poem is called "Look to This Day."

It is frequently credited to Kalidasa, one of classical India's most celebrated poets and playwrights. Scholars, however, debate whether this English version truly originates from his Sanskrit works.

Regardless of its precise origin, the poem carries insights that feel timeless.

Here it is (English translation from allpoetry.com).

The Poem

Look To This Day

Look to this day:
For it is life, the very life of life.
In its brief course
Lie all the verities and realities of your existence.
The bliss of growth,
The glory of action,
The splendour of achievement
Are but experiences of time.

For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision;
And today well-lived, makes
Yesterday a dream of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.
Look well therefore to this day;
Such is the salutation to the ever-new dawn!

'…today well-lived, makes yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.'

Ah, my heart! That idea moves me every time I read it. The poem suggests that living fully now is not an escape. It's where life actually unfolds. The present becomes the foundation for both memory and anticipation.

I return to this poem whenever I feel scattered. It whispers that living in the present moment is enough. This very moment. If you make the most of "right now", you'll create memories worth keeping and hope for the days to come.

More About Kalidasa

Kalidasa is widely regarded as one of the greatest poets and dramatists in classical Sanskrit literature. His exact dates of his life are disputed, often placed between the 4th and 5th centuries CE.

Although "Look to This Day" is often attributed to him, I couldn't actually find any clear evidence that the poem appears in his known Sanskrit works. Some researchers point out that the earliest printed versions of this text in English date back to the late 19th century (see here).

The most accurate attribution today may simply be "Anonymous." Even under that attribution, the poem remains beautiful and meaningful.

Beyond "Look to This Day", it's worth exploring Kalidasa's authenticated works. If you're curious, accessible English translations of his verified works are widely available, for example on Amazon.