By Percy Bysshe Shelley
The traveller says that he saw the ruins (അവശിഷ്ടങ്ങൾ) of a huge stone statue. Only the two giant stone legs were standing. Nearby, the broken face of the statue lay half buried in the sand. Although the statue was badly damaged, the face still showed a frown (ചുളിഞ്ഞ മുഖം), a wrinkled (ചുളിവുള്ള) lip, and a sneer (പരിഹാസ ചിരി). These expressions showed that Ozymandias was a proud and arrogant (അഹങ്കാരിയായ) ruler who liked to command others.
The sculptor (ശിൽപി) who made the statue had carefully carved these expressions. Even after many years, people could still understand the king's proud nature by looking at the broken face. This shows the great skill of the sculptor.
On the pedestal (പ്രതിമയുടെ അടിഭാഗം) of the statue, there was an inscription (ശിലാലിഖിതം) that read:
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Through these words, the king proudly tells other rulers to look at his great works (നേട്ടങ്ങൾ) and feel despair (നിരാശ) because they can never become as powerful as he is. He believed that his kingdom would last forever.
But the traveller explains that this is a great irony (വിരോധാഭാസം). Nothing of the king's mighty empire remains today. His palaces, buildings, and cities have disappeared. Only the broken statue stands in the middle of the desert. Around it, there are only endless (അനന്തമായ) stretches of sand. Time has destroyed everything that Ozymandias once proudly owned.
The poem teaches that all human achievements are temporary (താൽക്കാലികമായ). No matter how rich or powerful a person becomes, time will eventually destroy everything. Therefore, people should be humble (വിനയമുള്ള) instead of becoming proud and arrogant.
Conclusion
Thus, Ozymandias is a timeless poem about the temporary nature of power. Through the image of a broken statue in a lonely desert, Percy Bysshe Shelley reminds us that pride, wealth, and political power cannot last forever. The poem encourages us to value humility (വിനയം), kindness (ദയ), and good character (നല്ല സ്വഭാവം) because these qualities last much longer than power and fame.