Urmila (Mythological Monologues #21)

Love is that powerful force

A miracle, A weapon, A shield

That can reach the beloved from afar

It is not always in presence

The lotus of love blooms

Drawing appreciation and admiration;

In the darkness of absence,

The night jasmine silently blooms

Spreading fragrance in the air

To fall off, the very next morning

Without exacting an ounce of admiration.

I- Urmila, unlike my sister Sita

Did not follow my husband, Lakshmana

 To the forests to live a life of austerity.

I stayed back in the palace of Ayodhya, 

Ensuring my husband serves Rama and Sita

Without getting distracted by my company.

Restless I was in the midst of everyone

My heart yearned to help Lakshmana

Every day and night, I prayed for a chance

To be his ally in this cosmic plan

Till the Universe granted my wish. 

The Goddess of Sleep visited me one night

"Lakshmana wants to stay awake 

For the next fourteen years 

To serve Rama and Sita.

His boon can only be granted

If someone accepts his share of sleep."

With a smile on my face, I said, 

"Please give me his share of sleep, Goddess."

For the next fourteen years, I slept

Whereas Lakshmana stayed awake.

Despite our physical distance, we were united

In our mission to serve Lord Rama;

Lakshmana could slay the mighty Indrajit

Who had the boon of being killed only by

The person who has conquered sleep. 

Love is that mighty gift

That can conquer any distance

Love is that miraculous armor

That can protect the beloved afar

Love is that divine nectar

That can make a person immortal.

People forget themselves when they sleep

I- Urmila was united with Lakshmana

As I slept uninterrupted for fourteen years;

With every beat of my heart, 

I was with him unconditionally, 

Without attachment and expectations;

The long years were not lost in oblivion

They made me an associate of my soulmate.

Separation, Distance, and Trust 

Became the holy soil on which

Urmila and Lakshmana's love bloomed

Into Parijata, night flowering jasmine. 

©Purba Chakraborty

24.04.2020

Note: Urmila is the wife of Lakshmana in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. She was the daughter of King Janaka and Queen Sunaina and the younger sister of Sita. 

Tender-Hearted Bharata (Mythological Monologues #20)

Tender-Hearted Bharata (Mythological Monologues #20)

The way Sudarshan Chakra 

Loses its existence without Lord Vishnu, 

My life loses all its meaning

When I am not serving my elder brother, Rama. 

The moon gets its light from the Sun

I- Bharata derive my strength from Rama.

If only my mother, Kaikeyi realized 

Ashada can never take the place of Shraavana,

She would not have imposed 

The misery of draught on Ayodhya. 

Desire to become the King of Ayodhya

Was as alien to me as monsoon in winter;

Despite carrying me in her womb for nine months,

My mother failed to know my soul

That is connected to Rama since several lifetimes. 

I pleaded numerous times to my elder brother

To return to Ayodhya and bless the kingdom

He turned me down again and again,

Stating he cannot dishonor father's words. 

Helpless and disheartened, I prayed to Him

And received the knowledge to run a kingdom

Every word of His was Holy nectar 

That I consumed with obeisance.

The impending long separation of fourteen years

Made my heart tremble with agony and fear

"How will I live without you, brother?" My heart cried

"By fulfilling your duties, Bharata." My Lord said.

All my fears, agony, and anxiety disappeared

I could see a ray of light showing me the path.

Before leaving, I asked for his footwear

Placed them on the royal seat of Ayodhya

I let the people of Ayodhya know it clearly

"Only Rama is the ruler of Ayodhya

His brother, Bharata only serves Him." 

Without abandoning my duties, 

I left the luxuries of the palace 

Started living in Nandi Gram

Practiced austerity for fourteen years

To feel closer to my elder brother.

The way Sudarshan Chakra 

Loses its existence without Lord Vishnu, 

Bharata's life loses all its meaning

When He is not serving His elder brother, Rama. 

©Purba Chakraborty

23.04.2020

Note: Bharata is the younger brother of Lord Rama in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. He is the son of King Dasharath and Queen Kaikeyi. 

Satyavati (Mythological Monologues #19)

Satyavati (Mythological Monologues #19)

Women are judged everyday- aren't they?

You are kind - you will be labelled weak

You are outspoken - you will be labelled blunt

In my time, in the past

Also in the near and faraway future

Women will be judged more harshly than men;

So I - Satyavati, a headstrong fisher woman 

Decided to live life on my own terms

Let them call me anything they want-

Selfish, Manipulative, Scheming

Yet I will live life on my own terms

Defying the rules of the society. 

I did not want to marry King Shantanu

Unless he promised to give my sons

The rights to be called King of Hastinapur.

I- Satyavati never saw it as blackmailing

It was a wise concern for my position;

Desiring a life of power and respect

Living life on my own terms

Was considered a sin for a woman

I attracted mean glances and taunts

Yet I never wanted to live a life of sacrifice.

Shantanu and Ganga's son, Devavrata 

Took a colossal vow, becoming Bhishma

To ensure his father's happiness with me. 

He left his rights to be the King, 

Giving my sons the power the rule the kingdom.

Blessed Bhishma is, the son of Goddess Ganga

Divine qualities are inherent within him

Whereas I had to experience the eternal 

Tug of war between virtues and vices.

Be it destiny or Karma, I lost both my sons

-Chitrangad and Vichitravirya 

Leaving the kingdom without an heir. 

I- Satyavati was not a woman 

Who would succumb under remorse and pity.

I ensured Hastinapur has heirs

By calling Sage Vyasa, my son out of wedlock.

My grandsons, Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Vidur

Were born, taking the Kuru clan forward. 

Women are judged everyday- aren't they?

I- Satyavati, the great grandmother 

Of Pandavas and Kauravas 

Never feared being judged and criticized;

Never did I compete with anyone

Never did I want to be better than anyone;

I embraced everything about myself-

The virtues and the vices.

I weaved ambitious dreams

Tried to capture the entire sky

In my two tiny eyes

Controlled and rectified situations

When things went wrong;

I- Satyavati lived life on my own terms

I was a woman way ahead of my times.

©Purba Chakraborty

22.04.2020

Note: Satyavati was the queen of King Shantanu in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata. She was the great grandmother of the Pandavas and Kauravas. 

Rukmini (Mythological Monologues #18)

Rukmini (Mythological Monologues #18)

The way sunflower gets drawn to the sun

The moths gets drawn to a lamp, 

I- Rukmini am drawn to Krishna 

Since I knew my name and identity. 

Every time I saw myself in the mirror, 

I could see him in my twinkling eyes,

In my smile, in my glistening tears;

He is in me more than I am in myself. 

I grew up listening to His stories

On my canvas, I painted Him

With His flute and the peacock feather.

I had his photograph in my heart

His paintings all around my room

My every heartbeat belonged to Him.

If marriage is the divine union

Of two souls, I was already married 

To Krishna since several lifetimes. 

My brother, Rukmi was adamant

He wanted me to marry his friend, Shishupala.

Leaving all hesitation, I wrote a love letter

To Krishna, confessing all my feelings

"O Krishna! O ManMohana! please carry me away

From the temple of Goddess Parvati tomorrow.

I cannot marry anyone apart from you.

You are in me more than I am in myself

Can one separate rain from the clouds?

Can one separate sunshine from the sun?

If you fail to come, I have to give up my life

So that we can get united in some other lifetime."

With boundless faith in my love, 

I gave the letter to a priest to deliver.

Expressing my immeasurable love to Krishna

Liberated me from the fruits of my action.

I looked at the idol of Goddess Parvati,

Envisioned her journey of austerity to get

Mahadev as Her husband.

"Bless me Mother! Krishna is my very soul

I am a river; He is the Ocean

He is my journey. He is my destination.

Let Him be my husband in every lifetime."

The fragrance of my love replaced

The pangs of fear and anxiety;

The sound of footsteps got clearer

As I completed saying my prayer. 

With pulsating heartbeats, I turned around

He walked into the temple with slow steps,

Like the sun rising from the bosom of mountains,

I beheld the first sunrise of my life.

Everything in my life paled and disappeared

At the sight of the golden smile of Krishna

The river dissolved with the Ocean. 

©Purba Chakraborty

21.04.2020

Note: Rukmini was the princess of Vidarbha. She is the chief consort of Lord Krishna. 

Queen Kaikeyi (Mythological Monologues #17)

Queen Kaikeyi (Mythological Monologues #17)

I am stranded 

In the arid desert of remorse

For fourteen long years;

Each day, I struggled to breathe

Each year, I longed for some rain

That can heal my parched heart,

Yearning for love and affection. 

I- Queen Kaikeyi lost everything

When I let the storm of greed

The strong winds of hate

Enter my heart and

Blew away my Utopia,

Burn my temple of love

Leaving ashes of my sin everywhere. 

My life was a beautiful Arcadia

I- Queen Kaikeyi, a brave warrior,

Skilled at playing various instruments

The favorite queen of Ayodhya;

I saved King Dasharath's life.

I loved Rama more than my own son, Bharata

Due to Rama's incomparable skills and virtues;

An ideal wife, mother, warrior

I claimed to be, with foremost pride.

I was oblivious when the seeds of desire 

To be better than Queen Kausalya

Gave birth to a poisonous tree 

That destroyed my Arcadia.

I let my maid, Manthara

Take ownership of my mind

And banished Rama from Ayodhya

To see Bharata as the ruler of Ayodhya

Resulting in the King's death. 

In the blinking of my eyes, 

I lost my husband and beloved son

Got cursed by my son, Bharata

A despised Witch from an admired Queen

In the eyes of everyone. 

I am stranded 

In the arid desert of repentance

For fourteen long years;

It never rained once in the desert

I have forgotten what love feels like

I have forgotten what living feels like

I kept praying for death each day. 

Rama is in my room after all these years

I weep, knowing I do not deserve his respect

With folded hands and clammy eyes, 

I pray for forgiveness at Rama's feet

"Mother! You contributed to the Cosmic Drama

Without you, Ravana would not get killed."

I look into Rama's lotus-like eyes

As he says those words with a calm smile. 

My penitence, aches, and burns

Transforms into a serene river

After years, I breathe with ease

My heart radiates love and kindness;

Liberated I am from my sins and guilt

By the merciful glance of Rama

My beloved son, the Lord of the Universe. 

©Purba Chakraborty

20.04.2020

Note: Kaikeyi is the third queen of King Dasharath in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. She is the mother of Bharata. 

Partha (Mythological Monologues #16)

Partha (Mythological Monologues #16)

Today I am reborn, 

In the Kurukshetra field

At the touch of Divine Knowledge,

My spiritual birth took place 

As I witnessed the Source of Creation

In the Kurukshetra field. 

I- Partha, the brave son of Pritha and Pandu,

The spiritual son of Indra,

Often called Gandivdhari Arjuna

For possessing the mighty bow, Gandiva

Created by Lord Brahma Himself;

A fierce and capable archer,

Ambidextrous, invincible, always victorious

Was unaware of Self-Realization,

The true nature of the soul,

The purpose of the body,

And the meaning of life. 

Sheathed by the deceptive blanket

Of worldly attachment and illusion

Blindfolded by the impermanent ties

Of material love and saccharine memories,

I was reluctant to pick my bow

And fight the battle of righteousness

Against my grandfather, teacher and brothers.

Renouncing absolutely everything 

Peacefully retiring to forest life

Seemed the righteous path at that hour. 

How desperately we humans love 

The deceptive blanket and impermanent ties!

How fiercely we humans think

Our existence would lose all meaning without them!

How dangerously we humans are

Chained in the web of illusion and attachment!

Today I am reborn, 

In the Kurukshetra field

At the touch of Divine Knowledge,

My spiritual birth took place 

As I witnessed the Source of Creation

With incessant tears in my eyes 

That cleansed my heart; Purified my mind.

Fruitless is the fear of death 

As nothing and no one can kill the Soul

Made of five elements-

Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space,

The body is a powerful costume

To fulfill the purpose of life.

Nothing is permanent apart from the Soul

Whose essence is virtue and fairness;

Every relationship, every object is transient

Attachments are an illusory web of thoughts

Desires are like stones thrown into a calm river

Acting on them will take away our peace.

We do not have to yearn and search for God

The Creator is in every Creation

Whatever happens, happens according

To the Master plan of the Creator. 

Surrendering to God's feet is the best Action.

I- Partha, would have been enslaved

In the dangerous web of material ties

If I had not wholeheartedly surrendered 

At the lotus feet of Govind. 

I- Arjuna would have been 

An ordinary brave warrior prince

Without being blessed 

By the knowledge of Gita

From the Supreme Lord Himself.

In being the true devotee of Lord Krishna,

I became the most memorable warrior.

Today I am reborn, 

In the midst of the Kurukshetra field.

Nothing more than an instrument I am 

In the hands of the Supreme!

I am an ordinary pen 

He is the mighty writer.

I am an insignificant actor

He is the talented director.

I am the fallen leaf

He is the powerful wind.

©Purba Chakraborty

18.04.2020

Note: Arjuna was third of the Pandava brothers in the Hindu epic, Mahabharata. He was the son of Kunti and Pandu. He was the favorite student of Dronacharya who taught him archery.  He was the friend and cousin of Lord Krishna. 

Outcaste Shabari (Mythological Monologues #15)