A Hermit's Prayer..... Poem by Prabhakar Srivastava

In the absence of any hopeful ray
Hungry of both bread and content
A jobless lad thus made his way
Towards a so called insane saint

Recollecting the days of father's time
When happiness but everywhere seemed
Now the life's poetry had lost its rhyme
How destiny plays, the lad thus deemed

Tears were rolling, thinking his plight
For his own Kiths and kins were in pain
Who could bear seeing a horrible sight
When from heaven but only cinders rain

His mind was waving between two ways
Being a monk and serve the entire world
And let his own die in those cruel days
Ah! how could he? his heart murmured

At one side a great seer with rare sermons
At other side was his own mother's call
His sturdy shoulders had weight in tonnes
Whether serve one wailing family or all

Almost at zenith of matchless agony
The lad reached Thakur, the great master
Knowing Him as an desires fulfilling tree
'O Thakur, Thakur' he could but whisper

Tears denied to stop seeing such shelter
Throat too choked as forgot to speak
For some times even he forgot his mother
But soon he sensed, He wanted to seek

Thus prostrating before Thakur, He said
Thou trust Almighty as Kali, The Mother
Just pray to Her for our two times bread
For I love Thee but don't believe in Her

With infinite magnanimity in His eyes
Spoke thus Thakur it's Tuesday night
She must listen to thee, o son! Just rise
To quench thy thirst, Only She has might

O Naren! Just go and beg what thou want
I give my word, Tonight She'll not deny
And shall remove every pain and want
I assure thee my son, just go, bow and try

Thus this lad getting Thakur's assurance
And touching His holy feet with pure love
And to feel The Divine Power's presence
He entered the temple like a lioness' cub

The sight being ineffable and matchless
In place of idol, The Mother really stood
Lo! Smiling with unique motherliness
A Manifestation of all mothers, She looked

With his quivering and folded hands
Narendra looked at Her ever kind face
Bowing thus The Queen of infinite lands
He couldn't remember his painful days

Suddenly he thought, Once Thakur said
‎An Emperor when standing before a man
‎who asks for pumpkin? surely but mad
‎For Wise seek jwels and His graceful rain

Thus Spoke Narendra with tears in eyes
Love, Renunciation and wisdom I want
May in my heart Thy Devotion ever rise!
Thus saluting Her, From there He went

The Omniscient Thakur laughing asked
Did he ask Her for bread and garment
And realising he forgot his worldly task
He besought Thakur once more be sent

Thus Three times that stupid lad went
But couldn't ask for his worldly gains
For entire humanity who was but sent
Could he satisfy few bellies and brains?

At last with a fatigued and weeping heart
He prostrated before Thakur and spoke
O Thakur! It's indeed Thy trick or art
Thou changed my mind and now mock

Alright, I couldn't ask for worldly pleasure
Thou take the responsibility of my family
For Grain and clothes they mustn't bother
To serve the humanity, just make me free

And Thakur entered the deepest trance
With the the great blessing of Tatha Astu (May That Happen!)
And the lad then could get the chance
To be Vivekananda whom later all knew