Ramayana Part Ii Birth Of Rama Poem by Diwakar Bhatt

City of Ayodhya was ruled by Dushrath, the great emperor
Magnanimous, saviour of religion but a ferocious warrior.

He earned fame during his regime valorous and victorious,
At times rescued gods from demons uncouth and notorious.

His vast empire was more or less without boundaries,
He vanquished with deterring force, rebels and enemies.

Kakai, sumitra and Kausalya were his beloved queens,
Beautiful, chaste and faithful to the king by all means.

Constantly nagging worries gnawed on his soul,
Without a worthy heir, true to the expectations of all.

King achieved everything except a son,
Visited Guru Vasistha to seek advice in person.

Woebegone king explained about his frustrations,
Getting old without any perpetuator of his generations.

The sage then comforted the vexed king and foretold,
His four sons who will be worshiped throughout the world.

Sacrificial rites performed at an auspicious occasion,
The fire god appeared and offered a mystic oblation.

Half of the potion being consumed by Kausaylya,
Remaining half being divided between Kakai and Sumitra.

Consequently all the queens conceived gleefully,
Kings desire was going to be fulfilled ultimately.

Grace of god and heavenly boon ended the gloom,
King was a proud father of four sons each a celestial bloom.

The king being carried away by a surge of inexpressible joy,
A rejuvenated soul which once was mellowed and dry.

Whole city reverberated with melodious chant,
Streets crowded with throngs of people jubilant.

Ayodhya exuded a heavenly trait.
Resplendent colors shone everywhere to decorate.

Time came to a stand still as the celebration seemed endless.
One complete month passed in ecstatic unconsciousness.

King granted everybody to their fullest desire,
Without distinction between pauper and a rich sire.

Then came the time for the naming of princes all,
For sage vasistha, he sent a humble call.

The eldest son an embodiment of divine happiness,
He was named Rama, pious for every soul to possess.

Bharata being the name given to second son,
Sustained and supported the universe, adorable to everyone.

Shatrughan the slayer of foes,
To the third son of king this name goes.

The other bestowed with splendid name laxmana,
Beloved of Rama, noble traits magnified whose persona.

Innocent acts of princes gave a new experience to everyone,
Those joyful moments could not be bought by all their riches even

Their presence made hearts of all mothers lively and warm,
A single touch to old king was like a soothing balm.

Cynosure of all eyes was the eldest son Ram,
Every body was spell bound by his mystic charm.

His small tender feet with tinkling anklets,
Waist girdled with strings of bells arms decked with ornaments.

His toddling walk in long yellow apparel,
Brought a state of euphoria to the royal couple.

It was delightful to hear his sweet lisping prattle,
His Godly voice was like nectar to every mortal.

His cherubic smiling face was bright like a full moon,
As if an angel treaded earth to curb every evil very soon.

An entity carved by Bhrama unique of its kind,
Created an indelible impression on everybody's mind.

A single sight of him would equal eons of penance,
His child-like pranks would give joy immense.

Lull in the palace turned into a festive mood totally,
The ever-cherished dream of king came true lastly.

Now there was no anxiety about the kingdom’s care,
As he would be having son Rama as able and wise heir.

As time passed by, they grew into lads fine and handsome,
A time to pursue education to achieve knowledge and wisdom.

Learned all skills of war, the teachings of love and benevolence,
In an ashram under great guru’s tutelage and governance.

Now they were masters of the universe with their weaponry,
There was no equal on earth against their might and chivalry.

Twang of their bows was spine chilling,
Sound of their celestial conches was deafening.

They were able to change the course of flowing river,
Their arrows could make the gigantic mountains shiver.

But they were calm like the deep ocean with its fullness,
They were keen in wining anyone with love not with duress.

One day sage Viswamitra, came to King Dasharatha’s court,
Narrated the cruelties of demon Marich, Subahu and their cohort.

He wanted Rama and Lakshmana to accomplish this difficult task,
Shocked king denied to part with them but anything else he could ask.

The seer dispelled king of all his doubts with his wisdom uncanny.
The king then entrusted his sons to the sage with blessings many.

While in the ashram, Ram killed many demons,
Brought an air of respite to oppressed and crushed humans.

Ram killed Tadka in the realm of God her soul got a place,
But this was the beginning of downfall of the demon race.

A headless arrow sent Marich hundred of miles beyond sea,
Subahu being killed by an arrow of fire, as he could not flee.

One day Visvamitra got an invitation from Janak, Mithila’s king,
He was told about some contest of bow not the real meaning.

They set out for the city with a mere fascination for the show,
But it would be something much more what they didn’t know.

On the way he saw a lonely and abandoned hermitage,
Seeing a rock there enquired about it from the sage.

The Guru told the story of Ahilya, sage Gautma’s wife,
Cursed to be stone, waiting for years to get back her life.

Merciful Rama touched the rock with his lotus feet,
Ahilya resurrected from her lifeless form on her feet.

Such were the great deeds of the Lord’s incarnate,
A hero of the Raghu’s race to be more appropriate.