Tha Ballad Of Little Krishna Poem by Sathya Narayana

THE BALLAD OF LITTLE KRISHNA
INTRODUCTION
यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य ग्लानिर्भवति भारत।
अभ्युत्थानमधर्मस्य तदाऽऽत्मानं सृजाम्यहम्।।4.7।।
---O scion of the Bharata dynasty, whenever there is a decline in Dharma and increase of adharma, then do I manifest Myself.
-Srimad Bhagavath Gita
A fight between the good Godly forces and bad demonic forces takes place in every yuga or eon. The God programmed the earth in such a way, the earth survives as long as the virtues are upheld and Dharma is followed. Dharma means 'acceptable social behaviour ' which includes legality, morality and amity. But the unmindful demonic spirits from the underworld try to possess the human bodies to quench their carnal and worldly desires. When demonic forces thus take a dominance over the earth, the result is chaos, dwindling of virtues and upraise of sins. That is when the God descends donning an Avatar to save the earth from increasing weight of sins (paapa bharam) .
A Yadava king by name Kamsa was thus possessed by a demonic spirit by name Kalanemi. His behaviour changes. One day a cosmic voice tells him that the 8th son of his cousin, Devaki would kill him. Kamsa jails his cousin Devaki and Vasudeva, his brother-in-law. He kills six of his cousin's infant sons as soon as they were born. But seventh time, there was a mysterious miscarriage. And as the eighth child, Lord Narayana Himself descends as Lord Sri Krishna Vaasudeva. How the Lord ends up the evil reign of Kamsa and restores Dharma is the story of this book.
The story runs in lyrical and narrative ballads. Though the format is old and style is classical, the way it's told is very modern, in simple English, keeping in mind the modern reader's interest and propensities. At the same time this is not a simple story narration. This book also discusses in deep, various spiritual conundrums at length, and tries to explain many issues in the Hindu epics often subjected to doubt and criticism like Rasa Leela, curses and boons given by saints/sages, the never-ending feud between the Godly forces and demonic forces, the adamant and arrogant way sinners think and how and why their meet their disastrous end.

लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनोभवंतु

Chapter I AVATAR
The two dumb torches glowing in vain
in grim silence of jail
gloomy, gloomy...who harkens there
a mother's painful wail?

O' Devaki, O' Devaki
what gain this labour pain;
eighth time thou deliver, alas
to stick to javelin!

The innocent nascent cry
wakes up the tyrant wild.
With strides long, long, he comes and jumps
to slay the tender child!

Vasudeva, Vasudeva,
O' shackled father's love
helpless to help thy wife art thou
or save thy child art thou!

Whence raised a light filling the cell.
The sticky oily dirt
assumed oho, divine perfume.
What's that...that dazzling spurt? !
It's blue, sky-blue with golden streaks,
a thousand stars as if
appeared on earth with a piece of sky,
as stunned couple stared stiff.

A voice melodious whence spoke;
divine like temple toll
'O' Mother Devaki, in womb
thine holy; lies my soul! '

Thou be my father O' the pure
and pious Vasudeva
and Mother Devaki my Ma;
Me God in fact in awe! '

'It's not in here I further live,
but in Vrajapuram,
the greenly green village of plain
cowherds of love wholesome! '

'Me there thou take O' father pious,
where start I first, my play
and come to thee, O' my beloved
in the course of time and way! '

'Nanda's the Chief of that village...
his wife Yashoda Ma
will deliver of a child, female
tonight; when thou me Ma! '

'O' Mother Pure and Father Pious
Ill drink Yashoda's milk
this's my edict, the Karma rule,
and grow with cowherd-ilk.'

Thou take me there O' Father pious
and swap the kids and bring
that child, female into this jail
and place before the king.'

With great amazement sipped that blessed
couple, the nectarous spill
of sacred light, missing nothing
of that great spectacle!

Vanished that light whence cried the child
...like bluish cloud - a boy
Krishna; the light, the path and sought
Krishna, Krishna, the name a joy.


The joyous mother pressed the child
to bosom her with tears
blessing the kid; as father looked
around alert all ears.

With shackled hands and legs, the proud
but scared Vasudeva
doubled on knees and kissed the child's
two cheeks, rosy and raw.

The moment touched he the child, the chains
binding his limbs were snapped
with creaky sounds like click, clickclick!
By stunned silence he's 'nwrapped.

With panic he tiptoed towards
the prison door, clasped tight
the bars and looked at the corridor...
when heard more 'clicks'...he gasped.

With sudden jerk the prison lock
broke open, fell on ground
then opened bolt as well and dropped
making a heavy sound.

Alarmed Vasudeva had jumped
backwards, whence opened door
as if by some invisible force.
Benumbed he glued to floor!

But soon he came to consciousness,
walked out of the jail and pried.
The guards were lying still on floor
as if quite long they died.

He rushed inside, told Devaki
'It's time I shall fulfil
the Lord's decree, before the dawn,
ere raises demon's shrill.'

'Give me the child, O' Devaki;
a just-born son, I know
the terrible pain of parting dear.
But remember His vow! '

'My son too He's O' dear! Endure
we have to dear this woe.
God hath His ways, arcane and weird.
His game we've to follow.'


'We had the signs...what signs, nay, nay
we saw the Lord Himself,
we heard His voice and saw His light.
He needs no aides, no help.'

'Give me the child, O' Devaki
it's time I go, it's time
to reach Vrajapuram, ere bells
of fort's first morning chime.'

She gave the child; her tears washing
the tender baby skin
of fetal slime and; blood with hands
shaking and deep chagrin.

He took the child so tenderly
enwrapped by sari cloth
and said, 'Shouldn't rue when rift rescues!
It's time I hit the swathe.'

He swiftly walked outside the jail.
The corridors were calm.
Silent was fort in deep repose.
At sight he found no harm.

A zephyr cool besmeared balsam;
the stars twinkled delight,
a sweet perfume loaded the air;
he felt his body light.

It's new, all new experience!
His own city looked strange,
with rare unknown beauties, and world
as entered virgin age.

It's Krishna Ashtami, the eighth
diem from full Moon day
of Sravana month. Oh the night
was dim, chilly and gay.

The faint moonbeams were fighting hard
to throw on path their light
when flashed an aureole around
the child, divine and bright.

The trees shuddered with ecstasy,
the earth it seemed did spin
a bit faster than its routine
and sparked Levin n welkin.


Whence started thin trickles of rain
to soon become a storm.
Lightings had flashed in continuum
as thunders clapped 'Om, Om! '

The rivers flowed with gushing vim,
the ocean waves had raised
like thirsty tongues to sip the rain
as worlds beheld amazed.

Vasudeva had looked skywards
with dumb astonishment
and tried to wrap the child with his
outstretched upper garment.

The rain was drenching skin and bones.
The showering drops of rain
had rolled on baby's skin like pearls
on blue sapphire arcane.

By then, a stoic that father great
had chanted loud the name:
'Narayana, Narayana,
Narayana! ', whence came...

Whence came, a huge ophidian
with thousand hoods outspread
and eyes like burning Suns and stood
shading that father's head.

He looked upwards with eyes widened,
got terrified, but held
his nerves, his faith unfailing. Calm
in name Divine, he dwelled.

He walked briskly, 'Narayana,
Narayana', chanting
as sacred serpent slid behind
with spread out hood-awning.

At last he reached the lushly shores
of river Yamuna
with silky sands, bounded by rich
flora and spry fauna.


Oh, Yamuna's in violent rush,
gushing forward, brushing
the shore, like an voluptuous belle
kissing her beau blushing.

Vasudeva unperturbed closed
his eyes and said again
'Narayana' that great mantra
by which what not we gain?

He continued, 'Narayana,
Narayana! '...this time
aloud and hoarse, 'Narayana,
Narayana! '...it's time...

It's time of greatest miracles,
unseen, unheard ever.
The bursting clouds turned boisterous;
the rain and gales severe.

The tidal waves of Yamuna
uprose with roars and rage,
then broke with deafening sounds and forked
to make a wide passage.

Oh, Yamuna, the river blessed
did pave a boulevard grand
welcoming Lord, the first of sorts
of grainy silver sand.

Isn't Yamuna, the nature-maid;
Maya...Her other name,
enshrouding HIM, HIS own aura,
HIS veil, HIS strength and fame!

He walked and walked to reach the banks.
Rain stopped, vamoosed the snake,
and Yamuna glided as usual
with lovely navel shake.

The strange phenomenon that waxed
till then had waned quickly.
With saintly smile, he looked around
and walked forward briskly.

The storm mellowed to fine drizzle
as gales turned mild tailwinds.
The clouds grumbled somewhere softly;
as lightening managed just winks.

Vrajapuram, located at
the foot of Govardhanam,
a hill with thick verdure, echoed
with bees' sonorous hum.

A small village of naive cowherds,
Vrajapuram, a place
with scents of milk, butter and grass;
too oozing love and grace.

It's all silence, except some sounds
of lashing tails of cows
and their low growls at teasing bees
and creaks of swinging boughs.

He moved through lanes familiar,
watching the homes in drowse;
smelling the scents of milk and ghee
and entered Nandas house.

Nanda, his own cousin was fast
asleep and all women
who kept a watch on Yashoda,
so tired, slumbered by then.




Enshrouded by Maya, mother
Yashoda didnt realize
she delivered of a child; Maya
in temporal disguise.

Vasudeva had quickly swapped
the kids and moved towards
his jail, nay, nay, not anymore;
the provenance of Lord!

In all silence he reached the jail
and looked at his consort;
asleep; weary of ecstasy
-in rhythmic thumps her heart.


For once he kissed the child
and tenderly placed
beside his wife; sighed, peeked around
with feelings interlaced.

His legs and hands he quickly chained
and sat with mind serene.
His heart thumping with joy and lips
chanting His name with preen.

Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare,
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare