18 (Sakuntala) The King's Ring Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

The palace guard chief,
Caught hold of a thief
Tied his hands behind
And at him, he shouted.

“Oh thief, this diamond ring
Has the sign of our King,
Where did you steal it?
I’ll kill you for robbing it.”

“No Master, I didn’t steal it.
Near the lake, in a hut,
I live there as a fisherman,
With my wife and children.”

“One day, a fish I caught.
Its stomach when I cut
I found this precious ring.
To sell it, I was trying.”

“At that time, I was caught.
I’m not a thief, in fact.
If you don’t believe me
Kill me or leave me.”

The chief smelled the ring
Fish’s smell, it was giving.
“This is a wonder really.
How it went into its belly? ”

The chief gave it to the King,
Who saw his own ring,
And his memory, he got back,
In that, had his flashback.

He gave gifts to the thief
And ordered the chief
To release him at once,
As the ring came, by chance.

The King’s heart melted.
This, he never expected.
How badly he treated
His wife, he regretted.

He became too restless.
He spent nights sleepless.
He hated everything good.
He was scantly taking food.

No minister went near him.
Royal court missed him.
Queens yearned for him.
His past almost killed him.

There was no festival,
Annual or periodical,
This caused displeasure
To the public everywhere.

With no royal jewels
And proper dress,
His look was stale.
His lips looked pale.

Luster, his eyes had lost.
His breath became hot.
His mouth didn’t speak.
He became very weak.

Yet, the people opined,
That his beauty shined,
His grace was still there.
His charm went nowhere.

To Madavya, his friend,
About his grief, he told,
“When the darkness left
The past memory I got.”

“Cupid again threw
His flower arrow
That makes me feel
For that innocent girl.”

Sakuntala’s portrait,
Madavya brought,
For the king to see
To keep his mind free.

“Oh Madavya, her face,
Her appeals, her tears,
Appear before my eyes
And bring me now tears.”

“How she would have felt
When I didn’t accept
Her words till the last,
To think now, I’m upset.”

“How badly I treated her?
Who would have taken her?
Perhaps, her celestial mother
Could have now kept her.”

“Friend, when I left
Her in the forest,
After me she ran,
Back expecting me.”

“At that time, this ring,
I gave her, assuring
That my messenger
Will bring her here.”

“As my absent memory,
Betrayed me very badly,
I was harsh with her
Unmindful of her tear.”

“Oh Ring, why you let down her
By falling into the water?
Here, why have you come again,
When she had already gone? ”

“Before me, when she stood
With unfair words, I abused.
Her portrait now, I’ve praised.
Like this, why I’m tried? ”

“Since I had lost my sleep,
I had no dreams to keep
And enjoy her presence,
Why, not even in my dreams.”