Amrapali - The Arahant Poem by Vidya Pandarinath

Boarding a palanquin, it was her choice
To be carried through the grove
And the busy streets full of row;
Slackened and remote became the noise;
Now she stood on the outskirts of Vaishali
Facing a single rotunda peaceful and pally


The Buddha in trance, poised like a holy statue
The saucy dancer beaming out her unique charm
Stalked in composed gestures and stood in form
Before the enlightened master in hallowed view;
With folded hands and palms clutched, bowed
More in reverence than in hospitality she owed

With futile rhythmic movements and mudra drill
She did all she could to entice and hold
And even ventured to be redundantly bold;
Yet with all her best, she felt lost and shoved
And the Enlightened paragon blessed the defeat
As the vanquished knelt and touched his feet


Gracing her palace, he sipped only the gruel
And heard her narrate her data -natal:
From the mango-grove to be the city bride fatal;
Inciting killing and battle by the Magadha, cruel;
'Destroy, Greed, Hatred and the infinite Delusion:
' The Eight-fold path attains Nirvana, the conclusion '.

As he left, the covetous parvenu bloomed anew,
Bequeathed all she held - riches and their source;
Sans wants, draped herself even in clothes coarse;
With every moment passed, she enlightened grew;
Great indeed is the renunciation way of life:
To achieve Nirvana discarding all mundane strife...!