Birth Of Death -Iii Poem by Aniruddha Pathak

And Brahma forged a form— a female-head,
A mother of the need, of weird form—
Black as born of darkness, tongue and mouth red,
Eyes burning yellow, like a raging storm.

When completed, stood facing where was South,
Confused nigh as to her cosmic mission,
Awaited she a word from good Lord's mouth,
But what he said was lightning from heaven.

Dear daughter, Death art thou— nay, a goodwill,
Thine mission is it to kill life alive,
Born art thou of mine rage, and aught thou kill
Evil and good no less, wise well as naïve!

Hearing of her mission all life to kill,
Poor maid shed tears of genuine deep-felt grief,
But thinking ahead of mankind's goodwill,
The Lord held forth a few drops on a leaf.

Suppressing her motherly grief, somewhat
Emboldened by Brahma's eternal grace,
She breathed courage if but for a moment,
Bowing creeper-like, said with a kind face:

O thou of wise words, be graceful to me,
I wonder why one would want a woman—
A mother and born kind— to come to kill,
Killing life! Know not, how I ever can.

Scared I'm of sin, be thou graceful to me,
Not acting, I can't even imagine,
I shudder to think of slaying many,
No equal am I to the act so mean.

Need there's to allay suffering indeed,
Do pardon me, I seek thine sure refuge,
O ancestor, with folded hands I plead,
Not equal I be to the task so huge.

Let me please thee with arduous tapas,
She said; but still the Lord passed His decree:
Do carry out what thou art born to do,
Worry not, no evil shall come ‘pon thee.

Naught much can be done on what ordained is,
Get on to thine mission, have faith in me,
Thou shalt incur no sin, my word in bliss,
O trigger in the hands of Destiny!

A woman— kind of heart, called ‘pon to kill,
Feigns if she should utter a word of will,
Protest, pretend, nor procrastinate still,
Could say yes nor yet no to bitter pill.
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This poem is a poetic rendition of an episode in Mahabharata. When at the time of Creation life was conceived, the creator Brahma forgot to incorporate death. And life multiplied threatening its very existence. And he had to remedy the situation by creating death along with life. This is the third of the four parts.
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Epics | 03.06.12 |
Topic: death, creation