Mb041. Sage Rishyasringa Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

The young lad Rishyasringa
Son of the Sage Vibhandaka,
In hermitage up he was brought,
Unknown to the world, in secret.

The Kingdom of Anga was down,
Once all over with a dire famine,
Withered the crops for want of rain.
For lack of food perished the men.

Romapada, the king sought
Brahmins' advice for this rot,
Who told him to bring this lad,
To overcome the situation bad.

Lord Indra gave this lad a boon
That rains would come soon
When he stepped into any place,
Where of rainfall there was no trace.

The king made out a secret plan,
Instead of men he sent women,
So beautiful to attract him,
And tempt him to go for them.

The Chief damsel among them,
She built on a boat an Ashram.
Near the hermitage she kept it,
To watch closely the junior hermit.

She had a chance to meet him,
When the sage wasn't at home,
Never before he saw a woman,
He thought it was a different man.

Fruits and sweets she gave him,
Which were new, he tasted them.
She kissed and embraced him,
As a courtesy, she told him.

Like this was over the first day.
Deeply immersed was the boy.
When the senior sage came,
He saw a disorder at home.

he lad couldn't spell "Woman",
As he had seen never before one.
He could only show, how she kissed
And next, how tightly she embraced.

The senior guessed it a woman.
Never to see one he told his son.
But how long the lad could remain,
Unaffected in the nature's domain?

Later when the senior was out,
She led the junior to the boat,
And took him nicely to the kingdom,
Tactfully by a show of her wisdom.

The rivers and the lakes were full,
When the rains poured plentiful.
They wondered at this miracle,
Also at the lad, who was so powerful.

The king gave princess Shanta
In marriage to Rishyasringa.
Later, cool became Vibhandaka,
At the prayer of King Romapada.