Mb046. Yavakrida Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

At the hermitage of Raibhya,
On the banks of the Ganga,
The story of Yavakrida,
Narrated the Sage Romasa.

The Sage Bharadwaja
With his friend Raibhya
They lived side by side,
With no prejudice or pride.

Scholars were Paravasu
And his brother Arvavasu,
The Raibhya's two sons,
Became famous persons.

The son of Bharadwaja,
Whose name was Yavakrida,
He hated the two brothers,
And was jealous of others.

Vedas he wanted to learn.
Teachers he liked to spurn.
He did penance severe,
To become a scholar.

"Penance wasn't the answer,
Go to a learned teacher,
To study and learn each Veda, "
So advised him Lord Indra.

He continued his penance,
More in an act of defiance,
Indra gave a warning again,
A guru was the source to learn.

One day, he saw a man old
Trying for a dam to build,
By throwing sands handful,
One by one, sands to fill.

Yavakrida laughed and said,
How can the old fool build,
By throwing bits of sands,
A dam, with his two hands?

"Is my work you find foolish,
More than your desire childish,
To master Vedas with no study,
To be a Pundit you're ready."

It was a blow to Yavakrida,
A lesson from Lord Indra,
Vedas to study and learn,
The title "Pundit" to earn.

He became a Pundit soon,
He said it was Indra's boon.
Not by any Study of his own.
Bharadwaj was sick of his son.

Paravasu's wife in the garden,
He saw her one fine morn,
He violated her person,
When she was there alone.

She complained to Rabhya,
Who cursed to death Yavakrida.
He was speared by a ghost,
And he died in sorrow at last.