Mb052. Kausika Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

Happy became Yudhishthira,
To hear stories from Markandeya,
Strong his mind they made,
Every moral story when heard.

"What is strange in this world?
A woman cares her child,
Right from the womb,
Till last to the tomb."

"Her nature is patience,
Besides all time endurance,
Ever taking other's pain
Never minds the strain."

"To maintain her chastity,
She feels, it's her duty,
And forgives and forgets,
A husband who neglects."

This way Yudhishthira praised
On woman's roles, a subject he raised.
To back up this, Markandeya told,
About a woman, the story old.

Once Kausika, a young lad,
With great devotion he had,
Sat under a tree and read,
Veda Sutras aloud he said.

A crane defiled his head.
He looked up at the bird.
His sharp look killed,
And down it fell dead.

Before a house he stood,
To beg for his daily food,
He made a request,
But none came out.

At last, the housewife came,
But Kausika started to blame,
That she made him wait long,
It wasn't correct but wrong.

"To serve, it's my duty,
My husband when is hungry.
To be killed, I'm no crane,
But a chaste dutiful woman."

"For delay this is the reason."
Thus she made a mention.
"Mother, to know I'm keen,
How you know it unseen? "

In answer to his query,
To remove his worry,
To a butcher she sent.
To his shop he went.

"The lady sent you here,
Wait till I'm back here.
My parents I've to serve,
What they now deserve."

The butcher told and went.
With parents more time he spent.
Kausika learnt what they meant,
To serve, back home he went.