Mb062. In The Open Pandavas Come Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

Happy the king Virata became.
When the news of victory came.
Alone how his son got it?
Eager he was to know it.

Kanaka, the King Yudhishthira,
When he praised Brahannala
O'er this victory, Virata took it
To his son what an insult was it?

Virata threw at his face,
In a fit of temper the dice,
It hit hard his forehead,
Drops of blood it bled.

Draupadi came running.
She saw the blood oozing
Before it fell on the ground,
She dressed well the wound.

"On the ground any blood-fall,
Years of drought bring it'll.
Oh King, to save this calamity,
I did, at once, this sacred duty.'

This way Sairandhri explained,
When the king questioned,
Why she dressed his wound,
Its reason he then found.

He cared not to regret,
But he felt it in his heart.
He waited for his brave son
Who, he boasted, has won.

Uttara met the king and revealed,
That fate of enemies was sealed
Not by him, but by a warrior,
In tactical war, who was far superior.

To call that hero, he told his son,
To find out how he had won?
Eager was his father to meet.
To see his face and greet.

Pandavas sat at those places,
Next day, reserved for princes.
To the king's question why,
Arjuna stood and gave this reply.

"Oh King, know that Kanaka
Is the King Yudhishthira,
The eldest of Pandavas
Driven out by Kauravas."

"Your royal cook is Bhima,
Myself, Brahannala, is Arjuna
Your cowherd is Sahadeva,
And horse trainer is Nakula."

"The queen's maid Sairandhri,
Let me tell you, she is Draupadi,
Very grateful to you we are,
For our stay under your care."

Uttara told, "Arjuna was the one
Who really fought and won.
The king asked for pardon,
To Yudhishthira offered his throne.

Yudhishthira embraced him warmly,
Like this told him very calmly,
"Shelter and food you gave us,
We're indebted to you for this."

His daughter princess Uttara
The king proposed to Arjuna,
Who rejected this noble offer,
As he was to her a teacher.

Arjuna finally agreed then,
For her marriage with his son,
Abhimanyu, the charming prince,
He was like her father since.