Mb108. The Final Encounter Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

MAHABHARATA

In a lake hid Duryodhana.
The Lake was Dvaipayana.
Pandavas heard like this.
Some hunters told this.

They went to this lake,
They planned to take
Duryodhana out
But how to do it?

Krishna told them
"Up we can bring him.
Yudhisthira only can do it,
By handling him soft."

"Duryodhana, you're a king.
It's no good, if you're hiding
For your sweet life sake,
Under the water, in this lake."

"You lost your brothers,
All your sons together,
Besides your friend Karna,
Bhisma and also Drona."

"They all died for your sake,
Shame, you hide in this lake.
Well of you, it doesn't speak.
A fair decision, you now take."

When Yudhishthira said this,
Duryodhana replied like this:
"I have no chariot or a bow,
With you all, to fight how? "

Yudhishthira said, "Listen,
What you want, it'll be given.
Among us you choose one
Take the kingdom, if you win."

Duryodhana told, "I've my mace.
All or any one, I'm ready to face."
Bhima came forward to fight.
Duryodhana was ready for it.

Duryodhana was an expert
In handling mace and fight.
Severe blows Bhima got,
He was unable to come out.

Krishna about his past vow,
He reminded Bhima now:
"To break Duryodhana's thigh
Bhima gave a promise high."

"When Draupadi cried,
To humiliate her they tried,
Bhima took this vow
Which I remind him now."

On his thighs, Bhima gave hits,
The thigh bones broke into bits.
Yudhishthira wasn't happy at this.
He chided him for the fault of his.

Balarama who came there said,
"It isn't correct, what Bhima did.
The most heinous crime it's.
I'll never tolerate this."

To convince him, Krishna tried.
But he left, quite dissatisfied.
He told Krishna to be neutral
And not take any side partial.

To console Duryodhana,
His best tried Yudhishthira.
Duryodhana blamed Krishna
For his partiality to Pandavas.

Krishna replied, "Oh king,
Why you're forgetting?
You rejected the peace offer
For that you now suffer."