Monologue With Lord Sankara! -Vi Poem by Varanasi Ramabrahmam

50
We must till and water the field before planting the seeds
We must ready our beloved with amorous feelings before enjoying union with her
We must be loved and admired by the citizens before becoming the ruler
And we must retain you in our heart for attaining peace of mind, Lord Sankara!

51
If we fall in love with a youthful girl
We have to bear her vanity, antics;
Affirmations, rejections, denials, hurts caused;
If we give the same heart to you
We will be blessed with auspiciousness, Lord Sankara!

52
Keeping the beloved in heart and mechanically
Handing over body to the spouse; the commercial spiritual worker
Giving grand lectures never experiencing the essence of his orations;
Individuals worshiping, performing holy-baths without devotion to you
Are all crushed sugar-canes sans juice, Lord Sankara!

53
Which type of deformation perturbed mind undergoes?
Mind is always disturbed and experiences
Whirlpool of hurts and pains, and peace of mind is lost;
Please grant serenity to the mind, Lord Sankara!

54
If no machines are available there is no scientific research
If there are no machines all our daily routine is topsy-turvy
Burying our capabilities all of us are living in the shadow and
At the mercy of machines; we have surrendered to machines
And sadly not to You, Lord Sankara!

55
For some reason disturbance engulfs us,
For some other reason blossoms love,
For some other reason gushes out poetry,
For another reason mind becomes gloomy,
Very rarely we treat fellow beings equally,
Many times mind is hurt and pained,
How many states and phases to the mind, Lord Sankara!

56
On the ever-revolving planet earth
We are stuck in the whirlpools of illusions,
And we deprive us of enthusiasm and wonder engulfs us;
And life appears stale
Such us fill with cheerfulness and grant us dispassion, Lord Sankara!

57
Getting up in the morning, taking bath
And becoming fresh, smearing vibhooti[1] on the forehead,
Chest, stomach and hands, sitting in the padmaasana 2] pose
Chanting Siva Panchakshari [3] and
Experiencing bliss is Your compassion and Grace, Lord Sankara!

58
Not gathering dust by being arranged
In the libraries not consulted by any, but reveling and ruling
The hearts of the aesthetic, let my collections of verses
Shower pleasantness and cause bliss
To the discerning and cultured readers, Lord Sankara!

59
I do not know my place in the corridors of poets;
Where my poetry stands is not known;
Not easy to get the attention of critics and other civilized readers,
And their preferences and appreciations vary;
Let my verse-flowers be an offering to you and accept them Lord Sankara!

60
Draaksharaama Bheemeswara’s [4] compassion is showered on me
And inspired and gave shape to my verses as simple and plain expressions;
By the Grace of effulgent Maanikyaamba [5] they shine and cause pleasantness;
Let my verses give serenity and cause cheer to all your devotees, Lord Sankara!

[1] holy ash
[2] A meditation pose
[3] Om Namassivaya (Chanting of Siva's Name)
[4] Lord Bheemeswara Is Siva the presiding Deity of Draakhsaraama in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh and is one of the Panchaaraama Kshetras oozing out Sankara’s Benevolence.
[5] Goddess Manikyaamba is the Consort of Lord Bheemeswara and Draaksharaama is one of the Eighteen Sakti Peethaas in India.