Tejaji, The Folk Deity Poem by Rajendra Prasad Meena Jaipur India

Across the sands of silent land,
Where faith and duty meet,
There walked a man of spoken truth
With vow beneath his feet.

No throne he sought, no glory's call,
No pride within his name;
His strength was truth, his law a word,
His breath a sacred flame.

To bring his wife, dear Pemal fair,
He crossed the burning way,
Through thorn and dust, through cruel sun,
Through fate that would not sway.

Upon that path of scorched despair,
Where fire had made its nest,
A serpent writhed in living flame,
With grief upon its chest.

Its mate, Sharpini, had burned before,
In vow to die as one;
The fire had claimed her silent life,
The snake was left undone.

Tejaji saw and felt no fear,
Nor turned his eyes away;
He drew the serpent from the fire
And saved its breath that day.

The serpent cried, "Why save my life?
I sought my chosen end! "
Tejaji spoke in gentle truth,
"To save is dharm, my friend."

The serpent hissed, "Then I must strike
And take your life for this! "
Tejaji said, "I will return—
My vow you cannot miss.

I go to bring my wedded wife;
When duty's path is through,
I give my word before the earth—
I shall come back to you."

He walked ahead, his promise firm,
The serpent followed near;
He did not turn, he did not look,
For truth removes all fear.

In Pemal's land, the cows were seized,
The helpless cried in pain;
Tejaji stood though torn and hurt,
And fought till right did reign.

His body broke, his blood ran red,
His breath grew torn and slow;
Yet truth stood tall where flesh fell weak,
And would not bend or bow.

When all was done, he turned again
To where the serpent stayed;
In wounds and blood he calmly came,
His vow fully repaid.

They met upon a silent field
Where truth must face its test;
Where death itself must lower eyes
Before a vow confessed.

"Now strike, " he said, "I have returned,
My word stands pure and whole;
What once I spoke, I now fulfill—
Take body, not my soul.

My tongue alone has never lied,
Nor turned from truth's command;
If poison comes, let it fall there—
So vow may always stand."

The serpent paused, its anger broke,
Its venom bowed in awe;
It bit the tongue of living truth
And honored higher law.

The body fell, but truth arose
Beyond the reach of death;
From vow so pure, from faith so firm,
A god was born of breath.

So Tejaji is not just tale
Of man or mortal clay;
He lives where vows are kept as law
And truth outshines decay.