Yayati 4- Shukraacharya Poem by Unnikrishnan Sivasankara Menon

(21)

I did an unending penance
To appease the heartless gods
'cause that was all I could,
When I looked at my innocent
Little daughter Devayani.
The merciless gods called back
Her mother, when she was borne.

.......... I became both mother and father to her.

(22)

I denounced death. So
I secured Mrutasanjeevani,
The mantra that could give
Life back to the dead.
If only I could secure it
Before my wife left me!

(23)

I was anointed Aacharya
As my mantra became handy for them,
For asuras were at war with suras
And repeatedly defeated.

Now suras were retreating
Defeated, dwindling in number,
While asuras continued to live
Even after death.

........... I was the most revered in all the fourteen worlds.

(24)

Devayani had grown up
Into a lovely damsel of fourteen
And played with the princess.

(25)

Then came Kacha,
Son of Brihaspati
The Aacharya of Suras,
To be my disciple
Learn the Vedas and Vidya,
And I refused none, who's worthy.

Kacha proved worthy
A very keen disciple-
Worthiest of all, gobbled all
I had to offer. In no time.

I loved him. Devayani loved him-
I could see it in her eyes.
But his eyes revealed nothing
Even when he played with Devayani.

(26)

Then the king asked me
To expel him, for he has come
To cheat us of Mritasanjeevani.
I didn't bide, I never refused Vidya.

So, they killed, minced the body
To pieces and fed to wolves.
I could not bear to see
My little one in tears!
The power of Mrutasanjeevani
Brought him back to life!

........... Asuras were furious.

They killed him again 'n' again
And I gave him life back every time.
They played every trick on me.
Finally, Kacha's body was burned
And the ashes served to me with wine.
A vice pays back with a catastrophe.

When I chanted the mantra
And called him to life,
giving in to Devayani's tears,
He responded from my stomach.

Again, on Devayani's pleas
Advised him Mrutasanjeevani
While still inside me.He had
To take my life to come out

............. And gave it back gratefully.

(27)

I had lost the mantra for ever.
Fell from grace. Denounced by asuras.
But all was for my Devayani.

(28)

But Kacha left us without a trace
A sorrowing Devayani broke my heart.
When Suras attacked again,
Defeat was ours, sans mantra.
Everybody blamed me
Called me deceiver, spy of suras.

I could take all the blame
For my Little One. And she
clung to me, understandingly.

Apart from Kacha's disappearance,
The vibes of her friends
Tortured her more.Always in tears.

............ My heart sank with her.

(29)

I was exultant, when Emperor Yayati
Took her hand, after he rescued her
From the ditch, where the princess
Had pushed her in. All was well.

No! Devayani wanted the princess
As her maid. And fearing my wrath
The king agreed with tears, nay, blood
Pouring from his eyes. For His Daughter.
I knew, this was not for good.Be humble
In your success was what I taught.

..............But I never said NO to my L'l One.


(30)

Now I am here, in the palace
Of Hastinapura. Devayani is
In tears Again. Her hunband had
Cheated her to father children
With Princess Sharmishta.
The Queen Empress humiliated.

She wanted revenge. And revenge it was.
My curse turned the emperor old.
A thousand years old!
His hair gray and skin scaly.

His tears, again melted my heart, again.
Yielded: You can get back your youth
If anybody gives it to you willingly
And accepts your wrinkles.