Potana Mahabhagavatam: A Series of Interludes in Quest of Salvation or Liberation

Every literature is credited for its rich variety of contributions in all kinds of genres. Telugu literature is specially acclaimed for its rich poetic output by famous poets like Nannaya, Tikkana, Errana, Potana and Srinadha. Among all the well-known poets of Telugu literature, Potana has a pivotal place for translating Sanskrit Bhagavata Puranam into Andhra Mahabhagavatam that stands unique and distinctive in multifarious aspects. The well-coveted work is known for Bhakti, the deep devotion and total surrender to God.   It is also known for its lucidity as it is within the reach of a common man. Every Telugu speaker quotes some verses from it in one or the other context. Finally, it has won encomiums for its figurative language. It therefore secures for him unrivalled fame as the crown jewel of Telugu literature for its unmatched merits.    

Potana, popularly known as Bammera Potana, was a farmer as well as a scholar of Telugu and Sanskrit languages, hailing from Bammera, a village from Warangal district of Telangana region. He adopted the farming vocation to be independent rather than to be dependent on the patron-kings. His maiden contribution, Bogini Dandakam was however dedicated to his patron-king, Sarvajana Singha Bhoopala, a popular Sanskrit playwright.  He, who was devotional to Lord Shiva in his youth, became the deep devotee and ardent adorer of Lord Vishnu, treating both the gods with equal devotion and adoration. He firmly believes in the opinion that it is a blemish on the part of people if they fail to worship Lord Shiva with folded meditative hands and Lord Vishnu with mouthful hymnal chants:

Chetularanga Shivuni pujimpadeni

Noru novvanga Hari keerthi salupadeni

As a poet, Potana considered poetry not only a divine art and worthy offering to Lord Rama, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu; .but also a supreme source for all to achieve salvation. He therefore dedicated his magnum opus, Andhra Mahabhagavatam to the Lord. He did not believe in hero-worship or king-worship. His sole aim was salvation through divine-worship and divine grace. Like Rabindranath Tagore, he felt that his appropriate offering to God is his supreme art of poetry. He, both as a poet and man, deeply loves compassion and truth and all should practice them to be worthy as human beings as not to be traitors to their mothers:

    

Dayayu satyambulonuga thalupadeni

            Kaluganetiki tallula kadupuchetu.

For Potana, through compassion and truth one can attain the status of divinity. He teaches morals and advises all to follow them scrupulously for the freedom of the soul. He at the same time feels that compassion and truth are really relevant and essentially concomitant for social reform especially in the present days of false values.  He identifies with the devotional characters of Mahabhagavatham like Prahlada and the elephant king, Gajendra who seek deliverance through the Divine grace as the Divine is the ultimate powers for the granting of salvation. A deep devotion and total surrender in the Divine bestows on Prahlada protection against the demon, Hiranyakasipu’s ordeals and hazards. Prahlada overcomes all these in deep meditation to Lord Srihari (Vishnu).His father Demon commands him to relinquish his meditation to Lord Srihari but he does not obey. He positively takes them all and remains unshaken in mind and unhurt in body. He treats his deep adoration to Sri Hari as the fittest and the most welcome one in quest of salvation despite a series of interludes. He gives the most convincing and fitting reply against his father’s blind wish through a series of living allusions. He cannot be away from his most wishful mellifluous meditation to Lord Srihari in the way the bee does not hover round grass flowers while reveling the sweet honey of the hibiscus, the regal swan does not like to swim in the ocean while swimming in the breeze of the Ganges, the cuckoo does not search for the old leaves while relishing the juices of tender leaflets, and the chakora (partridge) does not fly in gloomy places while being inspired by the full-moon:

    

            Mandara makaranda madhuryamunadelu madhupambu vovune madnamulaku

Nirmala mandakini veechikala dugu rayancha sanune tharanginulaku

Lalitha rasala pallava khadiyai chokku koyila cherune kutajamulaku

Boornendu chandrika spuritha chakora marugune sandhraneeharamulaku.

Prahlada’s deep meditation to God is not averted by deadly commands of his father Hiranyakasipu as his sole goal is communion with God. For him life is God and He is to take care of life. He seeks deliverance for his father demon also.  During the avatars like Lord Varaha, Lord Rama and Lord Krishna, the Lord saves devotee and grants him salvation.   Potana has a strong faith that He comes to our rescue by punishing evil-doers and peril-creators in the way Lord Krishna comes to the rescue of Dhrowpadhi. Like a shepherd He looks after His sheep at all times for their safety as He is the Savior of not only mankind but also other livings. He comes to the rescue of a true devotee and grants him salvation too. God possesses overflowing compassion for him who surrenders by seeking refuge in Him. Potana himself gets the divine grace for his true devotion. For the description of ‘vaikuntam’ he started and completed only the first line: Ala vaikuntapurambulo nagarilo a mula soudhambu dapala. He was not able to complete the other three lines of the quatrain. Lord Rama came in the guise of him, the devotee-poet and completed the three lines to his pleasant surprise.                       

Potata, as a poet, never takes any credit for translating Andhra Mahabhagavatham. He said that he was instrumental in this yeoman contribution.  He states the fact that it is Bhagavatham that speaks; and Lord Rama who makes him speak it:

           

Palikedidhi Bhagavathamata

            Palikincheduvadu Ramabhadrundata

            

Through Bhagavatam, Potana has the sole goal of salvation, the freedom of the soul, his deliverance after a series of interludes. As a devotee, he aspires for ardent adoration for God, as man he aims at deep devotion and as a poet he wants freedom to offer his work to Lord Rama in quest of salvation. His sacred work of Mahabhagavatham leads him to salvation.  Why does somebody else speak so?     

           

…      …    …    …     …    Ne

            Palikina bhavaharamagunata

            Palikeda verokandu gadha palukaganela.   

                 

As a poet, Potana portrays in Andhra Mahabhagavatham, the sense of devotion towards God on the part of a true devotee and presents the ways to attain salvation. For his true devotion to God, he is called Bhakta Potana. When he is in deep meditation, Lord Rama appears in the form of a king and apprises him of the need for the translation of Vyasa’s Sankrit Mahabhagavatham into Telugu. He readily accepts to undertake the stupendous work with excellent dexterity and ardent dedication. He skillfully handles the concept of devotion, Bhakti. The wide popularity of the book is ascribed to the theme of salvation. It is God’s infinite mercy alone that grants His devotee salvation and captures a special mention in Bhakti literature especially in Andhra Mahabhagavatham.  

Potana starts his Andhra Mahabhagavatham with the invocation in the epic tradition of Milton’s Paradise Lost: ‘to justify the ways of God to man’. Potana’s epic of epics reflects the theme in the other way round that it is to justify ways of God to a true devotee, the Bhagavatha.  He prays to God in the form of a hymn like Milton who stats his epic with an invocation. He admits that God can bestow on His devotee the shower of blessings for due reward through divine grace. He prays for kaivalya. God is now here to save the universe and care for His devotees. He punishes the sinners. He creates the universe as a part of His lila. He is none but Lord Krishna, Son of Yasoda:

           

Kaivalyapadambu jerutakai chintinchadani lokara   

            Kshaikarambagu bhakti palana kala samrambhakun danavo

            Drekasthambaku kelilola vilasaddrugjala sambhuta na

            Nakunjata bhavandakumbbhaku maha nandangana dhimbakun

Andhra Mahabhagavatham is of a series of epics in twelve cantos with the inroads into the salvation of the soul. It reflects technical brilliance and artistic excellence in portraying the theme of salvation. It is distinctive for its use of figures of speech especially similes and metaphors. Potana employs the figures of speech for telling effect and realistic picturesque. The use of figurative language and samasas, excellent clusters of words is an integral part of Andhra Mahabhagavatham to enrich his bhakti lyrics. He describes the battle of Satyabhama, accompanied by Lord Krishna, presenting it visual effect with snapshot details. The battle is the rain in the field with infinite arrows shot by her. He uses a series of metaphors for dramatic effect in the quatrain. Satyabhama is lightning, Lord Krishna is the dark blue cloud, the arrows are constant rain drops, etc. The battle as a whole is the rainy season with the constant shower of rain:

           

Jyavallidhwani garjanambuga sural saranga yudhambugan

            A villu indra sharasanamuga sarojaktundu meghambugan

            A vidyullata bhangi ninthi surajiddavagni magnambugan

            Bravutkalam chese banachaya mambashsheekara shrenigan.

There is no exaggeration to say that the sound echoes the sense in the stanza. Andhrabhagavatham refects the same telling effect as it is embedded with alakaras (figures of speech) and samasas (clusters of words) to facilitate the readers with the felicity of expressions. For example, ‘sarojakshundu’ is the word with the combination of two words: ’saroja’ and ‘akshundu’ mean ‘lotus’ and ‘one who possesses the eyes’ respectively. The cluster of words means ‘a person of lotus-like eyes’ i.e. ‘Lord Krishna’. Here the two words with individual meanings mean together some something else. It is ‘anya padartha pradhnam’. Such cluster or samasa is called ‘bahuvreehi’ and the most preferred one for felicity of expression. Potana is fond of extensive use of ‘samasas’ along with the figurative language, ‘alankaras’ like alliteration for musical effect and similes and metaphors for telling effect to result in the comprehensive understanding of the subject of liberation. Both the saint-poet and the devotee-reader feel that it is superbly suitable to the subtle subject of Bhakti literature like Andhra Mahabhagavatham and it is an undeniable fact and unquestionable trait for the epic stature.     

In the Bhagavatham, the three different characters- God, devotee and demon- are portrayed in every episode like Milton who similarly creates the characters: God, Adam and Satan in the Paradise Lost. The first one as per Potana and Milton is God who is the savior of His devotees at all odds and frauds; obstacles and hurdles; ills and perils. The second is the Bhagavatha, the bhakta or the true devotee like Prahlada for whom the demon Hiranyakasipu is the worst hazard in the path of devotion for his communion with God. In the Paradise Lost, Adam, who is innocent to represent the race of man eats the fruit of the forbidden tree to result in his disobedience on the beguiling force of Satan. The third one is the demon like Hiranyakasipu, Narakasura or Ravanasura, a representative of some or the other evil trait. He creates hazards in the path of devotion of good characters like Prahlada but they face them at ease against his surprise and surmise. In Milton, Satan, in spite of his unconquerable will, fails to go against God’s will in quest of retaliation and eventually experiences his defeat. 

       

Andhra Mahabhagavatham reflects the message that God has infinite grace to shower blessings on man in deep devotion and ardent adoration to Him for the sense of salvation or liberation which is the only essential goal for his communion with Him. Man in true devotion passes through a series of interludes to lay inroads into the path of salvation, the freedom or deliverance of the soul or liberation to be away from the petty circles of earthly life. The Bhagavatham is the tale of tales, telling about the bhagavatha (the true devotee of God). It is God to be pleased when His true devotees are rewarded and awarded; revered and honored. If it is contrary or any offence is committed to His true devotee, all the demons responsible for the sinful guilt and crime against God are punished. The Ambarisha-Durvasa episode of the Bhagavatham is the best example for this. It is Sage Durvasa, who offends Ambarisha, an absolute devotee and emperor of extreme humility; is duly punished in spite his approach to every god for protection. It is Hiranyakasipu, who compels Prahlada to forget Lord Vishnu, is slain in spite of all possible means to escape death. Every episode of the Bhagavatham narrates the story of a Bhagavatha, a true devotee who is rescued by God as He has divine grace for His devotees to grant them salvation which every pure heart  and high soul craves to secure in the path of  Bhakti.

                                                                                                                              TRIVENI

                                                                                                          Vol:82,  Jul-Sep. 2013 

The Sons of the Soil

In the wake of unexpected change, there was unrest in almost every part of the city.  The people, who had lived peacefully once, could never bear the most unwelcome change and undesirable situation.  The heart of the city was rocked with violence.  The joy of the people was lost in the wake of the wide spread communal disharmony. The rift between the people of different religions was on the rise.  Brutal killings and rapes were a common feature everywhere and some houses were ablaze with fire.

             The city was Shantipur which was once very peaceful and worthy of the name. There was perfect communal harmony in the city.  Its dwellers enjoyed liberty, equality and fraternity as the principles of life.  They were totally humanistic and democratic not only in spirit but also in letter. They had love and affection for one another and content in all respects.  But time in its incessant flow brought about an enormous change to tarnish its high image beyond one’s expectations. 

                       

            The prominent leaders of three religions:  Hindu, Muslim and Christian, were under arrest.  The recent riots led to their imprisonment. Shyam, Saleem and Solomon were in the jail. The leader of the prisoners welcomed the new prisoners in a conciliatory tone; “Hello! My dear newcomers! Hearty welcome to you!  So, come forward to introduce yourselves to the other prisoners.”

            The first convict came forward and introduced himself with a profound feeling: “I am Shyam, a devoted Hindu and son of Radhe Shyam.  When I found injustice done to some Hindus, I instigated my followers to set fire to the houses of the wrong-doers.”

The second convict introduced himself with unique gestures of his own, saying: “I am Saleem, a son of Abdul Kaleem.  I adore my religion.  I found the houses of some Muslims choked with fire and ash.  They have become unsheltered and are now living in the shade of all trees. I reacted forthwith to provoke my supporters to molest the daughters of the culprits.”   

             The third appeared on the scene of introduction “I am Solomon, a true Christian, son of George Samuel.  No doubt, I am a staunch supporter of my own religion.  People talk of secularism everywhere but they are never secular in reality.  Is it not hypocrisy on their part? In my case I have no pretensions.  I respond as a true Christian when my co-religionists were deceived.  On my advice, my people brutally killed our enemies, the wrong doers.”

             All the three convicts introduced themselves to others, attributing their imprisonment to the issue of communal differences when Bhasha who had been amidst all prisoners was very much sorry.  The charm of his face was gradually fading away for certain reason which was not understandable to the other prisoners.  As and when he listened to the newcomers of the jail, he was lost in deep introspection.  All who had observed his face were amazed at the diminishing charm in his countenance.

             As time passed, the newcomers were assigned duties in the prison.  They were to work together in spite of their communal prejudices and personal differences.  Shyam, Saleem and Solomon couldn’t forget their secret plans to take revenge on one another but nothing was obviously seen in their faces.  Each of them still tried to support his cause from the jail also.

Bhasha secretly met Shyam one day while he was busy plowing the field on the premises of the prison, looking like the farmer of India.  He accosted Shyam from behind with affection which the latter had never expected from the former so far.   He broke the ice in intimate terms: “Shyam, I feel very much delighted to speak to you.  Our reunion in this jail is providential but I pity you for the vicissitudes in your life which have led you to the jail for imprisonment.”

             Shyam felt surprised at the kind gesture of Bhasha and said, “Why? …Why do you pity me? …What made you pity me? Thank you very much for your concern.”

             Bhasha, with an air of revelation said, “You are not Radhe Shyam’s own son.  He adopted you when he was childless.  I know this fact better than anybody else in the world.”

            

             When Bhasha told all these secrets, his lips were found quivering with the sense of guilt.  Shyam said, “I have known this fact since the demise of my father.  My father himself revealed this in the mood of excessive rapture well before his death.  At present I have a photograph wherein my father, my mother and I as a five-year-old child are seen for my lifelong loving memory.  The photograph had been taken on the occasion of adoption ceremony.”

            

             Bhasha recalled his evil acts done to an old woman when he glanced at a photograph.  He suffered internally for that.  He felt lonely like the old woman whom he had left helpless in the hut.  He realized her agony and anguish in his heart of hearts.  He felt that he was the most detestable weed in the most beautiful and enjoyable garden. He also thought that he was the worst sinner on earth.  As a father he had two sons in his house.  He felt lonely in the absence of his sons with him.  He could visualize his sons in the new convicts: Shyam, Saleem and Solomon.  He derived the pleasures of their company and treated them as his sons. 

             When Bhasha could not tolerate his loneliness in the jail, something within his heart forced him to see Shyam in his room.  He realized the suffering of the parents when their sons were kidnapped.  He rushed to Shyam to have an intimate conversation with him.  While speaking to him very affectionately, he showed the five year old boy, Shyam himself in the photograph.  Shyam too took out his photograph from the trunk-box and found the photograph similar to that showed by Bhasha .  He enquired of Bhasha about the whereabouts of the other two boys seen in the photograph.

             Bhasha, who was in the mood of revealing every thing, said, “The other two are your younger brothers and you all the three were born of the same parents.”

             Shyam listened to all this very eagerly and felt stunned at the turn of the events in life.  He asked where the other two brothers were.  Bhasha replied, “Your near and dear are near you.  They are very much here, not there or somewhere.  If you call them by names they will respond to you now from this jail but you don’t know their names to call them.”

             Bhasha knew that the two brothers were in the jail but he did not want to reveal the fact that Saleem and Solomon were known to him by the names of their respective parents: Abdul Kaleem and George Samuel. He met them separately.  They too came to know that they were brothers but were brought up by different parents with the help of their photographs and the photograph Bhasha had with him.  Abdul Kaleem, a rich merchant, adopted Saleem and George Samuel, a strong propagator and staunch supporter of Christianity, Solomon. 

             Bhasha separately revealed the fact that Shyam, Saleem and Solomon were the sons of the same parents.  When they learnt that they were born to the same parents, they forgot their rivalry.  The idea of their blood relation dispelled their sense of avenge.

             The prison followed a tradition to take an oath by the prisoners to be the followers of Mahatma Gandhi on his birthday, the second October every year under the chairmanship of the Jailor.  On the day they had to confess all their sins and they were to be sworn in to live together to promote harmonious relations among themselves.  Bhasha appeared on the dais and related the flashback of his life, confessing his sins:

             “I …I was …I was a heartless kidnapper of many children and was totally responsible for the torture and agony of their parents.  Storm-like wish to become rich overwhelmed me.  I became a slave to it and turned myself rich in that cruel deal.  Here were three men: Shyam, Saleem and Solomon who were children below the age of five years when I kidnapped them and they were sold for fast bucks to Radhe Shyam, Abdul Kaleem and George Samuel.  I kidnapped all the three from Bharathi, the old woman while she was looking after and nursing them.  She resisted and begged me not to do so but I resorted to violent means.”

           

                Bharathi said with tears in her eyes: “First kill me; then kidnap the children.”

              

               “Killing you is mere waste. My precious knife goes futile ... Kidnapping children is my sole business”

               

               “No ...   no… Help …help. I can’t live without them. They are the apples of my eyes. They aren’t my sons. They are the sons of Devaki and Vasudeva who had lived on the bank of the river Pralaya in a small hut. One day Devaki and Vasudeva went to earn their livelihood in the usual way, crossing the Pralaya to the other side.  That day the river Pralaya suddenly overflowed its banks and so the floods washed their parents away while they were coming back.  I rushed to the children and rescued them in the hut on the bank of the Pralaya from the havoc of floods.  Unfortunately the children became orphans in the wake of floods.  It became a bounden responsibility on my part to look after them as before when their parents left for work.” 

             

               “My business is not to listen to you. It is to go on according to my wish”.

           

               “As I was a notorious, villainous kidnapper, none could come to her rescue. I was able to kidnap them.  After a series of my crimes for a decade, I was caught red-handed.  In the court of law, the judge awarded me an imprisonment for a decade. Consequently I was in jail.  Since then I have been suffering for my faults and evil acts.  My intense suffering has shaped my character of all faults and evil acts.”

            

                  In course of time, the sons of Devaki and Vasudeva grew to be dynamic as adopted sons of different parents.  The selfish leaders made use of them for their vested interests and sowed the seeds of communal prejudices in them. As a result, they reaped the bitter fruits of their violence. They were otherwise good.”

             Revealing all his travails and traumas, Bhasha burst into tears.  He whole-heartedly prayed to God to forgive him for his sins.

             When Bhasha told the secret of their birth and parentage; Shyam, Saleem and Solomon hugged one another with warm love and deep affection. They displayed fatherly reverence towards Bhasha.  They visualized their parents: Devaki and Vasudeva and their guardian, Bharathi in the ideally transformed father, Bhasha.   Soon they were sworn in to be not only the ideal sons of the same parents but also the model sons of the same soil, Mother India in the presence of the jailor, Mr. Mohandas Karamchand.  They realized how the selfish political leaders of vested interests had cheated them. 

             On the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, Bhasha and the three prisoners were set free when the period of their sentence was condoned.  They came out of the jail while the sun was rising, shooting the new bright beams of light amidst barred, colored clouds.  The political leaders, waiting outside the jail to welcome them, felt stunned and bowed shamefacedly when they came out hand in hand.

             The three bid good-bye to all their communal prejudices, individual differences and social injustices and lived to promote communal harmony.  They restored the past name and fame of the society of Shanthipur.

                                                                                          

e-journal, Muse India, Hyderabad. 

26-1-2003

THRALL

Something glides past from mysterious realms

             Shown in charming flowers

                 Shone in flying colors

As seen from the days of lamb-like innocence

   The future in lures slides into the present.

All, to man’s witness, is beyond expectations

           Fades the charms of blossoms                                                     

            Evades the glories of dreams

Happens by surprise here at the spur of the moment

        The transient present turns into the past

The past, cud to be chewed in the interior horizon

            Emotions of embittered hearts

            Experiences in shattered dreams

Clings for spasm whether reluctant or be an aspirant

         As milestones in man’s life-expedition

It’s time: the future, the present and the past

          That wakes man to its wonders

             Its display of infinite powers

For its enlightenment to man in its move eternal            

           As its life-long inevitable thrall                                          

TRIVENI, Vol.81, No.1, Jan-Mar,’12 

Cherished Cherries

205    6 Mar,’05     145

THE PAST

The past, the then future, lurks in the present

     And the present lives with the past

It’s a bridge between the past and the future

     Memory, feelings, attachment and experiences

To revive and rejuvenate ever for smiles

     To ache and agonize ever for tears

It haunts life-long like the shade-companion

     Wordsworth in the melancholy mood

Dances the sprightly dance of daffodils

     And enjoys the song of the Solitary Reaper

Keats’s heart aches with the depth of feeling

     On recalling the song of the Nightingale

The road I trod memorizing as a student

     Brings back the whole of Shakespeare’s poem

The memory of his father’s message keeps on

     His son, the days of obedience in the past

The recall of the past revives itself in the present

     The past, stored in the bank of memory

Serves as a beacon light in the path of life

     It persists in the endless motion of Time.                            

‘Cherished Cherries’       

201   6 Jan,’05    142

(Publishd in Triveni, Vol. 79, No.3, Jul- Sep, 2010)

TRUE PARADISE

Really lucky is man

To have been born on earth

Green to be dear

Dear to be green

For an eye-feast

Of glories in infinitude

Of beauties in magnitude

Gorgeous sunrises in the east

Fabulous sunsets in the west

With features of flying creatures

Amidst barred clouds in varied colors

Traversing rivers with swimming wings

Sky-touching mounts with steeping vales

Beautiful forests with echoing melodies

Peaceful groves with welcoming fruits

Graceful gardens with blushing flowers

All tremendous wonders

To cast stupendous splendors

Super is the Supreme creation

The Creator deserves appreciation

Superb imagination for creation

Indeed an abode of bliss

Still he dreams the highest one,

Heaven that clings in the welkin

He climbs the tallest apex to be free

And the highest peak to fly

But falls down to the earth

To glimpse the true paradise

‘Cherished Cherries’      

232    26Dec,’05       164

Published in The Commonwealth Review, Vol.XX, No.2, Delhi

HEAVENLY BLISS

You are too ignorant to declare,

“Bliss is the rarest commodity”

“Heaven is not on the thoroughfare”

Bliss is in you; heaven is on earth

They are one in one and won by you

Bliss is heavenly; heaven is blissful

To have it in life is really beautiful

It is futile to search for them there

But easy to find them so much here

Success is not to be taken to the head

Nor failure is to be taken to the heart

Victory follows a series of failures

To bestow on you the due knowledge

Of how to have victory without fail

Actions are sheer parts of our lives

So are the results surely mere ones

And so work-cultures and life-styles

Are to create all sorts of emotions

To ruffle the calm and serene heart 

Like bubbles in water whirls or falls

Transient are they to be overcome

And to be conquered at ease for bliss

Only by good verse, a nice converse, 

Glimpse of nature or fine sculpture,

To mimic a cuckoo, a heed to music;

All to lull your deeply aching heart

All to appease your paining mind

Are in your hand, mind and heart

Wisdom lies in search and in quest

Of an oasis in one’s life of desert.           

Miracle in Oracle

*10   5-9-2012 

Published in ‘The Commonwealth Review’

Vol. XXI. No. 1. ISSN: 0974-0473

FANCIES

Full of fancies

For the man-species

For its essential mission

In my mental horizon

Born fresh, ever to cherish

Borne lush, ever to flourish

Time and again

Again and again

To flow nonstop, further and farther

To fly endless, twitter and flutter

Like bubbles on the surface

Like sparks in the furnace

They sail in springs

They fly on wings

To the realms unreachable

To the streams unfathomable

Unbound to the eye

Unheard to the ear

To all the physical senses

But to evoke in me their responses

For the marks indelible

For the prints imperishable

All of them into my hands in dreams

All of them into my words in streams

I always rise to catch or clasp

Not to let them vanish or escape

Only to portray them in the picture

Only to engrave them in the sculpture

For the live-vision of the reader

For the life-lesson of the sojourner       

MIRACLE IN ORACLE

*9       22^nd August, 2012 

Published in ‘The Commonwealth Review’

Vol. XXI. No. 1. ISSN: 0974-0473