Best Mahabharata Poems
Let me set something straight -
Right here, right now!
Let me put India in the right perspective,
Let me banish some myths,
Some gross misconceptions,
And take you beyond elephants,
Sacred cows, snake charmers and yoga,
Beyond Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Taj Mahal,
To a civilization rooted for
over 5,000 years in the past
To a land rich - majestically rich -
In many cultures, customs and traditions,
In a bewildering variety of races,
Religions, languages and folk arts,
In a vibrant tradition of dance and music,
In religious festivals and traditional events,
In saints, sadhus, gurus and sages,
In gods, goddesses, munis and mahatmas,
In temples, palaces, shrines and monasteries;
I'll baby-steps you through a land
Of Vedas and Upanishads,
Of epic stories and incredible mythologies,
Of Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita,
Through one of world's great spiritual sanctuaries,
Where religion is a way of life;
An overwhelming, complex land -
Its charm, its vitality and yes, its confusion,
Atonce alarming and enticing.
And that's the way India is:
Elusive, confusing, contradictory,
mysterious and exasperating!
Beyond easy description or analysis,
A phenomenal diversity of dress
and manners making one aware
of a different world -
A veritable fairyland!
No other country offers quite such
A spectacle of teeming masses that
continue to enrich the heritage of mankind,
Nowhere do the past and present
coexist in more colorful promiscuity -
An incomparable country,
Easy to love, hard to forget!
"There's only one India!" raved Mark Twain,
"A wonderland of fabulous wealth
and fabulous poverty, of splendor and rags ..."
"The cradle of the human race,
The birthplace of human speech,
The mother of history,
The grandmother of legend and
The great grandmother of tradition."
This, indeed, is my country
Where I was born -
An Indian at heart,
An American in spirit!
Namaste!
Khuda Hafiz, Jai Ramji Ki,
OM Radhe Shyam, Sat Sri Akal,
Jai Hind!!
~Love letters to the sub continent
contest by cyndi MacMillan
You are one of the people whom I admire the most,
I always think to send u in Heaven a post;
Your absence pierces the heart,
Desire to have my name in your good chart;
Long since there no one to tell the stories,
Ramayana and Mahabharata whose heroes enchanted their glories;
Evening walks are missing you,
Alone here needs who say words true;
I haven't experience the death's pain,
The way to get close to God as only gain;
Today sleeping doesn't bring the happiest moments,
Request to God to get me the those days in rent;
I am residing there from where you never came back,
But I know I am filled with people with whom my heart never sag;
Losing u at a very small age of mine isn't so good,
I haven't thought u can be so rude;
Often my dream witnesses u,
Your smile, your goodness everything in u;
The traditions followed by you and from the family attracted me,
The need of hour requests u to stand aside me;
The art of archery taught by u,
Never from my mind in these years this technique flew;
Rudeness can never be in your nature,
The Strongest had given so much in your treasure;
You live in my heart, my instincts,
Patiently waiting for last 15 years to make my problems fix it;
My facebook cover photo to have you underneath a big reason,
Atleast there you are present in my dimension;
Love and emotions between us kept me alive till today,
My memory never gonna skip your birthday;
Wish I could be your stick for your support,
And I have been there to obey your order as your TV's remote;
May there be less time to meet you in Heaven,
Cherishing again the golden days among two men.
(The scene from Movie Ulzhan, Drama/German screened at 2007 Festival de Cannes)
( English Style)
I met, Shakuni, in a foreign land
He was a seller of precious words
He travelled a lot and the words he sold.
I met, Shakuni, in a foreign land.
Sold words like “Moksha” an Indian word
Meaning a peaceful death without bad deeds
I met Shakuni, in a foreign land
He was a seller of precious words.
I met Shakuni,in a foreign land
He was a seller of precious words
In words“O.K., Ciao,” not interested
I met Shakuni, in a foreign land.
He liked “saudade”, the Portuguese word
Meaning melancholy, longing andlove
I met Shakuni, in a foreign land
He was a seller of precious words.
I met Shakuni, in a foreign land
He was a seller of precious words
Sold “Dharma” duty and law combined
I met Shakuni, in a foreign land
Sold“Tarof” an Iranian word,
Meaning to refuse something of wishes
I met Shakuni, in a foreign land
He was a seller of precious words
==================================
Honorable Mention
Contest : The Troilet Movie scene of Andrea Dietrich
*Shakuni is a character in the Movie Ulzhan. Une Coproduction Franco-Germano-Kazakh.
*Shakuni is a villainous character in the Hindu Epic Mahabharata. Shakuni, a Sanskrit
word means a cheat, very skilled in playing dice.
Tesu A Folk Love Story of India Part. 6
Prelude Note: Please see Part 05 for Prelude Note
Important Note: Sorry friends for some delay in writing the next part 6th of this
Beautiful Love Story. The reason for writing this wonderful story is the fact the gradually the traditional singers (boys and girls) of Tesu, who used to come once in a year with the earthen pot and a light in it on their heads, while singing the songs of Tesu have almost disappeared. This year on Dewali no Tesu was seen by me. I hope that those who have an open heart for other cultures and their beliefs and traditions would welcome this series and would find wonderful love story worth enjoying. Love and best wishes…..
Tesu A Folk Love Story of India Part. 6
While planning the strategy of Mahabharata* war,
Krishna was worried only about one thing,
He knew that there was none to match his Arjuna
His most beloved disciple except the mighty warrior Tesu. 15
Unfortunately that hero Tesu was preparing to fight
From the side of Kauravas, who were on a wrong path
Krishna also knew that Tesu's weakness was his determination
That he would fight for those, who were weak and at a losing end. 16
Krishna also knew that Tesu was true to his commitments
And he would not agree to change his side only because
Lord Krishna was asking him to fight from the side of those
Who wanted to establish the principles of truth and justice. 17
Ravindra
Kanpur India 07th December 2012 To continue.........
Protected under the copy write provisions of Poetry Soup as per US laws. Copying this story without the permission of the writer is strictly prohibited and would be subject to legal remedies taken by the writer.
Clarifications
Mahabharata War* - The great war which took place many thousand of year back.
English version of the Radha’s Love Song 1/2 Prelude on page 2
Those swinging trees and birds flying in the sky,
Those green creepers and the lovely Gokul* hills,
Amid which, we used to play and get lost,
In listening and feeling your enchanting flutes and charms, O Krishna*,
The bank of Yamuna* and your playing of flutes,
They all looks deserted without your magical tunes. 01
Everything of Gokul* have become tired, in waiting for you O, Krishna*,
Although ages have passed, only my eyes are still not tired,
While waiting for a glimpse of your enchanting looks,
Please come and show me at least your face, O, Mohan*,
Now even the water streams, running from our eyes too,
Are at the edge of getting dried, while showering the tears,
In waiting for you for such a long time, O Mohan. 02
The lamp of hope only, is still burning, O Krishna
Ever since you left, all other supports have vanished in the air,
Still if you cannot come to Gokul*,
Just do not come,
But please do not send anyone to console my suffering heart,
By giving me false assurances and
The teachings of sacrifice and patience, O Krishna. 03
Please do not send anyone, to make me understand,
That you cannot return to Gokul,
Leaving the affairs of your Kingdom, O Krishna,
These efforts would only break the barrier of my patience,
Bursting those feelings, which have accumulated
In the reservoir of my love since ages,
And do not break my false hopes that you would come one day
As it the last and the only Hope of my life and living,
O Mohan, my most beloved sakha* and love, O Krishna. 04
Ravindra
Kanpur India 29th June 2011
Explainations:
*Radha- Radha is the incarnation of Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and prosperity as per Hindu
religion), the consort of Lord Vishnu, the most beautiful of the Gopi girls, and lover of
Lord Krishna.
*Krishna- is a central figure of Hinduism and is traditionally attributed the authorship
of the Bhagavad Gita. He is an Avatar of Vishnu and considered in some monotheistic
traditions as the Supreme Being. Krishna is identified as a historical individual who
participated in the events of the Mahabharata.
*Gukul- a place where Krishna was brought-up by his foster mother Yashoda.
*Mohan- Mohan is the other name of Krishna
PRELUDE OF THIS SONG IS ON PAGE 2
Oh, Ravi Varma, you are a legend!
When I look at this Indian postage stamp
(brought out in your honour),
a miniature of your self-portrait
with the inset of your painting
of the legendary Damayanti
with the mystic swan,
I am of course reminded
of the well-known little narrative,
the episode from the grand epic—the Mahabharata:
Princess Damayanti interacting with
the soothsayer-swan, which,
at the moment, is suggesting to her
to take King Dushyanta as her spouse—
in the ensuing swayamvara, the moment of choice
(of a husband from among the suitors),
and Damayanti listening,
with bated breath, to the mystic bird.
My stream of consciousness takes me
to the originals—oil on canvas:
the strikingly common feature in both the portraits,
I must observe, are the observant eyes—
Your bright, beady, artistic eyes
And Damayanti’s glittering eyes
that nearly give away the excitement
surging in her, the bhava;
and her bhava, too, her posture.
My thought stream takes me further
to the other eyes in your enchanting array of portraits—
of the celestial Mohini with her bewitching eyes
And the legendary Shakuntala with her alluring, lovelorn eyes—
to mention just two.
Your artistic mind visualized the scenes
and your eyes didn’t fail to capture the bhavas,
and the bhavas, that is, the feelings
together with the complementary postures.
Oh legend, you have had your accolades—
national as well as international;
You also had to face turbulent criticism;
you still face it.
But, as we know, it’s not the grounded aircraft,
but the flying plane that faces turbulence!
***
My Li(f)estyle
If Yudhisthira* can have Drona* killed with a lie,
Can I not, a small guy, follow the path I desire.
With small lies it was a quick and easy try,
out of the mess I saw myself fly.
When I got away with a bolder and bigger lie,
delighted I was, that I did not have to cry.
These lie wins gave me instant Joy.
Oh! I said ‘This is the Life of my way, that I need to enjoy’.
Later journeys in Life got me pain I did not ask for,
Marking wins I celebrated on lies with an unseen scar.
My mind is forever quick
and plays a ploy;
So, I now always ask my honest friend ‘my Heart’,
if Truth is what I am out to destroy.
‘When you lie, Truth you may cover,
making the heart holding it suffer’, he avers.
I stopped asking if Yudhisthira ever did lie,
Truth as my path is all that I Aspire.
PS: *In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, Yudhistira and Drona are some of the key characters. Yudhistira in the epic is the epitome of Truth.
**************
Truthfully Yours,
Sathya
I like the sky blue and clear
I like the sea blue in colour
I see my God blue in colour
Emerging out of this blue sea
I keep chanting Ohm Krishna
The name of my God that the
Roaring sea waves whisper,
Into my ears incessantly;
I adore my God of blue colour
And He is Krishna and only Krishna,
Whose commandments form the
Holy Baghwat Gita in the epic
Mahabharata.
Lord Shiva, is the ancient Hindu God............
Lord Shiva is the most ancient and potent divinity in the universe
Although mystery surrounds him but our love and faith for him is great
Lord Shiva is the most powerful God in Hinduism and he is the root of
Saiva Samayam that delve deep into our ancient civilization.
He also known as Maheswara who representing the Trinity by himself
He is a creator, preserver and destroyer of the worlds that he creates.
He is the father of all and the source of all knowledge and mightier still
In the Mahabharata he was worshipped by Krishna and Arjuna for victory
In the Ramayana he was worshipped by demon king Ravenna for power
Lord Shiva's destruction is not negative but positive that ends always with bless
Lord Shiva is a great dancer too and he known as 'Nataraja' that is a
symbolic combination of the most important aspects of Hinduism.
He embrace his devotees who ever pray him and give them protections
He destroys the ill nature in man and he grows heavenly light in their heart
to the emergence of divine nature in man
Not only Lord Shiva, gives immense freedom to his devotees to choose
whatever path they want to follow but also shows the way to live happily
"Om Namasivaya" is the great spell to get bless from him.
Ravi Sathasivam / Sri Lanka
Copyright @2004 Ravi Sathasivam
RAJARAM RAMACHANDRAN, YOU WILL BE MISSED FOREVER
You’ve left a legacy, a treasure to cherish,
The words of wisdom, the priceless pearls,
Each letter embedded with love and care,
For all the fellow beings, the loving souls!
Spreading cheer abound, filling hearts with joy,
The depth of the ocean delving deep in purity, wisdom,
A seeker of truth, a philosopher, a thinker,
The highest realms of the consciousness, pinnacles reached!
The scriptures enlivened, the epics mastered,
The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, The Holy Bible, The Krishna Leela,
Blessings showered from the Divine, the Grace,
Offering the poetry at the Lotus feet of the Lord!
The greatest humans, the purest souls,
Revered, honoured in your words galore,
Gautama Buddha, Harichandra, Adi Sankara, Saint Thyagaraja,
Swami Vivekananda, Mother Teresa, Saint Bernadette Sobirous!
A master of letters with expertise, finesse,
A devotee of Krishna, the mellifluous tunes that you sung,
From the depth of your heart, from the core of your soul,
Shedding off all darkness, dissipating ignorance!
You taught me to live the life to the fullest,
With the brightest smiles sparkling on the way,
The life lessons learnt, the messages spread,
The guidance, the compassion illuminating all!
As a shimmering candle, your aura shines,
A sudden bliss, a gleaming hope,
A modest, humble self-effacing guide,
Enlightening the path, unfurling tranquil peace!
My heart refutes, the mind repels,
The cruel death snatches the mortal being,
Your memories I treasure to reminisce and cherish,
Your words my companion in the journey of life!
Lord Shiva Is the Ancient Hindu God...
Lord Shiva is the most ancient and potent divinity in the universe
Although mystery surrounds him but our love and faith for him is great
Lord Shiva is the most powerful God in Hinduism and he is the root of
Saiva Samayam that delve deep into our ancient civilization.
He also known as Maheswara who representing the Trinity by himself
He is a creator, preserver and destroyer of the worlds that he creates.
He is the father of all and the source of all knowledge and mightier still
In the Mahabharata he was worshiped by Krishna and Arjuna for victory
In the Ramayana he was worshiped by demon king Ravenna for power
Lord Shiva's destruction is not negative but positive that ends always with bless
Lord Shiva is a great dancer too and he known as 'Nataraja' that is a
symbolic combination of the most important aspects of Hinduism.
He embrace his devotees who ever pray him and give them protections
He destroys the ill nature in man and he grows heavenly light in their heart
to the emergence of divine nature in man
Not only Lord Shiva, gives immense freedom to his devotees to choose
whatever path they want to follow but also shows the way to live happily
'Om Namasivaya' is the great spell to get bless from him.
Ravi Sathasivam / Sri Lanka
Copyright @2004 Ravi Sathasivam
In the Mahabharata, the protagonist Dharmaputra
and his wife Kunti, driven out of their own land,
penniless and living in a forest, could host their numerous guests
(who had thrown their lot with them).
All that the royal couple did was to pray.
And the phenomenon is known as Akshaya patra,
The Indian synonym for cornucopia.
Once we (as a family) went
to a special restaurant
Run by persons to whom light and dark made no difference.
Pitch dark was the ambience.
We ate the meal with delight;
Thanked God, too, for the wonderful gift—of sight.
Let’s stay positive; miracles happen;
Cornucopia, then, may be a mindset.
***
Winner, III Prize, Cornucopia Contest, sponsored by Kim Rodrigues, November 24, 2017.
Posted on November 3, 2017
Like a bud, flower, and finest fruit
Like any fruit-trees’ strongest root
Like a seed or weed or waving reed
Like a wise word of a man with creed
Like a story, a poem, or an epic
Like a word or verse of the Holy Book
Like rivers that have their source, mountains
And waters within rivers with their fountains
Voice of my conscience has many sources
The Source of my conscience has many voices.
I think of Arjun the Mahabharata warrior
Who had his dilemma standing as a barrier
To do or not to do was the great question
It’s hence to Lord Krishna his intercession
'Duty' and 'Renunciation' was his kind order
Selfishness is the world’s great disorder
Sisyphus had this dilemma, the myth says
Hence, he listened to his conscience always
Jesus had the dilemma of carrying the cross
His love-filled conscience came to pass
What do I do? Why I do it? Really matters
Is it the highest good of the highest numbers?
I hear my conscience often quaking
I feel my blood like cocoa get baking.
I just close my eyes and contemplate
In love, like a lover, I get consummate.
01 June 2021
Voice of Conscience Poetry Contest
Sponsored by: Unseeking Seeker
johnsondon2 | September 17, 2010
GREEN GLASS OF SAND IN PAKISTAN
Green glass of sand in Pakistan
The atomic blast denied
Radioactive skeletons
Are buried where they fried
New Mexico has radioactive sand
war time atomic tests
Green sand is there quite unplanned
Just by the atom blest
Was it only 10,000 years ago
Since then the world expired
Brightness of a thousand suns, the blow
World reborn rebuilt rewired
Rama fought with mental might.......all the Alantean Officers dropped dead...
The enemy Generals die ............forgotten advanced visualization mind control...
Atlantean might, left in a night
Valixi crossed the sky
Vimana of Rama walked the skys
Valixi dived in quick
Metal thunderbolts & Rama dies
Indus valley, burnt the brick
Don Johnson
Valixi Atlantis (People of the Asvins, Atlantis Aeroplanes)Aeroplanes & Vimana Indian Rama
planes, which used mercury so say the repair manuals of that time. Read the ancient Indian
Mahabharata document if you doubt .
The great circle of reoccurence of life is bringing the Indian nation back to its former
glory.
Lord Shiva, is the ancient Hindu God............
Lord Shiva is the most ancient and potent divinity in the universe
Although mystery surrounds him but our love and faith for him is great
Lord Shiva is the most powerful God in Hinduism and he is the root of
Saiva Samayam that delve deep into our ancient civilization.
He also known as Maheswara who representing the Trinity by himself
He is a creator, preserver and destroyer of the worlds that he creates.
He is the father of all and the source of all knowledge and mightier still
In the Mahabharata he was worshipped by Krishna and Arjuna for victory
In the Ramayana he was worshipped by demon king Ravenna for power
Lord Shiva's destruction is not negative but positive that ends always with bless
Lord Shiva is a great dancer too and he known as 'Nataraja' that is a
symbolic combination of the most important aspects of Hinduism.
He embrace his devotees who ever pray him and give them protections
He destroys the ill nature in man and he grows heavenly light in their heart
to the emergence of divine nature in man
Not only Lord Shiva, gives immense freedom to his devotees to choose
whatever path they want to follow but also shows the way to live happily
"Om Namasivaya" is the great spell to get bless from him.
Ravi Sathasivam / Sri Lanka
Copyright @2004 Ravi Sathasivam