Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's
DRAUPADI - XXXV
The evening melted
in earthen lamps
Draupadi had made up
her body and mind
with beads of long nursed
Love, breath of heaven
waves of virgin desires.
She smelled of beauty
her breasts were domes
of lusty sapphires topped
with rubies of fantasy
her deep naval wore
a ring of lotus petals
creating the illusions
of a mystic wheel
whirling to conquer.
Her strong thighs firm
yet supple stood warm
on her dainty feet
the fire in her eyes
was a still flame
lighting up her bridal chamber:
and then came Arjun.
His eyes were red
with tumblers of wine
to still his nerves, his
steps steady, his gait
measured to form:
Good evening Princess
he said coming near
welcome Prince, Draupadi's
was a polite greeting.
Seating Sabyasachi
on her bridal bed Panchali
tried to calm her pulsation
when Arjun presented her
A Gandiv replica of Astadhatu.
'A token for my braveheart'
Draupadi thanked him
turned the gift in her hands:
Is your Gandiv a table piece,
only for show and decor?
Or the ornament of a hero
to be worn without parting
for it protects and defends
you and others you call your own?
Priyatame! You are the one
I loved not as the winner
but as Arjun who admired
your eyes more than the fish eye -
What did you say, Priyatame
O' gods in heaven!
And the choicest splendour
of this world of nature and men!
My heart swells in womanly pride
to hear this word! But when your
Priyatame was forced
to be shared by five
was your Gandiv unstrung
or you surrendered it
to your family discipline
wordlessly dismembering my soul?
No brave Princess don't kill
a man who died
the very moment that happened:
I had to bite my tongue
when that happened: come
my angel burn me to new life
with your love O' Fireborn
I cannot change that moment
nor can you, I'll accept
the part as whole -
But I am no more a virgin
my love is fly blown -
Arjun placed his palm on
Draupadi's lips, pulled her
to a tight embrace saying
never say such things
your fire purges and restores
your virgin heart which
I am sure is untouched
for me you are -
A duty assigned, said Draupadi
swiftly separating herself
from Arjun's grasp.
The lamps flickered
on her cheeks, the chamber
became hot with her breath
and Arjun's long sighs-
I am not an item scheduled
I wanted my vast universe
with you expanding it beyond heavens -
We will make it so,
your wishes shall be my orders
of my Guru the empress
of my soul and I shall
fill all the voids you create
by your royal shenanigans.
The great Partha then
will be a willing slave
to a shared woman
whose universe has shrunk
under the weight of inanities:
No, my love together we shall
recreate our world
new continents rising above
royal thrones and gemlit zones
expanding our love to cover
god's unconscious follies
which cause tear floods.
We shall give the balm of love
to all human wounds -
How Aryaputra how
will you not see me tomorrow
in your brothers arms
playing another role
to save my wifely trade...
Stop Draupadi, let the done
be done, no point when
we cannot undo, lets now
do what our love can do
in mortal terms and
changeful nature to remain
love awake for each other
to make life around
lovelier than it is now:
come join my heart
enrich it before the lamps
die out in sunken despair.
Draupadi sank to her knees
in prayer stance said she,
I had a dream my Dhananjaya:
to see you as my world
my life's vibration soft and wide
to ride in pomp in a vast limitless
space to set up a harmonious whole
of love, amity moral purity, free
from the arrogance of power and
to bring radiance in all faces
dull mind sickly hungry
to make life a celebration of light
the light of human glory
in benevolent measures but
see what compromises I make
just to hide the woman in me
in artful hypocrisy betraying
a skin deep relational front!
Arjun lifted her up
with a strange inspiration
his voice cracking he held her
I have given you the man in me
to you Princess, the woman
which is not lost in your roles,
as I am the third Pandav
Dronasisya, Indrason
learner of war strategies
collector of arms of mythic divinity
you too are the queen wife
to five men of diverse temper,
manager of the royal household
feeder of birds animals, men
creator of beauty in dull life
the woman in you is not sundered
by the multiple roles you play
rather the woman reigns supreme
in ever growing forms
embracing all that is perceived
by mortals in nature's variety
I love the woman in you, the woman
who moves shadow like all
sun moon hours but remains aglow
in solitary non attachment:
I love you my soul, come
we will give a nuptial feast
to all those who perceive
the surface glamour in this light
of thousand lamps while
the soul of darkness is bright
in its untouched grace.
