DRAUPADI -XXXVI

    

Prafulla Kumar Mohanty's 

DRAUPADI - XXXVI

Rajasuya

Kingdom is not the Royal Palace

the people are the gods to serve

the palace is for the real servitors

king Yudhistir knew the truth

of service to his people, worked

day and night with his brothers

to expand trade and commerce

bowing to nature's earthly gifts;

Draupadi in all these royal efforts

joined with gyana, karma,

the bhakti  of the men and women

in Indraprastha's virgin expanse.

The Khandav forest was burnt,

no animal, serpent,  bird or beast

escaped the fire supervised by Arjun,

only Taksak the snake king managed

to save itself vowing revenge,

a large forest tract destroyed by fire

became arable, men and women

made it the golden bowl of harvest

from what was a snake kingdom for long.

 

One day came Narada the yogi

the universal traveller who

always loved intrigue often with

soft lies to engage mortals

in immortal affairs, Narada

told Yudhistir in feigned sorrow

while the Court was in session

he saw the king's father Pandu

at a dusty level near Yama's foot:

Yudhistir and the Pandavs sobbed

the courtiers in formal shock

awaited the sage's further account.

Narada in apologetic tone said

I hesitated to tell you this but

I thought  you must expiate for

your father's Brahminicide to

appease gods and sages and earn

enough merit to elevate Pandu

to a deserving seat in heaven.

Yudhistir stood up hands folded

bowing before Narada's feet

said in tearful voice, O' sage

kindly tell me what to do to free,

father of the curse and ignominy

of sitting at a sinner's place.

 

Narada in a sober voice consoled

Yudhistir, Draupadi and the brothers

the Expiation is -  Perform Rajasuya Yajna

which is your Royal duty and that will

appease the gods and cleanse Pandu

to gain his rightful place in heaven.

 

Draupadi bowed  as did the Pandavs

and went out alone to her chamber

refusing the maids in a sombre mood.

Half reclining on the bed she thought

is it true what the sages said,

Is there anything beyond nature

the elements comprising our earth

are these the components of heaven

does man go to heaven or hell

as per his deeds in life here

if everything is automatic why

must man make efforts to achieve

why should desires petrify living?

 

She closed her eyes for a while

the room grew dark despite

Maya's masterly work, snakes

dogs and crocodiles filled the space,

Draupadi opened her eyes with a start

she paced the room  her head

full of snakes and misgivings,

Rajasuya Yajna is a royal duty

for expansion of power and glory

it has Vedic sanctions enriched

by the tradition in monarchies:

But Draupadi was not convinced

if the king is the protector, saviour

moral arbiter of the subjects

he is a servitor not a master.

 

Her eldest husband is morally good

perfect in humility, he should know

his limits and limitations, why should he

follow this tradition of increasing

power prestige influence to become

the emperor when full prosperity

is far off in his own Indraprasth?

 

But here he is doing this for atonement

of his father's sins not for personal

ambition to become the Raj Chakrabarti.

Should a king sacrifice peoples well being

prompted by family salvation

whose nature is unclear territory!

What sin what redemption

can the son atone for the father?

 

Draupadi slowly came out

the maids were dancing singing

victory be to our king - The angels

will shower blessing on our land

we will serve the Emperor of Bharat

they surrounded Draupadi when

their eyes lighted on her - Empress!

 

But Draupadi's mind was elsewhere

although she too laughed and danced

the would be Empress was cold

O' what fate, how many roles to play!

Well what's wrong to be in the moment

cavorting away time's untimely strings.