Liberation of a Sage

“Your Feet is too powerful, Brother!” Lakshman exclaimed

A pensive Lord Rama smiled at Lakshman and silently remained

Lakshman expounded to Mother Sita about Ahalya’s liberation

Viradha was the second person; Lord Rama’s feet gave salvation

Mother Sita too realised, there was something great beyond conception

About Her Husband regarding which He Himself was in deception

Talking about the wonderful event The Noble Three traced their way

To the place, where Sage Sarabhanga had put up his stay

When Sage Sarabhanga’s ashram to Them was in yonder

The Noble Three happened to witness another wonder

Before the ashram a chariot, on the air, magically stood

And a man hopped on to it coming out of the ashram’s hood

The man noticed The Noble Three

But pretended like he did not see

As if to avoid them, his charioteer, he hurried

The chariot rose into the clouds and got buried

Though disturbed a little by the man’s pretense

Lord Rama remained calm without becoming tense

He guessed, the man could be Indra, heaven’s king

But regarding the man’s act, bells did not ring

The Noble Three entered the ashram and met the sage

Who, had kept his soul like a bird in his body cage

Weakened by old age and severe austerities, his body shook

Joy, love and contentment oozed from his eyes, through his look

On seeing Lord Rama, he smiled as if he had found

A gem that was long lost somewhere on the ground

He looked at Lord Rama as if, to him, Lord Rama belonged

It was also as if, to Lord Rama, he ever belonged

“Rama!” He said, as if calling his child

With a voice that was sweet and mild

“Indra just came to invite me to heaven to be a permanent guest

But I thought a glimpse of you would be better and best

Is it not for this moment I kept my body without dying?

Is it not for such a moment every sage in the forest is trying?

Are you not the joy in every sacred heart?

Do you not reside in every being’s deepest part?”

Lord Rama was overwhelmed by the old man’s love

At the old man’s feet, Lord Rama did bow

The sage folded his palms and accepted the honor

As if a slave receiving an award from his owner

“Rama! I have performed difficult penance for long

The merits I have earned are large and strong

I have earned for myself heavens innumerable

I like to gift them to You, if to You, it is acceptable

To the difficulties of the jungle, I am used

The forest’s resources, to my benefits, I have expertly used

To me, this forest is a heaven by itself

I need not own those heavens for myself

You are a good Prince who deserves all comfort

In handling the difficulties of the forest, You are no expert

Please accept those heavens and stay in them at ease

I gift them to You, accepting Your Vision as fees”

Lord Rama smiled at the sage with a Heart that was moved

As if looking at His grandfather, His eyes, on the sage, were glued

But the merits earned by others, Lord Rama would not relish

To Him, relaxing at the expense of other’s hard work was blemish

“Dear Grandpa! For the offer you have made, I do thank

But you are the one who deserves in heaven a godly rank

You have worked so hard all your life in a pious way

Now reach up to the heavens, relax, rejoice, and happily stay”

The sage almost knew that was what Lord Rama would say

Contented that he had done all his best, his heart was gay

The sage then prepared himself for his final travel

He did that in a way arousing The Noble Three’s marvel

The sage creating before him a powerful fire

Entered into it, and cast off his body like an attire

From the fire arose a huge and splendorous light

Towards the skies perpendicularly it took flight

The Noble Three’s eyes were wide and wet

It took time for their overwhelmed minds to set

Thus, both sinners and sages were liberated by Ram

Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!