Lord Rama's hidden Divinity

For more than seven weeks, Lord Rama stayed in that place

The disturbing demons saw wisdom in giving up their ways

In one place for long, Lord Rama did not want to be held

Though the sages with Lord Rama, like relatives, gelled

Lord Rama approached the sages and told His wish politely

Though they were sad, being wise men, they took it lightly

“Dearest Rama! You do not belong only to us but all

Numerous sages await Your shadow, in their places, to fall

Respectful, humble and loving, You are a delightful Lad

We feel, while You go, the torment suffered by Your dad

But even this sorrow You give, by leaving us

Somewhere deep within soothes, by touching us

Even for a moment, in anyone’s life, when You enter

You walk into their heart and sit right in the center

You are truly that Love, which oozes in every heart

You leave us with beautiful memories while You depart

You melt our ego so much, we want nothing more

Your image, the highest wealth, our hearts would store

Giving up things, for nothing, is always fake

One can give up pleasure for higher happiness sake

You are the One, who gives us such happiness in abundance

Before which, all pleasures go to a state of redundance

Thank You Rama! For being so wonderful and good

For our inspired minds, Your thoughts are fuel and food

Your Wife and brother taking pains to be with You is no wonder

Only missing a chance to be in Your presence would be a blunder”

Saying thus, the sages gave leave for The Noble Three to go

Their heart’s love came out as tears as if to see the departure show

The Noble Three were accompanied by a group of sages

Who wanted to serve as guides, expecting nothing material for wages

The Noble Group headed by Lord Rama went past landscapes

Where teemed a number of animals like deer, boars and apes

As they were walking, they came across a beautiful lake

Where cranes flew in and out for the tasty fishes’ sake

They heard musical sounds of sitar, drums and flute

One blending with the other in a rhythmic suit

“Mandakarni is having fun!” One of the sages said

To laughter amidst the sages, this statement led

With a curious look, Lord Rama turned His head

About Sage Mandakarni, for Lord Rama, some light they shed

“Sage Mandakarni was a man of exceptional strength

He performed difficult penance for a century’s length

To intensify his penance, on this lake’s water, he stood

He consumed only air, renouncing water and food

In Indra’s heart, fear of loosing his position, started to grip

He wanted sage Mandakarni, from his determination, to slip

Indra sent five seductive diva’s near sage Mandakarni to seduce

Hoping sage Mandakarni’s attention on penance would reduce

But sage Mandakarni, to be tricked, was too wise

To give up his penance, from Indra, he demanded a price

He wanted those divas for himself by lawful wedding

And a permanent palace with servants to do his bidding

Indra created for him such a palace under this lake

And said any wealth from heaven was his to take

Now the sage lives happily there having unlimited fun

Blessed with a youthful body, his age will never run”

The Noble Three were surprised on hearing the account

Which was proof, on penance, one could always count

Talking about such wonderful stories The Noble Group went

Trying to understand what those stories deeply meant

The Noble Three thus embarked on a long pilgrimage

Which added, to each one of them, ten years of age

From one ashram to another, They continuously coursed

Every time They left, to stay, They were repeatedly forced

They stayed in some ashrams for a year’s half

They were not just guests but also working staff

They stayed in some ashrams for months, four

Being studious students of the Vedic lore

Like this, They went from one ashram to another

Each had practices entirely different from the other

But wherever They went, They were treated royally

The Noble Three adapted to the ashram’s ways cordially

The most interesting aspect of the pilgrimage was

The types of penances and ascetics they came across

Some ascetics sat under trees for years like stones

Some bent their bodies as if they had rubber for bones

They saw Siddhas who acted as if they were possessed

Occult powers, named siddhis, these Siddhas possessed

They saw Valakilyas with bodies, only a thumb’s size

Who hung head down from trees, opening their eyes

The Noble Three saw Marishibas, who lived by the energy of light

They derived their energies from sun and moon light

The Noble Three saw Samprakshalagas, who always did cleansing

Their bodies with water they were relentlessly rinsing

They saw ascetics, who sat encircled by five fires

They also saw ascetics, who only wore wet attires

They saw ascetics, who chanted mantras that were sacred

They also saw ascetics, who sat silently as if guarding a secret

Some ascetics to perform penance on water, stayed buoyant

Some shut their eyes, nose and ears to become clairvoyant

Some ascetics, for food, specifically ate only a few types of leaves

But they never saw an ascetic, who about his path, regrets or grieves

Lord Rama was both overwhelmed and surprised on seeing

Most of the sages considering Him as Vishnu, The Supreme Being

Lord Rama felt entertaining such thoughts would not be wise

Anyway, due to this, His humility and dutifulness was on the rise

Lakshman considered being Lord Rama’s brother as his luck

From being a brother, he changed to a devotee and strongly stuck

Mother Sita did not feel or show any difference at this thought

Lord Rama was anyway Her God, whether He was Vishnu or not

Thus the pilgrimage had, on The Three, different effects

However they were affected, only their Greatness it reflects

Though, like all humans, to their identity, Their eyes were tied

Their love for all beings They created, spread far and wide

Like the hidden fire’s heat spreads out

Like the hidden flower’s fragrance spreads out

Lord Rama’s hidden Divinity’s Love spread out

Realising which, those wise sages’ faith became stout

Though Lord Rama did not know, the sages knew, He was God

To their lives, souls and bodies, they knew, He was The Lord

Until then, they thought of God as a person of phenomenal ability

But when He came to them in human garb, they realised His humility

This humility melted them more and more

And melting, in spiritual pursuit, is the highest score!

Thus Lord Rama, wherever He went, uplifted everyone

Though he did not realise, He was The Supreme One

Both human ignorance and divine wisdom co-existed in Ram

This is why, The Greatest Human ever lived is Ram!

This is why, The Greatest God ever worshipped is Ram!

This blend is the true beauty of Ram! Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!