The goat, tied to the pole, was innocent of going to be butchered
The girl, who stood by it, out of pity, felt mentally tortured
Questions about conventions and rituals filled her thought
About how to avoid the killing of her goat, she knew not
She was going to be given in marriage, the forthcoming day
On that day, as a part of a ritual, the goat was chosen to slay
Begging her parents to avoid offering the goat’s life, she had tried
Not being paid heed by her parents, she had, all night, bitterly cried
Now she had come out of her hut, and it was going to be dawn
The hunter’s village to silence, in a slumber, was gone
The girl knew once the sun rises, the goat’s life would end
To avoid the killing, she decided to change her life’s trend
She knew, a goat allotted for her marriage, for any other reason will not be killed
So, to run away from there, go on hiding, and to never get married, she willed
She sneaked out of the village, into the jungle’s darkness
Without a noise, she hid herself with utmost smartness
In the morning, the girl’s parents and relatives, all hunters, under a shock
Searched the whole forest for her, scrutinising every single tree and rock
But to enter the premises of Sage Mathanga’s ashram, they did not dare
They left thinking, ‘a woman, in the ashram, would not be given a share’
Sage Mathanga was surprised to see his ashram surroundings becoming clean
Weeds pulled out, dry leaves picked and new flower shrubs were seen
When he came out of his hut, in the morning, to go to the river for bath
All stones and thorns were removed, and flowers decorated the desolated path
The sage called out to the person who serves him, wanting to know
The girl came out of her hiding with bowed head and shyness, very slow
On seeing the girl, the sage asked her what she wanted in return
She fell at his feet, wanting to be his disciple and nothing else in return
Sabhari, the girl, served Sage Mathanga considering him as her god
Sage Mathanga and his disciples accepted her wholeheartedly as their ward
She cleaned the place, brought water for them and collected delicious fruits
In return, they accepted her as a disciple and trained her in spiritual pursuits
Into chanting Lord Rama’s name, Sage Mathanga initiated her
She learnt it gratefully from him and chanted it with utmost care
While cleaning, washing, sweeping and when she went for water
She kept mumbling Lord Rama’s name silently without a falter
Decades went by rolling, and Sabhari grew old and wise
Her devotion for Lord Rama was day by day on the rise
Always chanting His name and serving her master
Her merits to achieve the heavenly worlds grew faster
News came to her that her Lord, in Ayodhya, was born
By eagerness and impatience, her devotional heart was torn
Every single day she counted the days of her Little Lord on earth,
Tracking when He would have walked and talked since He took birth
Once, Sabhari was picking fruits and cleaning them for her teacher
While towards her strolled hesitantly a beautiful and little creature
The creature was an ape-kid, who could talk
Sabhari watched with surprise, his slow walk
“Hello Hanuman! As if an innocent person, why are you blinking?
About what mischief to do next, you must be seriously thinking!”
Seeing Hanuman looking at her silently, and quietly sitting
Sabhari thought, ‘such calmness in Hanuman was not fitting’
Hanuman saw alternately at the fruits and her face
Sabhari wondered why he didn’t scatter them and run as if in a race
She touched Hanuman’s forehead asking him if he was not well
The answer for her question, she heard, Sage Mathanga laugh and tell
“Hanuman is the embodiment of health! You need not nurse
Just that he has forgotten all his powers because of a curse
He will be reminded of his powers at the right time
Among the servants of Shri Rama, he will be, prime!
Hanuman has completed his education under Lord Surya’s guidance
Like you, he too has secured his heart for Lord Rama’s abidance!
To the marvelous city of Ayodhya, a visit, he has paid
And with our Little Lord, he has happily played
Chanting his Lord’s name within, Little Hanuman is now silent
He is no more the naughty ape, uncontrollable and violent”
Saying thus and laughing Sage Mathanga passed by, caressing his beard
Little Hanuman’s peaceful behaviour, to Sabhari, was no more weird
Knowing Hanuman would serve her Lord, Sabhari was delighted
All her petty fears about Hanuman’s naughtiness were now alighted
She realised Hanuman was indeed a divine being
And that, time would reveal His greatness for everyone’s seeing
Though Sabhari loved all the creatures that came to her,
Hanuman had won in her heart’s space, an extra share
In fact, Hanuman in her view became a little Lord
For, he had already met and played with her God!
About his experience with the Lord, she wanted to know
Immense respect towards Hanuman, she tried to show
On her lap, she made him sit
And fed him with fruits that were fit
“Hanuman! Dear! Please do tell
About the place our Lord does dwell
How does it look, Shri Rama’s face?!
I beg of you, please describe His grace
How does He sit? How does He walk?
While you played, what did He talk?
All about His nature and features please describe!
An image of Him, in my heart, I want to inscribe”
“Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!
The thought of my Lord makes my heart warm
In the grand city of Ayodhya, with Him, I met
None is more fortunate than me, I would bet”
Little Hanuman with joy started to sing
Like the proud owner of a precious thing
“I went to Ayodhya with Lord Shiva, the wise,
Who entered the city in a monkey-charmer’s guise
Entertaining people, we walked through Ayodhya’s streets
People laughed and cheered on seeing my funny feats
The people then guided us towards their king’s place
Wanting me to amuse their favourite Prince, with my plays
Sitting on the first floor on His father’s lap,
Shri Rama, on seeing me, started to clap!
Once, on Shri Rama, I set my eyes
My heart started to melt like ice
Like a large sunflower was His face
His wide open eyes added to its grace!
His eyes were large like twin skies that were white
Each adorning a black moon that made them bright
Like a violet flower’s petals were His ears
His black curly hair decorating their rears
From His ears hung earrings made of gold that was mined
With His dark hair as skies, like golden stars they shined
Like a mountain range on the earth was His nose
Tall, like its highest peak, was the tip of His nose
On seeing my acts, Shri Rama laughed to show
His teeth that were pearls, arranged in a row!
He raised His palms that were red like the sun
Whose rays were His outstretched fingers, ten
Towards me in delight, His hands, he waved
By His beauty and grace, I became enslaved
Long before the ground, His Little Legs hung
My heart saluted Them and Their glory it sung
His Feet were blue and were bordered with pink
My eyes stuck on them and stayed without a blink
Wanting attention, with His fingers, He scratched His father’s chest,
Resembling the blue wing of a butterfly sitting on a rock and taking rest
On His fingers, He wore gem decked golden rings,
Resembling the decorative spots on the butterfly’s wings
To know what his Son wanted, the king bent his head
‘I want that monkey to play,’ Shri Rama must have said
The king looked intently towards my direction,
And then, to a soldier nearby, he gave some instruction
The soldier came and talked with my charmer, Shiva, The Great
As royal visitors my charmer and me, entered the palace gate
Through many decorated gates and doors, we went
Great astonishment, to me, the grandeur of the palace lent
Shri Rama, with His father and brothers, awaited for me in the first floor
He came running towards me, followed by His brothers once I entered the door
The royal princes stood around me bending, with hands in their knees, in a circle
And watched me with astonishment as though I were a wonderful spectacle
Shri Rama watched me with His lotus petal like eyes, open wide
His surprise and excitement on seeing me, He could not hide
My head in surrender, at His feet, I kept
Some unknown longing from my heart was swept
With His soft little right Palm that was red,
Gently and lovingly Shri Rama caressed my head
My peace and contentment was at its max
My heart before Shri Rama melted like wax
“My dear sons! Please come back and sit
Let the monkey perform, and we all can witness it”
At the king’s behest, the princes ran back to their chairs
I then realised that I was drenched by the assembly’s stares
My charmer, Shiva, started to sing and speak
He played a drum with a stick made of teak
“To the king of Kosala and the kingdom, I salute
Whose fame and prosperity has always been absolute
My name is Natraj, a tamer by profession
To tame the obstinate is my all time obsession
This monkey, Hanuman, is almost like my son
Today he is all set to provide us with some fun
‘He is just a monkey, so little,’ you all may think
Once he starts to exhibit his talents, you will not blink
Not just what we talk, even what we think, he can grasp
With his wit and shrewdness, he will make us gasp”
He then asked me loudly if I was ready to show them what I can
To show I am ready, I nodded my head like a man
The crowd, to my amazement, started to clap and cheer
I fixed my attention on Shri Rama to dispel stage fear
My charmer asked me to salute the king, first
I did what I always like to do best
I went straight to Shri Rama and sat by His Feet
With my palms folded before Him, in silent greet
My charmer Shiva acted as though a ship had drowned
Shaking his head in disbelief, he sat on the ground
Expressing his disappointment he asked me why
As though I had let him down and made him feel shy
“Oh no! Hanuman! Why have you have spoiled the show?
The difference between a prince and a king, don’t you know?
If you make mistakes like this, how will the audience pay?
How can I get you, your favourite bananas for dinner today?”
Looking at my charmer, I touched Shri Rama’s knee first
And then, with both my hands, I touched my chest
And then, with my hands, I touched my head
My charmer with surprise translated aloud what I said
“Oh! You naughty fellow, is that so?!
What you just said let the crowd know
Shri Rama is my King, Hanuman says
I am now confused with this monkey’s ways!”
“Your little monkey is indeed very smart
To think ahead of time is a rare found art!”
King Dasaratha said thus and loudly clapped
On Shri Rama’s shoulders, he lovingly tapped
My charmer pretended as though he was relieved
The act that he put up, the whole crowd believed
Then my charmer instructed me to do some tricks
Like doing somersaults and walking on sticks
He asked me to carry water like a man
I walked, chest upright with the water can
Then to carry water like women, he gave me a tip
I walked, head down and shy, with the pot on my hip
I was drenched in the applause given by the crowd
Claps and whistles resounded, in the assembly, loud
Coins, gold and silver, towards my charmer were thrown
A big delightful smile on my charmer’s face was shown
After the show, with Shri Rama and His brothers, I did play
Showering me with love, great attention to me they did pay
I was amazed by the way, His arrows, Shri Rama shoots
From His mother, He got for me milk and delicious fruits
Then, it was time for me to depart
I could not express the sorrow of my heart
I sat by the Feet of Shri Rama, hugging His knee
Tears whelming up His rose coloured eyes, I could see
My charmer came to me and said it was late
On his shoulders, I sat and came out of the palace gate
Without any heart to leave, all the way, I turned back to see
Shri Rama and his brothers, waving and running towards me”
Hanuman said this and became silent with tears
He could not be lightened by Sabhari’s cheers
Saying he wanted to chant Shri Rama’s name
Without eating anything, he hurried, the way he came
Sabhari realised Hanuman’s chaste state of mind
And that, towards anything material, he had become blind
That, by immersing himself in Lord Rama’s form and name,
And, by serving Lord Rama, he would achieve everlasting fame
After that, rarely to the ashram, Hanuman went
Great inspiration to Sabhari, those few visits lent
For Sabhari, in serving her master, time went by
One day it was time for her master to say good-bye
After instructing Sabhari to remain there,
And, about Lord Rama’s visit, reassuring her
Sage Mathanga and his disciples left for the heavens they earned
By jumping into and offering their bodies to a yogic fire they churned
Time passed on and Sabhari became very very old
Lord Rama was decked in her heart, like diamond on gold
Left all alone, chanting Lord Rama’s name, she awaited the day
Her Lord Shri Rama, to liberate her, would walk her way
Everyday before dawn promptly she rose
With a lamp, went to the gardens, and fruits she chose
She waited all day hoping, Lord Rama would come and she could give
This way, for a quite a few years, she did live
At last came in her life the most eventful day
God, unto his devotee’s hut, found His way
She saw two men with bows coming from afar
The tear drop from her eyes was a glittering star
Lord Rama with Lakshman walked the path decorated with flowers
Sabhari had decorated and drenched the path with her love-showers
Lord Rama walked admiring the pathway and the surrounding beauty
Lakshman walked eager to see the person who had done his usual duty
Sabhari stood with folded palms before her hut
Happy tears flowed from her eyes that were shut
Lord Rama approached her and addressed her as ‘Mother’
The last karma of Sabhari slowly started to wither
Composing herself Sabhari offered water for The Divine Brothers’ Feet
And then, she wanted to offer them fruits that were tasty and sweet
Out of excitement, the fruits, she first tasted
And then offered them the fruits that were not sour or wasted
Wanting to object, tasted fruits being offered, Lakshman tried to speak
But Lord Rama with a silent gesture made his brother’s objection weak
Seeing Lord Rama relish the tasted fruits, Lakshman did frown
But then admiring his Brother’s humility before love, he put his smiling face down
After Lord Rama and Lakshman had satisfactorily eaten,
Sabhari took them through a path that was well beaten
She showed them the garments made of tree bark, her master had used
The garments looked as if they were new, their freshness never reduced
Even the flowers her master had offered to deities a decade long
Were still fresh like they were just plucked and smelled strong
About how the rivers would rush to the ashram at her master’s will
Sabhari with a child’s excitement, to Lord Rama, did tell
Lord Rama listened to Sabhari with a smile
Patient, calm and humble all the while
Sabhari, after talking for long, realised it was time for her to leave
A long and heavy breath, out of contentment, she did heave
“Shri Rama! You must meet Sugriva in Rishyamukha and make friends
While here and now, satisfied and ripe on seeing You, my long life ends”
Saying thus Sabhari entered a fire she created out of Yogic power
And climbed to the heavens with the help of her karmic tower
The mercy Sabhari had for a goat,
Towards a Guru’s place, made her float
The dedication she showed for her teacher
Made God Himself come down to reach her!
This is the greatness of a merciful heart
And this is what among men, God does sort
To thus come down to His devotees is the greatness of Ram!
Jai Shri Ram! Jai Jai Shri Ram!!
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