Visit of Sage Vishwamitra -From the book ‘Sri Ramayana’ by Srirangam Ramesh
Dasaratha, one day felt, the children should get wedded,
Marriage at a younger age was considered sacred,
Youthful age is better for a wedding than later,
Avoiding vagaries of lust is a fact of the matter.
As the king, Dasaratha was about to announce his desire,
Arrived the great sage Vishwamitra, said a Palace warder.
The king happily received the sage with regal honors,
Eulogized the greatest of the sage in every manner.
Dasaratha said:
‘Welcome!, I’m so honored by your kind visit Oh! Seer!
‘The greatest of the sages’, your blessing is so rare.
Who could be so much in a single birth but for you?
Who willfully gave up the throne and went in search of truth.
Your career is a model to humanity Oh Adorable!
From just a ruler you became a spiritual pinnacle,
From a ruling Raja to a Rishi to Rajarishi,
A Maharishi then you are now a Bramharishi’
As you step into my palace the place is sanctified,
Blessed are I and my family and my people nationwide.
With your visit, this palace is a sacred place henceforth,
I seek your divine blessings and submit all my worth.
I’m all at your service may you order what to do
It would be my fortune to be of any good to you’
Vishwamitra was pleased as Dasaratha said so
Asked for what he wanted, in a voice dense and low.
Sage Vishwamitra
‘May you be firm indeed as lavish in your speech,
My blessings to you, Oh King, herein I beseech,
In the interest of the world, I conduct the Yaga rituals,
There are demon forces deep inside the jungle.
Thataki, a demon, with two sons backing from the caves,
Subahu and Mareecha cause a ruckus, rant, and rave,
Hell-bent upon giving trouble that no one can ever save,
Foiling with flesh and bones while the sages prayed.
In larger interest, I should not use my psychic powers,
To terminate the bizarre demons hiding undercover.
The sacred process should be defended through the course,
Your eldest son Rama is the One and only mightier force.
Therefore I seek your consent to take Rama with me now,
After ten days, I shall see to Rama’s safe return somehow’.
Dasaratha was stunned and stood just like a stone,
Rama was too young, he thought, to fight alone.
Dasaratha
‘Oh the greatest of the sages, please permit me my say,
How can I send young Rama and wait for him in dismay?
I, with all my army men, shall face the demon’s threat,
Castaway the worries and permit me,’ he said.
Sage Vishwamitra
‘So you fail to keep the promise made in your prolific speech?!’
With raging anger, Vishwamitra jumped out of his seat.
‘As a descendant of Raghu I took you for granted,
Keep fondling your son, as you turn me disappointed.
Not one of your ancestors deviated from a promise,
This portends an evil that your kingdom must face anguish’
As the sage raged, the King was on his knees,
The counsel of the learned said, ‘what must be, must be.’
From the book
Sri Ramayana by Srirangam Ramesh