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Poems: Of Angry Pride, Rebirth And Hope?

Draupadi is one of Indian mythology’s strongest female characters. Has the disrobing shame maimed forever a spotless name? Must a new beginning encircle the realm of sorrow and serenity? How long is the wait for divine blessing too long??

Sanjula Sharma

Updated on: 7 May 2022 9:54 am

'Manna from the skies'

Draupadi

Majestic pride enhanced?
The beauty in her face
Strength lay in her tresses
By which she swore revenge.

Victim of a Lear pride?
The downfall was too heavy?
Even for one such as her.

For Draupadi was too modern?
To connive her husband’s act?
Of putting her on stake
Too strong to pardon
The humiliation of the Court Disrobing.

The Kauravas’ raucous laughter?
Broke the passive silence of the Elders
Pitamaha hung his head in shame
Yudhishthira, Partha, strongman Bheema
Looked on helplessly…later
Thanked the Saviour Krishna.

Disgraced, furious, half-ashamed
Panchali cried Vendetta.?

And so the tale continued
The war, death and the doctrine of Karma.

A scene from Mahabharata depicting the humiliation of Draupadi | Credit: Getty

A happy end.
But too late for Draupadi.
For the scars of shame had maimed
Forever a spotless name
History had recorded with relish
That one act of molestation.

Panchali was censured?
For she had dared to defy
Manifest the fiery strength
Of a woman wronged.

Once…she had aspired for the best
For she was incomparable
A Benazir par excellence.

Now?
A dancer’s delight
Historian’s favourite
Mythology’s black sheep

Poetry preserves her charisma?
Celebrates her angry pride
Gives her a new dimension.

Beautiful, brave and enigmatic
Draupadi
A force to always remember
But never eulogize
For she must forever remain tried.
?
Soul

To touch the sky?
With the torch of sunshine and rain?
Was I born on earth again.?

To sail the seven seas of mortality
Into the ocean of immortality
To rise from the ashes of my forefathers?
Into the realm of sorrow and serenity?
Was I born again.

Soul-searching | Credit: Shutterstock

To give shape to buried desires
And life to evanescent hopes
Fruition to unfulfilled dreams
And completion of unmet goals?
Was I born again.?

And am reborn now?
Free to traverse the universe
In yet another form?

Bound by the rules of this earth?
Missing those seamless shores
That gave me freedom for a blessed while
Alongside souls that came to rest?
A Sabbatical from an earthly quest?

Now...all born again.?

Manna From The Skies?

And in the end
A ray of hope
A semblance of calm?
A vestige of peace
Nerve, fortitude and succor

Along the arduous path to a Mecca
Not yours, not mine
But one universal shrine
Lying under an open, seamless sky

I walk alone…I walk with you?

Palm turned upwards, fists opening up?
Smiling, a prayer on my lips
I wait for my spirit to lift
My heart to sing in bliss
My mind forever stilled

I wait
For Your countless blessings
I wait?
With love and faith?
I wait?
But not for long.

For Manna from the Skies.?

(Sanjula Sharma is a journalist-writer based in Delhi, who has written six books of fiction and poetry. She is also the founder of ‘Happy Minds’, a creative platform that conducts writing workshops for children.)