English Literature – Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 50 – Pandu’s sons ☆ Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra

Ms Neelam Saxena Chandra

(Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is a well-known author. She has been honoured with many international/national/ regional level awards. We are extremely thankful to Ms. Neelam ji for permitting us to share her excellent poems with our readers. We will be sharing her poems on every Thursday. Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra ji is  an Additional Divisional Railway Manager, Indian Railways, Pune Division. Her beloved genre is poetry. Today we present her poem “Pandu’s sons”. )

☆ Weekly column ☆ Poetic World of Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra # 50 ☆

☆ Pandu’s sons ☆

Cursed by Rishi Kindima

Into the realms of forest Pandu retired

The news of pregnant Gandhari

In him, the desire to have a son fired.

Seeing him desolate and murky

His dutiful wife, Kunti consoled

“For his wife to bear another man’s child,”

She said, “The law of Dharma allowed”.

“Let me call a Rishi,” said Pandu

“Let us call a Deva,” Kunti stated

Blessed by Rishi Durvasa, she had a boon;

The knowledge made Pandu elated.

Pleased by Kunti’s solution

First to be invoked was Lord Yama

She gave birth to Yudhishtra

Who would be the upholder of Dharma

Next to be summoned was the God of wind

Of all Gods, most powerful and mightiest

And thus was born courageous Bhima

Who, one day, would be the strongest

And then, blessings were sought

From Indra, King of all Devas, who ruled the sky

Arjuna, the valiant archer was born

He became Kunti’s favourite by and by

And then, Kunti could invoke no more

Four were the maximum allowed

Pandu thought for a few days and then

For Madri, his second wife, implored

The Ashwini twins were invoked for Madri

The Lord of morning and evening stars

Nakula, the handsomest man was born

Along with his twin, with knowledge of near and far

Pandu, thus had five sons

Together, they came to be as Pandavas known

Had wisdom of ‘King perfect’ collectively

Honesty, strength, skill, beauty and wisdom they honed

© Ms. Neelam Saxena Chandra

Pune, Maharashtra