A Tale Of The Highway Robber Poem by Rajiv Tripathi

A Tale of the Highway Robber
"Enlighten Valmiki as Ratnakar"
(1)
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Deep dense forest of giant trees
Their branches spread over the surface
Indeed, unbroken series of trees
Along sides of the river Tamsa's race
Darkness even in days of summer pervaded
For birds and wild animals it was pleasant shade
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Along with the river bank a path existed and ran
Villagers and merchants used to pass through
From years long long ago in caravan
But slowly, there a terror grew to and fro
It was not wild animal's terror
Contrary of a highway robber
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A robber named Ratnakar roomed the path
Formidable physic with black moustache
That coverd his face as trees the earth
Who robbed men without ache
On the path he made men nab
And killed them with his sharp stab
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None dared to pass through the path
Unknowingly, if someone passed
Became pray of the robber as an aftermath
Indeed, he was a terror himself engrossed
Fearless fear in the form within
He was drwan in the pond of sin
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Once divine sage Narada walked through the way
Chanting divine mantra " Narayan- Narayan"
Happily, he walked watching things lay
At once he startled with the roar of man
And stopped when the voice warned
" O saint stop and let have that you adorned! "
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In a few second that path was blocked
A huge body with stab stood in front of him
The saint smiled admiringly and knocked
His conscience that was drawn in sin- grim
For a moment the robber remain speechless
And stared the from of devine bless
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The saint moved forward in his way
Roared the robber "stop or get prepared to death"
Again smiled the saint and bound to say,
"Why do you kill me for the wealth? "
Answered the robber "I need it for my kin
The saint said " You do fear of sin."
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He laughed and laughed for minutes
And said " Don't be foolish give me all"
The saint said, " You don't fear of sin, wait
You do all this for your kin and help them with things befall
But do you know they will help you after you dead
Will they share the sin you take on your head? "
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Listening the saint he went deep in thought
He couldn' t decide what to reply
The saint told him the he would first tie the knot
For he should go and ask his kin to give reply
He agreed and bound the saint with rope
And went home for answer with hope
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Meeting kin he asked if they would share his sin
All answered, " No, we will not do
You will have to be alone for the sin"
He stunned with their answer and turned to woe
And ran to the shelter of the saint
Made him free and started repent
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He folded his hand layed his head
In the devine feet begging his blessing
" O divine man tell me the way I can make my sin fade"
The saint said him to sing
" Mara" constantly as he could not sing "Ram"
For him the word became devine psalm
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The robber, then, sat chanting the word "Mara"
Its anagram is the devine word "Rama"
He turned tranced chanting the word as per fra
And time passed he chanted "Mara- ma..."
He had lost his awareness to surrounding
Deep his conscience he continued singing
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Slowly, years passed, ant made hill
Upon his all the body, that is known "Valmiki"
The devine Lord pleased with thrill
Looking his body covered with "valmiki"
And declared him the devine body
And fill his soul with knowledge and devine melody
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He got up from his trance as devine sage
And started leading his life full of penance
Compassion glowed his face as the sun's rays
Made his hut in the forest and lived in trance
Thus a robber dripped
As well -known saint with saintly gripped