Abhimanyu Poem by Shankaran Kutty

Twelve days of war had by then gone by
Thousands dead on the battlefield did lie
With Drona as the leader of the clan
The Kauravas hatched an evil plan

As the thirteenth day of war did dawn
The battle formations were formally drawn
And as they planned the previous day
Susharma led Arjuna far away

With a mighty army at the core
And great leaders at the fore
In Chakravyuha did Drona lead
To break it knew no one indeed

With an attack that was so brutal and savage
The Kaurava army went on the rampage
Thousands were left dying or dead
And many more from the scene had fled

In mortal fear, to the Pandava tent
The elder Pandava then hastily went
But for a boy, he found no one
Had evil over good, then finally won?

The son of Vijaya then stood up brave
And Asked, "Uncle, pray why do you look so grave?
These beads of sweat I spy on your brow
Tell me if I can wipe it somehow "

With trembling voice did Yudhishtra speak
"I don't know whose help I now can seek
Under Chakravyuha Drona has advanced too far
I fear we are going to lose this war

To pierce it the only warriors I had
Were the Lord himself and then your dad
They have been led so far away
Our warriors by hundreds have fallen prey

Is this the end, will the balladeers sing
Of the untimely end of the Pandava King?
Has a new world order begun to rule
Where Evil reigns and Good made a fool"

The strapping youth then stood up to speak
"You are a Kshatriya king, don't be so meek
Impregnable to you the Chakravyuha might seem
But of victory no Kaurava shall yet dare to dream"

So saying the brave youth went in to prepare
To show his bravery, he was getting a chance rare
When a shadow he felt behind him so near
And on his shoulder fell a drop of tear

He turned back to his wife, still in her teen
Her face was pale, had lost all its sheen
"Tell me my Lord do you have to go
Get in you can but come out you don't know

Your child you know grows within my womb
He should see his dad, not a lonely tomb
So don't go my Lord, don't leave me alone
You are the only one, I have as my own "

Throwing herself against her husband's breast
Little Uttara inconsolably wept
The ways of the war, she was too small to know
All she knew, her husband, she wouldn't let go

Abhimanyu gently pushed her aside
To his weeping wife, he then replied
"The Kshatriya blood that flows through my vein
When shed on the battlefield, should not be in vain

Shy away, shall not I in this hour of need
Now is the time to step in and lead
Whether I come back alive or dead
"Valiantly he fought", shall of me be said

Those were words she refused to hear
All she cared was for her husband dear
"All that you say may indeed be true
But all I care for, is only you

Tomorrow, when our son is born
I want to celebrate, not sit and mourn
You may win the battle, war, an empire
But your presence in my life, is all I desire

So tell them, I am sure they will understand
There will be other heroes in this mighty land
Whose wives are made of much sterner stuff
I don't need an empire, my Lord is enough "

Abhimanyu himself, though just sixteen
A braver youth, there wasn't to be seen
So for all the time his wife did plead
He knew he had to leave, that was the moment's need

"Daughter of the brave king Virat you are
So shouldn't cry when your Lord goes to war
It is fire not tears in your eyes I should spy
Send your husband to war with your head held high

Whether I come back alive or covered in shroud
Be rest assured I shall make my father proud
Think of the glory it will bring
The son of Yama, shall be the King

When the bugles blow and the trumpets sound
On the battlefield I shall be found
Pray not for my life but the battle we win
Keep the fire of hope, burning within"

He was Partha's son and Lord Krishna's nephew
Her chances of stopping him, she knew was few
So though her fears were still in spate
She knew she couldn't bemoan her fate

"Go forth my Lord, don't speak of death
Let Victory fill your every breath
My prayers are with you in your every stride
Go, and become your father's pride "

So did the little princess that day
Send her husband on the way
And like a thousand lions did he roar
Knowing death was knocking at the door

Even the Gods that day watched in awe
As the bravest of lads on a battlefield they saw
For a boy just sixteen years of age
He displayed unseen valor and courage

Drona, Karna, Kripa, great warriors all
Yet before his skill they did fall
So shamelessly did they together conspire
To conquer this little giant, breathing fire

The heavens wept as together did they
The bravest of all, that day did slay
With a lighted lamp, in her tent did she wait
To receive her husband, unknowing his fate.