#(Buddha) 05 Siddhartha, The Young Prince Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

To divert Siddhartha’s mind,
Many ways, the King did find.
He gave the young prince
Training in different skills.

The best of education
The King gave his son.
Musicians and dancers
Entertained the prince.

To carry out his command,
Beautiful damsels waited.
Dressed in precious silk,
Always he had a royal look.

He ate the best of food.
An umbrella was held,
As royal symbol, o’er his head,
Wherever he sat or moved.

In horse ride, sword fights,
Military and civil arts,
He received training well
And showed his best skill.

With love and care, the King
Gave the prince everything,
To keep him free from worries,
Or any worldly outside influence.

Despite a comfortable living,
Siddhartha was worrying,
On the premature death
Of his mother, after his birth.

No death, he had seen.
So, he was too keen
To know what was death,
That followed one’s birth?

His father closely observed
His occasional pensive mood
And took up this matter
Then with his minister.

After a deep discussion,
They came to a decision,
His marriage with a princess
Might wipe out his distress.

They expected a change,
More after his marriage,
As, to remain in her company,
He would stay in the family.