The four princes grew up well, <br />Strong, virtuous, brave and lovable, <br />As archers and warriors in every field <br />They were trained and moulded. <br /> <br />One day the sage Viswamitra <br />Arrived there to see Dasaratha, <br />Who didn’t, his visit, expect, <br />Received him with full respect. <br /> <br />Viswamitra was a king once, <br />Who did his severe penance, <br />For one reason or the other, <br />Hundreds of years together. <br /> <br />With his army, he went out once, <br />Met the Sage Vasishta by chance, <br />And all the guests of his entourage <br />Were fed sumptuously by the Sage. <br /> <br />How it was possible for a sage, <br />To feed such an army huge? <br />Never before, he saw this kind. <br />Its reason, he was eager to find. <br /> <br />Vasishta called Sabala his cow, <br />And told the king as to how, <br />It was a fountain of plenty, <br />That gave food in bounty. <br /> <br />The king wanted to take it, <br />But the sage refused to give it. <br />He was bent upon somehow <br />To use force and take the cow. <br /> <br />The poor distressed cow, <br />Stood against his vow, <br />But his madness by now, <br />Drove him fight with bow. <br /> <br />Vasishta held his hand stick, <br />That received the arrow’s prick, <br />Thus the King’s red hot rage <br />Couldn’t harm the smiling sage. <br /> <br />Out of his utter frustration, <br />Broken down by humiliation, <br />He gave up his throne at once, <br />To the forest, went for penance. <br /> <br />The years of penance nonstop, <br />His fame, as a sage, rose to the top. <br />Unhappy with the title “Raja Rishi”, <br />He observed rigorous austerity. <br /> <br />Until the Sage Vasishta accepted <br />From his spoken word and said <br />That a “Brahma Rishi” he was, <br />He didn't give up his cause. <br /> <br />To the world his contribution, <br />By his act of self-determination, <br />Earned him all the reputation, <br />He deserved on each occasion.<br /><br />Rajaram Ramachandran<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ramayan-part-03-the-sage-viswamitra/
