UNDER THE PIPAL TREE
1) The temple yard with massive trees
Strong pillared structures with leafy domes
A spacious shelter for birds and monkeys
Around which pilgrims bow and roam.
Praying to thousands of black curved forms
Engraved on stones, eye-catching charms.
2) Devotees pray with humble hearts and stay
With eyes closed, mumbling divine names;
The pleasant cool breezes throw away
Their worries and light Bhakti's flames;
They offer rows of lights deckt with dark red
And yellow powder, to snakes without dread.
3) Pouring milk in streams over serpent-stones
Chanting mantras in pious tones;
As scents of myrrh and camphor spread
Reciting prayers couples tread
A festive glow surrounds the place entire
With colorful blooms and lamp-lit fire.
4) The priests busied themselves with rites
Chanting slokas and waving lights
Aspiring for booty from devotees there
Tied to one place to earn their labor's share;
The graceful hooded gods beseem to say
Lessons of truth to those who truly pray.
5) Like saints installed under the peepal trees
Unmindful of weather and intense heat
No venomous shapes, but divinities indeed
Wish-fulfilling gods without greed
Giving progeny and domestic bliss
Removing time-old curse with mental peace.
6) Round and round the devotees turned--
Around the stony serpents adorned
With jasmine and rose-plaited chains
Tinged with saffron-mixed-yellow grains--
Seeking blessings from serpent-deities
For their family's health and longevity.
7) The serpents shone with mysterious glow
As if responding to their feelings' flow
Their eyes opened wide gazed so bright
Hissing blessings with hoods upright;
Denizens of three worlds in various forms
True ornaments of gods and nature's charms.
8) Paired serpents intertwined in graceful pose
Some like hydras with multiple hoods rose;
Milk-tinted glistened with sleek silver shine
With full-spread hoods and moon-lit eyne
Upright standing on folded coils
Benefactors of the sons of the soil.
9) The primates viewing the devotees meek
Skipped and played hide-and-seek
Leaping over the harmless serpents carved
Giving no chance to mongrels starved
Seizing offerings with lightning speed
Shocked devotees wonder at their greed.
10) Bless us, Holy symbols of creative force!
Driving the diverse folds of the universe;
Harbingers of bliss and mystic force divine
That lies concealed in human spine;
Unwind the potent forces of our mind
Unfold the lotus sealed in conscience behind.
Ref:
a) Bhakti= Deep devotion
b) Mantras = devotional hymns with mystic power"
c) Slokas = devotional metrical verse
d) dark red and yellow powder= vermilion and turmeric used in worship
e) saffron-mixed yellow grains= rice grains mixed with vermilion and
turmeric powder, used in worship.
f) time-old curse= the burden of curse caused due to indiscriminate
killing of cobras by people, called naga dosha.
g) The lotus = In yogic terminology the lotus symbolizes
spiritual enlightenment
Note: 1) In Indian tradition the peepal tree is considered as very sacred--
a veritable symbol of Holy Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Generally under its branches small stone idols of gods, especially those
of serpents, are seen in many temples. Lord Krishna also told Arjuna
that among mighty trees, his power has assumed the form of the peepal
tree. So people walk with devotion around this tree (Pradakshina) with
the hope of getting blessings of this wish-fulfilling tree.
The idols of serpents occupy a very prominent place in Hindu mythology.
They are considered as symbols of pro-creation and domestic bliss.
Lord Subrahmanya (Son of Shiva and Parvathi) is worshipped in the form
of a serpent symbolising creative force and the mystic force called
kundalini which lies concealed inside the spine. Many gods are shown
wearing serpents as ornaments to indicate their mastery over this mystic
power. This serpentine power spreads through all worlds of creation
which is shown as multiple folds of creative force like that of the coils of
Anantha, the lord of all serpents.
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25th February, 2015 Somaseshu G
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