Chapter 4 : The Power of Haihayas

By the boon of father Jamadagni the great sage,

Parashuram is immortal, has seen every age.

In Satya Yug - the Age of Truth - the first among four,

He was born, when manhood galore.

All were able bodied, of hard working nature,

Happy, having lands by acre.

Simple, straight in thought and action,

Philosophy, literature or devotion,

Or may it be heroic deed,

Farming, labor stomach to feed -

Powerful children they were all,

Muscular, head high and tall.  

Women were satis, taking right decisions,

Practiced dharma without obligations

As dharma is not a theory, it is rhythm of the blood,

Which fulfills a concept when heart they flood.

King Kritaveerya who did actions of valor

Was Samraat then - the Emperor.

Chakravarttee was he titled, ruler of all,

A true Kshatriya - ruling man - to him enemies did fall.

He bore the dynasty of Atri, Brahma's mind-son,

Following the line of Som - Chandra - Moon, brightly lighted on,

Except when swallowed by Ketu, ever-jealous,

Along with Rahu taking on Vivaswan - Surya - the Sun furious,

The bodyless ones who cannot forget

Complaint to Vishnu when they ate

Amrita - elixir - treacherously when to gods being served,

Denying the asuras, when equally they worked

In Samudra-Manthan - churning of the ocean -

And was being fooled by Sri Vishnu as Mohini, the illusory woman in harmonic motion,

Who severed their heads in original form

With Sudarshan Chakra, before Indra making norm

for their regular deeds. From Chandra is born

Budh - Mercury - very intelligent, from childhood who sworn

To be a learned sage - the planet of intelligence -

Whose line ran as Pururava, Ayu, Nahush, Yayati diligence

Personified, who married Sharmistha, King Vrishparva's daughter

Along with his guru Shukracharya's daughter

Devayani, bearing Puru and Yadu respectively,

Creating clans of Pauravs and Yadavs. Selectively

I mention only the line. Yadu's son Shatjit eldest

Gave Haihaya's birth. Thus began the ablest

Line of the then Aaryavartta,

Continuing from Dharmanetra,

Kumbhi, Sanhat, Mahishmaan, Bhadrasen- Kaashi's overlord,

Durdarsh, Bheem, Kanak, Kritaveerya - a fine accord

Of growing power. Himalayas and Vindhyas divide

Haihaya kingdom ran far and wide.

Kritaveerya ran an army vast

Comprising of all creed and caste.

Anaaryas all he freely recruited,

Wealth of his subjects he never looted.

Open to all ideas, Vedas he appreciated,

Non-rigid, on one believe he never baited.

Strong, determined, upon rishis he marveled,

To their aashrams for thoughts he traveled.

Bhaargavs were his favourite source,

Helped him to put away remorse.

He made them his priests royal,

Stayed respectful, learning, loyal.

He knew how to please his men,

Alas! In his sons this goodness did wane.

The King donated in bounty, to the Bhaargav's delight,

Great relation brought to both sides might.

His sons envied of the golds paid away.

To keep the royal expense at bay

They complained to their just father

"Mahaaraaj! Our gold goes to other

Persons in no way deserving.

Better give to them who are serving,

Staying loyal to us.

They don't preach, don't make any fuss,

Always listens to what we say.

Father! Keep those people at bay

Who dare think to modify the raj.

Why Bhaargavs are not entourage

To the crown which handsomely pays

For their mantras chanted in all sort of ways

Meaningless, unproductive. A complete waste of time!

Yes, they sound good when they rhyme.

Is the treasury for a bunch of fools?

Every man to you tirelessly pools

The burden of kingdom. We, your sons,

Have gone to chaturdik - in four directions -

Purba, Paschim, Uttar, Dakshin -

East, West, North, South - wherever we have been,

Have seen and conquered. We have filled the treasury

With our toil, enlarged territory,

Made all heads down to you,

Can rival our might few.

We know you have much.

Give to us, if you have to spend such.

We know to expend, we will show other princes,

What it takes to be a Kaarttaveerya. Bhaargav rinses

Our wealth wrongly. Permit us to bring it back,

They sacked us, them we will re-sack."

Kritaveerya, giant and strong,

Calm and composed, listened for long,

Saw in his eyes his empire's future,

Hundred sons depicting royalty's caricature.

"Demanding the given not befits a king.

As for your expenses, you are being

Anyway lavish, you look for more.

Thirsty's thirst goes on to soar

However may be given elixir,

His desire knows no bar.

Just as you said, you conquered on gaze,

Because it's the flag the people praise.

Bear! It is the nature greatest

Of a king. The generation latest

How come are so lacking of it?

Your hands don't rule, nor your feet,

Neither the brain so limited

Can comprehend the dream spirited

Of a nation. It is an ocean.

You can only have the notion

If you dive deep. In the heart you feel

People's sorrow, hope, zeal.

Arise! Awake! Enlarge your being,

Solutions - it is here they sing.

Remember your predecessors, they are in every stone-block

Their deeds to this day people talk.

Why to the Bhaargavs go I?

They are straight, they don't lie.

Outspoken, wise they give advice perfect

Unlike the courtiers, whose opinion, checked

By selfish motives, hinders the raajatva's smooth conduct,

It is they who my wealth sucked.

Now tell me, why won't I pay

To the rightful Bhaargav's, for what they say?

Besides, my soul gets fulfilled

By Bodh - feeling - the mantras yield.

What I failed to understand, then I do,

From the fog of confusion I get clue.

An hour's sitting makes me productive,

Not a waste of time, investment constructive."

So saying, the King goes away.

His speech heavily weigh

To the closed souls. A while of bewilderment

Passes. Then the jackals come out of cage, resent 

Wise words, order for chariots,

Set out for the aashram of Bhaargavs.