Chapter 8 : Kritaveerya's Penance for Shiv

Kritaveerya, the Emperor of Earth and Ocean,

Ruler of billion hearts of women and men,

Proud father of hundred sons brave

Now left childless, for one he crave

Who, qualified, will be more than hundred,

Better than rascals who father's tears shed.

True, the worlds fall short

For the one son unbegot.

Quitting all, in Himaalay he dwelt

An ascetic life with killing pain felt.

No golden crown, no scepter, no throne,

Not a mudraa of the great wealth won.

No jewelry, no costly clothes,

A hermit's life simple, lonely, he chose.

Air purifier whistles on,

All around it's the pure white's song.

A vast expanse of undulating white

Under the foot. White fog shows it's might

Beside. Above, the clouds white coming down

In deep love with Earth, here, kissing ground,

The body of mountains steady,

Straight, wide; and peaks, seemingly ready

To kiss them, the messengers of heaven.

Here merge all the seven

Swargas, a befitting place

To think of God. Kritaveerya, the ace

Among humans, scantily clad, penances. The King

Day and night for Shiv does sing,

"Ong Shivaayah, Ong Shivaayah", his mouth knows no rest,

For the great Core Power is his vehement quest.

He deeps in lake, extremely freezing,

His lips continuous Shiv-mantra oozing.

In summer he burns five fires around -

Panchaagni - stands with one foot on ground,

Hands stretched to sky, in pranaam posture,

Concentrating on Shiva in this difficult gesture.

At other times before the fire

He chanted shloks to Shiv's admire,

"O Shivah, the Primordial Power,

Sanaatan Shakti, You stand as tower

Helping all seeking strength.

To help Your devotee You go any length.

In Your power universe does move,

Stops revolving when You disapprove,

Tired in koti years

Bringing pralay, who fears?

At the end of kalpa of four ages

It's Your strength that razes

Down the System even as

A plow hard-scratches million grass.

When all vied for elixir in greed,

To  save the world You did feed

With great poison which together rose

Out from ocean. You voluntarily chose

During Samudra-Manthan and always

What discarded by others. Frays

Of this world is abhorred by You.

Sitting in Himaalay in all-white hue,

Ashes decorating Your skin,

Serpents and rudraaksha jewelry have been.

Tiger-hood being around Your waist,

And Trishool the trident, which lays to waste

Anything attacked, the Moon on head

Glowing peacefully, the brightest jewel studded

on jataa - matted hair - while damaru you ring -

The tiny drum that non-stop sing

The rhythm of life- the original wave

Of Omkaar- which gave

The first vibration of life,

The constant, steady universal vibe.

Devaadidev! - God of all gods and of others -

Your Primordial Power empowers

All animate and inanimate beings,

Lives he, who your praise sings.

Your song is sung around the earth

From time immemorial. The One Without Birth,

Your Shivlinga arose beyond the Heaven,

Beneath the Paataal It got driven

When Brahmaa and Vishnu were confused

Regarding creation. They used

Their yogic powers to find Your end.

Not found! Hint of Your eternity they gained.

Brahmaa became a heron and flew upwards,

Vishnu became varaaha and dug downwards.

Both failed to meet your end, came back questioning.

You are Unending. One who make ring

Your Power in heart as much as he can,

Doing great work becomes a great man.

As Rudra You pacify the crying.

Nataraaj, the King of Dancers, You bring

Rhythm of creation while Your Taandav dance

Brings destruction as third eye's glance,

Seeing the futility of existence,

Burns all. Umaa, Who hid Her presence

For long, as Sati took birth

As Daksha-kanyaa to bring forth

Shiv-Shakti's unification. Her concentration

For Shiv made Her reach such station

Where nothing is visible, not even feeling

That "I am the Great Power", made gods kneeling

Who came to bless Her, sought Her blessing instead,

In Your boon the marriage was made.

In Daksha-Yagna, by not inviting

You at his yagna, Humiliating

You the Auspiciousness, Daksha brought doom

To his arrangement. In Your heart would loom

Sati for many years, who, dejected,

At Your humiliation humiliated,

Humiliated by her father who grudged this marriage

Failing to comprehend Shiv the ever-sage,

Immolated Herself in yogic fire.

Sat Shakti is not for this world of desire.

Reborn as Paarvatee to King of mountains

Himavat and apsaraa Menakaa, She again took great pains

To woo You. Remarriage done, now ever-united,

By bhaktas on Mount Kailaas You Two are sighted.

Your parts are all men,

Paarvatee's parts are all women.

Purush and Prakriti, seated together,

Joint vibes ruling the world from aether."

In Kailaas Paarvatee moved,

Whose Kaali form makes shoved

All karma, gives moksha in one go,

Signals to Shiv, says, "Know

Your bhakta asking for child.

I foresee a world wild.

Be careful, don't give all,

Reside as You do in too big and too small."

Shiv smiles, "My Dear don't worry,

Concerns of You You may peacefully bury.

A devotee will get what he deserves,

But the functions of world- will go on to serve.

Every vibe creates another vibe,

They do balance, preserved is life."

Shiv reveals Himself to the King,

"O My great bhakta, great joy you bring

Seeing the unparalleled human marching to God,

It's here where even God does nod.

Tell me your wish." The King shivered,

Prostrated on the ground his wish delivered,

Getting up, looking at the Man,

Bright in dimension different than

This world, could not but resist,

His desire overwhelmingly persists,

spoke in telepathy, heart to heart,

"Give a great son as great as You art."

"Tathaastu - So be it," Mahaadev said

Smilingly, "after vratas - rituals - made

You will get a son who will surpass

All his ancestors, followed by mass,

Will take your dynasty to greater heights,

Shine will he in dharma, peace and fights.

Unkillable by anyone other than God,

Live will he, as long without fraud."

So said, Shiv unrevealed. In heart joyous

The King returns to his capital. The virtuous

Son Arjun was born of his Chief Queen,

Sheeldhanaa. The Empire in ruin

In new Kaarttaveerya found delight,

Became confident of its forthcoming might.