ANGULIMALA
V. Lalita Kumari
He came to a place where people informed
Him of Angulimala, a dacoit and robber
They asked him not to take that path
He simply smiled and moved forth.
Anon there stood before him
The very thief carrying an axe
He held up the weapon in his arm
The kind one put up his protective hand.
Scared at the sight of the horrid archer
The swami’s followers screamed in fear
As the fellow laughed harsh and loud
The swami returned a gentle smile.
Under the pull of the powerful smile
The huntsman’s axe fell to the ground
Under the spell of his loving looks
The wretch prostrated at the lotus feet.
“I am a Villain, a sinner, a savage
Be kind, O Lord’, bemoaned the thief
The pious one stroked the fellow’s head
And kindly took him into his fold.
His looks must have been magnetic
His hand must have been alchemic
Or else how can Angulimala, a ruffian
Change from a sinner to a saint?
The highway man with a heavy heart
Sobbed and sobbed as his eyes brimmed
Squatting near his merciful mentor
His woeful tale he began to relate.
‘Lord 1 was born of parents poor
My aged father could work no more
To feed himself and all of us
He had to go begging for alms.
‘But a famine deprived us of the dole
My mother took to bed with grief
We the kids hungered for food
Our father could not bear it any more’.
‘He broke into a house for rice
But fell into fell and cruel hands
They cut off his fingers in haste and anger
They were too rich to know hunger.
‘When my father writhed in pain
All the villains laughed again
They hopped and danced in great pride
They saved the town from a ‘scourge’ they said
‘I was but an urchin then
The scene hurt me deep within
I turned a felon from then on
To avenge my sire, took up this weapon.
‘I cut the fingers of those townsmen
and wore them on my neck as chain
I waylaid among hills and woods
And robbed the greedy of their goods.
‘Thousands of fingers collected thus
Hang day and night around my neck
But, Lord, why can they not assuage
The spite that within me doth rage?”
“Fire can never put out fire.
To cool it down water is used
Hate but be gets and whets hate
which love alone can satiate”.