BAHUBALI, THE COLOSSUS. *
M. G. Narasimha Murthy
On the sunlit summit of Indragiri **
Stands the colossus Bahubali.
Gliding clouds caress the curls
On the majestic forehead
Of the towering ascetic prince,
Standing still in meditation.
Strong, serene, unperturbed,
The warrior - saint rises
Above the endless strife
Of the desperate world
Of selfish, struggling crowds
Steeped in violent hatred
And boundless greed.
The mighty prince of matchless valour,
Conqueror of Bharatha, the elder brother,
Overwhelmed with remorse and grief,
Renouncing the golden crown
And the fleeting glory
Of the ephemeral world
Stands at the pinnacle
Of the spiritual realm.
The awe-inspiring Bahubali,
Transformed now as Gommateswara,
A benign, benevolent saint,
Perennial source of solace and strength,
Proclaims love and forbearance
A splendid beacon to all mankind.
* BAHUBALI - a 57 feet tall statue of the great Jain saint Gommateswara (Carved in 981 A.D.), one of the wonders of the world.
** INDRAGIRI - a 450 feet high hill in Shravanabelagola, Hassan district of Karnataka.