Synopsis in prose form :
This chapter is a dramatic event of how Lord Shiva appears,
disguised as a sage, at the hermitage of Sita. Actually He just wants to see the growing children of Sita and bless them.
Lav and Kush, in their playful age of less than five years, try to play pranks with the sage, whom they lovingly call as Baba, which is a respectful address to elders. They try to snatch his bag, but the sage does not allow them to do so as He says that it is full of His secret ornaments.
Then the Children ask Him to give His TRISHUL (trident). The
sage takes the opportunity to tell the Children that the trident represents the three important virtues of life
Viz. Shakti (Energy), Bhakti (Devotion) and Mukti (Salvation).
Towards the end of this episode, Lav and Kush, full of mischief, still try to snatch the bag of secret ornaments from the sage. The sage shows false anger, but when the children persist, He suddenly pulls out a dangerous cobra from his bag and ties it round His neck. Sita, who is standing inside her hermitage and observing the event from a distance, instantly recognises that this sage is none other than Lord Shiva, the Lord of the Himalayas, as Lord Shiva always wears the cobra as his ornament. The children, scared out of their wits by the hissing cobra, now run for shelter to their mother.
Lord Shiva then dances his famous ‘Tandava’ dance in which Shiva, known as the dancing Nataraja, balances the creative and destructive powers of the Universe. Even ghosts and animals of the forest seem to join the divine dance. Eventually, having blessed the children of Sita, Lord Shiva vanishes into the forests.
*Amrut’ means 'divine nectar' of immortality
Song 1 : Triguna (Three virtues)
Sita :
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum
Adorns a tiger skin
Long haired he looks so cool
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Threatens with His "Trishul" (Trident) ||1||
I saw this from my hut
It caused me some concern
But inoccent Lav-Kush
Wanted only fun
Lav-Kush :
Baba! Why is your throat Blue ?
Tell us the secret true ?
Sage :
I've once drunk Poison
And stopped it in my throat
If others spew poison
In heart let it not float
Process the poison so
That it becomes ‘Amrut’ *
Hark Ye! Hark Ye!
Sita :
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ||4||
As the children laughed
The Sage went on dancing
Lav-Kush :
Baba ! What's in bag ?
The kids kept glancing.
Sage :
These are my ornaments
Sita :
His smile did betray
Lav-Kush asked in prattle
Lav-Kush:
Give your 'Trishul' to play.
Sita:
The sage showed annoyance
And shooed the kids away
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum||5||
Sage :
Trishul is sign of 'Trigun'
Listen to them carefully
Sage:
The first virtue is of Goddess 'Laxmi"
She personifies Shakti (energy)
She inspires truthful thoughts and deeds
Dutifulness is her dear synergy.
Shakti gives auspicious inspirations,
Human development work gets done with ease
Oh! Children take this virtue of Shakti
Enshrine it in a pure mind please.
Sita :
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum
Lav-Kush found it great fun
They sang and danced at whim
It seemed as if creatures
And spirits danced with Him
Lav-Kush laughed and asked
Lav-Kush :
Please tell the second virtue .
Sita :
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ||8||
Sage:
Second virtue is that of Mukti (salvation)
Mother Sita personifies it
She relinquishes anger and arrogance
A loving voice is her delight
She is indeed full of justice
Seeker she is of knowledge good
Not enticed by momentary greed
She's ever truthful to her Lord
She is the pinnacle of faithfulness
She is the darling of Lord's heart
Oh! Children take this virtue of Mukti
Enshrine it with the Shakti part.
Sita:
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum
Dancing innocently
They did not know a thing
Lav-Kush:
What is third virtue ?
Please tell they said prancing.
Sita :
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum||9||
Sage :
Third virtue is Bhakti (devotion)
RADHA will personify in future
She wants to only unify
With the super consciousness forever
This virtue is of pure love
Traditions do not bind it down
But practice of divine virtue
Its beautiful forms do adorn
Bhakti restrains sensuality, anger
And discards avarice
It resides in a pure heart
And meditates on God's praise
Oh!Children take this virtue of Bhakti
Enshrine it in body and mind
Essence of life is attaining God
Virtue of Bhakti tells this so kind.
Sita:
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He ||10||
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum
Sage:
Shakti, Bhakti and Mukti
Those who imbibe these in heart
Externally be they man or woman,
They'll be freed from mortal lot.
Sita :
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum||11||
My Lav-Kush are innocent
They only shout and cry.
Lav-Kush:
Baba ! What's in bag ?
Sita :
To open it they try.
Sage shows annoyance
Shooes the kids away .
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ||12||
Laughing in strangest manner
He pulled a cobra out
The snake hissed viciously
Poison began to spout.
Doing ‘ Thandav’ dance
Put cobra round his neck
The cobra was furious
My children ran amuck
Now I recognised
I bowed in front of 'Him'
'Lord Shiva' smiling –dancing
Vanished like a dream.
Hark Ye! Hark Ye! Says He
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ,
A mighty sage has come
Playing the 'Damru' drum
Da Dum,Da Dum, Da Dum ||13||
End of Chapter 15
Om Shanti ! Om Shanti ! Om Shanti