Sangham Sharanam Gachhaami
A monk just passed by me.
I stopped and asked, “Hey, Swami!
What does that mean? Answer me.”
His Face Sublime, His Attire Saffron.
He replied, I am not Swami,
Smile Genial, an Uncharged Neutron.
A survivor of Samsara‘s Tsunami.
Half hypnotized, I delved into his words.
“Our Master preached Spiritual Equality,
Warned against falling in religion of hordes,
Preached ‘Dharma’, the path of Morality.
“There is no state of depression or anxiety,
No Sorrow, unless we have our Desires.
Break the bondage of Maya, attain sobriety,
Choose the Middle-way, Wisdom transpires.
“Sangh is the place of such Bhikkhus,
Vimukta of Samsara,
They learn, teach and discuss,
Philosophy and its Sara.” (Sara in Sanksrit/Pali= Gist)
He went ahead with a laugh,
A cow leading me, the calf.
Out of the Trance, gazing at the holy footsteps,
I recalled calling a fanatic,’Sanghi’…
Equating Ku Klux Klan with Malcolm X!
Repenting, I promised never to be slangy.
Poem by Shivoham
Illustration by Sanjana Acharya
Article 19 