Poemoods:-3
Dr. Nandkumar Kamat :Serving my son-Nachiketas: OM Nachiketasayh Namah! I saw his name in my dream, Nachiketa-the heavenly fire of knowledge; The creator of Kathopanishada; THE BOOK of books; Some atoms of that creation Cycling in the biosphere for eons; Might have entered my bloodstream, To give me that dream When I was sorting out mechanically, Hundreds of names , to name my newly born son! Every day he tests my patience, The worst test comes When he vomits, has diarrhea’ AABA, he calls me, to help him to the loo, AABA is a big bundle of false pride, And massive ego, The self righteous AABA-weighs the options, Knowing that he is exhausted, His muscles are aching, AAba, AAba-Nachiketas again drags me, Who is he? I wonder -looking at him like a stranger, How estranged I have become, >From my own son? My own flesh and blood? He runs to the loo, It would not easily get over, Whole night he keeps me awake, Making umpteen trips frequently, Then the ritual of washing And changing ,washing and Changing! Oh, GOD, I am so tired! TIRED! Having brought a new life in the world, I need to choose between, My comforts and his wellbeing, Things which appear simple, obvious Are no more so, He is testing me in every way, I throw out all the tomes on Child ethology, psychology; I wonder about the Fine texture of love, The algebra of alpha males, The calculus of compassion, The landscape of altruism, The subaltern narcissism, I recall Mother Theresa’s soft wrinkled hand, On my head in blessings, Which perhaps I did not deserve, Nachiketas loves to sketch Jesus, Every wall, every inch of the house, Every paper, pages of magazines Carry HIS image, HIS portrait hangs on our wall, I See HIM somewhere in distance, As a faint shadow, when I wash and clean my son, Again and Again and Again, There are countless questions, On HIS lips! With string of spontaneous teardrops, Trickling down my cheeks, AAba, AAba-Nachiketas is afraid…. He thinks that he has done, Something wrong, mischievous, But I weep for myself, for My inability To overcome selfishness, My wickedness, sadism, weakness; I give him a big hug, he smiles instantly! When I serve my son, Service becomes a divine revelation! Profoundly intimate, spiritual, It is a communion, Of the father with the son, on the way to, Incremental ego dissolution. Shishu devo bhava! Shishu devo bhava! Tathastu! Tathastu! AMEN! June 28, 2010 -- Dr. Nandkumar Kamat, GOA
