Prakriti and Purusha

 She swirls in green fields

Singing of birth pangs and blooms

Change is her language. 

 

He is the blue sky

Quiet witness to all her moods,

Still and beyond time. 

Shiva and Shakti

Shakti is the breath

Shiva the space it traverses

Without her,

He is inert 

Without him 

She is fire wild

She coils at the muladhar

He waits at the Sahasrara

Breath bridges their kiss. 

He is the mountain still

She a gurgling river that sings

Love erodes all forms.

He is sky, untouched.

She, the moon that waxes bright

Each night,

she dances wilder

but never leaves

his gaze.

Shiva stands alone

A Deodar tree on high peaks

Shakti is the light 

That filters through ancient leaves

Warming his Himalayan heart

Navagraha (nine planets as per Vedic astrology)

 Navgraha 

Surya 

Seven horses drive

Golden chariot full of light 

Soul’s eternal guide

Chandra 

Sky’s silver cradle,

rocked gently by the mother 

feelings ebb and flow.

Mangal 

Peacock-mounted Skanda

hurls his spear through stubborn dark —

red fires up his veins.

Brihaspati

Yellow-robed Vishnu

the lotus of wisdom blooms

where his footsteps fall

Budh 

Emerald orb spins

as Ganesha shapes the mind —

celestial scribe.

Shukra 

Lakshmi’s jasmine feet

trail stardust across the sky —

peacocks whirl in bliss.

Shani (Saturn)

Midnight’s sentinel

weighs truth against each karma —

Saturn carves the soul.

Rahu

Skies rain down silver,

the head whispers golden lies —

stars blink in doubt.

Ketu

Though eyeless, he sees —

ego journeys toward moksha,

metamorphosis.

Navrasa

 Navarasa

Shringara (Love and Beauty)

The scent of parijat

lingers in the soft moonlight —

my breath entangled with his.

⸻

Hasya (Laughter).

Sethji’s fat hands reach,

prasad vanishes mid-air—

monkey grins, mouth full.

⸻

Karuna (Compassion and Sorrow)

My child sheds a tear,

a mother bird mourns her nest —

grief lingers, silent.

⸻

Raudra (Fury)

Another Nirbhaya.

The third eye of Shiva must

burn this world to ash.

⸻

Veera (Heroism)

In Subhadra’s womb

a young warrior keenly

awaits the battlefield.

⸻

Bhayanaka (Fear)

Swords and lit torches

in hands of people praying

to another God.

⸻

Vibhatsa (Disgust)

Vultures encircle

the red-bloodied, reeking earth —

death dances about.

⸻

Adbhuta (Wonder)

The joy of catching

fireflies in little hands —

the wonder of twilight.

⸻

Shanta (Peace)

Blessing of full moon

washes over the suckling

babe with milk divine.

The Hindu calender

 The Hindu Calendar

The earth smiles in flowers

as Chaitra heralds with joy

the birth of Lord Rama.

Vaishakha sun smiles bright,

promising cornucopia

on Akshay Tritiya.

Jyeshtha’s parched lips,

chanting Vishnu’s thousand names,

burn lifelong sins.

The dark Ashadha clouds

rain rivulets of delight.

Devotees throng Puri.

Green succulence paints

the chunris of womenfolk

swinging Sravana jhoola.

Bhadra skies are dark;

Yamuna swells to kiss the feet

of baby Krishna.

Ashvin’s moonbeams adorn

each form of Navdurga,

lighting lamps within.

Cool Karthik winds charm

the fragrant hearts of parijat;

Lord Ram comes back home.

Margashirsha’s mild sun —

seeking Krishna as a groom,

girls weave marigold haar.

Granaries brim full

in Pausha’s hush before spring;

hearths hum with promises.

Magha’s saffron tides

call pilgrims for sacred rites,

as Ganga flows on.

Palaash blooms ignite —

Radha blushes in delight,

Krishna’s Phalguna.