വജ്രം

The poem winds around the story of Lord Indra’s weapon, Vajram, which was powerful enough to kill one of the fiercest of Asuras, Vritra, who was born to take revenge upon Indra himself. Shaking up the entire universe, the fearsome Asura had risen from the sacrificial fires of Sage Twashta as he offered oblations seeking the boon of a son capable enough to avenge the death of his elder son, Vishwaroopa, at the hands of Indra.

Scared for his throne as well as his life, Lord Indra, sought protection from Lord Vishnu Who informed him that only Sage Dadhichi’s bones had the power to destroy the Asura. Upon Indra’s request, Sage Dadhichi willingly gave up his life so the Gods could use his bones to save the world from the Asura. And with these bones, which had the strength and power of the Sage’s penance, the divine artisan, Viswakarma, crafted the mighty weapon, Vajram. Eventually, Lord Indra wielded the Vajram to annihilate Vritra and the rest of the Asuras.

The literal meanings of the word vajram include ‘diamond’ and ‘thunderbolt’, both being the symbols of strength and power. The poet here says, “I am vajram” – the vajram that chopped down to pieces the Asuras as it would a grove of plantain trees. And he concludes, “I await Indra (or sathakratu, the one who has done a hundred Aswamedha sacrifices thus qualifying himself for the title of Indra) who has the power to bear me”. As you unravel the meaning of the poem, you realise that by 'vajram', the poet refers to the ‘the word’ and the craft of using ‘the word’.

Word is thought. It's knowledge. It's wisdom. Word is expression as well as manifestation. Word is will, and worship as well. Word is a statement, while it’s music too. It’s noise and also voice. Word is war, and, at the same time, it’s peace. It’s a moment in eternity. Word is the beginning. And it’s forever.

Indeed, who then is powerful enough to wield the most invincible of all weapons – the word? And who is strong enough to shield themselves from its impact?

M. S. Ajayan’s stoic style of presentation steers the narration steadily forward through the tongue-twisting lines.

SW · Vajram | K. T. Krishna Variar | M. S. Ajayan   PC: Vicki Hamilton - Pixabay

വജ്രം 

വജ്രമാകുന്നു 

     ശതക്രതു തൻ തീക്ഷ്ണ-

വജ്രമജയ്യം;

     ഋഷിയാം ദധീചിത-

ന്നസ്ഥിയാൽ തീർത്തൊരു 

    വിധ്വംസകമഹാ-

വജ്രം; തപോധനൻ 

     ത്വഷ്ടാവു തൻപുത്ര-

നിർദയനിഗ്രഹം ചെയ്ത 

     മഹേന്ദ്രൻ്റെ 

ശത്രുവുയിർത്തെഴു-

     ന്നേൽക്കുവാനുദ്ദീപ്ത-

യജ്ഞാഗ്നികുണ്ഡത്തി-

     ലാജ്യമർപ്പിക്കവേ,

ദിക്കുകളെട്ടും 

     വിറപ്പിച്ചു കൊണ്ടുണർ-

ന്നുദ്ധരിച്ചെത്തിയ 

     വൃത്രനാം ദൈത്യനെ,

നിഗ്രഹിച്ചോരുഗ്ര-

     വജ്രം; അസുരരെ 

ക്ഷുദ്രകദളീ-

     പ്രകാണ്ഡങ്ങൾ പോലവേ 

വെട്ടിനുറുക്കിയ 

     വജ്രം - അതാണു ഞാൻ!

വജ്രമാമെന്നെ-

     ദ്ധരിക്കുവാൻ കെല്പുള്ള 

വൃത്രാരിയെ പ്രതീ-

     ക്ഷിക്കുകയാണു ഞാൻ!

© 1969 KTK